A new record of critically endangered Saussurea bogedaensis (Asteraceae) from Dzungarian Gobi, Mongolia

A species in the family Asteraceae, Saussurea bogedaensis, was newly described from Bogeda Mountain in Xinjiang, China and is a critically endangered species in China. Morphological and genetic characteristics confirm the presence of this species in Mongolia, as it was found in Baitag Bogd Mountain (in the Dzungarian Gobi). In addition, the distribution and conservation status of S. bogedaensis are provided

Predicting the current and future suitable habitats, species distribution, and conservation assessment of Fritillaria dagana (Liliaceae)

Fritillaria dagana Turcz. has a restricted global distribution, occurring only in southern Siberia and northern Mongolia. Concerning its restricted distribution and endangered conservation status, we aimed to forecast its current and future suitable habitats as well as distribution shifts for 2050 and 2080. The Maxent model with different scenarios (representative concentration pathway 4.5 and representative concentration pathway 8.5) was used to analyze 113 georeferenced records of F. dagana using 19 bioclimatic factors from the WorldClim database. As a result, the amount and variance of precipitation and temperature, together with elevation, were shown to be the most significant factors affecting the species' distribution. In particular, precipitation during the plant growing season had the greatest impact (55.2% variability) on the species distribution. Climate change was expected to cause a minor shift in the distribution of suitable habitats toward the north and an increase in habitat continuity, indicating that the climate will become more favorable for the growth of species and in the future. The species' highly suitable area will remain primarily concentrated in its current potential distribution area in central Siberia (around Lake Baikal). The species' conservation status was determined to be near threatened, emphasizing the great relevance of facilitating proper conservation measures for F. dagana

Improved Understanding of the Macrofungal Diversity of Mongolia: Species Richness, Conservation Status, and An Annotated Checklist

AbstractIn this study, we updated and revised the checklist of macrofungi, along with the distribution of phytogeographical regions and the regional conservation status in Mongolia. The checklist comprises 677 macrofungal species belonging to 284 genera and 119 families in the country. Based on previous studies, 18 species are currently invasive to Mongolia. In this checklist, only four species are endemic to Mongolia. Among the 677 species, the regional conservation status of 51 species was previously assessed as threatened in the country. Furthermore, we collected all available occurrence records from various sources. A total of 4733 occurrences of 655 species across Mongolia were analyzed for species richness based on a 0.5° × 0.5° grid cell size. We found the records to be unevenly distributed across Mongolia, where records from the northern and central parts dominate. Among these, we identified 43 grids with a high diversity of macrofungal species. Most of these grids did not reside inside by protected geographical areas

Important plant areas (IPAs) in the Fergana Valley (Central Asia): The badlands of the northern foothills

Here, we aimed to identify important plant areas (IPAs) in the Fergana Valley, one of the most densely human-populated regions in Central Asia with a diverse array of endemic and endangered species. The IPA programme in FV aims to identify and protect a global network of plant conservation sites. We conducted a field survey from 2018 to 2021 to re-identify specimens collected from Fergana Valley and stored at the National Herbarium of Uzbekistan (TASH). An analysis of the floristic, geobotanical and collected data allowed for the identification of the badlands in the northern foothills (Chap tract and surrounding areas) as an IPA site. We modified the interpretation of criterion A for IPAs to suit the circumstances of Mountainous Central Asia and documented the distribution of 29 species in the IPAs under these sub-criteria. To our knowledge, this is the first study to identify an IPA in Uzbekistan and provide geographic coordinates with locations for the herbarium specimens used to create the IPA set for Central Asia. Our study provides a foundation for applying future IPAs in this region, addressing specific conservation challenges, such as conserving rare and endangered species that grow outside protected areas and GIS mapping of endemic species

Contribution to the knowledge on the flora of Munkhkhairkhan mountain area, Mongolia

The Munkhkhairkhan mountain area is a unique highland ecosystem with a diverse regional alpine flora. This mountain habitat is located at the overlap of different floristic regions: on its western side KazakhstanâTuran flora is dominating, and on the eastern side East Asian flora is observed. It is known that the whole area has a large number of endemics and rare plant species, because of its specific, harsh habitat conditions. Therefore, the flora of different habitats in the Munkhkhairkhan mountain needs to be investigated and properly protected. Munkhkhairkhan National Park has been founded in 2006, and our survey concentrated on the protected area as well as the surrounding areas of the mountains. All recorded species in this study were based on the collected voucher specimens. Conservation status for remarkable species was also reviewed based on the literature. As a result, we recorded 40 families, 150 genera, and 267 species of vascular plants, including four endemic and 34 subendemic species and 15 species' new distribution notes. Around the Munkhkhairkhan mountain, 16 very rare, 21 rare, eight endangered, and two near threatened species are growing, indicating the high conservation value of this area and the necessity for research. Keywords: Conservation status, Mongolia, Munkhkhairkhan national park, Vascular flor

Contribution to the knowledge on the flora of Numrug Strictly Protected Area and some parts of East Mongolia

A floristic study of Eastern Mongolian Steppes has been conducted during the growing season of 2014 and continued in 2017, when we focused more on the Numrug Strictly Protected Area. Major objectives of this study were to assess floristic diversity of Eastern Mongolian Steppes and to review the conservation status of some endangered, rare, and very rare species. A total of 488 taxa of vascular plants, which belong to 254 genera of 75 families, including three endemic and 16 subendemic species were sampled. Among these were three endangered, three vulnerable, five near threatened, 16 very rare, and 39 rare species. Remarkably, Myriophyllum sibiricum and Typha latifolia are newly recorded for the flora of Mongolia. Moreover, new distribution records of some species were noted in four phytogeographical regions of Eastern Mongolia, such as Foothills of Great Khingan (30), East Mongolia (12), Mongolian Dauria (11), and Middle Khalkha (3). Finally, we assessed regional conservation status of the five species (two endangered and three vulnerable) from the East Mongolia using the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List criteria and categories. Keywords: Conservation status, Floral diversity, New records, Numrug SP

Updated checklist of vascular plants endemic to Mongolia

The aim of the present study is to update the checklist of vascular plants endemic to Mongolia using previous checklists, publications, herbarium collections, and field observations. The revised checklist includes 102 endemic taxa (95 species, five subspecies, and two nothospecies) from 43 genera and 19 families. The majority of endemic taxa were distributed in western and central Mongolia, and high endemic species richness was identified in four phytogeographical regions, namely Mongolian Altai, Khangai, Dzungarian Gobi, and Gobi Altai, wich harbor 49, 27, 20, and 16 endemic taxa, respectively. For each endemic taxon, we compiled information about growth form, conservation status (if already assessed), phytogeographical distribution, and voucher specimens. Data on each taxon`s type specimen were also collected, and the majority of the type specimens were assessioned at the LE (58 taxa), MW (20 taxa), and UBA (7 taxa) herbaria

Flora of Mongolia: annotated checklist of native vascular plants

In this study, we critically revised and updated the checklist of native vascular plants of Mongolia. The checklist comprises 3,041 native vascular plant taxa (2,835 species and 206 infraspecific species) from 653 genera and 111 families, including 7 lycophytes, 41 ferns, 21 gymnosperms, and 2,972 angiosperms. In the angiosperms, we identified the 14 families with the greatest species richness, ranging from 50 to 456 taxa. Species endemism is also noted here; 102 taxa are endemic to Mongolia, and 275 taxa are sub-endemic that co-occur in adjacent countries. Since 2014, a total of 14 taxa have been described new to science based on morphological evidences. Moreover, five genera and 74 taxa were newly added to the flora of Mongolia. Based on our critical revisions, names of three families, 21 genera, and 230 species have been changed in comparison to the previous checklist, “Conspectus of the vascular plants of Mongolia” (2014)

Flora of Mongolia: annotated checklist of native vascular plants

In this study, we critically revised and updated the checklist of native vascular plants of Mongolia. The checklist comprises 3,041 native vascular plant taxa (2,835 species and 206 infraspecific species) from 653 genera and 111 families, including 7 lycophytes, 41 ferns, 21 gymnosperms, and 2,972 angiosperms. In the angiosperms, we identified the 14 families with the greatest species richness, ranging from 50 to 456 taxa. Species endemism is also noted here; 102 taxa are endemic to Mongolia, and 275 taxa are sub-endemic that co-occur in adjacent countries. Since 2014, a total of 14 taxa have been described new to science based on morphological evidences. Moreover, five genera and 74 taxa were newly added to the flora of Mongolia. Based on our critical revisions, names of three families, 21 genera, and 230 species have been changed in comparison to the previous checklist, “Conspectus of the vascular plants of Mongolia” (2014)

Hotspot and conservation gap analysis of endemic vascular plants in the Altai Mountain Country based on a new global conservation assessment

The Altai Mountains of Central and North Asia are biologically rich and comprise a wide range of ecosystems and phytogeographical regions. According to the latest checklist, a total of 321 endemic vascular plant species, including 217 endemic and 104 subendemic taxa, have been recognized in the Altai Mountain Country (AMC). In this study, we conducted species risk assessment, distribution evaluation and conservation gap analysis for the endemic vascular flora of the AMC. The conservation status of 217 endemic species was assessed at the global level using the ConR package. As a result, 197 species were evaluated as potentially threatened, of which 101 are critically endangered (CR), 72 species are endangered (EN), and 24 species are vulnerable (VU). The remaining 20 species were evaluated as not threatened. Furthermore, the AMC was divided into 350 grid cells, with a grid cell size of 50 × 50 km2, for the spatial assessments of the endemic vascular plants. A total of 2657 unique georeferenced occurrences of endemic species were found and analyzed with three endemism indices, species richness (SR), weighted endemism (WE), and corrected weighted endemism (CWE), to quantify geographic patterns and centers of endemism across the whole AMC. The results showed that the endemic species are spread across 186 grid cells and distributed unevenly within the AMC. According to the conservation gap analysis, the main hotspots of endemism (i.e., SR and WE indices) were found at high elevations in the Russian Altai, while the CWE points to the Kazakh Altai as a hotspot, and many such hotspots are currently afforded no formal protections