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DESERTIFICATION ANDNOMADIC CULTURE

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CONTENTS

Causes and factors

Current measurement

Future challenge

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WHAT IS DESERTIFICATION?

Land degradation loss of landsbiological productivity

One of the worlds most alarmingprocess

Caused by human activities and climatechange

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NATURAL CAUSES:

a) Climate: Arid and Semi-arid environments,drought.

b) High topographic gradient and active

regional geodynamic.c) Deforestation due to natural forest fires.

These causes cant be under human control.

Long periods of time are needed to changethem, so we usually have to talk ofgeological time.

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ANTHROPIC CAUSES:

a) Overgrazingb) Over cultivationc) Mismanagement of irrigation

d) Deforestatione) Urban and industrial activities, mining and

exploitation of resources.

These causes are far more quick than thenatural ones. In short, I will say that erosionoccurs because of the change of the soiluses.

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DESERTIFICATION

Land degradation induced byanthropogenic factors is common to allecological zones of Mongolia. In addition to

climatic factors there are several specifichuman activities that have led to seriousand widespread desertification in Mongolia.Animal husbandry, especially in the arid

and semi-arid regions, is considered as themost essential human induced factoraffecting desertification risk in Mongolia.

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NOMADIC CULTURE

Because of the climate and short growingseason, animal husbandry defines thenomadic lifestyle, with agriculture playinga secondary role. Nomads raise fivetypes of animals - goats, sheep, cattle(including yaks), camels and horses - that

provide meat, dairy products,transportation, and wool.

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BUT IN THE LAST YEARS THE NUMBER OFLIVESTOCK HAS GONE TOO FAR

HAHAHAHAHH

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During the last 10 years, between 2000 and2010, the number of livestock in Mongoliaincreased by 68%. An increase in totallivestock numbers is of concern becausethe country has lost the original traditionallivestock herding system due tomoderization of the socio-economic system,including grazing control practices, and at

the same time has not yet establishedmechanisms to ensure the sustainable useof rangelands through livestock control andmonitoring.

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Mongolian native breeds of animals are characterized by an excellentadaptation to the local harsh environmental conditions, and resistanceto unfavourable weather and various kinds of diseases.

One of the specific characteristics of the Mongolian pastoral livestockhusbandry system is that the animals take the necessary energy andnutrients for growth in summer and autumn, i.e. animals start to gain

weight in early summer when availability o{ high quality grass is high andattain their maximum weight at the end of autumn. Winter weather has anumber of negative consequences for animal production in Mongolia,such as low temperatures, strong winds, snow cover, restrictingaccessibility of the grass, snow and dust storms. In the winter spring periodthe animals loose weight. However, the adapted Mongolian animalssurvive, spending the energy from the, weight gained in summer-autumn.Therefore, summer condition or pasture vegetation yield is virtually

important for livestock raising at pastoral system. lf there is prolongeddrought animal can not take sufficient strength and energy to over comewinter even there is no dzud condition. Thus drought was also the one ofthe key determent to prescribe the vulnerability of livestock to climatechange.

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With the countrys continuing transition todemocracy and urban lifestyle, human activity inand out of Mongolia has increased.With theprice of cashmere wool dropping 50% from 2008,

the nomads feel pressure to either increase theirKashmir goat herds or leave their culturalnomadic traditions for the economically popularmining industry. Goats are known as animportant cause of soil erosion, and with both

animals and miners breaking up the naturaltopsoil of Mongolian grasslands, there is anunstable imbalance in the country betweennatural restoration and ecology management.

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HOW DOES DESERTIFICATION OCCUR?

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