Lake changes in the permafrost region of the Mongolian Altai Mountain (1970-2021)

In this study, we examined changes in the surface area of the lakes in the permafrost region of the Mongolian Altai Mountain range between 1970 and 2021. We aimed to (1) determine the dynamic changes in the surface areas of the lakes, and (2) compare and analyze them using long-term climate data. We used a topo map (1970), Landsat 5 TM, and ETM+ (2000, 2006, 2011, 2015, and 2020-2021) satellite imagery, and delineated the surface areas of the lakes using normalized difference water index (NDWI). The long-term historical data and satellite imagery were used to determine changes in the number and the surface areas of the lakes (>1 ha). We classified the surface areas of the lakes into five categories (1 - 5 ha, 5 - 10 ha, 10 - 50 ha, 50 - 100 ha, and >100 ha) and compared them over the years. During the study period, the number and the total surface areas of the lakes decreased by –24.3% (or 406 to 307) and –18.6% (or 13093 to 10646 ha), respectively. Among the five categories, the number of small lakes with an area of 1-5 ha was significantly decreased. In contrast, we found that 17 lakes with a total area of 70 ha were newly formed during the past 50 years. The air temperature has increased significantly in the permafrost region of the Mongolian Altai Mountain since 1940. Hence, we conclude that the dynamics of the lakes in the region are attributed to the microclimate regimes, permafrost extent, and glaciers. Монгол Алтайн нурууны цэвдэгтэй бүсийн нууруудын өөрчлөлт (1970-2021) ХУРААНГУЙ:  Энэхүү судалгаагаар бид 1970-2021 оны хооронд Монгол Алтайн нурууны цэвдэгтэй бүсийн нууруудын өөрчлөлтийг судалсан. Бид (1) Монгол Алтайн нурууны цэвдэгтэй бүс нутагт тархсан нууруудын гадаргын усны динамик өөрчлөлтийг тодорхойлох; (2) цаг уурын урт хугацааны мэдээтэй нууруудын өөрчлөлтийг харьцуулан шинжлэхийг зорьсон. Уг судалгаанд байрзүйн зураг (1970), Landsat 5 TM болон ETM+ (2000, 2006, 2011, 2015, 2020-2021) хиймэл дагуулын зургуудыг ашиглаж, нууруудын гадаргын усны талбайн хэмжээг нормчлогдсон усны индекс (NDWI) ашиглан зурсан. Нууруудын тоо болон гадаргын усны талбайн (>1 га) өөрчлөлтийг тодорхойлохын тулд урт хугацааны мэдээ, хиймэл дагуулын мэдээ ашигласан. Бид нуурын гадаргын усны талбайг хэмжээгээр нь тав ангилж (1 - 5 га, 5 - 10 га, 10 - 50 га, 50 - 100 га, >100 га) хугацаагаар нь харьцуулсан. Судалгааны хугацаанд нуурын нийт тоо болон гадаргын усны талбайн хэмжээ  –24.3%-иар (406-аас 307),–18.6%-иар (13093 га-10646 га) тус тус буурсан. Дээрх таван ангиллаас 1 - 5 га талбайтай жижиг нууруудын тоо эрс буурсан. Харин эсрэгээрээ сүүлийн 50 жилийн хугацаанд нийт 70 га талбай бүхий 17 нуур шинээр үүссэн. Монгол Алтайн нурууны цэвдэгтэй бүсэд 1940 оноос хойш жилийн дундаж агаарын температур эрс нэмэгдээд байгаа. Эндээс бид бүс нутгийн нууруудын динамик өөрчлөлт нь бичил уур амьсгалын горим, цэвдгийн тархалт, мөстлөгтэй холбоотой гэж дүгнэж байна. Түлхүүр үгс: Нуурын өөрчлөлт, Монгол Алтайн нуруу, Цэвдэг, Уур амьсгалын өөрчлөл

Exploring complementarity among interdependent pastoral institutions in Mongolia

This article combines Aoki’s institutional complementarity concept with actor-centered institutional analysis of action situations to study herder behavior and institutional change in a complex pastoral social–ecological system. Transformation of the Mongolian Steppe Ecosystem in the face of climate and social change has led to a decline in pastoral mobility, which in turn is making the ecosystem less sustainable. Responding to this concern, Mongolian policymakers have designed pasture use and conservation policies. We evaluate whether the enacted policies are complementary to herders’ strategic choices. First, we reconstruct institutional choices herders make in the commons domain, where herders interact to use common pastures. Second, we track this process in the political economy domain, where pasture users support or resist government policies. Finally, we evaluate the complementarity of the strategic choices and resulting institutions in the interdependent action situations of both domains. In combination with game-theoretic model building, we have employed the process tracing method during field research in Mongolia. We have not identified any evident, stable institutional complementarity between high pastoral mobility and support for a policy of leasing and certification of land for winter and spring camps. Conversely, our findings do suggest that policies for establishing pasture user groups and pasture use planning can be effective. A critical mass of herders choosing to comply with these policies and engage in pastoral mobility will be crucial for sustaining the ecosystem. This will strengthen conditions for institutional complementarity and create a new institutional arrangement overall

Therapeutic Mode of Action of Methotrexate

Objectives: Methotrexate (MTX) has been used in clinical practice for over a half-century and its action mechanism is believed to rely on the direct inhibition of DNA synthesis leading to suppression of cell proliferation. However, its anti-inflammatory action mechanism is not fully explained. In some autoimmune or overactive immune-related diseases such as psoriasis, it has been demonstrated that interleukin (IL)-23/IL-17/lL-22 pathway plays a key role in disease pathogenesis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the suppressive action of MTX on the IL[1]23/1 L-17/1 L-22 pathway in psoriasis. Methods: We made a model of psoriasis on mice using imiquimod (IMQ). The mice were divided into three groups: disease-free control group and disease-induced groups with no treatment and MTX-treatment. Clinical, histological and immunological parameters were evaluated among the groups. Results: Treatment with MTX decreased the psoriatic skin changes and the histological alterations induced by IMQ. MTX exerted its treatment effects via inhibition of the main players in the pathogenetic axis, the IL-23, IL-17A, F and IL-22, that were found to be increased in the diseased mice. Regulatory T cells expressing CTLA4 or GITR or PD1 molecules on their surface were not related to these decrements. Conclusion: The therapeutic action mechanism of MTX is related to the direct inhibition of the IL-23/1 L-17/1 L-22 pathway, but not the induction of inhibitory molecules or expansion of regulatory T cells

Longest terrestrial migrations and movements around the world

Long-distance terrestrial migrations are imperiled globally. We determined both round-trip migration distances (straight-line measurements between migratory end points) and total annual movement (sum of the distances between successive relocations over a year) for a suite of large mammals that had potential for long-distance movements to test which species displayed the longest of both. We found that caribou likely do exhibit the longest terrestrial migrations on the planet, but, over the course of a year, gray wolves move the most. Our results were consistent with the trophic-level based hypothesis that predators would move more than their prey. Herbivores in low productivity environments moved more than herbivores in more productive habitats. We also found that larger members of the same guild moved less than smaller members, supporting the 'gastro-centric' hypothesis. A better understanding of migration and movements of large mammals should aid in their conservation by helping delineate conservation area boundaries and determine priority corridors for protection to preserve connectivity. The magnitude of the migrations and movements we documented should also provide guidance on the scale of conservation efforts required and assist conservation planning across agency and even national boundaries

Diverging climate trends in Mongolian taiga forests influence growth and regeneration of Larix sibirica

Central and semiarid north-eastern Asia was subject to twentieth century warming far above the global average. Since forests of this region occur at their drought limit, they are particularly vulnerable to climate change. We studied the regional variations of temperature and precipitation trends and their effects on tree growth and forest regeneration in Mongolia. Tree-ring series from more than 2,300 trees of Siberian larch (Larix sibirica) collected in four regions of Mongolia’s forest zone were analyzed and related to available weather data. Climate trends underlie a remarkable regional variation leading to contrasting responses of tree growth in taiga forests even within the same mountain system. Within a distance of a few hundred kilometers (140–490 km), areas with recently reduced growth and regeneration of larch alternated with regions where these parameters remained constant or even increased. Reduced productivity could be correlated with increasing summer temperatures and decreasing precipitation; improved growth conditions were found at increasing precipitation, but constant summer temperatures. An effect of increasing winter temperatures on tree-ring width or forest regeneration was not detectable. Since declines of productivity and regeneration are more widespread in the Mongolian taiga than the opposite trend, a net loss of forests is likely to occur in the future, as strong increases in temperature and regionally differing changes in precipitation are predicted for the twenty-first century

Behavioral responses of terrestrial mammals to COVID-19 lockdowns

COVID-19 lockdowns in early 2020 reduced human mobility, providing an opportunity to disentangle its effects on animals from those of landscape modifications. Using GPS data, we compared movements and road avoidance of 2300 terrestrial mammals (43 species) during the lockdowns to the same period in 2019. Individual responses were variable with no change in average movements or road avoidance behavior, likely due to variable lockdown conditions. However, under strict lockdowns 10-day 95th percentile displacements increased by 73%, suggesting increased landscape permeability. Animals' 1-hour 95th percentile displacements declined by 12% and animals were 36% closer to roads in areas of high human footprint, indicating reduced avoidance during lockdowns. Overall, lockdowns rapidly altered some spatial behaviors, highlighting variable but substantial impacts of human mobility on wildlife worldwide.acceptedVersio

Evaluating expert-based habitat suitability information of terrestrial mammals with GPS-tracking data

Aim Macroecological studies that require habitat suitability data for many species often derive this information from expert opinion. However, expert-based information is inherently subjective and thus prone to errors. The increasing availability of GPS tracking data offers opportunities to evaluate and supplement expert-based information with detailed empirical evidence. Here, we compared expert-based habitat suitability information from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with habitat suitability information derived from GPS-tracking data of 1,498 individuals from 49 mammal species. Location Worldwide. Time period 1998-2021. Major taxa studied Forty-nine terrestrial mammal species. Methods Using GPS data, we estimated two measures of habitat suitability for each individual animal: proportional habitat use (proportion of GPS locations within a habitat type), and selection ratio (habitat use relative to its availability). For each individual we then evaluated whether the GPS-based habitat suitability measures were in agreement with the IUCN data. To that end, we calculated the probability that the ranking of empirical habitat suitability measures was in agreement with IUCN's classification into suitable, marginal and unsuitable habitat types. Results IUCN habitat suitability data were in accordance with the GPS data (> 95% probability of agreement) for 33 out of 49 species based on proportional habitat use estimates and for 25 out of 49 species based on selection ratios. In addition, 37 and 34 species had a > 50% probability of agreement based on proportional habitat use and selection ratios, respectively. Main conclusions We show how GPS-tracking data can be used to evaluate IUCN habitat suitability data. Our findings indicate that for the majority of species included in this study, it is appropriate to use IUCN habitat suitability data in macroecological studies. Furthermore, we show that GPS-tracking data can be used to identify and prioritize species and habitat types for re-evaluation of IUCN habitat suitability data

Behavioral responses of terrestrial mammals to COVID-19 lockdowns

COVID-19 lockdowns in early 2020 reduced human mobility, providing an opportunity to disentangle its effects on animals from those of landscape modifications. Using GPS data, we compared movements and road avoidance of 2300 terrestrial mammals (43 species) during the lockdowns to the same period in 2019. Individual responses were variable with no change in average movements or road avoidance behavior, likely due to variable lockdown conditions. However, under strict lockdowns 10-day 95th percentile displacements increased by 73%, suggesting increased landscape permeability. Animals' 1-hour 95th percentile displacements declined by 12% and animals were 36% closer to roads in areas of high human footprint, indicating reduced avoidance during lockdowns. Overall, lockdowns rapidly altered some spatial behaviors, highlighting variable but substantial impacts of human mobility on wildlife worldwide.acceptedVersio