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Type: Article
Published: 2021-05-19
Page range: 1–55
Abstract views: 25
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The vascular plant diversity of Dzungarian Gobi in western Mongolia, with an annotated checklist

Department of Biology and Chemistry, Changwon National University, Changwon 51140, Republic of Korea
Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, National University of Mongolia 14201, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, National University of Mongolia 14201, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Technical University Dresden, International Institute (IHI) Zittau, Chair of Biodiversity of Hihger Plants, Markt 23, 02763, D-Zittau, Germany Department of Botany, Senckenberg Museum of Natural History Görlitz, D-02826, Görlitz, Germany
Technical University Dresden, International Institute (IHI) Zittau, Chair of Biodiversity of Hihger Plants, Markt 23, 02763, D-Zittau, Germany Department of Botany, Senckenberg Museum of Natural History Görlitz, D-02826, Görlitz, Germany
Laboratory of Flora and Plant Systematics, Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, 13330, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Department of Biology, Khovd University, Khovd, 213500, Mongolia
Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, National University of Mongolia 14201, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, National University of Mongolia 14201, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, National University of Mongolia 14201, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Laboratory of Flora and Plant Systematics, Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, 13330, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
South-Siberian Botanical Garden, Altai State University, Lenina str. 61, 656049, Barnaul, Russia
South-Siberian Botanical Garden, Altai State University, Lenina str. 61, 656049, Barnaul, Russia
Central Siberian Botanical Garden SB RAS, Zolotodolinskaya st. 101, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
Botanical Garden of the University of Osnabrueck, Albrechtstrasse 29, 49076 Osnabrueck, Germany I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Department of Pharmaceutical and Natural Sciences, Izmailovsky Boulevard, 8, Moscow, 105043, Russia
Technical University Dresden, International Institute (IHI) Zittau, Chair of Biodiversity of Hihger Plants, Markt 23, 02763, D-Zittau, Germany Department of Botany, Senckenberg Museum of Natural History Görlitz, D-02826, Görlitz, Germany
Technical University Dresden, International Institute (IHI) Zittau, Chair of Biodiversity of Hihger Plants, Markt 23, 02763, D-Zittau, Germany Department of Botany, Senckenberg Museum of Natural History Görlitz, D-02826, Görlitz, Germany German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Germany
Department of Biology and Chemistry, Changwon National University, Changwon 51140, Republic of Korea
General Dzungarian Gobi floristic diversity endemism conservation status and hotspot analysis

Abstract

The Dzungarian Gobi (DzG), one of 16 phytogeographical regions in the country, is located in the southwestern part of Khovd province in western Mongolia. It comprises some of Mongolia’s largest reserves, namely the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area and the National Park Bulgan gol-Ikh Ongog. We conducted a comprehensive survey of the area’s floristic diversity between 2009 and 2019 by collecting vascular plants from different vegetation types in various seasons. In addition, we critically checked relevant published literature and material from the herbaria ALTB, GLM, GWF, HAL, KHU, LE, MW, NS, OSBU, UBA, and UBU to determine the occurrence of vascular plant species in the DzG region. Based on our collection data, a comprehensive checklist of DzG’s flora was compiled, representing 913 vascular plant taxa (including 34 subspecies and one variety) belonging to 329 genera and 70 families. Twenty-one taxa were newly found in the DzG region. We also investigated the conservation status of all species noted, and 19 endemic plants and 96 threatened species, including six critically endangered, 26 endangered, 57 vulnerable, and seven near threatened plants were recognized in this region. Eight rare species were newly assessed according to regional conservation status based on GeoCat and IUCN. The richest plant families found were Asteraceae (153 species), Fabaceae (77 species), Amaranthaceae (69 species), and Poaceae (68 species). Several uncertain endemic and non-endemic plants remain still discussion, such as Papaver baitagense and Rosa baitagensis; thus, further studies are needed on their taxonomic and conservation status. For each taxon, we provide its distribution in the region, elevation range, voucher number, and additional references. Finally, we analyzed species hotspots of DzG, based on three different plant species richness criteria: i. all recorded species, ii. endemic species, and iii. threatened species using our georeferenced records. The most diverse hotspot area in DzG is the Baitag Bogd Mountain area, which comprises the highest species number of all three richness criteria.