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23-700: The Chikokon Range is within the limits of the Trans-Baikal conifer forests ecoregion . The Chikoy National Park is located in the area of the range. The Chikokon Range is part of the Khentei-Daur Highlands , South Siberian System . It rises in the interfluve of the Chikoy River, a right tributary of the Selenga , and some tributaries of the Onon River . The southern part of the ridge acts as watershed between

46-458: A tropical savanna climate or a humid subtropical climate . These climates tend to have hot, or sometimes extremely hot, summers and warm to cool winters, with some to minimal precipitation. Hot semi-arid climates are most commonly found around the fringes of subtropical deserts. Hot semi-arid climates are most commonly found in Africa , Australia , and South Asia . In Australia, a large portion of

69-519: A 1,000 km by 1,000 km region of mountainous southern taiga stretching east and south from the shores of Lake Baikal in the Southern Siberia region of Russia , and including part of northern Mongolia . Historically, the area has been called "Dauria", or Transbaikal ("the land beyond Lake Baikal"). It is in the Palearctic realm , and mostly in the boreal forests/taiga biome with

92-434: A location has a semi-arid climate, the precipitation threshold must first be determined. The method used to find the precipitation threshold (in millimeters): If the area's annual precipitation in millimeters is less than the threshold but more than half or 50% the threshold, it is classified as a BS (steppe, semi-desert, or semi-arid climate). Furthermore, to delineate hot semi-arid climates from cold semi-arid climates,

115-409: A mean annual temperature of 18 °C (64.4 °F) is used as an isotherm. A location with a BS -type climate is classified as hot semi-arid ( BSh ) if its mean temperature is above this isotherm, and cold semi-arid ( BSk ) if not. Hot semi-arid climates (type "BSh") tend to be located from the high teens to mid-30s latitudes of the tropics and subtropics , typically in proximity to regions with

138-517: A subarctic, humid climate. It covers 200,465 km (77,400 sq mi). The ecoregion is centered on the Yablonoi Mountains , a range that reaches heights of 1,600 m (5,200 ft), and runs southwest to northeast, parallel to Lake Baikal. The western edge of the region is the eastern shore of Lake Baikal and the Barguzin mountain range . The city of Chita is at the northeast of

161-791: Is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration , but not as low as a desert climate . There are different kinds of semi-arid climates, depending on variables such as temperature, and they give rise to different biomes . A more precise definition is given by the Köppen climate classification , which treats steppe climates ( BSh and BSk ) as intermediates between desert climates (BW) and humid climates (A, C, D) in ecological characteristics and agricultural potential. Semi-arid climates tend to support short, thorny or scrubby vegetation and are usually dominated by either grasses or shrubs as they usually cannot support forests. To determine if

184-584: Is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site Three large protected areas of the Russian Federation in the Transbaikal ecoregion are: Two large protected areas of the Transbaikal are in Mongolia: Forest fires are always a threat to wooded, dry areas; drought in recent years has increased the threat of wildfire. The area also suffers from pest outbreaks and uncontrolled logging. There is also gold mining in

207-525: Is shrub land of Siberian dwarf pine ( Pinus pumila , dwarf birch ( Betula exilis ), and Juniperus pseudosibirica . Unlike the Sayan and Altai mountains to the west, the climate of the Transbaikal is too extreme to support alpine meadows; the vegetation proceeds from forest directly to higher-altitude shrubs. The extensive tree cover provides good habitat for deer, bighorn sheep, bear, wild boar, and other large mammals. The Transbaikal terrestrial ecoregion covers

230-724: The ABC Islands , the rain shadows of Hispaniola 's mountain ranges in the Dominican Republic and Haiti , parts of the Southwestern United States including California's Central Valley , and sections of South America such as the sertão , the Gran Chaco , and the poleward side of the arid deserts, where they typically feature a Mediterranean precipitation pattern, with generally rainless summers and wetter winters. They are also found in few areas of Europe surrounding

253-525: The Arctic and Pacific oceans. The relief is characterized by steep slopes. Traces of Pleistocene glaciation in the form of sediments are present in certain places of the range. The mountain chain stretches roughly northeastwards for over 130 kilometers (81 mi) from Mongolia until the confluence of the Chikoy and Chikokon rivers. The maximum width of the range is 40 kilometers (25 mi). The main summits of

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276-693: The Lena River ), and the Pacific Ocean (by way of the Amur River ). The climate of the ecoregion is dry-winter subarctic ( Köppen Dwc ). This climate is characterized by long, very cold winters, and cool summers, but with little snow in the winter. The Siberian High (also called the Siberian Anticyclone) keeps the area particularly dry in winter. During the summer, the Asiatic Low brings hot air from

299-586: The Mediterranean Basin . In Europe, BSh climates are predominantly found in southeastern Spain . It can also be found primarily in parts of south Greece but also in marginal areas of Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki in north Greece , most of Formentera , marginal areas of Ibiza and marginal areas of Italy in Sicily , Sardinia and Lampedusa . Cold semi-arid climates (type "BSk") tend to be located in elevated portions of temperate zones generally from

322-518: The Outback surrounding the central desert regions lies within the hot semi-arid climate region. In South Asia, both India and parts of Pakistan experience the seasonal effects of monsoons and feature short but well-defined wet seasons , but are not sufficiently wet overall to qualify as either a tropical savanna or a humid subtropical climate. Hot semi-arid climates can be also found in parts of North America , such as most of northern Mexico ,

345-530: The "Lake Baikal" Freshwater Ecoregion (WWF ID:606). This freshwater ecoregion supports a "large lakes" habitat for aquatic life, the primary focus of scientific study being on Lake Baikal itself and fish that spawn in the rivers that feed into it (such as the Barguzin River in the Transbaikal). The Lake Baikal area on the western edge of the ecoregion is a UNESCO Man and Biosphere (MAB) Biosphere Reserve . It

368-789: The Chikokon Range reach heights between 2,000 meters (6,600 ft) and 2,200 meters (7,200 ft). The highest point is 2,519 meters (8,264 ft) high Bystrinsky Golets , a "golets" type summit which is also the highest point of the Khentei-Daur Highlands. Spurs extending from the Chikokon Range connect with the Pereval and Burkal ranges. The slopes of the range are mainly covered with mountain taiga and pre-Alpine forest. The higher parts are topped by "golets" type bare summits. Trans-Baikal conifer forests The Transbaikal conifer forests ecoregion (WWF ID: PA0609) covers

391-452: The Transbaikal exhibits altitude zoning. At the lowest levels in the river valleys and lowlands (0–600 meters), the characteristic vegetation is that of the steppes: bunchgrass ( Stipa capillata ), fescue, junegrass ( Koeleria gracilis), and Filifolium ( Tanacetum sibiricum ). The next level (600-1,100 meters) is a forest-steppe level, and from 1,100 to 1800 meters a forest level featuring Larix gemilii and Pinus sylvestris. Above 1,800 meters

414-548: The area, which is a threat to the streams and bogs. The major cities of the ecoregion are Ulan-Ude and Petrovsk-Zaybaykalsky in Republic of Buryatia , and Chita and Khilok in Zabaykalsky Krai . Otherwise, the region is sparsely populated. The Trans-Siberian Railroad bisects the region from west to east. Semi-arid climate#Cold semi-arid climates A semi-arid climate , semi-desert climate , or steppe climate

437-504: The deserts of China and Mongolia, raising the temperature in the Transbaikal. To the east of the region, the climate grades into a dry winter humid continental climate ( Dwb ), with longer summers. To the south of the ecoregion in Mongolia, the climate grades into a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk ), with less precipitation than the Transbaikal. Precipitation in the Transbaikal ranges from 400 to 500 millimetres (16 to 20 in)/year in

460-525: The mid-30s to low 50s latitudes, typically bordering a humid continental climate or a Mediterranean climate . They are also typically found in continental interiors some distance from large bodies of water. Cold semi-arid climates usually feature warm to hot dry summers, though their summers are typically not quite as hot as those of hot semi-arid climates. Unlike hot semi-arid climates, areas with cold semi-arid climates tend to have cold and possibly freezing winters. These areas usually see some snowfall during

483-643: The region, and the city of Ulaanbaatar , Mongolia, is just outside the southern point of the region. To the south are the Khentii Mountains in Mongolia. To the east are the temperate grasslands of the Daurian forest steppe ecoregion. To the north is the Vitim tableland. The parallel ridges of the mountains in the region form the continental divide between rivers flowing to the Arctic Ocean (by way of Lake Baikal and

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506-528: The uplands, to 200 millimetres (8 in)/year in the lower and more southerly areas. The region is mostly forested below the 1,400 meter level. The characteristic trees on the warmer, wetter west side of the Yablonovsky Ridge are Dahurian larch ( Larix gmelinii ) and Siberian pine ( Pinus sibirica ). On the warmer and drier east of the ridge the larch is mixed with Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris ). The trees are draped with moss and lichen. The flora of

529-796: The winter, though snowfall is much lower than at locations at similar latitudes with more humid climates. Areas featuring cold semi-arid climates tend to have higher elevations than areas with hot semi-arid climates, and tend to feature major temperature swings between day and night, sometimes by as much as 20 °C (36 °F) or more. These large diurnal temperature variations are seldom seen in hot semi-arid climates. Cold semi-arid climates at higher latitudes tend to have dry winters and wetter summers, while cold semi-arid climates at lower latitudes tend to have precipitation patterns more akin to Mediterranean climates , with dry summers, relatively wet winters, and even wetter springs and autumns. Cold semi-arid climates are most commonly found in central Asia and

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