
14/02/2025
Dear Readers,
The next article, entitled "Plant diversity and vegetation community analysis of the Ikh Nart Nature Reserve, Mongolia", has just been published.
The online first version of the article is available at the following DOI link: https://doi.org/10.22353/mjbs.2024.22.13
Abstract
The ecosystem of Ikh Nart Nature Reserve is unique as it is located in the transitional zone of the steppe and desert-steppe ecosystems, which have been often used as pastureland. It was established in 1996 to protect fascinating rocky outcrops and rare argali sheep. The present study was conducted with the objectives of vegetation community structure, species composition, biological spectrum, and indicator species characteristics in the study area. Eighty-seven species of vascular plants are distributed in the study area, which composed six communities: Salix ledebouriana, Prunus pedunculata, Caragana pygmaea, Spiraea hypericifolia, Ulmus pumila, and Atraphaxis frutescens. These communities were different from one another in species richness, diversity, biological spectrum, and indicator species. Hemicryptophytes are dominated in each community, and therophytes are composed 24.14% of the total sampled species, followed by the geophytes (10.34%), chamaephytes (8.05%), and phanerophytes, (6.9%). The degradation indicator species (15 taxa) were dominated and anthropophilic weedy species, such as Saussurea salsa, Eragrostis minor in Salix ledebouriana, and Ulmus pumila communities, were identified.