沙漠研究 22-1, 239 -241 (2012 )"ICAL 1 / DT X"

Journal of Arid Land Studies－Refereed Paper－

What Kind of Vegetation Exists in the Central Eurasian Steppe?
- Fundamental Information to Conserve the Vulnerable Steppe Vegetation Kohei SUZUKI*1), Abdisalam JALALDIN2), Nurbay ABDUSALIK2), Tsagaanbandi TSENDEEKHUU3),
Takashi KAMIJO1) and Toru NAKAMURA1)
Abstract: In this paper, we classify and describe plant communities of central Eurasian steppe and discuss about the position ofcentral Eurasian steppe vegetation in the Eurasian steppe. Following phytosociological methods, vegetation survey was carried out innorthern Xinjiang and western Mongolia. Plant communities were classified based on the species composition. The study areas ofcentral Eurasian steppe is differentiated into six community groups; Stipa capillata community group, Agropyron cristatum
community group, Convolvulus lineatus community group, Elymus mutabilis community group, Anabasis brevifolia communitygroup and Nanophyton erinaceum community group. The results demonstrated that (1) S. capillata community group distributed
northern Xinjiang and western Eurasian steppe have common differential species, and A. cristatum community group distributed
western Mongolia and eastern Eurasian steppe have common differential species, though these community groups also have own
species composition, (2) Species composition of C. lineatus community group, E. mutabilis community group, A. brevifolia
community group and N. erinaceum community group are different from that of S. capillata community group, A. cristatum
community group and other Eurasian steppe vegetation. These community groups considered to be more similar to desert steppe.
Key Words: Altay Mountains, Eurasian steppe, Mongolia, Phytosociology, Xinjiang

1. Introduction
Eurasian steppe extends as a broad belt across the continent
from Hungary to Northeastern China (Archibold, 1995).
Lavrenko and Karamysheva (1993) indicated that Eurasian
steppe was divided into two subregions: Black Sea-Kazakhstan
subregion and central Asian subregion due to the difference indegree of continentality of the climate.
BlackSea-Kazakhstan subregion was contained up to the southern
Altay. On the other hand, central Asian subregion extends
from Gobi Altay to Inner Mongolia. Cheng (2008) also
explained that along the lines of Altay Mountains, species
composition of the Eurasian steppe is mainly divided into twogroups including the western Eurasian steppe and the eastern
Eurasian steppe.
In previous researches, Grubov (1999) conducted floristicclassification in central Asia, and mentioned about the absenceof information in floristic composition of Xinjiang. Lavrenko
and Karamysheva (1993) also reported two steppe subregions
are in contact at the southern Altay Mountains. This suggeststhat Eurasian steppe may not be completely divided there.
Some studies conducted in central Eurasian steppe, but
survey and analysis methods were different among studies
and research areas were not enough. Therefore, thevegetation information of central Eurasian steppe has notgathered systematically. In addition, it is not clear thatsimilarity among central Eurasian steppe and other steppe
regions.
In this study, our aims are (1) to classify and describe plantcommunities of central Eurasian steppe; and (2) to discuss
about the position of central Eurasian steppe vegetation in theEurasian steppe.

2. Study Areas and Methods
The study was carried out in northern Xinjiang in July,2009 and in western Mongolia in July, 2010 because most ofplants were the flower season and identified relatively easily.
Data were collected from a total of 129 stands (1 m2-16 m2)
around Fukang city, Altay city and Barkol Kazak Autonomous
County in northern Xinjiang, a total of 97 stands (1 m2-16 m2)
around Ulaangom and Khovd in western Mongolia samplingfrom relatively homogeneous areas (Figs. 1 and 2). The
average annual temperature is 7.0°C, 4.2°C and 9.4°C, while
the annual precipitation is 249 mm, 195 mm and 57 mm in
Fukang city, Altay city and Hami city which is located near
Barkol Kazak Autonomous County, respectively (Statistics
Bureau of Xinjiang Uygr Autonomous Region 2004). The
average annual temperature is -1.5°C and 2.0°C, while theannual precipitation is 115 mm and 94 mm in Ulaangom and* Corresponding Author: kohei0808@gmail.com
1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan1) Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan
2) Institute of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Xinjiang University, China

3) Department of Botany, School of Biology and Biotechnology, National University of Mongolia, Mongolia3. Results and Discussion

Fig. 1. Study areas.

Fig. 2. Landscape of western Mongolia.

Khovd, respectively (National Statistical Office of Mongolia,2010). Typical steppe vegetation is focused in this research.
However, the steppe vegetation around study areas is variable,with some of the features of desert steppe (Zhu, 1993).
Therefore, vegetation survey may be conducted not only on
typical steppe but also on desert steppe. The survey wasfollowed by the phytosociological methods of Braun-Blanquet(1964). The species composition of each stand was recorded
using the Braun-Blanquet cover-abundance scale. To decidesampling area, the minimal area was adopted. The minimal
area is the way that enlarges area gradually up to stop new
plant species appearance. The altitude of each stand was also
recorded. Using the abundance data at each stand, plantcommunity table was made and plant community wasclassified on the basis of their differential species in northern
Xinjiang and western Mongolia respectively (Braun-Blanquetk,1964; Muller- Dombois, 1974). After that, plant community
tables were unified. Taxonomic Nomenclature follows Mijit(2000) in northern Xinjiang and Grubov (2001) in western
Mongolia.

The central Eurasian steppe is dominated by species belong
to genus Stipa and genus Artemisia. And Heteropappus
altaicus appeared in most of the community. After theunification of plant communities in the study areas in northern
Xinjiang and western Mongolia, six community groups aredifferentiated. These community groups are Stipa capillata
community group, Agropyron cristatum community group,
Convolvulus lineatus community group, Elymus mutabilis
community group, Anabasis brevifolia community group andNanophyton erinaceum community group.
S. capillata community group is formed by thecommunities distributed in Fukang and Altay in northern
Xinjiang. And this community group is characterized by S.
capillata and Festuca sulcata. The distribution ranges of thiscommunity group are 912 m - 1830 m.
A. cristatum community group is formed by thecommunities distributed in Ulaangom and Khovd in western
Mongolia. And this community group is characterized by A.
cristatum, Scorzonera ikonnikovii, Artemisia frigida,
Gypsophila desertorum, Convolvulus ammanii andCleistogenes songorica. The distribution ranges of thiscommunity group are 1403 m - 1904 m.
C. lineatus community group is distributed in Barkol
Kazak Autonomous County in northern Xinjiang. And thiscommunity group is characterized by C. lineatus, Artemisia
scoparia and Ephedra glauca. The distribution ranges of thiscommunity group are around 2028 m.
E. mutabilis community group is distributed in Barkol
Kazak Autonomous County in northern Xinjiang. And thiscommunity group is characterized by E. mutabilis andArtemisia rutifolia.
The distribution ranges of thiscommunity group are around 2049 m.
A. brevifolia community group is distributed in Khovd inwestern Mongolia.
And this community group ischaracterized by A. brevifolia. The distribution ranges of thiscommunity group are 860 m - 863 m.
N. erinaceum community group is distributed in Ulaangom
in western Mongolia. And this community group ischaracterized by N. erinaceum and Hordeum turkestanicum.
The distribution ranges of this community group are 1480 m 1530 m.
S. capillata and F. sulcata which are differential species in
S. capillata community group are also differential species inwestern Eurasian steppe which are classified in Kazakhstanand Ukraine by Cheng (2008). Therefore it is said that S.
capillata community group and western Eurasian steppe havecommon differential species. However, species compositionof S. capillata community group is different from that of

western Eurasian steppe. S. capillata community group has
northern Xinjiang characteristics.
A. cristatum, A. frigida and C. ammanii which are
differential species in A. cristatum community group are also
differential species in eastern Eurasian steppe which areclassified in mideastern Mongolia and Inner Mongolia byCheng (2008). Therefore it is said that A. cristatum
community group and eastern Eurasian steppe have common
differential species. However, S. ikonnikovii, G. desertorum
and C. songorica are not differential species in eastern
Eurasian steppe. And species composition of A. cristatum
community group is also different from that of eastern
Eurasian steppe. A. cristatum community group has own
characteristics.
The species compositions of other community groups aredifferent from that of S. capillata community group, A.
cristatum community group and other Eurasian steppe
vegetation.
C. lineatus community group and E. mutabilis community
group are distributed in Barkol Kazak Autonomous County.
On the other hand, S. capillata community group is distributedin Fukang and Altay. Species composition is different
between Barkol Kazak Autonomous County and others. Thisis likely because the aridness around Barkol Kazak
Autonomous County. This area located in the eastern sectionof the Tianshan Mountains, and has the aridness due to its long
distance from the oceans and the almost exhausted effect ofwestern oceanic air masses (Zhang et al., 2004).
A. brevifolia community group are distributed in Khovd,and N. erinaceum community group are distributed inUlaangom. A. cristatum community group are equallydistributed in Ulaangom and Khovd.
However, thedistribution ranges are lower in these community groups thanA. cristatum community group. It is likely that thesecommunity groups and A. cristatum community group are
divided by altitude. A. brevifolia and N. erinaceum which are
differential species of these community groups respectively are
the species mainly distributed in deserts and semi deserts in
Mongolia (Hilbig, 1995). These community groups arecharacterized by drier species and absence of differential
species of A. cristatum community group.

4. Conclusion
The species composition is quite different along the lines ofAltay Mountains in central Eurasian steppe from acomprehensive standpoint. S. capillata community groupwhich is located in west side of Altay Mountains has common
differential species with western Eurasian steppe. On theother hand, A. cristatum community group which is located ineast of Altay Mountains has common differential species witheastern Eurasian steppe.
The species compositions of other community groups aredifferent from that of S. capillata community group, A.
cristatum community group and other Eurasian steppe
vegetation. This is likely because the differences ofgeographical location and altitudinal distribution. Othercommunity groups considered to be more similar to desert
steppe than typical steppe. However, vegetation information
is insufficient to make sure the position of these community
groups. Therefore it is necessary to get more vegetation
information in central Eurasian steppe.

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