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Hustai National Park has a diverse range of flora, and although the
park is classified as a mountain steppe region, varied floral communities
can be identified. These include sand dunes, shrubs, steppe, meadows,
tussock grasslands and woodlands in the mountain steppe region and riverine
forests and aquatic communities in the Tuul River valley. Floral diversity
has evolved as a result of the area's varied microclimates.
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The park's landscape is dominated by a central mountain range of granite
rock, a southwestern spur of the Khentii range that runs from southwest
to northeast. To the north, the mountain range slopes down to a rolling
plain with fields of cereal crops, while to the south, it borders the
broad valley of the meandering Tuul River. The rounded peaks feature spectacular
rocky outcrops carved by the wind and frost, and small caves hidden in
the granite. The southern mountainsides tend to feature more exposed rock
as the slopes receive more sunlight and less rain, inhibiting plant growth
and accelerating erosion. Erosion caused by heavy summer downpours and
melting spring snow have led to the formation of gullies and the accumulation
of thick layers of eroded material in the valleys.
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The most northern part of Hustai is a small area of sand dunes 5km outside
the border of the park, but which is included under the protected area.
The dunes are thought to be the remains of a lake which dried up thousands
of years ago, having been moulded by the wind from what was once the lake
bottom.
Steppe vegetation together with shrubland dominate 90% of the approximately
50,000-ha. park. Small patches of forest cover about 5% of the park area
and consist mainly of birch woodlands (Betula platyphylla) and
poplars (Populus tremula). Together with Siberian needlegrass (Festuca
sibirica) they are scattered intermittently across northern slopes
exceeding 1,400m.
About 450 vascular plant species can be found in Hustai National Park.
Among these are several endemic, rare or Red Book species such as Juniperus
sabina. Throughout the year the composition and appearance of vegetation
changes. During warmer months, Eidelweiss grow in sufficient density so
that nomadic families can use their soft flower heads to fill pillows
and produce match sticks from their stalks. In spring, many slopes turn
pink or purple with a bloom of Amygdalus shrubs and Pulsatilla.
On hot summer days, the air is filled with etheric oils from Artemisia
and wild thyme. In autumn, the deciduous forests and shrub communities
transform the park into a palette of red, orange and yellow. Most valleys
contain many wildflowers for the majority of the growing season.
© Wobbygong Design
2001
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