Future Prospects

Future Prospect

If the current trends of decline of the Mongolian grasslands continue, we predict that the future prospects for this ecosystem to be grim. According to some estimates, up to 90% of the grasslands of Inner Mongolia have been degraded to some extent (poverty). In fact, an inverse relationship can be observed with the decline of Mongolian grasslands and the expansion of the Gobi desert. Thus, this highly sensitive Eco-region is prone to desertification, which can have catastrophic repercussions to the indigenous flora and fauna. Many species of plants and animals, especially endemic ones, would essentially be forced into extinction. This is because the animals which are currently located in the region have adapted to specific conditions within the grassland, consequently a complete change in their habitat would not be suitable for these species. If no action is taken to slow or halt the decline of the Mongolian grasslands, there could be cascade of events in which the desertification could expand and parallel the conditions of dust bowl experienced in the US (Circle of Blue). This would have consequences that would be damaging not only to directly rely on land, but also for those who reside in neighboring ecosystems.