Determining major climatic factors and their variations in the central agricultural region of Mongolia

Non-Peer ReviewedIn accordance of the World Meteorological Organization, the weather conditions between 1961 and 1990 is defined as the climate and mean of climatic factors over that time-period is considered as the climatic normal. Climate is formed as a result of interactions between atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere (geosphere), biosphere, and cryosphere. It develops and changes due to various external factors, periodic and non-periodic fluctuations in these systems. Number of studies has shown some strong indications of global warming in Mongolia. Objective of this study was to determine the changes and trends in the major climatic factors such as annual air temperature and precipitation in Orkhon-Selenge Basin, the Central Agricultural Region of Mongolia, over the last 15 years (1991-2006). Our study has revealed that over the past 15 years, from 1991 to 2006, the mean annual air temperature in the Central Agricultural Region of Mongolia has risen by 0.7-1.2 degrees Celsius or 0.04-0.07 degrees Celsius per year. Consequently, there has been higher frequency of years exhibiting drought like conditions negatively impacting vegetation growth. The warming has been causing a higher frequency of occurrence of drier years with moisture deficit for vegetation growth

Chapter I: Overview

The Rangelands Atmosphere-hydrosphere-biosphere Interaction Study Experiment in northeastern Asia (RAISE) ......7