Forest distribution in the forest-steppe of Mongolia depends on relief, permafrost, and climate, and is highly sensitive to climate change and anthropogenic disturbance. Forest fires and logging decreased the forest area in the forest-steppe of Mongolia. The intention of this study was to identify the geoecological parameters that control forest distribution and living-tree biomass in this semi-arid environment. Based on these parameters, we aimed to delineate the area that forest might potentially occupy and to analyse the spatial patterns of actual and potential tree biomass. We used a combination of various geographic methods in conjunction with statistical analyses to identify the key parameters controlling forest distribution. In several field campaigns, we mapped tree biomass and ecological parameters in a study area within the Tarvagatai Nuruu National Park (central Mongolia). Forest areas, topographic parameters and vegetation indices were obtained from remote sensing data. Significant correlations between forest distribution and living-tree biomass on one hand, and topographic parameters, climate data, and environmental conditions on the other hand, were used to delineate the area of potential forest distribution and to estimate total living-tree biomass for this area. Presence of forest on slopes was controlled by the factors elevation, aspect, slope, mean annual precipitation, and mean growing-season temperature. Combining these factors allowed for estimation of potential forest area but was less suitable for tree-biomass delineation. No significant differences in mean living-tree biomass existed between sites exposed to different local conditions with respect to forest fire, exploitation, and soil properties. Tree biomass was reduced at forest edges (defined as 30 m wide belt), in small fragmented and in large forest stands. Tree biomass in the study area was 20 × 109 g (1,086 km2 forest area), whereas the potential tree biomass would reach up to 65 × 109 g (> 3168 km2). The obtained projection suggests that the potential forest area and tree biomass under the present climatic and geoecological conditions is three times that of the present forest area and biomass. Forest fires, which mostly affected large forest stands in the upper mountains, destroyed 43% of the forest area and 45% of the living-tree biomass in the study area over the period 1986–2017.

中文翻译：

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地质生态参数表明蒙古中部森林草原的潜在森林面积与实际森林面积之间存在差异

蒙古森林草原的森林分布取决于地势、多年冻土和气候，对气候变化和人为干扰高度敏感。森林火灾和伐木减少了蒙古森林草原的森林面积。本研究的目的是确定在这种半干旱环境中控制森林分布和活树生物量的地质生态参数。基于这些参数，我们旨在描绘森林可能占据的区域，并分析实际和潜在树木生物量的空间格局。我们将各种地理方法与统计分析相结合，以确定控制森林分布的关键参数。在几次实地活动中，我们绘制了 Tarvagatai Nuruu 国家公园（蒙古中部）内一个研究区域的树木生物量和生态参数。从遥感数据中获得森林面积、地形参数和植被指数。一方面，森林分布和活树生物量之间的显着相关性，另一方面是地形参数、气候数据和环境条件，被用来描绘潜在森林分布的区域并估计该区域的总活树生物量. 坡地森林的存在受海拔、坡向、坡度、年平均降水量和平均生长季节温度等因素控制。结合这些因素可以估计潜在的森林面积，但不太适合树木生物量的划分。在森林火灾、开发和土壤性质方面，暴露于不同当地条件的地点之间的平均活树生物量不存在显着差异。森林边缘（定义为 30 m 宽的带）、小型破碎林分和大型林分的树木生物量减少。研究区的树木生物量为 20 × 109 g（1,086 平方公里森林面积），而潜在的树木生物量将达到 65 × 109 g（> 3168 平方公里）。得到的预测表明，在目前的气候和地质生态条件下，潜在的森林面积和树木生物量是目前森林面积和生物量的三倍。1986 年至 2017 年期间，主要影响高山大片林分的森林火灾摧毁了研究区 43% 的森林面积和 45% 的活树生物量。