Respone of tree-ring width and regeneration in conifer forests of Mongolia to climate warming and land use

This thesis presents research results from isolated larch forest islands at high altitude (ca. 2300 m a.s.l.) in the Altai Mountain, which are used for mobile livestock husbandry. In addition, investigations from the central Mongolian forest-steppe ecotone (Mt. Bogd Uul) are included. Mt Bogd Uul is an officially protected area since the 13th century. We were especially interested in the questions how climate warming and land use by the local herder populations influence the annual stem growth, stand structure, forest regeneration. Overall, the present investigations of the response of larch forest to changes in climate, unplanned logging and livestock grazing provides new insights for the discussion of potential future responses to climate warming climate and land use intensification in Mongolia's forest-steppe. We assume that, in the near future, the retreat of larch forests from the the lower tree lines to the steppe is likely at many places, partly because of increased aridity, but at places with favorable climate for tree growth and regeneration due to recent increases in the population of cashmere goats