Current State and Rational Use of Landscapes in the Border Area of Mongolia and Russia

Abstract

As a result of integrated assessment of natural and anthropogenous situation in Hentyi, Dornod and Darhan-Uul provinces (aimags) we have found, that the forest shrinkage and fires, overgrazing and resulting soil erosion are the most acute environmental problems here. As a result of chemical analysis we have found, that the Onon river waters and its left inflows belong to hydrocarbonate calcic type of the first group there is a low water mineralization of the left inflows and the increased mineralization of the right inflows. The rivers Shusyn-Gol, Arangatyl-Gol and Bayan-Gol are allocated with the increased contents of strontium from all rivers tested on heavy metals. Comparing background contents of soil chemical elements in the area of Russia and Mongolia it is possible to draw a conclusion, that soils in the area of northeast Mongolia and Transbaikalia are comparable, they have a low contents of macro- and microelements, except manganese, strontium and vanadium, which have concentration, exceeding the lithosphere clark in Mongolia. There are elevated contents of lead and cadmium in urban soils on the territory of districts (somons), exceeding maximum concentration limit by 1, 5–2 times; titanium and barium, exceeding the lithosphere clark, that is connected with oven heating and transport. We made an ecological zoning of the area on categories of the importance and sensitivity of soils for their potential development.