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Altai Montane Forest And Forest Steppe
The Altai montane forest and forest steppe ecoregion (WWF ID: PA0502) covers patches of the subalpine forest belt on the Altai Mountains, crossing the border region where Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China meet. The region has high biodiversity, as it is located in transition zones between different ecoregions, altitudes, and climate zones. It is in the Palearctic realm, with a Semi-arid climate#Cold semi-arid climates, Cold semi-arid climate. It covers . Location and description The ecoregion stretches 1,500 km, from the Belukh Range of the Altai mountains on the Russia-Kazakhstan border in the northwest, to the Gobi-Altai in Mongolia to the southeast. The ecoregion slices through the Altai at the sub-alpine elevations, leaving out the alpine peaks above, and the lakes and valleys below. To the south of the Altai are the cold, arid regions of central Asia, and to the north are the forests and wetlands of Siberia. Climate Because of its altitude distance from the oc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Katun Nature Reserve
Katun Nature Reserve () (also Katunsky) is a Russian zapovednik (strict nature reserve) located in the highlands of the central Altai Mountains of south Siberia. The Katun River runs down through a valley in the reserve, serving as the primary source of the Ob River. The headwaters of the Katun River originate on Mount Belukha, the highest mountain in Siberia at , which is located on the far eastern edge of the preserve. Katun is an internationally important center of biodiversity, forming part of the "Golden Mountains of Altai" UNESCO World Heritage Site. Katun Nature Reserve is situated in the Ust-Koksinsky District of Altai Republic. Topography The topography of the reserve includes glaciers, alpine tundra, meadows, and forests. Much of the terrain has been formed through glaciation, and there are small lakes, streams, waterfalls, and steep slopes. Ecoregion and climate Katun is located in the ''Altai alpine meadow and tundra'' ecoregion (WWF ID #PA1001). This ecoregion d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anabasis (plant)
''Anabasis'' is a genus of plants in the subfamily Salsoloideae of the family Amaranthaceae. It is distributed in southern Europe, North Africa, and Asia. Description The species of genus ''Anabasis'' are annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs. Their stems are fleshy and articulated, mostly glabrous with the exception of hairy tufts at the nodes, rarely with papillae-like trichomes or woolly. The opposite leaves may be reduced to small scales or normally developed. The inflorescences are elongated or condensed spikes. The flowers sit solitary or in groups of up to 4 in the axils of upper leaves (bracts), with 2 paired bracteoles. Flowers consist of 5 subequal membranous perianth segments, that are free nearly from base; 3-5 stamens without appendages; and an ovary with 2-3 thick and short stigmas. In fruit, prominent membranous wings develop on the back of the perianth segments, usually 2-3 of them larger than the others. Rarely, the perianth remains unwinged. The fruit m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mönkhkhairkhan Mountain
Mönhhairhan Mountain (, ; "Holy eternal mountain") is the second highest mountain in Mongolia, located in the Bayan-Ölgii and Khovd Province. See also * List of mountains in Mongolia Mongolia has three major mountain ranges. The highest is the Altai Mountains, which stretch across the western and the southwestern regions of the country on a northwest-to-southeast axis. The Khangai Mountains, mountains also trending northwest t ... * List of Ultras of Central Asia * List of Altai mountains References External links "Munkh Khairkhan, Mongolia" on Peakbagger Mountains of Mongolia Altai Mountains Landforms of Bayan-Ölgii Province Landforms of Khovd Province {{Mongolia-geo-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Munkhkhairkhan National Park
Munkhkhairkhan National Park () is centered on Mönkhkhairkhan Mountain, the second highest mountain in Mongolia. The park straddles Bayan-Ölgii Province and Khovd Province in the Mongol-Altai Mountains of western Mongolia, 15 km from the border with China. Topography The park's area runs for northwest-to-southeast along the ridge of the mountain, with a width of 30 km that takes in rivers and lakes in the adjoining valleys. Munkh Kharirkhan's highest peak, Noyon, rises to an elevation of in the Mongol-Altai Range of the Altai Mountains. The mountain features glaciers and snowfields, with glacial activity leaving steep slopes of rock and gravel. Climate and ecoregion The climate of the area is ''Cold semi-arid climate'' (Köppen climate classification (BSk)). This climate is characteristic of steppe climates intermediary between desert and humid climates, and typically have precipitation is above evapotranspiration. At least one month averages below . Precipita ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ob River
The Ob (; ) is a major river in Russia. It is in western Siberia, and with its tributary the Irtysh forms the world's seventh-longest river system, at . The Ob forms at the confluence of the Biya and Katun which have their origins in the Altai Mountains. It is the westernmost of the three great Siberian rivers that flow into the Arctic Ocean (the other two being the Yenisei and the Lena). Its flow is north-westward, then northward. The main city on its banks is Novosibirsk, the largest city in Siberia, and the third-largest city in Russia. It is where the Trans-Siberian Railway crosses the river. The Gulf of Ob is the world's longest estuary. Names The internationally known name of the river is based on the Russian name ''Обь'' (''Obʹ'', ). Possibly from Proto-Indo-Iranian '' *Hā́p-'', "river, water" (compare Vedic Sanskrit ''áp-'', Persian ''āb'', Tajik ''ob'', and Pashto ''obə'', "water"). Katz (1990) proposes Komi ''ob'' 'river' as the immediate source of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Katun River
The Katun ( ; ) is a river in the Altai Republic and the Altai Krai of Russia. It forms the Ob as it joins the Biya some southwest of Biysk. The Katun is long, and its covers ., erroneously named "БИЯ" It originates in the Katun glacier
A glacier (; or ) is a persistent body of dense ice, a form of rock, that is constantly moving downhill under its own weight. A ...
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Zapovednik
A zapovednik is an established term on the Post-Soviet states, territory of the former Soviet Union for a protected area which is kept "forever wild". It is the highest degree of environmental protection for the assigned areas, which are strictly protected. Access to the public is restricted. Overview The literal English translation of ''zapovednik'' is "nature sanctuary" (like animal sanctuary); however, in practice, zapovedniks sometimes have to do with the protection of things other than nature and can incorporate historical-cultural, historical–archaeological, and other types of cultural or natural heritage. They also function as important sites for historical research and education and so are comparable to the Site of Special Scientific Interest, Sites of Special Scientific Interest as found in the United Kingdom and Site of Special Scientific Interest (Hong Kong), Hong Kong. The term ''zapovednik'', which refers to the reserve, staff and infrastructure, was used in the for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard (''Panthera uncia'') is a species of large cat in the genus ''Panthera'' of the family Felidae. The species is native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because the global population is estimated to number fewer than 10,000 mature individuals and is expected to decline about 10% by 2040. It is mainly threatened by poaching and habitat destruction following infrastructural developments. It inhabits alpine and subalpine zones at elevations of , ranging from eastern Afghanistan, the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau to southern Siberia, Mongolia and western China. In the northern part of its range, it also lives at lower elevations. Taxonomically, the snow leopard was long classified in the monotypic genus ''Uncia''. Since phylogenetic studies revealed the relationships among ''Panthera'' species, it has since been considered a member of that genus. Two subspecies were described based on morpho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pika
A pika ( , or ) is a small, mountain-dwelling mammal native to Asia and North America. With short limbs, a very round body, an even coat of fur, and no external tail, they resemble their close relative the rabbit, but with short, rounded ears. The large-eared pika of the Himalayas and nearby mountains lives at elevations of more than . The name ''pika'' appears to be derived from the Tungus ''pika'', and the scientific name ''Ochotona'' is derived from the Mongolian word ''ogotno, оготно'', which means pika. It is used for any member of the Ochotonidae (), a family within the order of lagomorphs, the order which also includes the Leporidae (rabbits and hares). They are the smallest animal in the lagomorph group. Only one genus, ''Ochotona'' ( or ), is extant within the family, covering 37 species, though many fossil genera are known. Another species, the Sardinian pika, belonging to the separate genus '' Prolagus'', has become extinct within the last 2,000 years owi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lagomorpha
The lagomorphs () are the members of the taxonomic order Lagomorpha, of which there are two living families: the Leporidae (rabbits and hares) and the Ochotonidae ( pikas). There are 110 recent species of lagomorph, of which 109 species in twelve genera are extant, including ten genera of rabbits (42 species); one genus of hare (33 species) and one genus of pika (34 species). The name of the order is derived from the Ancient Greek (, "hare") + (, "form"). Taxonomy and evolutionary history Other names used for this order, now considered synonymous, include: ''Duplicidentata'' (Illiger, 1811); ''Leporida'' (Averianov, 1999); ''Neolagomorpha'' (Averianov, 1999); ''Ochotonida'' (Averianov, 1999); and ''Palarodentia'' (Haeckel, 1895; Lilian, 2016). The evolutionary history of the lagomorphs is still not well understood. In the late 20th century, it was generally agreed that '' Eurymylus'', which lived in eastern Asia and dates back to the late Paleocene or early Eocene, was a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tarbagan Marmot
The tarbagan marmot (''Marmota sibirica'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in China (Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang), northern and western Mongolia, and Russia (southwest Siberia, Tuva, Transbaikalia). In the Mongolian Altai Mountains, its range overlaps with that of the Gray marmot. The species was classified as endangered by the IUCN in 2008. Two subspecies are recognized, ''M. s. sibirica'' and ''M. s. caliginosus''. Etymology The etymology of the word "tarbagan" comes from Russian "тарбаган" (tarbagan), which originates from Proto-Mongolic and denotes specific rodent species; it is related to the Ulch- and Nanai-language word for beaver, "targa". Other names for the tarabagan marmot include Siberian marmot and Mongolian marmot. Description and ecology The tarbagan marmot is medium-sized compared to other marmots, with a 0.25 head-to-body ratio. During the summer, its hair is between 11–20 mm and grows up to 30 mm during winter mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gray Marmot
The gray marmot, grey marmot, or Altai marmot (''Marmota baibacina'') is a species of rodent in the squirrel family Sciuridae. It is one of the larger marmots in the genus Marmota. It occurs in mountainous grasslands and shrub lands of central Asia, and is one of the 9 Palearctic (Eurasia) species. It is found in Xinjiang Province in China, southeastern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and in the Altai and Tien Shan Mountains in southeastern Siberia in Russia. In the Mongolian Altai, its range overlaps with that of the Tarbagan marmot. Gray marmots form social groups, live in burrows, and hibernate. Description Gray marmots are one of the largest palearctic species, weighing , with some individuals reaching near before hibernation. Body size varies based on the time of year (before/after hibernation), and with latitude and elevation. Overall, body size increases at higher latitude and elevation and decreases at lower latitudes and elevation. Gray marmots may lose up to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
