Diversity and habitat characteristics of endemic beetles in the semi-desert areas of East Gobi, Mongolia

Authors

  • Batchuluun Buyanjargal Laboratory of Entomology and Ornithology, Institute of Biology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9770-4028
  • Chuluunbaatar Gantigmaa Laboratory of Entomology and Ornithology, Institute of Biology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7824-094X
  • Batjargal Baljnyam The Nature Conservancy, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • Batsuuri Dashnyam Health, Safety, Environment and Security Department, Oyu Tolgoi LLC, Mongolia
  • Dandarmaa Bataa Health, Safety, Environment and Security Department, Oyu Tolgoi LLC, Mongolia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5564/pib.v38i1.2539

Keywords:

Endemic beetles, habitat, Khanbogd, distribution

Abstract

Determining the endemic species composition and their relative abundances of the beetle community in the desert and desert steppe of Mongolia is crucial for biodiversity conservation, and it is of great importance to evaluate the current state of the ecosystems. We aimed to determine the species richness, the dominant species composition and relative abundance of the endemic species, and their habitat characteristics around the Khanbogd Massif, which is an important representative of the East Gobi of Mongolia. We identified 1330 individuals of 20 species of 14 genera which belongs to four beetle families. More than 70 percent of them are belonging to the family of darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae). Five species of darkling beetles, or 25 percent of the community were endemic species, and their relative abundances in the habitats with different vegetation cover ranges from 0.01 to 0.58. Among these endemic species, the darkling beetle Anatolica cechiniae Bogdanov-Кatjkov prefers extremely dry habitats while A. gobialtaica Kaszab prefers moist meadow habitats. However, abundances of the other three endemic species (Blaps femoralis rectispinus, A. sternalis gobiensis and Trigonoscelis sublaevigata granicollis) in the habitats were relatively low (1-12%). Two species of endemic beetles have been found only in the desert steppe habitat. There is a chance that the original state of nature will change as a result of recent climate change, which could lead to a decline in habitat quality and the loss of biological diversity. Therefore, it is essential to conduct in-depth habitat research in order to protect these endemic species with limited distribution and preserve them in their native ecosystems.

Дорнод говийн цөлийн хээрт тохиолдох эндемик цохын олон янз байдал, амьдрах орчны онцлог

Монгол орны цөл, цөлөрхөг хээрийн экосистемд тохиолдох цохын бүлгэмдэлд агуулагдаж буй эндемик цохын бүрдэл, уг зүйлүүдийн бүлгэмдэлд эзэлж буй хувийг тодорхойлох асуудал биологийн төрөл зүйлийн хамгаалал талаасаа маш чухал бөгөөд тухайн экосистемийн өнөөгийн төлөв байдлыг үнэлэхэд ихээхэн ач холбогдолтой юм. Бид энэхүү судалгаагаар Монгол орны Дорнод говийн чухал төлөөлөл болох Ханбогд уул орчмын цохын бүлгэмдлийн зүйлийн баялаг, бүлгэмдлийг бүрдүүлэгч гол төрөл зүйлийг тогтоох, бүлгэмдэлд эзлэх эндемик цохын хувь, тэдгээрийн амьдрах орчныг тодорхойлох зорилго тавин ажиллав. Нийт дөрвөн овгийн 14 төрлийн 20 зүйлд хамаарах 1330 бодгаль цох тодорхойлогдсоны 70 хувь нь хар цохын (Tenebrionidae) овогт хамаарч байна. Тус бүлгэмдэл дэх нийт зүйлийн 25 хувь буюу таван зүйл хар цох эндемик зүйлийн бүртгэлд орсон байх бөгөөд ургамлан нөмрөгийн хувьд ялгаатай амьдрах орчны хэлбэрүүдэд тохиолдох уг цохуудын харьцангуй элбэгшил 0.01 – 0.58 байна. Эдгээр эндемик зүйлүүдээс Anatolica cechiniae Bogdanov-Кatjkov хэмээх зүйл хэт хуурай амьдрах орчинд түгээмэл тохиолдож байхад A. gobialtaica Kaszab гэх хар цох бол чийг ихтэй нугын амьдрах орчныг шүтэн байршиж байна. Харин Blaps femoralis rectispinus, A. sternalis gobiensis болон Trigonoscelis sublaevigata granicollis гэх эндемик зүйлүүд уг бүлгэмдэлд бага хувь (1-12 %) эзэлж байв. Уг бүс нутагт тохиолдох орчны хэлбэрүүдээс шургамал цөлийн хээрт хоёр зүйл эндемик цох тэмдэглэгдсэн. Сүүлийн жилүүдэд илэрч буй уур амьсгалын өөрчлөлтийн нөлөөгөөр байгалийн унаган төлөвт өөрчлөлт орж, улмаар амьдрах орчин чанарын хувьд доройтох, биологийн төрөл зүйл хомсдох эрсдэл бий болоод байна. Иймд эдгээр хязгаарлагдмал тархалттай эндемик зүйлүүдийг хамгаалах, төрөлх экосистемд нь хадгалан авч үлдэхийн тулд цаашид амьдрах орчны судалгааг гүнзгийрүүлэн хийх шаардлагатай байна.

Түлхүүр үгс: Эндемик цох, амьдрах орчин, Ханбогд, тархалт

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Published

2022-12-24

How to Cite

[1]
B. Buyanjargal, C. Gantigmaa, B. Baljnyam, B. Dashnyam, and D. Bataa, “Diversity and habitat characteristics of endemic beetles in the semi-desert areas of East Gobi, Mongolia”, Proc. Inst. Biol., vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 100–112, Dec. 2022.

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