RUNOFF GENERATING PROCESSES IN A MOUNTAINOUS HEADWATER IN THE TRANSITION ZONE BETWEEN STEPPE AND TAIGA IN NORTHERN MONGOLIA

• Main Author: Benjamin, Kopp
• Format: Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: 550; 550 Earth sciences; permafrost; taiga
• Online Access: https://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/20639/; https://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/20639/1/Kopp_Runoff%20generating%20processes_Dissertation.pdf; https://doi.org/10.11588/heidok.00020639; https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-heidok-206395

Northern Mongolia faces a variety of water-related problems that are related to both, the harsh natural conditions and the lack of structures to control the distribution and protection of water. The Kharaa River Basin (KRB), which is located north of Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar, was chosen as a model region for the development and implementation of an integrated water resources management (IWRM) project called MoMo (Model Region Mongolia). The aim of IWRM is to provide insight into both, societal structural and eco-systematic conditions as a whole. Besides an improvement of the structures, especially in the urban sector, all relevant water related processes are captured. This includes the identification of “water towers” and the underlying runoff generating processes. The KRB stretches from the steppe towards the western Khentii Mountains. Thus, it covers a wide range of environmental conditions and can be considered to be representative for many regions within Mongolia. The Sugnugr Basin situated within the western Khentii Mountain ranges is one of the most important tributaries of the Kharaa. The climate is highly continental and semi-arid; average annual precipitation in the mid-reaches remains below 400 mm. With a fraction of 90 %, precipitation is predominantly falling during the summer half year (May to October). Air temperature in 2011 and 2012 was -2°C and -3°C, with monthly air temperatures ranging between 28°C in January and 16°C in July. The Sugnugr Basin is situated in the transition zone between steppe and taiga, and is part of the discontinuous permafrost zone. Thus, it is characterized by a heterogeneous mosaic of herbaceous steppe vegetated south-exposed slopes and taiga vegetated north-exposed slopes that exhibit permafrost. Above the tree line of approximately 2300 m a.s.l. alpine scree prevails. In 2004 and 2007 widespread forest fires destroyed considerable amounts of the taiga, especially in the headwaters. Forest regrowth under the prevailing natural conditions can last 200 years and ...