Lakes of Mongolia

Impacts of Climate Change and Human Activity on Lakes around the Depression of Great Lakes in Mongolia

“…The changes observed in the lakes surrounding the Great Lakes Depression Land 2024, 13, 310 2 of 16 serve as a representative example for the entire Mongolian Plateau and the arid zone of Central Asia. Firstly, occupying a significant physiographic position in Central Asia, western Mongolia stands out as a distinctive region characterized by towering mountains, contemporary glaciers, expansive tectonic depressions, intermontane valleys, as well as vast rivers and lakes [6]. Lake areas in this region account for 59.7% of the country's total lake area [6], rendering them a crucial water source for both agricultural production and the livelihoods of inhabitants within the arid and cold environment of the region [7].…”

“…Firstly, occupying a significant physiographic position in Central Asia, western Mongolia stands out as a distinctive region characterized by towering mountains, contemporary glaciers, expansive tectonic depressions, intermontane valleys, as well as vast rivers and lakes [6]. Lake areas in this region account for 59.7% of the country's total lake area [6], rendering them a crucial water source for both agricultural production and the livelihoods of inhabitants within the arid and cold environment of the region [7]. Secondly, the Great Lakes Depression in Mongolia assumes a pivotal climatic role, serving as a crucial link between the Pacific and Atlantic-influenced climates [8].…”

“…It stands as a climatically sensitive area that has witnessed significant warming in recent years [9]. Climate change, escalating human activities, and the melting of glaciers are recognized as the primary factors influencing lake dynamics in Central Asia [10][11][12], with all three factors occurring simultaneously and exerting a substantial impact in and around the Great Lakes Depression [6,13]. Specifically, western Mongolia occupies an intermediate zone between the Siberian taiga forest in the north and the Gobi desert in the south, residing within a region characterized by the highest level of continentality across Eurasia [6,13].…”

“…Climate change, escalating human activities, and the melting of glaciers are recognized as the primary factors influencing lake dynamics in Central Asia [10][11][12], with all three factors occurring simultaneously and exerting a substantial impact in and around the Great Lakes Depression [6,13]. Specifically, western Mongolia occupies an intermediate zone between the Siberian taiga forest in the north and the Gobi desert in the south, residing within a region characterized by the highest level of continentality across Eurasia [6,13]. This unique setting is developed under the interplay of three large-scale climatic systems: the Siberian high-pressure cell, the Asian low-pressure cell, and the westerlies.…”

“…This unique setting is developed under the interplay of three large-scale climatic systems: the Siberian high-pressure cell, the Asian low-pressure cell, and the westerlies. Owing to its exceptional physiographic conditions, extensive proliferation of numerous lakes, and its pristine, untamed, and less anthropogenically impacted nature, the lakes in western Mongolia serve as a natural repository, resembling a museum of the northeastern and eastern Eurasian continent [6,13].…”