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INFORMATION SYSTEM DESIGN FOR LAND DEGRADATION ASSESSMENT, IN PARTICULAR FOR

PASTURE AREAS, CASE STUDY OF WEST MONGOLIA

Narangerel Davaasuren February, 2001

Information system design for land degradation assess-ment, in particular for pasture areas, case study of West

Mongolia

by

Narangerel Davaasuren Thesis submitted to the International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences in partial ful-filment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Geoinformation Management for Rural Development. Degree Assessment Board Name Professor: Dr. Theo Bouloucos, SDA department; Ir. Kees Bronsveld, ACE department; Prof. Dr. Alfred Stein, SDA department. Name Examiners: Prof. Dr. Andrew K. Skidmore, ACE department.

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR AEROSPACE SURVEY AND EARTH SCIENCES

ENSCHEDE, THE NETHERLANDS

Disclaimer This document describes work undertaken as part of a programme of study at the International Insti-tute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences. All views and opinions expressed therein remain the sole responsibility of the author, and do not necessarily represent those of the institute.

INFORMATION SYSTEM DESIFN FOR LAND DEGRADATION ASSESSMENT IN PARTICULAR FOR PASTURE AREAS,

CASE STUDY OF WEST MONGOLIA.

LIST OF TABLES

Chapter 1

Table 1.1 - Main characteristics of the information system 4 Table 1.2 - Remote Sensing data 8 Table.1.3 - Maps 8 Table 1.4 - Other data 9

Chapter 2

Table 2.1 - Optimum mix of Methodologies 11 Table 2.2 - Data structure in 2 dimensions 19

Chapter 3

Table 3.1 - Human associated factors disturbing natural equilibrium 27 Table 3.2 - Changes in coverage (man percentage for 1970-1974) and productivity 27 Table 3.3a - Geographical terminology 33 Table 3.3b - Botanical terminology 33 Table 3.3c - Land degradation related 33 Table 3.3d - Specific Mongolian words 34 Table 3.4 - Data dictionary, Process documentation 37 Table 3.5 - Documentation of the data stores 37 Table 3.6 - Identified information system users and their expected benefits 38

Chapter 4

Table 4.1- Information analysis in terms of users requirements 46 Table 4.2 - Information quality aspects 47 Table 4.3 - Information description 51 Table 4.4 - Data format requirements to key data provides 53

Chapter 6

Table 6.1 - Production Elasticity 64 Table 6.2 - The sub provinces of Uvs with the highest amount of the livestock 67 Table 6.3 - Main vegetation mapping features at medium and low scales, based on space images 71 Table 6.4 - Vegetation classes within corresponding landscape type 72 Table 6.5 - Land_somon classes 73 Table 6.6 - Vegetation type by sub provinces (source: classified NOAA image) 74 Table 6.7 - Amount of good pastures within sub provinces (source: classified NOAA image) 74 Table 6.8 - Vegetation type computed as have been changed 76



Table 6.9 - Landscape type computed as have been changed 76 Table 6.10 - Assessment of plant cover disturbances within altitude belts 77 Table 6.11 - Areas of good pastures within sub provinces (source: classified NOAA image) 78 Table 6.12 - Correlation between good pastures and livestock density 78



LIST OF FIGURES

Chapter 1

Figure 1.1 - The implemented steps of new information system design 5 Figure1.2 - Sequential flow of Methodology 9

Chapter 2

Figure 2.1 - Land degradation extent in Mongolia 13 Figure 2.2 - Phases of Database design 20

Chapter 3

Figure 3.1 - Land degradation in Mongolian by provinces 26 Figure 3.2 - Degrading changes in vegetation 28 Figure 3.3 - Scheme of land degradation process induced by overgrazing 30 Figure 3.4 - Problem Tree 32 Figure 3.5 - The main task of the land degradation assessment information system 35 Figure 3.6 - Top level diagram of land degradation assessment sub systems within System World 36 Figure 3.7 - Information architecture of the land degradation assessment information system 41 Figure 3.8 - Information flow 42

Chapter 4

Figure 4.1 - Main processes within information system presented by low-level diagram 48

Chapter 5

Figure 5.1 - Vegetation change analysis system 56 Figure 5.2 - Vegetation classification process 58 Figure 5.3 - Ecosystem assessment process 59

Chapter 6

Figure 6.1 - Database implementation on Microsoft Access 67 Figure 6.2 - Shaded relief map (minimised) and study area 68 Figure 6.3 - The major geographical features of the Uvs province 69 Figure 6.4 - Spatial data input flow chart 70 Figure 6.5 - Distribution of vegetation within corresponding landscape type 72 Figure 6.6 - Computed areas of difference within sub provinces 76



ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am highly indebted to Government of Japan, JJ/WBGSP secretariat, those financial support made my study at International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences, ITC, Enschede, the Nether-lands possible and influenced my future life and career. Thank you very much!

Many thanks are goes to my supervisors: First supervisor - Dr. Theo Bouloucos, SDA department of ITC; Second supervisor - Ir. Kees Bronsveld, ACE department of ITC; Second supervisor - Prof. Dr. Alfred Stein, SDA department of ITC. I appreciate very much the time spend by all of you giving me scientific advise and assistance during my thesis working time.

My heartfelt gratitude goes to Dr. M. Ganzorig, Director, Informatics and Remote Sensing Institute, Mongolian Academy of Sciences for his invaluable and constant support during my study time at ITC. Thank you very much! Very special thanks to Dr. S.Itzerott, Institute of Geoecology and Geography, University of Potsdam, Germany for providing data, offered help during scientific conference in Berlin, constant support and help during my stay in the Netherlands. Many thanks for all what you did for me, Sibylle! My stay in the Netherlands and study at ITC was not possible without sincere help from ITC staff. I would like to mention in particular some of them and do express my heartfelt gratitude and special thanks for their help to: - Mr. Andre Klijnstra, Student Registration Office; - Ing. Helios W. Jellema, AGS division; - Prof. Dr. John van Genderen, AGS division; - Dr. Ir. Rolf de By (SIT) division; - Mr. Ard Blenke, cluster manager IT/CAI/CM. Thanks are also goes to Ir. Walter de Vries, Programme Director, GIM for his help and GIM pro-gramme coordination. Last but not least, to my family – daughter Dulgoon, father Ts. Davaasuren and family members for their love and patience during my 18 months stay in the Netherlands.

Narangerel



Abstract

The development of information technology has a high influence on human development. Poor infor-mation results in inadequate analysis, which leads to misguided policies on natural resources manage-ment. The focus of current research was on application of information technology for land degradation as-sessment in western Mongolia. Land degradation is a complex problem, resulting from many factors and it is includes among existing climate constrains a result of mismanagement regarding land and land use. The current problem has many socio-economic, institutional and environmental aspects. An information system has the task to collect, analyze and process existing information. It is an active ob-ject, which deals with information and information processes. The design of information system on land degradation assessment, for the case of pasture areas in western Mongolia, needs to be able to collect and to analyse available information. The current re-search focused on vegetation change analysis, one of the principal components of the land degradation problem in Mongolia. The problem was been analysed within a Soft System Methodology (SSM) ap-proach and then the system design used the Structural analysis methodology. The solution of current information system is to make recommendations on land and land use that can be applied in western Mongolia.



CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1. The main purpose of the research

The purpose of the current research was to design information system within the framework of a re-view and analysis of existing scientific literature and other information sources related to land degra-dation problems. The intention was to present application of Information Technology as a supportive tool for land use management. The present research focussed on six sub provinces of Uvs province, in western Mongolia: Tes, Mal-chin, Omnogobi, Zuunhangai, Naranbulag and central Ulaangom. The current region was selected for the following reasons: • Insufficient attention from the Mongolian Government is paid to this region in terms of regional

land use planning, due to its remoteness from central regions; • It is one of the poorest regions of Mongolia; • The environment of this region is particularly sensitive and remains significantly untouched; there-

fore, it is an ideal area for any research related to the environmental problems; • The regional seminar on "National Environmental Action Plan and Decentralization", held in

Khovd province, Western part of Mongolia, October 1998 pointed out some already existing envi-ronmental problems within the region, such as desertification, deforestation and overgrazing, which need to be studied and solved.

1.2. Framework of the research

The framework of this research was in an analysis of available information on land degradation prob-lems, in particular on changes in vegetation cover for pasture areas, the case study of West Mongolia. The reason of choosing this particular topic was due to currently existing problems of land degrada-tion, which has had serious influences on the Mongolian environment. One of the main causes of this problem can be found in the effects from overgrazing in Mongolian arid zones and which is a major cause of human-induced desertification and land degradation. Mongolia is a country in Central Asia with nomadic pastoral civilization. Approximately 29 million Mongolian livestock graze on 117 million hectares of pasture land all the year round. These 117 million hectares constitute about 75% of the whole Mongolian territory. The major peculiarity of the Mongolian live-stock industry is its relatively constant, but low, meat, milk and wool production over time and its ab-solute dependency on extremely sharp continental climatic conditions and variable natural environ-ment (Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan, 2000). Climate constraints, with unpredictable year-to-year irregular-ity in rainfall result in reduction of grassland productivity. This makes livestock grazing planning dif-ficult, especially in rural remote areas. Growing livestock populations exert pressure well beyond the carrying capacity of arid land pastures. Effects of grazing are ubiquitous, from the taiga in the North to the desert in the South, from the river valleys and basins to the highest alpine meadows. Different types of land cover such as forest, especially the broad-leaved, have been declined drastically, both in



quantity and quality. Steppe and semi-desert vegetation has been affected most severely in areas with a surface water supply, hospitable to people and their livestock (Hilbig, 1995). Mongolian herders depend to a great extent on animal husbandry for their livelihood. Economic diffi-culties are putting pressure on herders whose traditional distribution systems are breaking down. This all results in overgrazing and more and more herders are adopting a semi-permanent existence of liv-ing adjacent to regional centers with better access to markets. As a result of high pressure, useable pasture areas are steadily shrinking. According to research of in-complete reforms, consequences of production of Mongolian livestock industry performed by Ayur-zana Enkh-Amgalan in 2000, the estimated total carrying capacity of Mongolian pasture land is around 63 sheep units per year. By 1998, the total Mongolian livestock numbers reached 69.2 sheep units per year. This can be closely related to changes in the political system in 1991, because after that year, the amount of privately owned livestock suddenly increased. Although this number is doubtful, the degradation of pasture land has already become a reality, weakening the long-term sustainability of the industry. Land tenure reforms, which will legalize the formal rights of Mongolian herders, are still un-der discussion. Therefore, information on land degradation problems needs to be analyzed. One of the information sources is vegetation cover study using remote sensing techniques. Spectral reflectance of the vegeta-tion and it's condition can be estimated from Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which helps for vegetation classification and is usually associated with phonological attributes like vegetation cover, vitally and water supply of vegetation (Burkart M., et. al., 2000).

1.3. Research Problem

Sustainable environmental development is not possible without the development of Information Tech-nology (IT), which has high influence on human development. The current policy of the Mongolian Government, outlined in the Human Development Report (Gov-ernment of Mongolia, UNDP, 2000) emphasized the fact that the Mongolian rural population (no-mads) is very vulnerable to mismanagement and to the high risk of natural disasters. Poor information, resulting in inadequate analysis, leads to misguided policies on natural resources management and en-vironmental policies on national and regional levels. A major concern of the Mongolian Government is the development a comprehensive environmental policy, as indicated in Human Development Report (Government of Mongolia, UNDP, 2000). Such a policy has to improve the policy on grazing land and its protection, promotion of scientific pasture management within appropriate technologies and improvement of people's knowledge regarding land, land use and management. The Mongolian Government has set basic objectives and activities directed to improve regional devel-opment policy. As a result, policy makers will have new possibilities to influence correct allocation of fiscal and another resources for the state as a whole and for separate regions, to implement long and



short time regional development plans, and, most importantly, to make good use of new knowledge, information and new advanced ideas (Tsedendamba, 2000). The other prominent existing problems in Mongolia, which have negative influence into regional and state environmental planning in terms of information management related to land and land use are: • Poor Geoinformation quality and luck of information exchange within organizations; • Inappropriate institutional arrangement and land management at national and regional level; • Weak linkage between governmental policies, community initiatives, activities and their imple-

mentation. Therefore, demonstration of application of Information Technology as a supportive tool for land use management and planning will be a necessary step contributing to Mongolian sustainable develop-ment.

1.4. Research Objectives

General objective The general objective of the research is the design of an information system for land degradation as-sessment. Because Mongolia has a weak linkage within governmental policies and community initia-tives and their implementations on land use planning, this information system can be useful for land degradation assessment, and may provide a clear overview about environmental situation related to vegetation cover changes in remote rural areas. Specific objectives The following specific objectives must be met and answered: • Analysis of the requirements of information system design within particular case; • Study of recent scientific literature and available information of World Wide Web (WWW) on

land degradation problem and its indicators. Finally, one indicator applicable for particular case will be selected;

• Discussion and conclusion will be based on results from analysis of changes in vegetation cover.

1.5. Research questions

These objectives result in three research questions, considered as a most important for particular case: • What are the main requirements for information system design on land degradation assessment, in

particular for pasture areas in West Mongolia? • What is the most applicable indicator for particular case? • What are the possible recommendations for land use planning and management?



1.6. Research methodology

Definition of system, information and information system

System is a concept that is useful to study objects, especially when they are complex. A system is the result of viewing the active world from a certain point of view (Carvalho, 1999). Data are representation of facts, concepts and/or instructions, suitable for interpretation or processing by humans or automated systems (Paresi, 1998),but only data placed in context can produce informa-tion. Information is an answer to specific question, in terms of problem solving within manage-rial/decision-making activities. The information system is an active object that deals with processes and information and its main pur-pose is to inform users and to help in decision-making process. The possible operations upon data in-clude: collection, processing, storing, retrieving and analysis of information.

Information System components and characteristics.

The main information system components are Information requirements (from customers) and external constraints. The organizational information system will process the data to produce products and/or services. Information requirements will help to define information system boundary and information flow in the organization and it is composed from functional and information models. The functional model is a set of process within organizations. The information model consists of data-bases where all information is stored. The main characteristics of the information system is presented in Table 1.1 below:

Main characteristics of the information system Table 1.1

No Type of characteristics Information system 1 Nature of objects in system Data, information 2 Operations upon objects process-

ing Collection, processing, storing, retrieving, analysis, protection and communication.

3 Purpose of the information sys-tem

Related to some support for information manipulation activities.

4 Nature of the operations By computer based technology. 5 Context of the information system People that use the system (or benefit from its existence) within

improvements in their work context. 6 Who will benefit People who handle the system (users).

The main feature of the current information system:

The main feature of current proposed information system for land degradation assessment is that it is going to be designed as a completely new system, on the assumption, that the host organization - Mon-golian Ministry of Nature and the Environment does not have a related information system. Therefore, some steps in Information System Design Methodology were not applicable. These steps are:

- Information System Analysis phase – The part of System analysis was not performed, due to ab-sence of existing information system. Therefore, analysis proceeded directly to information analy-sis in terms of users requirements.



- System implementation and Testing part - was performed only implementation part (Database de-sign) and environmental models testing. However, due to lack of information, testing part was simplified and description of actually carry out work is presented in Chapter 5.

- System implementation and testing phase - it would be in advantage to implement above-mentioned environmental models. According to author, Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan (Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan, 2000) presented model of estimation of real livestock production is the best representation in Mongolian case. However, full description of environmental models on livestock density analy-sis and pasture carrying capacity is presented only in theory in Chapter 2 – Theoretical Back-ground.

The Research Methodology steps.

Current research employed uses a mixture of different methodologies, due to complex nature of ana-lyzing problem. These methodologies are: Structured Systems Development Methodology, constituting from a set of iterative activities, pre-sented in Figure 1.1 below. Some phases used different methodologies approach and this phases are: • Phase I - Information system strategy and planning phase; Problem structuring step - Soft System

Methodology (SSM) approach (see Chapter 2 theoretical background on SSM – Information sys-tem strategy; results in Chapter 3 – System strategy);

• In all other phases starting from Information system planning to System Design part – are used Structured System Analysis approach (see Chapter 3 – System planning, Chapter 4- System Analysis; Chapter 5- System Design). The implemented steps of new information system design (presented in red color)

Figure 1.1



Detailed description of Information system design phases are as follows:

PHASE I - INFORMATION SYSTEM STRATEGY AND PLANNING The information system strategy and planning phase provide the basis for system development effort that fully supports organizational goals and objectives. This phase consists of two parts, namely in-formation system strategy and information system planning.

Main objectives of the Phase I in general are to: • Select Methodology for problem structuring; • Discussion of existing rural problem; • Make problem structuring within Soft System Methodology (SSM) approach; • Define goals of proposing information system and their structure; Main activities are: Information system strategy 1. Problem structuring by Soft System Methodology (SSM) approach. Soft System Methodology

(SSM) conceptually are consists from 2 steps: Usage world and System World approach. The main activities within above mentioned approaches are:

• Description of concepts of Soft System Methodology (SSM) approach (Chapter 2 in Theoretical background; Chapter 3- application part, Information system strategy);

• Problem structuring concept within Soft System Methodology (SSM) (Chapter 2); • Analysis of land degradation concepts, its general causes, factors and consequences (Chapter 2); • Main components of the grazing ecosystems and their interactions (Chapter 2); • Causes, factors of land degradation in grazing environment and its consequences (Chapter 2); • Indicators of land degradation (Chapter 2); Then using recent scientific literature one land degra-

dation indicator will be selected (Chapter 3 - Selection of land degradation indicator for pasture areas in Mongolia);

• Main concepts of land cover changes in arid and semi-arid grazing ecosystems (Chapter 2); 2. Step of Usage world - Presentation of main problem by Rich picture (problem tree), based on se-

lected indicators of land degradation (Chapter 3 – Usage world, Rich picture (Problem tree); 3. Step of Usage World, language analysis. Here presented description of specific scientific termi-

nology, which has been used for particular problem (Chapter 3 – Usage World, Language Analy-sis);

4. System World analysis within conceptual modeling approach. System World will outline the pur-pose of the new system, its major components (sub systems) and presentation within system view by Top level schematic diagram. This diagram will show information about data and major proc-esses within main sub systems. The description of supporting technique of Data Flow Diagram (DFD) and Data Dictionary (processes and data description) is presented accordingly in Chapter 3 – Structured Analysis – System World.



Information system planning Situation analysis phase. This phase included activities such as: • Identification of main users; the need and main task of proposed information system; the main

mission of the selected organization started in a way that allows information system to be built; the main objectives, responsibility, organizational structure and available resources of the organiza-tion. This step was primary based on results of information analysis from World Wide Web (WWW) and results of old survey (Narangerel, 1998) (Chapter 3- Situation Analysis).

Information system development plan. • System development plan is a guideline for information system development and it is comprised

from results of the situation analysis phase. This part is proposed theoretically due to the lack of the relevant information. The main steps are:

1. Establishment of policies and procedures for information system development: a) Composition of information architecture; b) Proposal of necessary assistance tools in system development; 2. Limitation of information system scope; 3. Structured analysis of information flow between organizations; Context data diagram. 4. Proposal of information update as a whole; All issues are covered in theory in Chapter 2 and by application part in Chapter 3 – Information Sys-tem Development Plan. PHASE II – INFORMATION SYSTEM ANALYSIS (Information analysis) Main objectives are to: - Perform a detailed analysis of information requirements in terms of users needs. - According to existing methodology on Information System Development (Paresi, 1999b) System

analysis should be comprised from 2 parts. First part is to make detailed analysis of the current ex-isting information system and situation analysis of that system. The second phase is determination of the information requirements. In our case the first step was not applied due to building com-pletely new system, therefore, this phase concentrated on analysis of information requirements in terms of users needs (see Chapter 4 – Information System Analysis; Information Analysis).

Main activities: 1. Information analysis in terms of user’s requirements; Chapter 4 - Information analysis in terms of

users requirements); 2. Description of information type which users will be need in perspective (see Chapter 4 - Descrip-

tion of information type which users will be need in perspective, Table 4.2); 3. Specification of information system requirements (Chapter 4 – Specification of Information

system requirements); 4. Description of information system’s function and data used (see Chapter 4 - Description of

information system’s function and data used). 5. Data structure: • Entities & attributes (see Chapter 2 – Theoretical background - Data structure; Chapter 4- Data

structure);



6. Data quality (see Chapter 2 – Phase II Information System Analysis – Data quality; Chapter 4 – Information System Analysis – Data quality).

PHASE III – SYSTEM DESIGN Main objectives of the phase to perform: • Process modeling; • Design of conceptual data model; • Logical data model design; • All along creation of system documentation - data dictionary (documentation of process, data

stores, data flows) (see Chapter 5 – System Design). Main activities are: • Identification of terminators, which will interact with the selected sub-system; development of

context data flow diagram; top-level and low-level diagram where data stores are not yet normal-ized entities;

• Data modeling – Entity Relationship Diagram; • Translation of the logical data model into skeleton tables indicating primary and foreign keys and

other necessary descriptive attributes; • Checking of skeleton table’s structure matching with data store of the top-level data flow diagram

and how is it support the proposing process. • Database design; • Creation of data dictionary. PHASE IV- SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION AND TESTING • Discussion and theoretical background of environmental models on vegetation changes analysis;

livestock density analysis and pasture land capacity analysis (Chapter 6 - System Implementation and Testing);

• Requirements of information system development cost (Chapter 6 - System Implementation and Testing);

• Database implementation on Microsoft Access and its short description (Chapter 6 - System Im-plementation and Testing);

• Description of the case study area, its geographical features; • Presentation of results on vegetation changes analysis. CONCLUSIONS Final conclusions are presented in Chapter 7 – Conclusions.

1.7. Data and materials used

For the current research NOAA AVHRR remote sensing data was used, together with related thematic maps and relevant scientific literature. The NOAA sensor has potential to provide land cover, vegeta-tion dynamic information on wide areas. This is particularly useful for monitoring purposes.



The thematic maps from the Mongolian National Atlas are contain detailed information on vegetation and landscape features as well, as some details of administrative centers location. However, the road network and other information are not included in these maps due to limitation of their scale. The statistical information used for database design was not exactly up-to-date information, because it was produced in 1997 and of course, some major changes did happened. But in absence of other rele-vant information, the current data have been used. The GPS field observation point data was used in vegetation changes analysis part to see, whether the actual situation is matching with the computed results. The description of used data is presented in Table 1.2; 1.3 and 1.4 respectively. Remote Sensing data Table 1.2

No Sensor Spatial resolution Bands used Area covered 1 NOAA NDVI classified image

NDVI= IR-R/IR+R 1 km IR=860mn

R=672nm Uvs province

Maps Table 1.3

No Map type Scale Source Area covered 1 Vegetation map of Mongolia 1: 3 000 000 Mongolian National Atlas Uvs province 2 Landscape map of Mongolia 1: 3 000 000 Mongolian National Atlas Uvs province 3 Administrative map of Mongolia 1: 3 000 000 Mongolian National Atlas Uvs province 4 Pasture map of Mongolia 1: 3 000 000 Uvs province

Other data Table 1.4

No Type of data Format Source Description 1 Meteorological observational data

1991, 1997 years. Text State meteorological

agency Mean and total precipitation by sub provinces

2 Statistical information of Uvs province, 1997 year.

Text Statistical office Uvs Statistical data by sub pro-vincial level

3 Field GPS observation data 1997, 1998 years.

Text Informatics and RS Insti-tute, MAS

Field observation data

1.8. Structure of the Thesis

After this introduction (Chapter 1), Chapter 2 gives an overview of the theoretical background on In-formation system strategy and planning, Information analysis, Information system design and System implementation and testing. The existing literature on land degradation reviewed in Chapter 2, within land degradation concepts. The main components of the grazing ecosystems; causes and factors of land degradation in grazing environment; indicators of land degradation; main concepts of land cover changes in arid and semi-arid grazing ecosystems has been discussed. In further current problem have been structured in Chapter 3 - Information system strategy and Planning. Information system analysis is presented in Chapter 4. Chapter 5 describes Information system design. System implementation and testing part presented in Chapter 6. Further summary of discussions and recommendations is outlined in Chapter 7.



The sequential flow of used methodology with indication of Chapters is presented in Figure 1.2 below. Sequential flow of Methodology Figure 1.2



CHAPTER 2 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

2.1 INTRODUCTION

If we look into information system concepts, it aims to study active objects, especially when they are complex. A system is the result of viewing the active world from a certain point of view (Carvalho, 2000). The main attempt of our work therefore, will be in presentation of real world within system point of view. This chapter will describe the theoretical methodology related to information system design and re-view of scientific literature on land degradation problem.

2.2 PHASE I - INFORMATION SYSTEM STRATEGY AND PLANNING

Information system for land degradation assessment is an extremely useful tool, especially in cases, where grazing land ecosystems are characterized by slow response to management, either good or bad. The resource managers often have difficulty differentiating between temporary responses of the graz-ing land to normal climatic variation and long-term ecological trend changes due to management (Stuth et. al., 1993). Information system strategy and planning is the first step in information system design. The main ob-jective of this phase is to identify an existing rural problem, structure it within applicable methodology and to develop strategy for information system analysis. This phase consists of 2 parts, each described and performed separately: - Information System Strategy and - Information System Planning phases.

2.2.1 Information System strategy

The main aim of information system strategy is to select the methodology, techniques and tools that can be used in problem structuring. Information system design start from problem identification and its structuring. The description of the Soft System Methodology approach, which has been used in prob-lem analysis, is presented below.

Description of Soft System Methodology (SSM) approach concept

One of the most important activities in creating a new system is to choose the right problem to solve, propose the most feasible way to solve it and to make description of this solution in system specifica-tion. To propose solution to the problem the different types of methodologies have been used. Main concept behind methodologies is to define a step by step approach for information system develop-ment. The main objective is to make detailed analysis of the existing problem. Methodologies do spec-ify stages, tasks and outputs for each stage of the information system design. Among existing different



methodologies, in practice, the most useful solution is to use methodology mixing. Optimum mix of methodology is presented in Table 2.1 below (Paresi, 1999). Optimum mix of Methodologies Table 2.1 PHASES PREFFERED METHODLOGIES System strategy and planning: - Strategy (Problem definition and structuring) and - Planning steps.

Soft System Development Methodology Structured system analyses

System analysis Structured system analyses and/or Object-oriented analysis

System design Structured system analyses and/or Object-oriented analysis

System implementation Structured system analyses and/or Object-oriented analysis

The Soft System Development Methodology (SSM) approach will be used for information system strategy and planning phase. A problem for which "soft" approach used is to learn new information about the organization (Checkland, 1985a, cited in Whittaker, 1993). It is also offers a methodology for formalizing this acquisition of derived knowledge. Primary, Soft System Methodology (SSM) has been applied in the management and social sciences (Checkland, 1985b, cited in Whittaker, 1993). Further, information system development will employ utilize Structured System Analysis approach within different tools and techniques on process modeling and data analysis, such as Data Flow Dia-gram (DFD), entities and their relationships, and detailed processes description.

Description of Problem structuring concept within Soft System Methodology (SSM)

Design of the new system begins by elaborating the statement of requirements in terms of more de-tailed objectives. Such objectives can be specified in terms of improvements to the organization’s processes and functions and what is to be done to realize these improvements. It is therefore important to state the objectives in a way that is useful to design (Hawryszkiewycz, 1998). The main concern of any information system design is first to structure the identified problem by dif-ferent methodology approaches, such as hard system and /or soft system thinking. Rural problems are often fuzzy, undefined, difficult to structure and they have complex nature. Soft System Development Methodology (SSM) seeks to understand and to define the problem by modeling the situation in rich pictures and takes the subjectivist view of real world, which means that reality is social construction. It does not propose solutions of the problem and it is applicable only in system strategy and planning phase. Emphasis of the first phase will be to use Soft System Development Methodology (SSM) approach, which will help to understand the nature of the problem and to structure it.

Basically, SSM consists from 3 main step such as: 1. Usage world - Rich picture – it is description of the entire system and presentation of scenarios

what is happening and/or might happened using the rich picture.



2. Usage world - Language analysis - specification of the meaning of used terminology, which could essentially help to have common knowledge on particular subject.

3. Conceptual modeling; step of the System world. System world is representation of reality, de-scribed using general information system terminology. The conceptual modeling will show what the new information system will do, what is the main concern of this system and will specify the main sub systems. The supporting techniques are include Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) and Data Dictionary (description of processes and type of data going to be used).

However, before beginning the Usage World approach it is important to make review and to analyze all available scientific literature related to land degradation problems and to select indicator of land degradation, which could be helpful in Rich picture design.

Analysis of land degradation concepts, its general causes, factors and consequences

Land degradation is defined as - long term loss of plant and animal productivity and diversity useful to human beings (Milton, et. al., 1994). Land degradation is first referred to by Aubreville (1949), who observed - there are real deserts being born today, under our very eyes, in areas where the annual rainfall is between 700 and 1500 mm (Monique, 1994). Land degradation in most cases happens because people in affected areas, driven by poverty, want to get as much out of the land as possible in the short term. The human impacts to the land come from old and modern oases; irrigated agriculture; grazing, industrialization, urban development and communications. Because of the very complex nature of land degradation, all factors that contribute to this problem can be divided into 2 groups: 1. Ecological factors such as: long-term climatic deterioration, globally climatic change and ecologi-

cal fragility, being internal causes; 2. Artificial factors, such as over-exploitation of environmental resources by humans and their graz-

ing animals, misjudgment of political decisions or economic policies, etc., being the external im-petus (Scholz, 1991, cited in Wu Ning, 1997).

The consequences of land degradation have an appalling impact firstly on rural communities. It starts a vicious spiral of decline in health, quality of life and life expectancy. Land degradation has umerous economic, social and ecological consequences, such as decline in land productivity leading to reduced agricultural or forestry production; increased siltation of rivers, canals and drainage systems resulting in greater maintenance costs and shorter operational life of the projects; decline in income of agricul-tural populations and further worsening of a poverty situation; increased rural-urban migration; in-creased frequency of natural disasters such as floods and landslides; the concomitant loss of life and property and loss of biodiversity. Human Development Report (UNDP & Mongolian State Government report, 2000) presented prob-lems in Mongolia concerning pasture land. The conclusion made was that 77,9% of the total available pasture land in Mongolia, constituting 127 million hectares has been degraded to some extent, due to



overgrazing. The scale of degradation is varying from medium (5.1 million hectares - 4.0% of total country area) to strong (3.0 million hectares - 2.4% of total area) scale. The human induced land deg-radation factors in Mongolia among others included devastating mining practices, especially in gold mining. The ecological factors contributing land degradation processes is decrease in springtime pre-cipitation, which happens over the past 60 years in Mongolia (at present it is reached 17%). The main consequences from long-term land degradation impacts are includes negative changes in composition of pasture land fitomass (above 22%). Figure 1.1 presents land degradation extent in Mongolia.

Land degradation extent in Mongolia Figure 1.1

Main components of the grazing ecosystems and their interactions

Because the rural grazing communities suffer the most significant impact from the land degradation at first, it is important to review the grazing ecosystem components and their interactions. The components include humans as a main component and animals and pasture land as the secondary ones. They all are the part of a complex, interactive system in a pastoral environment. Grazing animals affect pastoral environment by defoliating plants, returning nutrients, treading and depositing dung and urine. Similarly, the pasture environment affects grazing animals through the amount of available feed, the seasonal pattern of production, pasture quality, micro-organisms and mi-crobial pathogen interaction. Humans affect the pasture environment through water, wild fruit and medical plant harvesting and introducing or destroying plant species. Consequently, the pastoral environment may become harsh and precarious, leaving no means of sur-vival for humans and grazing animals.

Causes, factors of land degradation in grazing environment and its consequences

The most decisive causes of land degradation in grazing environment are primary overgrazing. On the geographical extent grazing is the main source of people's living in arid, semi-arid areas on the globe. Grazing in arid and semi-arid environments with high climate variables is a high reliability (to the weather and climate conditions) pastoralism, especially in Mongolian case, where a herdsman be-

S1

19.2

88.9

5.1 30

20

40

60

80

100

Degradation in %

Pasture land degradation extent in Mongolia

Series1 19.2 88.9 5.1 3

Not degraded Degraded to some extent Medium Strong



comes completely part of the ecosystem: living within it and manipulating it as best as he can (Ayur-zana Enkh-Amgalan, 2000). In general, lands are grazed because they are not sufficiently productive or reliable to be cropped, which means that management must cope with low or unreliable production, complexity of semi-natural ecosystems, large management units, and greater economic risk (Stuth et. al., 1993). The other factor contributing to the degradation is includes processes such as: physical, which is mainly water and wind erosion, compaction, crusting and waterlogging. Chemical processes include salinisation, alkalization, acidification, pollution and nutrient depletion. Biological processes on the other hand are related to the reduction of organic matter content in the soil, denudation of vegetation and impairment of activities of microorganisms and fauna. In broad sense land degradation in pastoral ecosystem leads to a reduction in primary vegetative yield, changes in land cover and desertification results from a breakdown in the relationship among the main components of the grazing ecosystems. The main result will be on major disbalance of sustainability of animals and rangelands. (Pamo, 1997). The long-term consequences of the overgrazing may lead to further destruction of the rangelands, ac-cording to research by Puigdefabregas, et. al., (1997). The study reviewed climate and land use changes, including information from tree ring, palynological, sedimentological, archaeological and archives analysis of grazing activity in the past 500 years. The short-term consequences are result in decrease amount of vegetation cover, which will increase soil susceptibility to degradation by wind erosion, because the soils will tend to become dry, poorly cemented and are sparsely covered by vegetation. The long overgrazing effect on this soil will have significant impact of unreversible changes and/or slowly recovery from disturbance. According to result of research Juneidi and Abu-Zahat, 1993 (cited in Khresat, et. al., 1998) the long-term impact to areas have been important as a grazing lands for the local population over the years, included desertification of the steppe zone and displacement of native vegetation cover by less palat-able and often poisonous plants.

Indicators of land degradation

Reviewing the causes of land degradation in rangelands (pasture areas), we found, that this process may take many forms depending upon the soil type, natural vegetation and the means of deploying the grazing animals in the landscape (Chapman, 1992). According to literature review (Monique, 1994) there are three main types of land degradation indicators: • Changes in topography of the landscapes; • Changes in composition of the topsoil; • Changes in composition of the vegetative cover (land cover change). All these indicators closely related to impact from intensive human activity. Considering the changes in composition of the vegetative cover as a possible indictor applicable in Mongolian case, an analysis of plant floristic compositions made by Russian and Mongolian botanists showed the correlation be-tween floristic richness and grade of grazing. In relation with other studies, vegetation cover in China, where each animal shared 3.33 ha of grassland and which is decrease within 20 years to 1.11 ha shows



quantitative and qualitative degradation of steppe pastures. According to Zhenda and Shu, Artemisia frigida and weeds have replaced the original Stipa sp. (Monique, 1994). Considering the above mentioned three types of land degradation indicators, proposed by Monique, relation of current indicators with induced causes in Mongolia are showed, that: • Changes in lakes surface level in Western Mongolia could be related to changes in topography,

which may be due to long term climatic changes. This was illustrated in study by Lehmkuhl (2000);

• Study of vegetation dynamics in Mongolia done by Mongolian and Russian geobotanists con-cluded that denudation and soil formation processes are having influence to current processes. The changes in composition of the topsoil and vegetative cover compositions triggering each other.

Therefore, concept of vegetation cover changes will be in further analyzed for applicability in arid and semi-arid grazing ecosystems to which Mongolia is belongs.

Main concepts of land cover changes in arid and semi-arid grazing ecosystems

It has been proposed in different research, that the vegetation cover is the core indicator of desertifica-tion and degradation processes (Thornes, 1995) applicable for grazing environment. However, natural vegetation in arid and semi-arid areas is a particular system of which development and condition at any time can be driven by preceding events such as amount of rainfall and precipitation, solar radiation and natural phenomena (drought, fires). Although vegetation communities can be readily disturbed and changed, recovery rates are relatively fast as compared to soil degradation processes. The concept of land cover change in semi-arid grazing ecosystems mostly refers to the resilience prop-erty of that system. It means, that a system is resilient, if vegetation changes driven by herbivore or environmental fluctuations are continuos and reversible. It should thereby make no difference whether these environmental fluctuations are large and frequent or not. Vegetation cover is drastically reduced as a result of episodic intense herbivore during drought will nevertheless always recover if periods with higher rainfall follow (Rietkerk et. al., 1997). It is on that assumptions that recent, major shifts in pastoral development strategies are being based (Scoones 1994, cited in Rietkerk, et. al., 1997). But it is undeniable and facing reality, that more than one attracting equilibrium exist and that the vegetation is not resilient to herbivore impact and environmental fluctuations (Sinclair and Fryxell 1985; Westoby et. al., 1989; Friedel, 1991; Laycock, 1991; Smith and Pickup 1993; Rietkerk et. al., 1996; cited in Rietkerk, et. al., 1997). Apparently, some semi-arid grazing systems are resilient and others are not (Walker et. al, 1981, cited in Rietkerk, et. al., 1997). This all lead to determine and to develop understanding according to particular environmental condition and economical situation. Study of vegetation cover changes in Mongolia (Gunin, et. al., 2000) has been observed the influence of several factors. In general, these changes are the examples of negative consequences due to impact of climatic factors. Nowadays, such changes are enhanced due to intensive anthropogenic influences (Gunin, et. al., 2000). But the most drastic consequences are the result of combined action of anthro-pogenic factors and climatic changes.



Usage world: Rich picture (Problem tree) and Language analysis.

Identification of the system requirements must be followed from the information collected in the usage (system seen and described used everyday terms) world. The usage world shows by rich picture sce-nario of the existing problem, which is one way of describing the usage world. This is the premise of Soft System Methodology, where the usage world is described in terms as close as possible about what people can see about happening in their world - by pictures and scenarios (Hawryszkiewycz, 1998). Representation by problem tree is one kind of rich picture. It is based on the literature analysis of the land degradation problem, its causes and indicators and applied expert knowledge. The use of the ex-pert knowledge will be based on study of scientific research results performed by Russian, German and Mongolian scientists. The content of the problem tree is the different aspects of current problem and grouped by socio-economical, institutional and environmental types of problem. Starter problem, causes and following impacts are indicated accordingly and to avoid many details, the structured ap-proach will be used. Then it is important to make language analysis in terms of scientific terminology related to land degra-dation problem. Currently, related terminology on land degradation is expressed by different scientific streams such as: social scientists; livestock specialists; land use planners and developers; antropo-geographers as well as by environmental conservationists. Rather than being seen as an irrational reli-gious commitment, "pastoral culture" has been even viewed as a set of symbolic and ideological asser-tions about the economic, political, and ecological processes in which pastoralists are rationally en-gaged (Wu Ning, 1997). All used terminology can be subdivided into 4 separate groups: on geography, botany, specifically land degradation related and Mongolian words.

System World approach within conceptual modeling

This area is often termed conceptual modeling (structured analysis) and it is describes the system in terms that are useful for computer systems designers to develop a specification for computer system (Hawryszkiewycz, 1998). The System World approach shows, what the new system is going to do and what are the main components of such system. Decomposition of the system into sub components is helpful to understand the core issue in proposed system and supports limitation of information system scope. The System World approach are coming under general heading of the Structured System Analysis which has associated tools and techniques, including among others, Data Flow Diagram (DFD) and data dictionary (Paresi, 1999a). Structured System Analysis takes the Top-Down approach and sepa-rates the logical design from physical. A Data Flow Diagram (DFD) is a directed graph whose nodes represent objects that generate data, ob-jects that consume data, and operations on the data; the arcs are the data flows that convey data be-tween the objects and operations. Data flows imply functional dependencies between operations. The each operation can be expanded in a data flow diagram into a lower-level diagram, finally with hierar-



chical composition of data flow diagrams. The expansion eventually terminates with operations that are easy to explain and understand. Data flow diagrams are effective paradigm for some kinds of ap-plications, because the focus is on process - documenting existing processes and inventing new proc-esses. Data flow diagrams let you decompose complex processes and convey your understanding to other persons (Blaha, et. al., 1998). A system developer can construct data flow diagrams with desired intent, but it is not a solution approach. Data flow diagram documents each process and it is restricted to major properties to avoid too much detail.

2.2.2 Information System planning

Situation analysis phase

According to existing methodology on situation analysis project plan, current activity is has to include a full description of the organization’ s goals versus current information system. The situation analysis report should include: • Executive summary of the organization; • Introduction; • Description of goals and objectives; • Description of the current situation; • Description of the future situation; • Identification areas of interest; • Conditions for realization (Paresi, 1999a). However, if there is no existing information system, we cannot examine what is currently happening nor identify current user’s activities. The procedures now emphasize user requirements and place less emphasis on the study of the existing components (Hawryszkiewycz, 1998). The current situation analysis of the organization was primary based on information analysis available on World Wide Web (WWW) and on result from old survey (Narangerel, 1998), therefore, some is-sues was not covered and/or not completed due to the lack of the relevant information. This situation analysis include identification of main users and their requirements from information perspective, stated in a way that this information system will support them efficiently and effectively. There are a large number of people involved in information system building process. The most impor-tant people however, are users. Users are people who have a stake in the information system because they need the system to carry out their responsibilities within organization. Such users are called in-formation system users (Hawryszkiewycz, 1998). The main task and need of information system is specified. The host organization where the proposing information system will be functioned are have been se-lected in accordance with main mission of the particular organization. This choice was based on litera-ture review and information survey from World Wide Web (WWW). Questions such as information



system need and benefits were answered from analysis of Mongolian documentation about organiza-tional activities. The focus of the next step is on presentation of organization activities (main objectives, responsibility, organizational structure and available resources such as technical infrastructure).

Information system development plan

Information system plan is next step after situation analysis and has to define the baseline for informa-tion system development. The main objectives is to: 1. Develop policies and procedures for information system development.

The policy and procedures for information system development are comprised from 3 main parts: a) Composition of information architecture. The information architecture gives overview about pro-

posing information system and indicates the interacting points and group of items, which forms a whole issue. It outlines the information system boundary and boundary of the subsystems. The task of reorganization of the organization, which could improve processes and data flow to the system will be not considered in this case, due to lack of the information of current research.

b) Proposal of necessary assistance tools in system development. The proposal will include the de-scription of the software and supportive tools to assist different phases in information system de-velopment.

2. Limitation of information system scope by justifying the geographical areas of the interest. This limitation is a part of the organization scope in information system planning.

3. Presentation of structured analysis result, which will define the information flow between involved organizations, presented within Context data diagram. This task is mainly per-formed due to show the list of all involved organizations, the key data providers and the receivers of the information system products.

4. Proposal of information update as a whole.

2.3 Phase II – INFORMATION SYSTEM ANALYSIS (Information analysis)

The main issue of information system analysis is to improve the information utility for use it in com-prehensive development and planning. The performance of this task will be on evaluation, aggregation (agro-ecological, regional, or national) of impacts in terms of socio-economic benefits derived under sustained productivity (constraint use) conditions (Schultink, 1986). This perspective of sustained productivity may assist in the identification and evaluation of realistic land-use alternatives (Schul-tink, 1992). Improved political decision making and better on-the-ground management can only result from more objective, consistent, and timely information about the issues involved. Information must be organized to be of value, whether at the individual or policy level of decision-making (Sarokin and Schulkin, 1991 cited in Stuth et. al., 1993). The most common way of analyzing the complex interactions of the information is functional decom-position of the Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs). Data flow diagram is a graphical representation of infor-mation connection, flowing, transformation and methods of use for particular application.



Information analysis

Definition of information type required by users from the new system is very important. In addition, it is also important to know the new system’s proposed functions, its data structure, data quality concepts and data integration institutional issues.

Data structure

The main component of the data structure is entities. Entities must represent information that is stored and maintained by the organization. But not every piece of important information needs to be main-tained by enterprise (Lulushi, 1998). Entities must be unique. Information items, which cannot be uniquely identified, can be a part of a larger entity. Another parameter of data structure is data format, representation in raster and vector data models. The major features of them and their structural composition are presented in Table 2.3. below. Data structure in 2 dimensions (Briggs, 2000). Table 2.3

Raster data model Vector data model Represents geography via grid cells: - Tessellation’s (regular and irregular); - Run length compression; - Quad tree representation; - DBMS representation.

Represents geography via coordinates: - Whole polygon; - Point and polygon; - Node/arc/polygon; - Tins (triangulated irregular network).

The advantage of raster data model is on simple data structure, but it has constrains in resolution. An-other constrain is that the classical pixelwise classified raster images suffer from problems of mixed pixels and ignorance of shape information (Schneider, 1999).

The vector data model has a fundamental primitive structure of points, lines and polygons, which are creating 3 main vector data structures. These structures are: • Node/Arc/Polygon Topology (Spaghetti structure) - comprises from 3 topological components

which permit relationships between all spatial elements to be defined (note: does not imply inclu-sion of attribute data) (Briggs, 2000).

• Node/Arc/ Polygon and Attribute Data Relational Representation – relational representation of topological elements with attribute data.

• TIN: Triangulated Irregular Network Surface - attribute data associated via relational DBMS (Briggs, 2000).

The question of the data structure is important in database design.

Data quality

The main user’s requirements in terms of information quality will be to receive information in time, in accurate, correct and consistent way. They are the main parameters of information quality.

The information quality parameters which we did consider in our work is as follows: • Timeliness parameter – refers to the reporting delay, or the length of time between the request and

delivery of the product and/or services;



• Correctness - insurance criteria that data are correct; • Completeness – includes whether the data is complete at detail level and is it represent the com-

plete picture required by reality; degree of data omission and criteria of replacement in case of data absence should be indicated;

• Consistency – domain consistency; format consistency; topological consistency; geometric and semantic (information context) consistency;

• Regularity – describes defined by user period of receiving and/or delivering the data and product; • Accuracy – information accuracy; thematic (quantitative; qualitative, classification accuracy);

temporal validity, last update; rate of changes, resolutions; lineage – data history; information sources used to produce data sets;

• Controllability – controlling parameters of information accuracy assessment. Geospatial Data is spatially referenced by means of latitude and longitude, a national co-ordinate grid (Groot et. al., 2000). The Geospatial Data Infrastructure is a means of network of Geospatial databases and data handling facilities, the complex of institutional, organizational, technological, human and economic resources, to facilitate the sharing, access and responsibility of Geospatial data use at af-fordable cost. Concepts of Geospatial Data Infrastructure (GDI) facilitates the integrity of access to the required data by ensuring system technical services as well as the administrative, data security, etc. (Groot et. al., 2000). And the main objective behind it is to set comprehensive way of access, sharing and exchange of geospatial information. The standards in GDI are comprised from many levels, depending from ap-plication domain. For our case, the most important standard of GDI is data format/data exchange stan-dards, due to weak policy of Mongolian organizations towards the data sharing/ data exchange poli-cies.

2.4 Phase III - SYSTEM DESIGN

The goal of the system design is to develop a model for the new system. The design phase focuses on task how the application can meet the requirements, specified by information system strategy and planning phase. • Steps of the system design are: 1. Process modeling; 2. Conceptual data modeling; 3. Logical data modeling; 4. Data dictionary. • Process modeling steps are: 1. Identification of the terminators, which interact with the sub-system, in our case with the land

cover changes analysis sub system; 2. Development of a Context data flow diagram; 3. Development of a Top level data flow diagram, which is consistent with the context diagram. • Conceptual Data Model;



The conceptual data model consists from three main parts, which consisting from identification of En-tities and their attributes; Entity-Relationships (E-R) and Data Dictionary. Figure 2.1 describes the three phases of database design. Phases of Database design Figure 2.1 In our case the description of the manual procedures, hardware and software specifications, training programs and test plan has not been discussed, due to time constrains and lack of the relevant informa-tion.

2.5 Phase IV - SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION AND TESTING

Once the preliminary design has been established, a prototype of the information system is made. A limited prototype is a partial implementation of the information system. However, in general any pro-totype serves many invaluable purposes and some of them are: • Establishment of requirements that cannot be determined by other methods; • Validation of existing requirements, especially with the end-user; • Provision of foundations of experience on which to build better designs (Stuth, et. al., 1993). One of the ways to present the system it is actually to build the system, while designing it. Another just illustrates some components of the system (Hawryszkiewycz, 1998) and third way is to simulate inter-active process to see, whether it is satisfying the users needs. For our case has been chosen the way to illustrate one of the information system components. The se-lected component will be the vegetation changes analysis map. The situation of building completely new system gives an opportunity to explore foundations of ex-perience on future better design of the system. In our case, vegetation changes analysis has been tested within simplified approach, due to lack of the relevant information. The other models were not put into practice, due to absence of relevant informa-tion. The full description of the selected environmental models on pasture lands capacity, livestock density and vegetation changes analysis will be presented on theory. However, in system implementation and testing part it is recommended to use current selected envi-ronmental models. This recommendation has been made in assumption according with the scientific literature review and results presented by the authors (Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan, 2000; Wu Ning, 1997 and Burkart, et. al., 2000). The implemented model on vegetation changes analysis is presented in Chapter 6 – System implemen-tation and testing.

Defining Entities & attributes

Design of Logical Data Model

Design of Physical Data Model



The steps of the system implementation: 1. Discussions of environmental models; 2. Requirements of information system development cost. The steps of the system testing: 1. Description of hardware and software used; 2. Database design using Microsoft Access:

The steps of database design is: • identification of the specific information (data) needs for a group of users; • integration of external schemas into a conceptual database schema; • mapping the E-R (entity relationship) schema to a relational database schema; • defining the functional dependencies that hold between the attributes of a given relation schema; • using SQL (structured query language) CREATE TABLE statement; • populating the database with the data; • checking whether the database state violates any integrity constrains; • Ensuring that an important transaction or query runs as efficient as possible. 3. Description of the case study area; its geographical features; 4. Presentation of results on vegetation changes analysis.

2.6 Conclusion

Current chapter has reviewed theoretical background on information system design steps within main concepts, applicable tool and techniques. The rural information system design starts from identification of the main problem and selection of appropriate methodology for detailed problem analysis. The main identified rural problem was land degradation. According to most alternative solution, pro-posed by Paresi (1999), in practice, for information system development is to use mixing of methodol-ogy. Adopted optimum methodology mix is included Soft System Methodology (SSM) for Phase I – Information system strategy and planning, system strategy step. Further, information system develop-ment utilized Structured System Analysis approach within different tools and techniques on process modeling and data analysis, such as Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) and process description in Data Dic-tionary. The main objective of the first phase was to analyze land degradation problem with Soft System Methodology, which consists from 2 steps as Usage World- Rich picture (Problem Tree), Usage World – Language analysis and step of System World. The SSM was selected due to nature of rural prob-lems, which are fuzzy, undefined and difficult to structure. Before applying the Soft System methodology (SSM) approach, the land degradation concepts, its general causes and factors have been reviewed. Due to nature of Mongolian economy as a country with extensive livestock production, the main com-ponents of the grazing ecosystems and their iterations have been analyzed.



The review of related literature and performed scientific studies on current subject identified 3 main indicators of land degradation: • Changes in vegetation cover; • Changes in composition of topsoil and • Changes in topography. Literature review showed that a change in vegetation cover is a core indicator of desertification and degradation processes in grazing environment. In connection with current problem, the land cover changes in arid and semi-arid grazing ecosystems have been reviewed. The description of theoretical background on Usage World and System World steps of SSM has been made. The further detailed description of Information system development stages included steps from Information system Planning and Strategy phase to Information system Implementation and Testing phase. For Phase II – Information System Analysis detailed description of data structure as representation of it by 2 dimensions in vector and raster data models has been made. The theoretical background on system design reviewed the main steps of current phase within detailed description. The current phase describes the main activities of the phase within detailed steps and they are as follows: • Process modeling; • Conceptual data modeling; • Logical data modeling; • System documentation; The System implementation and testing, Phase IV presents the theoretical background on system im-plementation and testing concerns. The opportunity of current phase to explore foundations of experi-ence on future better design of the system has been discussed. The steps of system implementation and testing have been presented in detail accordingly.



CHAPTER 3. INFORMATION SYSTEM STRATEGY AND PLANNING

3.1. INFORMATION SYSTEM STRATEGY

3.1.1 Introduction

The Information System Strategy phase main objectives is to formulate existing rural problem, pro-pose methodology for its detailed analysis, to make review of available scientific literature and World Wide Web (WWW) information sources related with current problem and to define system which is going to be develop. The theoretical background of current phase has been discussed in Chapter 2.

3.1.2 Description of Soft System Methodology (SSM) approach concept

The emerging range of the Soft System Methodology approach has its particular advantage in that it keeps in touch with the human context of problem situation and that it is available to both: problems owners and to professional practitioners (Ison, 1993). The main concept of Soft System Methodology is to give an answer into following questions: • Where is the problem? The main identified problem of land degradation is presently occurs in 6 sub provinces of West Mon-golia: Tes, Malchin, Omnogobi, Zuunhangai, Naranbulag and central sub province Ulaangom. • What is the problem? Impact from human activities on the vegetation of Mongolia is paramount. In particular, effects of grazing are ubiquitous, from the taiga in the North to the desert in the South, from the river valleys and basins to the highest alpine meadows. Different types of land cover such as forests, especially the broad-leaved, have declined drastically, both in quantity and quality. Steppe and semi-desert vegeta-tion has been affected most severely in areas with a surface water supply, hospitable to people and their livestock. As we move further away from such places, the grazing effects generally become less pronounced. In the desert it is mainly the Haloxylon ammodendron vegetation that is severely affected (Hilbig, 1995). • Why does this problem exist? For many generations, Mongols have been engaged in herding as a means of using the resources of their marginal, arid environment. On the broad steppe grasslands and plains, they developed extensive herds of sheep, goats, camels, horses and cattle: 29 million animals in all, or roughly 15 domestics animals for each person (UNDP, 2000). The major characters of the Mongolian extensive livestock industry is absolute dependency on extremely sharp continental climatic conditions and variable natu-ral environment (Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan, 2000). Since 1991 decollectivisation has created new forms of rural poverty and vulnerability, especially in the extensive pastoral economies of the dry and mountain hinterland. Changes in forms of land ownership and livestock; a shift from state to market provision of most services as well as an increase in the role of markets in economic life generally, and



a redefinition of the degree to which the state will, or be able to provide a social security safely net, have altered the experience of poverty, its incidence and its consequences (Jeremy, 1999). • What is the main existing constraint of that problem? The main existing constraints to the current problem are complexity and different dimensions and as-pects, such as: - Ecological aspect - while Mongolia is the seventeenth largest country in the world in terms of ter-

ritory, much of the land is not productive. Pasture land has come under pressure. Around 70% of the land has been degraded to some extent. Much of the land used to raise crops has been subject to soil erosion. But not all degradation comes from direct human activities. There have been swarms of grasshoppers, and large numbers of rodents (UNDP & Mongolian State Government report, 2000).

- Socio-economical aspect - the privatization of stock and price liberalization provided powerful incentives for maximizing livestock number (Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan, 2000), which had great impact of exceeding limits of pasture land carrying capacity.

- Institutional dimension – weak economic and social development strategy of development on na-tional and provincial level and participatory on management development.

- Managerial dimension - in most cases, land degradation is a result of bad land use management. Local conflicts over land and grazing rights often concern the following points (Groten, et. al., 1997):

a) conflicts between farmers and pastoralists over access to productive lowland areas; b) conflicts between neighboring villages over use of biomass (woody, non-woody) from protected

areas; c) conflicts over use of crop residues for multiple alternative purposes (fuel, compost/fertilization,

thatching, hedges) inside households; d) conflicts between farmers and pastoralists over use of biomass for composing or grazing, and over

extension of fields in former pastoral areas.

3.1.2 Selection of land degradation indicator for pasture areas in Mongolia

The primary cause of land degradation in Mongolia according to literature review (Hilbig, 1995) is overgrazing. The success and failures of pastoralism, like other highly reliable institutions, must be evaluated in terms of and equated with what people can actually manage, such as peak herd size, movements, dis-tribution (Roe, et. al., 1998) and information. Much information exists on environmental problems, but indicators have the advantage of being simplified and synthesized on state and tendency of complex processes (desertification). Indicators can be communicated to the public or to policy-makers. And they can be used as easy synthetics information on Geographic Information Systems (GISs) to deter-mine spatial extension and geographic distribution of degraded areas and to relate human actions (causes) to environmental conditions (effects) (Rubio, et. al., 1997). Therefore, the intention was to point out one of the most suitable indicators, for information system design.



Land degradation processes in Mongolia

According to research done by Mongolian scientists, land degradation in Mongolia is reached 77.9% of total area of country, which is 88.9 million hectares. Of this, medium degraded land is 4.0% - 5.1 million hectares and strong degraded land is about 2.4% - 3 million hectares. Among many other reasons there are the problems of the prolonged and bitterly cold winter, combined with strong winds and bursts of snow and rainfall which exert intense pressure on the ecosystems (UNDP & Mongolian State Government report, 2000). Altogether they force the Mongolian herders to concentrate in certain places with more favorable conditions, where they can find natural barriers from the wind and more grass and water for their animals. Overgrazing, as a main factor of land degradation, is often driven by increasing mobility of rapidly conversion of scattered forage resources into animal products. This situation can be traced in Mongo-lian livestock production, where the share of privately owned livestock constituted 95.3% in 1998 compared to 31.8% in 1990. Increased high pressure of livestock population on pasture land caused an estimated 21% of total Mongolian land in 1998 to be moderately degraded and 4% to be severely af-fected by degradation. Figure 3. 1 shows research result of Asian Development Bank (Asian Development Bank report, 1996) on land degradation extent in Mongolia within provinces. Land degradation in Mongolia by provinces Figure 3.1

The ADB research concluded, that Uvs aimag, the province under our study has in total about 18% of land degraded up to weak; around 70% degraded up to moderate and the rest of 125 of the total land is degraded up to severely extent. However, we would like to stress here, those all-different studies and different research conducted on land degradation in Mongolia present very subjectivist points of view and does not necessarily reflect opinion of Mongolian Government. Therefore, it has been used for research purpose only.

Deg

rada

tion

exte

nt in

per

cent

Prov

ince

s



According to research made by Russian botanists (Gunin, et. al., 2000) on vegetation changes with re-lation of land degradation problem in Mongolia, the land degradation mainly depends upon land use type. Concerning the Mongolian case, it has some specific features. Table 3.1 below present one of specific feature. Human associated factors disturbing natural equilibrium Table 3.1

Type of land use

Disturbing factors Some specific features Intensity

Transhuman grazing

Grazing; stock concentrations along migration routes; sea-sonal pasture rotation

Locally near yurt*, water-ing points; linear and strip, regional character.

Strong and very strong; from weak to strong

(*Yurt – traditional house of nomad people in Mongolia. It is also used by nomads in Kazakhstan; Tuva and in other countries). Research performed by Dr. W. Hilbig (Hilbig, 1995) on Peganum plant communities in the semi-desert zone of Western part of Mongolia showed, that severe overgrazing has eliminated the original Stipa glareosa-Anabasis brevifolia. Species are poor or have been replaced. Also, community forming the dense pastures in Mongolian rives and lake flood plains with a changing ground water table, such as low stoloniferous and rosette plants and graminoids, have been drastically transformed. These areas are intensively grazed especially in spring time. Table 3.2. Illustrates some examples of vegetation changes within overgrazing stages. The coverage of productive plants is decrease with increasing effect of grazing and some weed plants as Artemisia fri-gida is replacing them.

Changes in coverage (mean percentage for 1970-1974) and productivity (dry weight, g/m 2 ) Species Stages of pasture degrading (by vegetation cover percentage (%)) Weak Medium Strong Agropyron cristatum 2.0 1.0 1.0 Stipa krylovii 1.0 1.0 <1.0 Veronica pinnata 6.0 4.0 1.0 Cleistogenes squarrosa 10.0 6.0 5.0 Artemisia frigida <1.0 - 13.0

Table 3.2 Heavy grazing pressure results in strong vegetation degradation. The plant community structure is simplified with declining of floristic richness. Research of Gunin (Gunin, et. al., 2000) introduced general schema of degrading changes in steppe vegetation due to overgrazing in Mongolia, (see Figure 3.2).



Degrading changes in vegetation (adopted from Gunin, et. al., 2000)

Figure 3.2 Figure 3.2

Figure 3.2 Considering above mentioned examples it is possible to conclude, that land degradation processes in Mongolia is related with grazing and therefore, strongly affects the vegetation cover composition of pasture areas. In relation with soil degradation study, according to research made by the Institute of Geography, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, influence of overgrazing for soil cover in Mongolia have not been widely studied and there are few publications made on this subject.

Selection of land degradation indicator for pasture areas in Mongolia

According to research performed by Monique (Monique M., 1994) there are three main types of land degradation indicators: • Changes in topography of the landscapes; • Changes in composition of the topsoil; • Changes in composition of the vegetative cover (land cover change). In Mongolia, where existing environment is fragile and highly vulnerable to fluctuations, these indica-tors can be applied for monitoring ongoing land degradation processes. In our case, changes in topog-raphy and in composition of the topsoil do not considered as the most significant ones. In relation with research made by Batkhishig (Batkhishig, 2000), content of humus in the soils of West Mongolia due to overgrazing was not changed much. This was due to the fact, that soil receives more organic matter from animals than before. In the past 60 years in Mongolia, total pasture fitomass is decreased to 27% within decreasing in precipitation in 17%. The research concluded that there is a very clear relation of pasture land degradation and changes in vegetation cover. Very clear evidence of overgrazing was given in spring and winter of year 2000, when around 2.4 million livestock died, because of lack of the fodder. The discussion of land cover changes concepts (Chapter 2 - Main concepts of land covers changes in arid and semi-arid grazing ecosystems) refers to resilience property of the vegetation to herbivore im-pact and scale of environmental fluctuations. The performed studies demonstrate that not all grazing ecosystems are resistant to disturbance from grazing and intensive human impact. According to litera-ture review, conceptual modeling of arid rangeland degradation as escalating cost of declining produc-tivity (Milton, et. al., 1994) and which was applied to degradation case in southern Africa, shows, that



transition in vegetation cover is not always reversible, because they involved changes in facilitative and competitive interactions, or changes in such physical factors as soil infiltration or nutrient status (Milton, et. al., 1994). In that study was envisage, that grazing–iduced desertification is a step-wise process and composition of the rangeland varies in response to the climatic oscillations (Hoffman and Cowling 1990a, cited in Milton, et. al., 1994) and such stochastic events as drought, disease, hail, frost and fire (Westoby et. al., 1989, cited in Milton, et. al., 1994) cause mass mortality of the established plants and are followed by seeding recruitment. Through adaptive management, which involves timely manipulations of livestock densities, these events can be used to the advantages of land manager (Westoby et. al., 1989 cited in Milton, et. al., 1994). Based on above assumption, the changes in vegetation cover will be selected as main indicator for in-formation system design. The main reason is fact, that vegetation cover compositions quickly respond to disturbance and visually can be monitored by display of very limited vegetation. The vegetation productivity can be measured by amount of biomass. The range of changes in vegetation cover can vary in scale from slight, moderate, medium to strong. This dimension is presented in research paper of Rietkerk (Rietkerk, et. al., 1997), where was investigated five ecologically relevant functional states of vegetation cover were distinguished: • Undergrazed state (type I); • Undergrazed state (type II); • Overgrazed state; • Alternate stable states; • Stable degraded state. Also, limited vegetation cover is result in degradation of topsoil composition, because when the soil is sparsely covered by vegetation due to decreasing amount of rainfall it will tend to become dry and poorly cemented. This will increase soil susceptibility to degradation by wind erosion The overgrazing effect on this soil will have significant impact of unreversible changes and/or slowly recovery from disturbance. In later stages topsoil degradation, combined with intensive mining and infrastructure construction operations, could result in changes of topography. However, the changes in composition of topsoil and topography have been considered as a slow and having long-term consequences, before it can be easily determined. With regards to fact, the most deceive cause of land degradation in Mongolia is overgrazing, changes in vegetation cover can be considered as one of the applicable indicator. Figure 3.3 below illustrate scheme of land degradation process induced by overgrazing.



Scheme of land degradation process induced by overgrazing (Monique, 1994)

Figure 3.3

The other causes of land degradation in Mongolia according to literature review (UNDP & Mongolian State Government report, May 2000) are mainly due to human impacts from: • Intensive mining operations, which affects the topography of the areas; • High concentration of livestock in certain places - problems of overgrazing; • Overexploitation of forest, land and natural resources; inadequate environmental protection and

restoration, which all affect the composition of the topsoil and vegetative cover of the land.

3.1.3 Usage World, Rich picture (Problem tree)

Problem tree design is one way of describing the Usage World within Rich picture approach. The main identified starter rural problem in Mongolia is land degradation. To avoid much details in Problem tree, some other reasons of low biological productivity of the land was not presented, assuming that overgrazing is the cause. However, according to UNDP report (UNDP, 2000 (b)), in addition, the pasture land and crop areas in many Central and Western aimags (provinces) in Mongolia were seriously damaged by field mice, grasshoppers resulting in malnutrition of animals and shortage of hay and fodder required for the winter. The starter problem, its causes and following impacts are presented in Figure 3. 4 (page 8). The land degradation causes and their impacts has been identified from the literature review and information from World Wide Web (WWW) and can be classified into the following groups:



Increase of international debtProblem Tree

Changes in vegetation

Figure 3.4 Socio-economic

Institutional Environmental

Starter problemLegend: Type of indicated problems:

Continental seasonal

variations

Weak national policy on livestock products, their prices and export

Inappropriate institutional arrangement and land use

management at national and regional level

Socio-economic constrains

Poor infrastructure

Long-term irreversible changes in climate

Impact on nature and biodiversity

Very low biological productivity of the land Soil erosion

Overgrazing

Low & irregular rainfall

National food security problem

Impact on na-tional ecotourism

Low wool production

Increasing poverty

Collapse of crop farming system

Increasing dependency onlivestock production

Loss of grazing land

Low meat production

Negative impact on national economy

Land degradation

High concentration of live-stock in certain places

Changes in topography Changes in soil

Natural disasters:drought, snowfall.



• Institutional problems – inappropriate arrangement and land use management, weak policy on livestock products price and export;

• Socio-economic problems –constrains in economy development and collapse of crop farming sys-tem due to poor infrastructure;

• Environmental constrains – extremely continental climate variations and natural disasters (drought, snowfall).

Due to complexity of the analyzing problem, all causes are closely relates with each other. However, this assumption has been made in accordance with main feature of Mongolian economy as a country with extensive livestock industry. The proposed land degradation indicators of changes in vegetation, changes in topography and changes in soil have been applied as a main causes of land degradation and previously have been dis-cussed in Chapter 2 (Theoretical background on indicators of land degradation) and based on results of current Chapter 3 (Selection of land degradation indicator for pasture areas in Mongolia). The land degradation impact is direct and has serious economical consequences in Mongolia. From impacts on country ecology it has long-term irreversible changes in climate and in nature and biodi-versity.

3.1.4 Usage world, Language analysis

Usage world analysis concludes by language analysis, e.g. the terminology, has been used in this re-search, because different scientific streams are creating, analyzing and justifying meanings in land degradation problem. It is very important to understand all utilized terminology related to current problem. In a brief, it can be classified into 4 separate groups within particular relevance to their sub-jects: geography, botany, land degradation related and specific Mongolian words. Tables 3.4 (a, b, c, d) below presents distinct terminological groups, which have been used in this re-search.

Geographical terminology Table 3.4a

Geographical terminology Terminology Description of meaning Rangelands Areas with particular physical limitations – low and erratic precipitation, rough topogra-

phy, poor drainage, or cold temperatures; and which are source for forage for free for na-tive and domestics animals, as well as source of wood products, water and wildlife (Stodar, et. al., 1975, cited in Wu Ning, 1997).

Natural pastures A herbaceous complex, have not been sown or planted by man and consist from plant spe-cies indigenous to the area, in which they occur (Wu Ning, 1997).

Semi-natural pastures

Natural areas greatly modified through inclusion of some forage species, indigenous spe-cies are still persist (Wu Ning, 1997).

Arid regions Geographical regions with annual precipitation of up to 200 mm, groundwater sources highly susceptible to climatic variability (World Atlas of Desertification, 1997)

Semi-arid re-gions

Geographical regions with annual precipitation in summer up to 800 mm and 500 mm in winter; grazing and agriculture activities are susceptible to the seasonal and internal mois-ture deficiency (World Atlas of Desertification, 1997).

Aridity Representation of lack of moisture in average climatic conditions, caused by climatic situa-tions (Suzuki 1981, Thomas 1997a, cited in World Atlas of Desertification, 1997).



Botanical terminology Table 3.4b Botanical terminology

Terminology Description of meaning Vegetation type A spatially extended, sufficient homogeneous association of plants distinguished by com-

position of plant live forms and indicator plant species to be observed in the filed (Burkart et. al., 2000).

Vegetation class A vegetation unit which shows a specific spectral reflectance at one data and a specific performance of reflectance over the period of time and is thus distigwished by means of remote sensing (Burkart, et. al., 2000).

Site group A group of vegetation classes or types which occupy broad ecological regions with similar presupposition (substrate, annual precipitation) and therefore, show a similar response to temporal variation in climatic condition (Burkart, et. al., 2000)

Plant community Plant population, where the dominant species are influencing the community structure. Land degradation related Table 3.4c

Land degradation related terminology Terminology Description of meaning Grazing land ecosystems

Organized system of land, water, mineral cycles, living organisms and their programmatic behavioral control mechanisms (Odium, 1983, cited in Conner, 1993)

Pasture land car-rying capacity

On this term will be expressed ecological definition of pasture land carrying capacity, de-fined as point at which livestock population cease to grow because limited feed supplies produce death rates equal to birth rates (Wu Ning, 1997).

Land use type • Broad term: major type of land use, .e.g. rainfed agriculture, forestry, etc. • Detail term: product (purpose of use); • Production system (operation sequence); • Social settings; • Economic settings (FAO, 1991).

Land cover Attribute of the land.

Land characteris-tics

Characteristics that can be measured, or estimated, e.g., mean annual rainfall, slope steep-nes, soil depth, soil texture, depth of groundwater table (FAO, 1991).

Land qualities Complex attributes of land, which affect the suitability of the land for specific uses, e.g., temperature regime, moisture availability, erosion hazard (FAO, 1991).

Livestock Herding animals in Mongolia are included: horses, yaks, camels, sheep’s, goats and cows. Specific Mongolian words Table 3.4.d

Specific Mongolian words Words Description of meaning Aimag Mongolian name of province. Administratively, Mongolia is subdivided into 21 provinces

by their geographical location. Somon Small administrative unit inside the province, sub province. Bridage Small administrative unit inside the sub province. Yurt Traditional house of rural people in Mongolia. It is also used in Kazakhstan; Tuva and

other countries with nomadic pastoral livestock economy.

3.1.5 System world

System World is often termed as conceptual modeling. By its nature it belongs to structured analysis group and describes what the new system will do and what is the core issue in information system de-velopment. Considering the main features of the new system (see Rich picture in Figure 3.5 - Main task of the information system) it is demonstrated, that the land degradation assessment information system has 3 conceptual components: vegetation changes analysis; soil degradation analysis and to-



pography change analysis subsystems. The main function of current proposed information system will be on collection, processing and analyzing information related to land degradation problem. The object under conceptual analysis of the System World approach in further will be the vegetation changes analysis sub system. The vegetation changes analysis sub system has been selected as a main attention point for the following reasons: 1. Main assumption has been made according to the literature and information from World Wide

Web (WWW) review on land degradation problem. Chapter 2 (Theoretical background of main concepts of land cover changes in arid and semi-arid grazing ecosystems) refers to results from different scientific research, that the vegetation cover is the core indicator of desertification and degradation processes (Thornes, 1995). Visual display and estimation of available fitomas can monitor the state of vegetation covers.

2. The product of vegetation changes analysis information system will be important for Mongolia due to main peculiarity of the Mongolian economy as a country with extensive livestock industry. The vegetation cover is one of the main components of the grazing land ecosystems. It has been discussed in Chapter 2 (Main components of the grazing ecosystems and their interactions) that because the rural grazing communities suffers the most significant impact from the land degrada-tion at first, it is important to review all possible causes of land degradation with relation to graz-ing land ecosystems.

The main interaction point of interested parties and information system objectives will be to improve the land situation. The Rich picture of Figure 3.5 – The main task of the Land Degradation Assessment information system below is illustrates the possible solution of the information system as to be of as-sistance for national and regional land use planning. The main task of the Land Degradation Assessment information system

Figure 3.5



The result of the structured analysis (Top level diagram) approach within the System World step is presented in Figure 3.6. The information system on land degradation assessment constitutes from three subsystems: Vegetation changes analysis; Soil change analysis and Analysis of changes in topography. Data dictionary, with description of documentation on processes and data stores gives overview of the main features of the system (see Tables 3.5 and 3.6). Further, the system development task will be per-forms design of vegetation changes analysis system. Current sub system has been chosen as a primary indicator of land degradation process in our case. The advanced decomposition (DFDs) of vegetation changes analysis subsystem is presented in Chapter 5 – System Design. The system functions, process description and assessed stores are presented respectively. Top level diagram of Land degradation Assessment sub systems within System World

Figure 3.6. The system Functions: - To review and to analyze documentation on environmental laws, programs and proposals; - Provide information to users on vegetation change analysis in form of pasture land capacity, vege-

tation change analysis and livestock density maps; report on land use and statistical data on vege-tation changes.



Input flows: - Scientific advice and expertise; Output flows: - Statistical data on vegetation change; - Vegetation change analysis map by sub provinces; - Pasture land capacity map; - Livestock density map. Accessed stores: - Maps, images spatial data store (Read; Write; Update); - Non-spatial data store (Read; Write; Update); - Vegetation change data store (Read; Write; Update); - Documentation store (Read; Write; Update). Data dictionary, Process documentation Table 3.5. No Process name Description Frequency Incoming flows Outgoing flows 1 Documentation

review Review of documentation on infrastructure planning, envi-ronmental programs, laws and decision; policy on land owner-ship; report of NGO’s activi-ties; public opinion; socio-economic policy on environ-mental development; requests on land quality assessment.

Continuos, after the start of the project.

Documentation data.

Information on land condition.

2 Environmental situation as-sessment

Assessment of current envi-ronmental situation with the aid of results of scientific expertise and advise.


Scientific exper-tise, advice in-formation

Data on environmental priorities.

3 Vegetation changes analy-sis

Vegetation changes analysis and environmental assessment of pasture areas.


Data on environ-mental priorities, spatial data, non-spatial data.

Vegetation change data; statistical data on vegetation change; vegetation change analysis map by sub provinces; pasture land capacity map; live-stock density map.

4 Soil degrada-tion analysis

Analysis of soil degradation. Continuos, after the start of the project.

Vegetation change data.

Soil degradation data.

5 Analysis changes in topography

Analysis of changes in topog-raphy.


Soil degradation data.

Documentation data.

Documentation of the data stores Table 3.6 Store name Decomposition Authorization

of update Store type Incoming

flows Outgoing flows

Maps, images Classified by NDVI, vegetation, pasture, administrative types maps and images; georeferenced original digital data sets.

Vegetation changes analysis process.

Maps, images in digital format

Spatial data Spatial data

Non-spatial data

Attribute information – by geo-graphical areas; livestock infor-mation; land use; soil, vegetation information.


Maps in ana-logue format, attribute data in digital format.

Non-spatial data

Non-spatial data



Vegetation change data

Classified maps and images of changes in vegetation.


Images, maps in digital format.



Documenta-tion

Documentation on environ-mental programs and laws, deci-sion on proposals, plans and their implementation; policy documents.

Analysis changes in to-pography.

Documentation in analogue format.

Documentation Documentation

3.2 INFORMATION SYSTEMS PLANNING

3.2.1 Introduction

The Information System planning phase defines the resources necessary for the information system development within analysis of the organization, definition of the information needs and priorities.

3.2.2 Situation analysis.

The main identified users and their expected benefits from the new information system according to literature and World Wide Web (WWW) information review are indicated in Table 3.7: Identified information system users and their expected benefits Table 3.7. Interested parties Benefits Users Central and local government:

Mongolian State property committee; Mongolian Ministry of Infrastructure; Pro-vincial Statistical office; Provincial Au-thority; Mongolian Ministry of Agriculture and Industry. Private and public sector: Provincial NGO’s.

- Information on land use and environmental situation more accessible; - Improves accuracy, completeness, regularity and timeliness of data; - Improves consistency of the data; - Standardization of derived data format; - Efficient database structure; - Raised public awareness.

Data Providers

Central and local government - More efficient data delivery; - Standardization of data format; - Improvement of communication within organi-zations; - Improvement of decision-making process on regional planning.

Function provider

Ministry of Nature and Environment - New opportunities from partnership to data providers; - New opportunities to exploit possibilities of more efficient service; - New opportunities to improve decision-making process; - New opportunities to improve people’s knowl-edge on land and land use.

The need and the main task of the proposed information system The need for information system is generally discussed in documentation of the Mongolian Govern-ment and this issue is outlined in report of Mongolian Government and UNDP organization on Human Development (Government of Mongolia, UNDP, 2000). The main concern was to improve the peo-ple’s knowledge regardless land and land use. The main task of the information system will be to:



• Improve of the rural (nomad) people situation and their feedback by supplying complete informa-tion about current situation – people will be able to monitor their government and redirect its ac-tivities if they are aware of what is going on (Government of Mongolia, UNDP, 2000);

• Build the people’s awareness regarding the land and land use – the most important shift will be not just to new economic structures, or to new institutions, but to a different state of mind (Govern-ment of Mongolia, UNDP, 2000). This can be reached by disseminating accurate and up-to-date information on situation on land degradation.

• Act as supportive tool in national program for combating desertification; documents on environ-ment policy of the Mongolian Government include number of measures, among this is provision of sufficient and complete information are in main importance (Government of Mongolia, UNDP, 2000);

• Better use of Remote Sensing information in efficient monitoring and land degradation assessment – Remote Sensing technology has proved to be a useful tool in monitoring and land cover changes assessment, in particular with the aid of NOAA AVHRR satellite data.

The main mission of the selected organization The proposed information system will basically function in the Mongolian Ministry of Nature and the Environment. This organization has been chosen in accordance with its main mission. The mission is stated to be creation of a safe and healthy environment for Mongolia's citizens by maintaining an eco-logical balance within the concepts of sustainable development. (Mongolian Ministry of Nature and the Environment, 2000). The main objectives, responsibility, organizational structure and available resources of the or-ganization. The main objective of the Mongolian Ministry of Nature and the Environment is the prevention of natural disasters; state control of environment within management, coordination and policy decision on the environmental issues such as land, forest and water resources; biological diversity (flora and fauna) monitoring; special protected and strictly protected areas and national parks management; envi-ronment monitoring of air pollution. The main responsibility of the Mongolian Ministry of Nature and the Environment is to: • Create legal, economical and organizational background for environmental protection, restoration

and proper use of the natural resources; to coordinate Governmental and NGO’s activities within this framework;

• Provide policy and methodology on environmental protection; • Develop and implement coordinated measures on the establishment of an unified economic

evaluation system; ensure ecological safety and to monitor sustainable economic development consistency within the carrying capacity of nature and the environment;

• Establish integrated monitoring system for environmental equilibrium (ecological balance) and perform environmental monitoring;



• Develop and implement policy on the natural disasters prevention; environmental pollution, and identify the restoration methods for these problems;

• Maintain existing database on land, underground resources, water, forest, atmosphere condition, flora and fauna; organization of the ecological policy implementation;

• Coordination, management on protected areas. The Mongolian Ministry for Nature and the Environment Protection was founded according to a de-cree No.169 of the Presidium of People's Great Hural of the People's Republic of Mongolia (PRM) on December 9, 1987. The current structure of the Mongolian Ministry of Nature and the Environment was re-organized according to the Mongolian law on “Reorganization of the Mongolian Government Structure” on July 30, 1992 (Mongolian Ministry for Nature and the Environment, 2000).

The Mongolian Ministry of Nature and the Environment comprises from 5 main departments: 1. Strategy planning, management department; 2. Administration management department; 3. Information, monitoring and evaluation department; 4. Policy coordination department; 5. Protected areas division.

The current structure of Mongolian Ministry of Nature and the Environment is presented in Fig.3.7 (see appendix 1). Available resources of the organization Analysis of available resources of Mongolian Ministry for Nature and the Environment which could help to accomplish information system goals and objectives mainly will focus on the specifications of technical equipment and availability of Remote Sensing information. This information was based on unpublished survey results (Narangerel, 1998). 1. The available equipment and facilities are: • Computer local area network, VAX Station-4000, SUN SPARK-20 Workstation, UNIX based

ARC INFO, digital image processing ERDAS IMAGINE, PCI software. 2. Availability of Remote sensing information: • Ministry has NOAA-14 ground receiving station and daily coverage of Mongolia by NOAA

AVHRR Remote sensing data. The Ministry has good resources of qualified and trained personnel and experience in conducting a scientific assessment of natural resources management.

3.2.2 Information system development plan

1. Establishment of policies and procedures for information system development a. Composition of information architecture The important part of establishment policies and procedures for information system development is to determine information architecture, to give idea about major commitment of information funds needed to develop planned application (vegetation changes analysis). It will delineate the information system boundary and interacting points of core data producers and customers.



The information architecture of the land degradation assessment information system is presented in Figure 3.8 below:

Information architecture of the land degradation assessment information system

Figure 3.8

b. Proposal of necessary assistance tools in system development; Proposal of assistance tool for system development will be essential in our case to help to improve ef-fectiveness and productivity of the information system developers. It is includes software, hardware and programming tools such as System Development Workbenches (SDW) software and C++ pro-gramming language. Tools assisting requirement analysis in Information System Analysis include SWOT analysis, which could help to define areas of improvement within the organization and to achieve strategic goals and objectives. The critical Success Factors matrix in Information System Analysis permits creating the project by defining the problem and by decomposing it to goals and fac-tors which will help in further to define future activities. Microsoft Access is the basic database design supportive general tool. 2. Limitation of information system scope Information system scope is limited to 6 sub provinces of Western part of Mongolia: Tes, Naranbulag, Omnogobi, Zuunhangai, Malchin and central sub province Ulaangom. According to statistical infor-mation, they are the most over populated by livestock. Those areas will be the areas of responsibility to achieve system purpose.



3. Structured analysis of information flow between organizations Information flow between involved organizations is presented in Figure 3.9. The purpose of Context data diagram development are mainly due to show the list of all involved organizations, the key data providers and the potential customers of the information system. Information flow Figure 3. 9. The list of involved organization in accordance with current Context Diagram (see Figure 3.9 above) and their specifications as key data providers to the system are: - Ministry of Nature and Environment – supplier of Remote Sensing information (NOAA NDVI and

Landsat TM, MSS data); thematic maps on vegetation, landscape, pasture and administrative boundary types. Information on environmental programs and laws decision has been provided to the land degradation system.

- Ministry of Infrastructure has the task to deliver information on infrastructure planning. - State Meteorological Agency is contributor of climatic information about current region of Uvs

province. The information includes data on precipitation and solar radiation. - Ministry of Education provides the result on scientific expertise and advice related to the land deg-

radation problem requested from the system. - Ministry of Agriculture and Industry upon request from the system supplies the maps on land use. - NGO’s (Non Governmental Organizations) are include all Non Governmental organizations and

private and commercial units of the Uvs province. The feedback and public opinion are handled to



the system upon request. The involved and interested parties of the NGO’s request assessment of the land degradation situation from the system.

- Provincial Authority is the main contributor of socio-ecnomic and environmental policy issues concerning Uvs province and requests the assessment of land degradation situation from the sys-tem.

- State Property Committee supplies the cadastral (land ownership) and landuse planning informa-tion to the system and in accordance with activities of organization requests the assessment of the land degradation situation from the system.

- Provincial Statistical office and information system are exchange statistical information on lan-duse, agriculture and grazing related activities.

The main product of the information system on land degradation is: 1. Vegetation change analysis map, which provides overview about short and long-term changes in vege-

tation covers of the Uvs province in global 1:3 000 000 scale. The other information provided by the system to the potential customers is:

2. Pasture lands capacity map; 3. Livestock density map; 4. Report on land use 5. Statistical information on vegetation changes. The potential customers of the system have been proposed in accordance with the literature review and they are: - The main identified customer of the proposed information system is Mongolian Ministry of Nature

and the Environment. Current customer will receive information in form of maps on vegetation change and livestock density.

- The Ministry of Infrastructure collecting map on vegetation change analysis and report informa-tion on land use.

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Industry obtains maps on vegetation change analysis and live-stock density.

- NGO’s in accordance with their request on assessment of land degradation situation will receive livestock density map.

- The Provincial Authority is the second main customer of the system and it will receive map infor-mation on pasture lands capacity and system will send request on environmental priority decision.

- State Property Committee has the main task on cadastral (land ownership) and land use planning decisions, therefore it will receive the vegetation change analysis and pasture lands capacity maps.

4. Proposal of information update as a whole. The annual cycle for updating the information as whole will be within 5 years. The reason for this conclusion is based on results of scientific analysis in vegetation change analysis explored by Mongo-lian, Russian and German scientists. They concluded, that the changes on vegetation cover are in gen-eral very slow. An analysis of modern changes in plant communities reveals that the most important active factors today are climate and human-associated modifications. Short cycles of modifications can be traced and distinguished. They last within 2,5-6, 11, 22, 44 and 60 years cycle (Gunin, et. al., 2000). However, the short-term investigation within 2 year and/or 5 year and its correlation with natu-



ral and social phenomena can serve as a basis for short-term vegetation dynamic predictions (Gunin, et. al., 2000).

3.3.1 Conclusion

The current Chapter of Information System Strategy and Planning part, Phase I presented the concept of the Soft System Methodology (SSM), the used approach in problem structuring within Usage World and System World analysis. The problem of land degradation has been identified and it is composed from 3 main causes, such as changes in vegetation covers, changes in soil and changes in topography. Thus has been illustrated by Usage World –Rich picture (Problem tree) analysis. All related terminology on land degradation has been analyzed within Usage World (Language analysis) approach. The System World analysis has delineated the most important development project of the proposed information system. The main concern of the information system development in further will be within vegetation changes analysis sub system. The Information System Planning phase has described the main available sources of the organization, where the proposed information system will be established. The information archi-tecture has been determined, necessary assistance tool for information system development proposed and structural analysis of information flow between potential customers and key data providers are recognized.



CHAPTER 4 INFORMATION SYSTEM ANALYSIS (INFORMATION ANALYSIS)

4.1 Introduction

The Information system analysis (information analysis) will perform detailed analysis of the informa-tion in terms of potential users requirements. The specific feature of current phase is to make design of new information system; therefore it will describe only the information requirements applicable for the new system. The system analysis step in this case not applicable.

4.2 Information analysis in terms of user’s requirements

In this part have been identified users requirements from information perspective. The main type of information going to be provided to users is - land use report, statistical data on vegetation change and maps: pasture land capacity; livestock density and vegetation cover change.

In general, main characteristics of providing information in accordance with its type is: - Pasture lands capacity map - include information on pasture land quality and has attribute informa-

tion of vegetation, soil and landscape types of the area. The quality aspect presented by grade of overgrazing stages. This stages are – Alternately undergrazed state (type I); Slightly overgrazed state (type II); Moderately overgrazed state (type III); Alternately stable state (type IV); Strong degraded, overgrazed state (type V). This information will be needed in ecological balance as-sessment for pasture areas.

- Livestock density map explains situation about amount of grazing animals. The users will need this information in land use planning activity; and in environmental programs planning.

- Vegetation change analysis is the main product of the current information system because it is pro-vides overview about short and long-term changes in vegetation cover of the region in global (1:3 000 000) scale and it is useful for environmental and regional development planning.

The Mongolian Ministry of Nature and the Environment will be the key data provider for the system and the main potential customer of the system. Some users such as Provincial NGO’s and Ministry of Infrastructure will receive information on live-stock density, vegetation change analysis and land use report out from their primary needs. The purpose of this action will be to develop comprehensive knowledge about current environmental situation and to raise public awareness regardless land and land use. Result of information analysis and indication of require-ments for input and output within information quality parameters is presented in Table 4.1.



• Information analysis in terms of user’s requirements Table 4.1

Stakeholders Requirement & Responsibilities Input Requirements Output Requirements Quality Parameter

for Information Provincial statistical office

Collection, storage, archival, retrieval and dissemination of statistical information on provincial level.

• Statistical data: -Population -Livestock -Soil, vegetation type -Type of land use -Socio-economic statistics

Statistical data on vegetation cover change.

- Completeness; - Regularity; - Continuity; - Consistency.

State Property Commit-tee

Provision information of decision, policy and outlines of guidelines on land status and land ownership.

Cadastral information on land ownership and land use planning.

- Pasture land capacity map on provin-cial and sub provincial level; - Vegetation cover change map.

- Regularity; - Completeness; - Consistency

Provincial Authority Administration, management, coordination of province.

Directives, resolutions on socio-economic and environmental policy on provincial level.

- Vegetation cover change map; - Pasture land capacity map;

- Regularity; - Completeness; - Consistency;

Ministry of Nature and Environment

Provision of geoinformation and informa-tion on environmental programs, laws and their implementation.

• Remote sensing data: -NOAA AVHRR NDVI; -Landsat TM; MSS. • Maps: -Thematic; topographical, administrative. -Documentation env programs laws.

- Livestock density map; - Vegetation cover change map.

- Regularity; - Completeness; - Timeliness; - Consistency.

Ministry of Infrastruc-ture

Provision of policy on infrastructure plan-ning and management.

Policy documents on infrastructure planning and development at provincial level.

- Vegetation cover change map; - Report land use.

- Regularity; - Completeness; - Comprehensiveness.

Ministry of Agriculture & Industry

Policy and guidelines information on agri-culture and livestock industry planning.

Land use maps on: - agriculture; - pasture areas.

- Livestock density map; - Vegetation cover change map.

- Regularity; - Completeness; - Timeliness; - Consistency.

NGO’s Participatory, coordination of commercial units and validation of public opinion in provincial development and planning

Report of NGO’s activities and expression of public opinion.

- Livestock density map. - Regularity; - Completeness.



4.3 Description of information type which users will be need in perspective

The main attention in information analysis in terms of users requirements will be pointed out to informa-tion quality aspects, because it is main concern of users towards receiving information. The description of information quality aspects is presented in Table 4.2.

Information quality aspects Table 4.2

Information to be produced by the system No Quality aspects of

information Pasture land capacity

map Livestock density

map Vegetation change analysis

map 1 Correctness;

Criteria of correct-ness of reality rep-resentation.

Correct representation of reality in terms of correct estimation of theoretical and practical carrying pasture land capacity.

Livestock density es-timation should be based on updated sta-tistical information, not later then one year old.

Changes in vegetation cover highly depends upon certain climatic variations, therefore, consideration and analysis of the past rainfall conditions is important to get a correct idea about ongoing changes.

2 Completeness; Requirements of representing the complete picture; degree of com-pleteness in case of data absence.

Pasture land capacity map is result from comparison of livestock density and vegetation cover change analysis, therefore, ab-sence of one of the com-ponents will have effect to this product.

In absence of new statistical information on livestock total population, it can be estimated from func-tion of growth rate to previous population amount.

Changes in vegetation cover have continuos variations in terms of biomass productiv-ity; therefore complete view is a long-term observation. Data absence in particular case can be replaced by esti-mation from long-term ob-servation.

3 Logical consis-tency aspects

Important aspect is do-main consistency.

Domain consistency. Geometric and semantic con-sistency.

4 Accuracy Thematic accuracy – quantitative; qualitative.

Temporal accuracy – last update.

Positional accuracy; thematic accuracy – quantitative; clas-sification correctness; tempo-ral – rate of update; resolu-tions.

5 Lineage: Informa-tion source.

Data source: Provincial statistical of-fice;

Data source: Provincial statistical office;

Data source: RS data- Ministry of Nature and the Environment; Maps- Ministry of Nature and the Environment; Minis-try of Agriculture & Industry.

6 Controllability By assessment of pro-duced date, content of analyzed statistical infor-mation.

By assessment of pro-duced date, content of analyzed statistical information.

By assessment of produced date, content of analyzed information; methods of digi-tal image processing.

Information is received from 3 major sources: official data producers (Ministry of Nature and the Environ-ment); local governmental organizations and state governmental organizations. In each case there are many similarities in terms of basic components and ways of information assessment.

4. 4. Specification of information system requirements

Specification of information requirements is mainly based on results of analysis of information system func-tionality aspects. The main aim is to propose solution of the problem within processes and data modeling



techniques. These techniques are: Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) with Top-down approach and Data Diction-ary (document containing description of all DFDs components). The description of major processes is presented in Figure 4.1 below by Low - level diagram of the main processes within information system. The main identified processes inside the land degradation system are: • Data collection; • Data formatting and classification and • Data Analysis. All these processes will collect, classify and analyze the information. The expected output of the system (pasture lands capacity map; livestock density map; vegetation change analysis map) will be produced by Data Analysis process. The detailed description of the Data collection; Data formatting and classification; Data Analysis processes functionality presented in next paragraph - Description of information system’s functions and data used. The Top - level diagram describe 3 main sub systems of land degradation system and they are as follows: Vegetation changes analysis; Soil changes analysis and Analysis of changes in topography. Current diagram is presented in Figure 3.6 (pp.12) in Chapter 3 Phase I - Information system strategy and planning (System strategy, step of System World). The detailed description of vegetation change analysis system decomposi-tion will follow in Chapter 5 – System design (detailed design).

Main processes within information system presented by low-level diagram.

Figure 4.1



4. 5. Description of information system’s function and data used.

The main function of the land degradation system is to collect, to classify and to analyze data related to land and land use. The main identified processes are: Data collection, Data formatting and classification and Data analysis process. The description of process function; information flow and accessed stores is pre-sented to the next.

Description of the main process within land degradation information system Data collection process: This process collects information on: 1. Vegetation, land use, pasture and administrative boundary type maps; 2. Statistical data on land use, agriculture and livestock population; 3. Cadastral information on land ownership; 4. Climatic (precipitation, solar radiation amount) data; 5. Remote Sensing information - NOAA NDVI, Landsat data; 6. Information on infrastructure planning; environmental programs, laws and decision; policy on land own-

ership; report of NGO’s and public opinion; socio-economic policy on environmental development and results of scientific research, advice and consultancy.

Functions: - Analyze the users requests and pass them to appropriate processes; - Collect and to store all data in Provincial data store; Input flows: - Request on land quality assessment; - Information on infrastructure planning; environmental programs, laws and decision; policy on land own-

ership; NGO’s and public opinion feedback report; socio-economic policy on environmental develop-ment and land use planning;

- Vegetation, land use, pasture and administrative boundary type maps; statistical data on land use, agri-culture and livestock; cadastral data on land ownership; climatic data; NOAA NDVI, Landsat data.

- Results of scientific research, advice and consultancy; Output flows: - Transfer provincial data to Data formatting, classification process; Accessed stores: - Provincial data store (Read; Write; Update). Data formatting and classification process: This process validates, formats and classifies all collected information into three major groups: spatial (digi-tal format, georeferenced and original data sets); non-spatial data (statistical and analogue type) and docu-mentation (proposals, documentation, plans, text) data. Validation in terms of data quality, its completeness, consistency and validity. Formatting process consists on digital data conversion from binary and ERDAS *.lan format to ERDAS IMAGINE *.img format; maps scanning, digitizing; vector to raster conversion and georeferencing process. Functions: - Requests the data and information from the users and key data providers;



- Validates provided information according to the system requirements (information and data format re-quirements);

- Classification of all received information to separate groups, within their format – maps, images, spatial data; non-spatial and documentation data stores.

Input flows: - Provincial data Output flows: - Request on spatial data; land use maps; infrastructure planning information; NGO’s and public opinion

feedback report; on environmental priorities; on statistical provincial data; on cadastral data; scientific expertise and advise; climatic data;

Accessed stores: - Provincial data store (Read); - Maps, images, spatial data store (Read; Write; Update); - Non-spatial data store (Read; Write; Update); - Documentation data store (Read). Data analysis: This is the most important process of the system, because it is produces the main output of the land degrada-tion system. The system design concern was to develop within detailed level vegetation changes analysis sub system. This sub system produced the following information: pasture lands capacity map; livestock density map and vegetation change analysis by sub provinces. Functions: Main function of the process is to analyze available spatial and non-spatial information according to poten-tial users requirements. The policy issues on development and planning and environmental documents will be taken into account. Input flows: - Data on environmental priorities; - Spatial data; - Non-spatial data; - Vegetation changes data; Output flows: - Pasture land capacity map; - Livestock density map; - Vegetation change analysis by sub provinces; - Statistical data on vegetation changes; Accessed stores: - Maps, images, spatial data store (Read; Write; Update); - Non-spatial data store (Read; Write; Update); - Documentation data store (Read); - Vegetation change data store (Read; Write; Update).

The detailed decomposition of Data Analysis process into sub processes has been presented in Chapter 3 - Structured Analysis – System World (Top level diagram of Land degradation Assessment system within System World, Figure 3. 6). The identified major sub systems of this process are:



• Vegetation changes analysis; • Soil changes analysis and • Topography changes analysis sub system. The further decomposition of the Data Analysis process was necessary to show the main structure of the pro-posed information system. The vegetation changes analysis subsystem of land degradation system has been selected for further design. This decision was based on results from literature review on land degradation and analysis of Rich picture (Chapter 3- Usage World – Rich picture (Problem tree)).

4. 6 Data structure

Data structure within GIS database The main GIS product going to be delivered is vegetation changes map, pasture land capacity and livestock density maps. The major attributes of current maps are: • Vegetation changes map – it is raster map derived from Remote Sensing information where areas of dif-

ferences and changes in vegetation cover are shown. The vegetation is classified by percent and corre-sponding landscape and soil attributes are presented;

• Pasture lands capacity map – it is raster map. The pasture areas are classified (within vegetation and landscape types); the sub provincial administrative boundaries are indicated;

• Livestock density map – raster map. Livestock density criteria will be shown as additional attribute of pasture land capacity map within delineated sub provincial administrative boundaries.

Data structure in Microsoft Access attribute database The entities of land degradation database are categorized as follows: • Geographical objects – sub provinces; • Livestock – livestock population; livestock growth rate; private livestock growth rate; • Vegetation cover – areas within different vegetation types; • Human population – population within somons (sub provinces); • Names – names of sub provinces, livestock types.

The details of information attributes are presented in Table 4.3. below. Information description Table 4. 3 N Information

type Attribute information

1 Administrative boundary map

Administrative sub provincial boundaries vector map;

2 Vegetation type map

Raster map of vegetation cover areas classified by: - Landscape (mountains, steppes, plains) within main geomorphologic Units (slope; dis-

section rate); - Vegetation type (forest, grasslands); - Plant communities (dominant species and participating plants).

5 Statistical data Numerical information on: - Livestock – total number, growth rate; - Human population – population within sub provinces;

6 Documentation Text information on: - Documentation - environmental programs, laws, proposals and plans; - Planning issues - infrastructure development and planning; - Reports – feedback report of NGO’s and public opinion on land degradation situation; - Policy - on socio-economic development on provincial and national level; and



land ownership.

4. 7 Data quality

Concepts of Geospatial Data Infrastructure have not been widely used among many Mongolian organiza-tions. Discussing question of information quality, many problems will occur on this context, due to factors, such as: • Nowadays, the information and data has been collected digitally and it is increases rapidly with coming

advances in new technology; • Methods of acquiring, storing, processing, analyzing and viewing of information have been developed

mostly independently within organizations; therefore, there are many existing problems such as: 1. Production of different digital data formats; 2. Use of different database models (schemes); 3. Different methods and standards for data collection and processing; 4. Use of different coordinate systems, units of measure and quality parameters; 5. Different spatial object representation; 6. Different institutional constrains; 7. Different semantics (information context). Current proposed information system will take into account there constrains and will consider the Geospatial Data Infrastructure concepts. For this purpose conditions of data format to data suppliers will be provided. This attempt has been made to improve data access, data sharing and information integration processes within the proposing information system. This can be one way of demonstration of necessity to develop Na-tional Geospatial Data Infrastructure concepts in Mongolia. In Table 4.4 presented detailed description of required data format from the system to key data providers.



Data format requirements to key data providers Table 4.4 No Organization Data provided to the system Required data format and specification 1 Uvs provincial statisti-

cal office • Statistical data: - Population; - Livestock; -Socio-economic situation issues.

Integer number, digital, arranged in text format. Statistical data on province in total and by sub provinces.

2 State Meteorological Agency

• Climatic data on precipitation and solar radiation. Integer number, digital, arranged in text format. Specification: absolute, min and max of total precipitation and radiation.

3 State Property Com-mittee

• Information on land ownership and land use plan-ning

Land ownership – cadastral information – land ownership information; text information. Land use planning – Report of areas to be under planning –analogue, with indicated date and person responsible.

4 Provincial Authority • Information on socio-economic and environ-mental policies within province.

• Request on assessment of environmental critical situation.

Socio-economical and environmental policy – descriptive report of province; analogue. Request on environmental critical situation assessment –detailed specification of are to be under as-sessment. Analogue, with indicated date of request and person in charge.

5 Ministry of Nature and Environment

• Remote sensing data: - NOAA AVHRR NDVI; - Landsat TM; MSS. • Maps: -Thematic; topographical, administrative. • Documentation on environmental programs and

laws.

Remote sensing data: - (Digital, can be georeferenced or not georeferenced). - Generic binary with header information; - ERDAS extension (*.lan) format; - Projection (Transverse Mercator, zone 46, Central meridian 93E; False Eastening 16500000meters; Spheroid Krasovsky; Datum Pulkow 1942. Maps (digital and/or analog): - With clearly specified all projection parameters and coordinate grid system and source of information. Digital format -ARC VIEW and/or ARC INFO (not later version 8). Documentation, programs and laws: Detailed specification of documentation, proposing programs and laws on province. Analogue, with indicated date of request and person responsible.

6 Ministry of Infrastruc-ture

• Policy information on infrastructure planning and development at provincial level

Detailed documentation specification related to province. Analogue, with indicated date of request and name of the person responsible.

7 Ministry of Education • Scientific advice and consultancy on Natural Re-sources Management and applications of Remote Sensing and GIS

Detailed specification of methods, scientific literature, tools, software, programs and references been in use. Analogue, with indicated date of completion and person performed research with contact informa-tion.

8 Ministry of Agricul-ture & Industry

• Maps by land use types: -agriculture -pasture lands

Maps (digital and/or analog) With clearly specified all projection parameters and source of information. Digital, ARC VIEW and/or ARC INFO (not later version 8) formats.

9 NGO’s • Report of NGO’s activities. Analogue, with indicated date of completion, person performed with contact information.

INFORMATION SYSTEM DESIGN FOR LAND DEGRADATION ASSESSMENT IN PARTICULAR FOR PASTURE AREAS,

CASE STUDY OF WEST MONGOLIA

4.8 Conclusion

The information analysis is needed to achieve understanding of what the new system will do and ex-pectation of potential users towards receiving information. The performed information analysis has identified the main stakeholders of the system, their requirements and responsibilities. Among them, Ministry of Nature and the Environment has been selected as a key data provider and as the main user of the system. Description of information, which users will be need in perspective, point out some data quality as-pects, due to users concern to receive information in time, in accurate, correct and consistent way. The details of information quality aspects have been discussed for each product of the system. Specification of the new system requirements was performed for illustration of main functionality as-pects. The main identified processes within system is as follows: • Data collection; • Data formatting and classification and • Data Analysis process. The main identified process of the new system is Data Analysis process, because it is produces the main outputs of the system and they are: pasture lands capacity map; livestock density map and vege-tation change analysis within sub provinces. The data structure analysis presented data structure within GIS and Microsoft Access attribute data-base. The identified entity types have been presented in Table 4.3. Proposal of improvement the data access, data sharing and information integration within system will be related with concepts of Geospatial Data Infrastructure. The required data format from the system to key data providers have been specified.



Chapter 5 SYSTEM DESIGN

5.1. Introduction

The system design performance objective is to produce a design specification for the new system. The main objective of the current phase is to define problem solution within processes and data modeling. The processes and data modeling will employ use of Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) techniques and Data Dictionary with detailed description. The data modeling steps consist from Entity-Relationship Dia-grams (ERD) and descriptions of it in Data Dictionary.

5.2 Process modelling

The process modeling makes design of the Context Data Flow Diagram (DFD) and its decomposition into Low-level diagrams. The Top-level diagram of land degradation system showing the sub systems (vegetation changes analysis, soil changes analysis and topography changes analysis sub system) is presented in Figure 3.6 (Chapter 3 Information system strategy and Planning (Top level diagram of Land degradation Assess-ment sub systems within System World). The next detailed decomposition by Data Flow Diagrams of main sub system – vegetation changes analysis system is presented.

Vegetation change analysis system The sequential order of functions in Vegetation change analysis system is as follows: • Vegetation classification process. It is the most important process of the system, because the other

processes will follow from this stage; • Assessment of potential productivity; • Ecosystem condition assessment; • Assessment of unrealized resources potential and; Figure 5.1 below shows the main processes of the Vegetation change analysis system. The detailed description of the functions, processes and accessed stores is presented respectively.



Vegetation change analysis system Figure 5.1

1. Vegetation classification process Functions: - This process classifies the Remote Sensing data into vegetation classes with the aid of the ground

truth data. Input flows: - Spatial and Non-spatial data; Output flows: - Classified data by vegetation type; Accessed stores: - Maps, images spatial data store (Read; Write; Update); - Non-spatial data store (Read; Write; Update); 2. Assessment of potential productivity process Functions: - Receives and validates the data on environmental priorities and classified data by vegetation type; Input flows: - Classified by vegetation type data; - Data on environmental priorities; Output flows: - Vegetation change data; Accessed stores: - Vegetation change data store (Read; Write; Update);



3. Ecosystem condition assessment process Functions: - Receives and validates the data on vegetation changes; provides the outputs of vegetation change

analysis map by sub provinces and statistical data on vegetation changes; Input flows: - Vegetation change data; Spatial and Non-spatial data; Output flows: - Vegetation change analysis map by sub provinces; - Statistical data on vegetation changes; - Data on environmental priorities; Accessed stores: - Maps, images spatial data store (Read); - Non-spatial data store (Read); - Vegetation change data store (Read); 4. Assessment of unrealized resources potential Functions: - Receives the data on environmental situation; assessing it by unrealized resources potential analy-

sis; Input flows: - Data on environmental situation; Output flows: - Pasture land capacity map; - Livestock density map;

Decomposition of Vegetation classification process into low-level diagram is presented in Figure 5.2 next and it has the following functions, which are: 1. Purchases raw, uncorrected Remote sensing (RS) data from official distributors; 2. Performs the quality control of the images – RS data quality: (by cloud amount, missing scan

lines, other errors); 3. Stores all raw RS data into Raw RS data store; 4. Performs radiometric and geometric corrections of RS data; 5. Classifies the RS data by Unsupervised classification method; 6. Separates the vegetation classes within spectral signature analysis; 7. Collects vegetation samples of classified area, makes the ground verification process; 8. Analyzes the vegetation classes, in accordance with results of ground verification and collected

vegetation samples; 9. Selects the training classes and executes classification by supervised classification approach.

The further decomposition of the Vegetation classification process, its detailed description of func-tions, processes and accessed data stores is presented respectively. Figure 5.2 below shows the result of decomposition presented in Data Flow Diagram (DFD) by System Development WorkBench.



Vegetation classification process Figure 5.2

Functions: - To obtain Remote Sensing information, perform the quality check and to perform the vegetation

classification. Input flows: - Spatial data; - Non-spatial data; Output flows: - Classified RS data by vegetation type; Accessed stores: - Maps, images spatial data (Read; Write; Update); - Non-spatial data (Read; Write; Update); - Uncorrected RS data (Read; Write; Update); - Field data (Read; Write; Update);

Decomposition of the Ecosystem condition assessment process is presented in Figure 5.3 next, because it produce the main output of the Vegetation change analysis system – vegetation change analysis map by sub provinces.



Ecosystem condition assessment process Figure 5.3 Functions: 1. To analyze the data on vegetation change; 2. Analysis of existing situation on vegetation cover changes with consideration of environmental

priorities; 2. Performance of environmental expertise Input flows: - Spatial data – maps, images in digital format; - Non-spatial data – statistical and analogue data; - Vegetation changes data – digital and analog format; Output flows: - Vegetation cover changes map by sub provinces; - Statistical data on vegetation changes; - Data on environmental priorities; Accessed stores: - Maps, images, spatial data store (Read); - Non-spatial data store (Read); - Vegetation change maps store (Read).



5.3. Conceptual Data Model (Entity-relationship diagram)

1. Identification of Entities and their attributes The terrain objects can be categorized in accordance with their thematic attributes. The main terrain object in our case is vegetation cover. The main characteristics of that object are existing human activ-ity, such as grazing and amount of livestock. The main identified entities and their attributes are: - Sub province – Sub province names; Sub province population; - Livestock – Livestock type; livestock population; livestock growth rate; - Vegetation – Vegetation type; total area of coverage; density of vegetation cover. 2. Entity-Relationship diagram (E-R) The finally, Entity-Relationship diagram is presented in Figure 5.4 below. The relationship between vegetation and sub province is many to many and subs province and livestock many to many. Entity-Relationship diagram Figure 5.4 3. Data dictionary The Data dictionary herewith is presented the main stores of the system and it is as follows: a. Maps, images spatial data store. It is maintains, updates and share spatial data, which is includes: - Remote Sensing information – georeferenced and in raw format; - Thematic maps – vegetation, land use, administrative boundary; b. Non spatial data store. Maintains the statistical data on livestock and sub provinces. c. Vegetation change data store – maintains the classified remote sensing data within vegetation type.

5.4. Logical data model (database)

Database design considerations: 1. The master database of the vegetation cover change analysis information system maintains the-

matic maps of pasture land capacity and livestock density in vector format; vegetation change analysis map by sub provinces in raster format, and attribute data within relational tables.

2. Vector to raster conversion is undertaken in the Data formatting, classification process, if it is necessary;

3. Attribute data is stored as relational tables with the key linked to their correspondent spatial units; 4. All vector and raster data are georeferenced into Transverse Mercator projection; 5. Documentation, proposals and plans are stored in documentation store;

SUB PROVINCEVEGETATION

LIVESTOCK

Can be found

has

M

M

1

1 M

M

1

1



6. The client database maintains thematic maps on pasture land capacity and livestock density in vec-tor format; vegetation change analysis map by sub provinces in raster format, and attribute data in relational tables. Client has separate store for land use report and statistical data on vegetation cover change;

7. Mongolian topographic map of 1:100 000 are used as fundamental in georeference of all vector and raster data;

8. The administrative boundary of the provinces are taken from provincial boundaries map from Mongolian National Atlas;

Enterprise rules: • The maximum there are 6 sub provinces; • Sub province can have many types of livestock; • Sub province can have many types of vegetation; • Livestock can be maximum 5 types; • Vegetation can be many types; • Vegetation can be found in many sub provinces;

Skeleton Tables Livestock (Livestock_id, Livestock_name) Livestock_sub (Livestock_id, sub_province_id, livestock_number) Sub_province (Sub_province_id, sub_province_name, sub_province_population) Vegetation_sub (Sub_province_id, vegetation_id, total_area) Vegetation (Vegetation_id, vegetation_type)

5.5 Conclusion

The current chapter is presented the main stages of the vegetation change analysis system design. The processes of Vegetation classification and Ecosystem condition assessment have been in further de-composed into sub processes. The main accessed data stores included: Maps, images spatial data store; Non-spatial data store and Vegetation change data store. The brief description of data stores is pre-sented in Data dictionary. The conceptual data model identified the main entities and their attributes. Their relations were illustrated by Entity-Relationship Diagram. The logical data model described in brief the database considerations, the enterprise rules and skeleton tables of the database.



CHAPTER 6. SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION AND TESTING

6.1 Introduction

During the system implementation and testing phase the individual components of the system are go-ing to be build. The selected individual component, which has been chosen for illustration is vegeta-tion changes analysis map. Demonstration of some system components is important for case, where a new system concept or new technology is used, one has to build a version to throw away (Brooks, cited in Stuth, 1993). Testing can be a process of its own (Hawryszkiewycz , 1998).

6.2 System implementation

Discussion and theoretical background of environmental models

The selection of current environmental models was based on literature review of Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan (Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan, 2000), Wu Ning (Wu Ning, 1997) and Burkart (Burkart, et. al., 2000). However, the presented model on livestock density analysis is rather complicated and required specific information. The intention was to provide overview about existing research on this subject due to major peculiarities of the Mongolian livestock industry, which is different from other countries. The main features of Mongolian economy are: • Mongolian livestock are grazing on natural pastures all over year around and therefore it is very

vulnerable in alteration in climatic conditions and land use management; • The livestock industry has relatively constant yield of wool, milk and meat from an individual

animal, which means, that if per head productivity is constant, then output is proportional to num-ber of animals;

• The main feature of the livestock production is on existed misbalance between production and po-tential capacity. It is fully depends from situation in current year. Example of meat production shows that in favorable years production is decreased. So, the volume of meat production doesn’t represent real production of meat in a given year, therefore it cannot be used as a depend variable in the production function (Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan, 2000).

Therefore, models testing should be carefully reviewed and adapted in particular situation. To the next is presented theoretical review on vegetation changes analysis, livestock density and pasture lands ca-pacity analysis.

a. Vegetation changes analysis Vegetation mapping using digital image processing has been attempted on rangelands with variable success (McGraw and Tueller 1983, cited in Tueller, 2000). On many heterogeneous rangeland environment supervised classification approaches have been proved as inadequate, because the selected training sets do not adequately represent the various range



plant communities of that area. The heterogeneity of rangelands mainly depends from soil type, land-scape, aspect and slope of that area. To improve classification accuracy in addition, intermediate-to-large scale aerial photography can be used instead of ground data. In this case, accuracy for many vegetation maps can be reached between 75 and 95 percent (McGraw and Tueller 1983). The selection of the data set should be in accordance with time of the year and period of vegetation development. Different plant species differ in their annual cycle of growth. Considering the other procedures for vegetation mapping unsupervised classification with a high level of interaction with the interpreter have been proven to is more valuable on rangelands. In this case the interpreter is able to examine the classifications and determine which spectral class or classes really represent the range plant community of interest. The computation step of differences between images will be on computation of changes in vegetation boundaries of areas within certain vegetation class. The tool of NOAA AVHRR satellite system such as Normalized Vegetation Derived Index (NDVI) have been successfully used for a long time and provides a crude estimate of vegetation health and a means of monitoring changes in vegetation over the time especially over large areas. NDVI is related to vegetation health. Healthy vegetation reflects very well in near infrared part of the spectrum and NDVI index as follows:

NDVI = (NIR - VIS)/(NIR + VIS) NDVI; where NIR is near infrared channel and VIS visible (red, green and blue range of spectrum). The possible range of values will be between -1 and +1, but the typical range is between about -0.1 (NIR less than VIS for a not very green area) to 0.6 (for a very green area). Comparison between NDVI images over the different season within the year can provide clear over-view of changes on vegetative cover in particular year. The advantage of using this method is on view on a large area extent; fast retrieval of the final product and minimum cost, compared to other available products of Remote sensing technology. Some global NDVI information classified by world regions is available in World Wide Web (WWW) free of charge.

b. Livestock density analysis The livestock density is correlation of grazing livestock numbers into corresponding areas (ha) which are suitable for pasture. However, for Mongolian grazing system, this assumption was made due to main peculiarities of Mongolian livestock production as an extensive industry, where widely assumed that large number of animals and big size of herds are more economically can support the households. The natural growth rate of animals can be expressed by function proposed by Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan (Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan, 2000) and it is specified as:

),,,,,,,,( TPAHWVFLCfG = ; where:

G – natural growth rate of animals (birth rate minus mortality rate); C – capital (value of the capital assets minus value of animals);



L- labor (man days per a sheep unit); F- supplementary fodder (k.g. of feed-units per animal); V-veterinary services (veterinary expenditures per animal); W- weather index; H-stocking rate (sheep units per 1 ha); A-age of herder (proxy for skills); P-weight of private livestock in total number of herd (proxy for a private incentive); T-time trend (proxy for technical change) According to hypothesis made by Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan (Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan, 2000), the trans-long functional form is the best representation of the real livestock production in Mongolian case. This function allows arbitrary and variable elasticity of substitution among input categories. It provides a second order transformation to an arbitrary production function at any given point (Christensen, Jorgenson and Lau, 1973, cited in Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan, 2000). The translong function with Hick’s neutral technical change was written as follows:

∑ ∑ ∑∑==

==

+++++= 5

1

6

1

221int

6

1

6

1int 2

1lnln21lnln

ki

ntjntj iji

intkkant uTTxxxDCG ααββ

where aG = weather-adjusted natural growth rate of animals; n =districts (n=1,2,…..36) t = individual year (1,2,…20) k = agro-ecological regions (k = 1,2,…5)

ix = economic variables (I = 1,2,…6)

D = dummies for agro-ecological regions T = time trend as a proxy for technical change

αβ ,,C = the coefficients to be estimated

u = the disturbance term. The estimated production results by Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan (Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan, 2000) with

accordance of this formula is presented in Table 6.1

Production Elasticity Table 6.1 Variables in percent Cattle Small Stock Labor (man days per a sheep unit) 0.019 % -0.015 % Capital (value of the capital assets minus value of animals) 0.633 % 0.591 % Supplementary fodder (k.g. of feed-units per animal) 0.543 % 0.335 % Veterinary services (veterinary expenditures per animal) 0.121 % -0.292 % Stocking rate (sheep units per 1 ha) -0.580 % -0.007 % Share of private animals 0.726 % 0.044 %

The final conclusion made by author (Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan, 2000) point out that shortage of pasture areas has serious effect to the cattle industry. And the most degraded pastures are located around urban areas, because of the high concentration of cattle and because of herders to better access the market. The



increase in the stocking rate, which is number of grazing sheep’s per 1 ha will lead to the pasture land deg-radation progress at increasing scale. However, all estimation which has been made in this research (Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan, 2000) need to be readjusted with current situation by year 2001 (e.g. rate of expenditures and value of the capital assets and value of animals, due to inflation). This result has been presented in International Seminar on ‘Recovery with Incomplete Reforms’, held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, April 2000. c. Pasture lands capacity analysis The production of the rangeland is often expressed in the number of cattle, sheep and goats per hec-tare, or in kilogram of meat and milk per animal. Although this production (secondary production) is the ultimate goal, we must accept that plant production (primary production) is the basis for this sec-ondary production, since it nourishes the livestock (Scholz, 1991b, cited in Wu Ning, 1997). This pri-mary production can be natural vegetation, cultivated forage or agricultural by-products. The quantity and quality of primary production determine secondary production. Likewise, secondary production influences primary production. Climatic factors (rainfall, temperature and humidity, radiation, etc.) and edapthic ones (texture, fertility and depth of the soil, and topography) determine the quantity and quality of forage produced in the first place, which in the end decided the base of pastoral system (Wu Ning, 1997). The pasture land carrying capacity analysis can be calculated from difference of Practical carrying ca-pacity and Potential carrying capacity. • Practical carrying capacity is number of total sheep units in a certain area, which is calculated

from total number of domesticated animals in this area; • Potential carrying capacity is result of difference of theoretical carrying capacity and practical car-

rying capacity. • Theoretical carrying capacity is result of function of available grass yield (kg/ha) and total pasture

area to hay consumption by one sheep unit (SU).

days 365 x kg/day) -(SU SU one ofingestion Daily (ha) area grassland x ) (kg/haunit onein yeild Grass=PLCCA , where:

- PLCCA – Pasture Land Carrying Capacity Analysis; - Grass yield area in one unit and grassland areas will be expressed in hectares (ha); - SU sheep unit; composed from 5 different types of livestock; - Daily ingestion according to research result of Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan was estimated as 5400 k.g.

of hay for 365 days. Current pasture land carrying capacity analysis have advantage, that it takes into account existing cli-matic factors and edaptic ones and it has been analyzed and tested in pastoral Western Sichuan, China area by Wu Ning (Wu Ning, 1997). This region has many similarities with Mongolia on methods of seasonal pastoralism, the geography and climatic conditions. Therefore, in current research current model has been presented as an applicable one.



Requirements of information system development cost

To achieve comprehensive picture of information system development costs some of them should be taken into consideration. These costs are: - Cost of hardware, software going to be used. The expenses are included purchase and/or develop-

ment; maintenance and upgrade; - Costs of data. The expenses of purchasing the Remote Sensing data, maps and other information.

Some information may be provided to the system on the exchange basis, then the system costs will include expenses on computer processing, data formatting and classification;

- Costs of personnel. Training and keeping track on development of new methodology and ap-proaches will be the main point of the system expenses;

Other costs- organizational, administrational, on communication and transaction within and outside of the information system. However, for accurate cost estimation different type of methodologies are exists, and they are as fol-lows: Cost benefit analysis (CBA) and Function point analysis (FPA) (De Vries, 1999). In current re-search this topic will be not discussed in detail, due to the lack of the relevant information and time constrains, but this is one of the important issues which should be considered when the new informa-tion system are going to be build.

6.3 System testing

6.3.1 Description of hardware and software used

The specific hardware and software have been used in system implementation part can dictate the for-mat of data entry, data updating and data manipulation in database creation. However, to avoid the time spend for data formatting and classification in accordance with their types, the current system has the constrains in data format received by the system. This specification has been outlined in Chapter 4 (Information system analysis (information analysis)). The software packages used in system implementation part include: - ERDAS IMAGINE, version 8.4; ARC INFO, version 7.1.2 for spatial modeling and Microsoft Ac-cess (DBMS) for the non-spatial models.

6.3.2 Database implementation on Microsoft Access and its short description

The proposed database has been implemented on Microsoft Access. The main tables of database are: 1. Sub province table; 2. Vegetation table; 3. Livestock table.

In Figure 6.1 below presented overview of relational tables in Microsoft Access.



Database implementation on Microsoft Access Figure 6.1

6.3.2 Description of the case study area, its geographical features

The case study area of Uvs lake basin located in northwestern part of Mongolia and stretches from 92°30N′ to 96°50N′ and from 49°47E′ to 50°30E′. The total area is 312 km from west to east and 135km from north to south. The Uvs region encompasses all the major ecological zones found in Cen-tral Asia from the perpetual snowfields and permafrost to the desert sands. The Uvs province is administratively composed from 20 sub provinces. The Ulaangom somon is a central sub province. For current study have been selected the 5 most overpopulated by livestock sub provinces, such as: - Tes, Malchin, Omnogobi, Zuunhangai and Naranbulag.

The amount of livestock within sub provinces is presented in Table 6.2 below. The sub provinces of Uvs with the highest amount of livestock

No Somons names Amount of livestock (by thousand head) 1 Omnogobi 135.6

2 Tes 130.6

3 Malchin 126.5

4 Naranbulag 124.9

5 Zuunhangai 113.6

Table 6.2



In Figure 6.2 is presented the location of the study area within Mongolia.

Shaded relief map of Mongolia (minimized) and study area.

Figure 6.2 Map source: University of Texas at Austin, U.S.A. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/PCL/Map_collection/middle_east_and_asia/Mongolia_rel96.jpg Geographical features Topography and soil The Tannu Ulu Mountains with the Baruun Tagnyn Nuruu in the northwest surround the northern part of the basin. The soil is variable from mountain permafrost taiga soil to mountain chestnut. Figure 6.2 below explained the major geographical features of the region. Geology The Uvs Nuur basin is arid and close drainage area. The Uvs Lake is the biggest salt lake in Mongolia and it has the lowest altitude of 759-m MSL in Mongolia. Zones of biggest neotectonics movement formed modern outline of the region. Climate Uvs lake experiences the coldest, warmest, and driest conditions of any place on the globe at similar latitude. In winter, when the Central Asiatic anticyclone remains stationary above Uvs lake, tempera-tures of -40ºC are common, and temperatures as low as -58ºC have been recorded. In summer, the ba-sin heats up, reaching temperatures as high as + 40ºC. Vegetation Vegetation characterized by typical Artemisia sp. steppe, which is one of the major ecosystems of the Uvs lake basin; it occupies vast expanses of land, on huge alluvial planes and river terraces. The flora richness of the genuine steppe is high (up to 30 species can readily be identified over a few square me-ters). This vegetation cover is short (<10 cm, grazing effect) and appears relatively uniform over large areas. Wet sites are dotted with the typical Caranaga sp. bush. Pasture sagebrush Artemisia frigida, Stipa capillata plant communities are also common. In low places the desert steppes and steppe deserts are common. Mostly Cleistogenes squarrosa communities occupy them. The mountain places pre-

Uvs province



sented by cryophyte Kobresia alpine meadows and high mountains cryophyte cushion-like forb steppes (Gunin, 1999).

In Figure 6.3 below is presented the major geographical features of the Uvs province.

The major geographical features of the Uvs province

Figure 6.3 Map source: United Nations in Mongolia; http://www.un-mongolia.mn/wildher/uvs.htm

6.3.3 Presentation of results on vegetation changes analysis

The vegetation changes analysis study is the main concern of proposed information system on land degradation assessment. In Chapter 2 Theoretical background – Indicators of land degradation was stressed that the vegetation changes analysis might serve as a potential indicator of land degradation process. The structural analysis of land degradation problem (Chapter 3 Information system strategy and planning – Usage World, Rich picture (Problem tree)) showed, that the current problem has 3 ma-jor components and they are: changes in vegetation covers; changes in soil and changes in topography. The main identified feature of the current problem was pointed into analysis of changes in vegetation covers.

a. Current available methods and tools for vegetation changes analysis study in Mongolia Detection of land cover changes from NOAA AVHRR satellite data within spectral mixture analysis is new challenge to receive required information. Current method has been tested as well as in Western part of Mongolia. The main idea is to make comparison of different year images, which represents the same land cover (vegetation type), and to highlight those areas, where the changes takes place. Satellite images is at-tractive data source as they can cover large areas at regular interval and it has potential to provide valuable land cover information on a broad scale (Kressler et. al., 1999).



b. Spatial data input To perform vegetation changes analysis analysis, the following maps from Mongolian National Atlas have been used and they considered as the most appropriate in our case. The boundary map was used to divide whole province into sub provinces. The list of used maps is presented and they are: • Vegetation map of Mongolia, scale 1: 3 000 000; • Landscape type map of Mongolia, scale 1: 3 000 000; • Administrative boundary map of Mongolia of provinces and sub provinces, scale 1: 3 000 000. All maps were scanned; obtained TIFF flies imported to ERDAS IMAGINE *.img format and geo-referenced to Transverse Mercator coordinate system with following specifications of parameters: • Projection - Transverse Mercator, zone 46, Central meridian 93E; False Eastening 16500000 me-

ters; Spheroid Krasovsky; Datum Pulkow 1942. In order to enter the maps into GIS, the following procedure has been performed:

1. On screen digitizing. All thematic maps were scanned and TIFF images converted into ERDAS *.img format. Then screen digitizing was performed to obtain vector arc info coverage files. The coverage files were imported to ARC INFO software;

2. In ARC INFO editing tool, the arc coverage’s were edited and topology of polygons are created; 3. The attribute information of vegetation and landscape type classes was assigned to each polygon,

in accordance with maps from Mongolian National Atlas. The attribute information was taken from legend of vegetation and landscape maps.

4. The classified polygon vector map was exported to ERDAS IMAGINE software and vector to raster conversion performed.

5. The obtained raster maps later on was used as input for further data analysis. The spatial data input flowchart Figure 6.4 is presented below:

Spatial data input flowchart

Figure 6. 4



c. Concept of Mongolian vegetation classification schema The distribution of West Mongolian vegetation zones from north to south within region has been ana-lyzed in research of Dr. W. Hilbig (Hilbig, 1995) and it is as follows: • Alpine belt (Vegetation of rocky and stony sites); • Forest steppe or mountain forest steppe (Needle-leave forest; Broad leave forest; Shrubbery); • Steppe (Mountain steppe, Meadow steppe; Sand steppe); • Dry steppe (Semi-desert vegetation); • Desert zone (Desert type of vegetation); • Real desert (No vegetation). Development of vegetation and landscape type maps of Mongolian National Atlas has been performed within creative integrative compilation of a priori data obtained by conventional terrestrial geobotany studies plus analysis of remote sensing information at scale 1: 1 000 000. The detailed description of vegetation mapping methods of Mongolia is described by Gunin (Gunin, 2000). The summary of main mapping principles and analyzed parameters is presented in Table 6.3 below.

Main vegetation mapping features at medium and low scales, based on space images (adopted from Gunin, 2000) Table 6.3 Principles Parameter analyzed Mapped objects Taxonomic unit classifications of vegetation with determination of micro- and

macro-vegetation complexes. Principles of identification Landscape typological reflecting landscape interrelations, for instance, of vegeta-

tion with ecological conditions (relief, surface sediments). Features of map contents Contemporary vegetation cover plus structure. Sequence of determination From large combinations to micro, i.e. from general to particular. Method of generalization Based on general optical features of objects on land surfaces as seen in photoi-

mages. Contour changes To shown natural vegetation boundaries. Main method of mapping Laboratory geobotanical and landscape image interpretation, plus field investiga-

tions as a check. d. Spatial data analysis Remote sensing data classification The vegetation classification of West part of Mongolia by satellite data has been made using temporal NOAA AVHRR data set of 1997 and 1998 time period. University of Potsdam (Institutes of Geoecol-ogy, Biology and Biochemistry) provided the data used in this study. The vegetation map by NOAA AVHRR data is presented in Appendix 2 (Vegetation classification by NOAA data within sub provinces (somons) of Uvs aimag. The data set of 1997 and 1998 years have been used as input in NDVI classification. The final result presented the difference of NDVI amount between these years and it is due with decreasing in precipitation. The low amount of NDVI was in October of 1997. This difference of water supply (amount of precipitation) within interior steppe cites is shown by brown color classes. From 9 sets of NOAA AVHRR data 26 vegetation signatures have been selected and analyzed for input in supervised classification.



The following four categories has been distinguished: 1. Group of deserts and deserted steppes due to poor precipitation in years 1997 and 1998; 2. Steppe classes with high NDVI; 3. Classes with falling NDVI from October 1997 to June 1998; 4. Group of sufficient water supply and therefore undisturbed vegetation development. The classified vegetation and landscape areas are shown in Table 6.4 and distribution of vegetation is presented in Figure 6.5 respectively.

Vegetation classes within corresponding landscapes type Table 6.4

No Vegetation classes Total area (ha) % of image 1 Desert type of vegetation 256125 ha 14.35 % 2 Desertous steppe type of vegetation 144350 ha 8.08 % 3 Transition from Desertous to dry steppe 409600 ha 22.94 % 4 Dry steppe on thin sand layer 600525 ha 33.64 % 5 Dry steppe including dunes 142900 ha 8 % 6 Mountain steppe and meadow 154350 ha 8.64 % 7 Meadow steppe and forest meadow 54275 ha 3.04 % 8 Forest 22700 ha 1.27 % 9 Subtotal 1784825 ha 100%

Distribution of vegetation within corresponding landscapes type Figure 6.5 e. Raster modeling The following layers of information were made available: vegetation and landscape types thematic maps, administrative boundary maps and classified by vegetation type image. The adopted approach had following steps: 1. All vegetation and landscape classes were evaluated in terms of suitability for pasture land use.

The landscape type was the fundamental element in pasture land suitability evaluation. According to research of Wu Ning (Wu Ning, 1997) the higher the altitude, the shorter the growing period of vegetation presents. Therefore, pastures in basin and middle height mountains were considered as the most suitable, due to more availability of the vegetation. The vegetation suitability for pasture

14.35%

8.08%

22.94%

33.64%

8% 8.64%

3.04% 1.27%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

% of total image

Des

ert

Des

erto

usst

eppe

Tran

sitio

nst

eppe

Dry

ste

ppe,

thin

laye

r

Dry

ste

ppe,

sand

_dun

Mou

n_st

eppe

,m

eado

w

Mea

dow

_ste

ppe,

fore

st Fore

st

Vegetation distribution



use was ranked accordingly with vegetation distribution and altitude zonation. According to Mon-golian vegetation classification system, the vegetation distribution and cover density is mainly de-pends from altitude. Classified NOAA image indicated the vegetation dynamic state, estimated by vegetation derived index (NDVI). The vegetation classes are presented respectively in Appendix 2 and were evaluated in terms of suitability accordingly.

2. Cross-matrix GIS operation performed to make comparison of suitable pastoral vegetation and corresponding landscape areas. The matrix analyzed two raster files with logical combination of classes by intersection. The recode function is assigns a new class value within specified condition of existing classes into one group. The condition has been used in recode function is:

a. Suitable for pasture; b. Moderately suitable for pasture; c. Not suitable for pasture.

The step-by-step operation of performed model is presented below: - For the first iteration has been selected vegetation types and landscape map both derived from

Mongolian National Atlas. For the second iteration the vegetation classes raster map derived from NOAA image and landscape map from Mongolian National Atlas;

- The input classes of above mentioned layers were grouped by mean of suitable, moderately suit-able and not suitable for pasture; The recode function for suitability evaluation of landscape is specified as follows:

Recode = CONDITIONAL{ (land_somon EQ 4, EQ 5, EQ 6, EQ 8, EQ 10, EQ 12, EQ 14) 1 (land_somon EQ 7, EQ 9, EQ 13, EQ 11) 2 (land_somon EQ 1, EQ 2, EQ 3) 3 } where EQ with numbers is landscape group classes and codes of 1 means suitable for pasture; 2 -moderately suitable and 3 - not suitable respectively. The Land_somon classes used for input are indi-cated in Table 6.5:

Land_somon_classes Table 6.5

No

Land_somon classes

Description

1 EQ 1 Water body; 2 EQ2 High mountain landscapes (above 2500 m); eroded and denudated; Dry steppes; Altay-

high mountain, meadow-steppe and genuine-steppe type; 3 EQ3 Middle height mountain landscapes ,eroded and denudated; Forest and forest –steppes; 4 EQ4 Middle height mountains landscape (above 1500-2500 msl); eroded, accumulated; Dry

steppes; Altay-high mountain, meadow-steppe and genuine-steppe type; 5 EQ5 Middle height mountains landscape (above 1500-2500 msl); eroded, accumulated; Dry

steppes classes of Altay, north dry and south dry type; 6 EQ6 Low height mountain landscape (less then 1500 msl); dissected and slightly dissected,

eroded, denudated; Forest and forest -steppes; 7 EQ7 Low height mountain landscape (less then 1500 msl); dissected and slightly dissected,

eroded, denudated; Deserted steppes and transition to desert; 8 EQ8 High plains (above 600-1000 m and higher) landscapes; eroded, denudated;

Meadowed-steppes and genuine-steppes type; 9 EQ9 High plains (above 600-1000 m and higher) landscapes; eroded, denudated; highly dis-

sected; Dry steppes classes of Altay, north dry and south dry type; 10 EQ10 High plains (above 600-1000 m and higher) landscapes; eroded, denudated; slightly



dissected; Dry steppes classes of north dry and south dry type; 11 EQ11 High plains (above 600-1000 m and higher) landscapes; eroded, denudated; flat; Dry

steppes classes of Altay, north dry and south dry type; 12 EQ12 Basin landscapes; low dissected, denudated and accumulated; forest; Taiga moderate

and south type; 13 EQ13 Basin landscapes; flat, denudated and accumulated; Desertous steppes with transition to

desert steppes; 14 EQ14 Azonal landscapes, in basins and valleys; dominants- Pine forests on sand dunes;

meadows; salted complexes; sand complexes;

The vegetation classes have been used and their distribution within sub provinces is presented in Table 6.6 below.

Vegetation type by sub provinces (source: classified NOAA image) Table 6.6

262 Omnogobi

272 Ulaangom

259 Malchin

260 Naranbulag

258 Zuunhangai

267 Tes

Type of vegetation Area in ha Area in ha Area in ha Area in ha Area in ha Area in ha Desert type of vegeta-tion (ha)

4150 1900 66875 66875 25 16725

Desertous steppe type of vegetation (ha)

18500 750 29350 29350 175 24675

Transition from Deser-tous type to dry steppe (ha)

126300 45400 60700 60700 3800 112100

Dry steppe on thin sand layer (ha)

127400 28900 149375 149375 105200 77950

Dry steppe including dunes (ha)

6675 6675 48925 48925 17725 17725

Mountain steppe and meadow (ha)

8525 6225 25425 25425 43000 46225

Meadow steppe and forest meadow (ha)

2000 700 - - 23500 -

Forest (ha) - 1350 - - 17650 -

According to scientific research made by Mongolian soil scientists (Batkhishig, 2000) the most suit-able type of pastures in West Mongolia is mountain steppes and meadows. According to the literature review the strong and medium degradation processes on soil and vegetation cover are occurs in areas near to the small settlements (somons and smaller units) and water resources (rivers, springs and wells), where present a high concentration of domestic livestock. From the land management point of view, the amount of good pastures within each sub province is presented in Table 6.7 below:

Amount of good pastures within sub provinces (source: classified NOAA image) Somons name

Mountain steppe and meadow (ha) Percent of good pastures (within each sub province)

Omnogobi Ulaangom Malchin Naranbulag Zuunhangai Tes

8525 ha 6225 ha 25425 ha 25425ha 43000ha 46225ha

43.34% 14.76% 18.83% 18.83% 108.09% 6.98%

Table 6.7



f. Differences analysis The differences analysis was done on ERDAS IMAGINE modeling tool. Computation of image dif-ferences is useful in change analysis within temporal images that depicts the same area at different points in time. With Image Difference computation modeling tool the user can highlight areas of changes within specified amount (ERDAS IMAGINE, 1999). In our case the amount of changes was specified starting from 5% of occurring changes. Two images are generated from this image-to-image comparison; one is a grayscale continuous image, and the other is a five-class thematic image. The first image generated from Image Difference model is the Difference image. The Difference image is a grayscale image composed of single band continuous data. This image is the direct result of sub-traction of the Before Image from the After Image. Since Image Difference calculates change in brightness values over the time, the Difference image simply reflects that change using a grayscale image. Brighter areas have increased in reflectance. This may mean clearing of forested areas or in-creasing of open soil due to descries of vegetation cover. Dark areas shows decrease in reflectance. This may mean that an area has become more vegetated, or the area was dry and is now wet. In our case, the decreasing of reflectance was relatively neglectful due to representation within small areas. The Highlight Difference image divides the changes into five categories. The five categories are De-creased, Some Decreased, Unchanged, Some increased and Increased. The Decreased class represents areas of negative (darker) change greater than the threshold for change and is red in color. The In-creased class shows areas of positive (brighter) change greater than the threshold and is green in color. Other areas of positive and negative change less than the thresholds and areas of no change are trans-parent. The result of computation of vegetation and landscape types, which has been changed, is pre-sented in Table 6.8 and 6.9 respectively. The obtained map is presented in Appendix 2. The computation of image differences between “original” vegetation type map from Mongolian Na-tional Atlas and vegetation dynamic classified NOAA AVHRR image shows, that the main changes are occurred in East-Southern part of Zuunhangai sub province and East-southern part of Omnogobi sub province. In Figure 6.6 to the next is presented result of computed areas of difference within sub provinces. Computed areas of difference within sub provinces.

Figure 6.6

Davst Tes

Sagil

Zuungobi

Bohromon Turgen

Khovd

Tarialan Naranbulag

Zavhan

Khyrgas Malchin Baruunturuun

ZuunhangaiOndorkhaan

Om-bi Olgii Tsagaanhaikhan

Ulaangom

Kharhiraa

Decreased areas Increased areas



The summary of corresponding vegetation and landscape type within sub provinces of Omnogobi and Zuunhangai, which has been computed as have been changed is presented in Table 6.8 and 6.9. Vegetation type computed as have been changed Table 6.8 No

Vegetation type

1 Petrophyte multi-herbage with Agropyron Cristatum, Allium eduardii of Mongolian-Altay and Gobi-Altay types; Dry grain grassed steppes;

2 Multi-herbage, Festuca L., Poa attenuata, Koeleria macranta Mongolian-Altay types middle and low height mountains; Multi-herbage greenward grain grassed steppes;

3 Shrub’s with Stipa glareosa, Artemisia xerophytica sometimes with bushes and Caragana bungei of north-west Gobi types on undermountain plains, flood plains and depressions; Shrubby greenward de-serted type steppes;

4 Cryophyte multi-herbage with Cobresia sp., complex of Hangai, Mongolian Altay and Gobi-Altay types; High mountain Cryophyte steppes;

5 Larix, Pinus Siberica open forest complex of south Siberian-north Mongolian type; 6 Achatherum splendens, Kalidium foliatum, Reaumuria songarica of Gobian types on halophytic

shrub's, bushes and cereals vegetation of salted depressions and lakes shores. Landscape type computed as have been changed Table 6.9 No

Landscape type

1 High mountain landscapes (above 2500 m); eroded and denudated; Dry steppes; Altay-high mountain, meadow-steppe and genuine-steppe type;

2 Middle height mountains landscape (above 1500-2500 msl); dissected and slightly dissected, eroded, accumulated; Dry steppes of Altay, South and North Mongolian type;

3 Middle height mountains landscape (above 1500-2500 msl); eroded, accumulative; Dry steppes; Altay-high mountain, meadow-steppe and genuine-steppe type;

4 Middle height mountains landscape (above 1500-2500 msl); dissected and slightly dissected, eroded, accumulated; forest and forest-steppe type;

5 Azonal landscapes, in basins and valleys; dominants- Pine forests on sand dunes; meadows; salted complexes; sand complexes;

6 High plains (above 600-1000 m and higher) landscapes; eroded, denudated; Dry steppes classes of Al-tay, north dry and south dry type;

7 Basin landscapes; low dissected, denudated and accumulated; steppes, relatively dry and dry; meadow-steppes; genuine-steppes; Altay, South and North Mongolian type;

8 Basin flatted landscapes; denudated, accumulated; dryness steppes of Altay, north dry and south dry type;

9 Basin landscapes, slightly dissected; eroded, denudated, accumulated; dryness steppes of Altay, north dry and south dry type.

g. Final results The comparison of vegetation and landscape types, computed as has been changed and analysis of sci-entific literature will give the final result of executed analysis. The completed assessment of plant cover disturbances within their locations by altitude belt is done by Mongolian and Russian scientists. Current assessment illustrated, that the major changes are did happen for following plant and vegeta-tion communities (see Table 6.10):



Assessments of plant cover disturbances within altitude belts (adopted from Gunin et. al., 2000). Table 6.10

Altitude belt Height range Vegetation Character of anthropogenic impact

Assessment of the ecosystem state

Alpine belt (mountain tun-dra)

2800-3800 m

Kobresia, kobresia-sedge, and sedge communities.

Summer grazing, per-manent pastures, bri-gade centers.

From very weak to weak.

2850-3000 m

Stepped grass – Cobresia communities

Summer grazing, per-manent pastures, bri-gade centers.

From very weak to strong.

Sub-alpine belt

2750-3400 m

Cryophyte cushion plant formalities: -stepped grass; -with little participation of grasses.

Summer grazing.


2600-3200 m

Cryophyte grass-forb steppes.

Concentration of yurtas and herds.

From strong to very strong.

Mountain steppe belt

2500-2750 m

Bunch grass-forb moder-ately dry steppes.

Winter grazing.


2100-2500 m

Meadow forb-grass and sedge steppes.

Winter grazing.

From very strong to weak.

1700-2400 m

Fairway grass-low feather grass-forb dry steppes.

Permanent pastures, watering points, trans-port routes.

From moderate to strong.

1700-2300 m

Desertified steppes

Winter grazing.

From very weak to moderate and very strong.

The vegetation study of Mongolia and assessment of anthropogenic impact discussed by Dr. W. Hilbig (Hilbig, 1995) stressed, that vegetation cover degradation in Mongolia occurs mainly on grazing areas near to the settlements from the heavy to moderate scale. The summary of all degradation causes and consequences mentioned by Dr. W. Hilbig, pointed out the main reasons of degradation in Mongolia is due to overgrazing. The leading consequences are related with ecosystem resilience properties and climatic variations. The impact can be found within analysis of composition in plant communities. The meadow and steppe landscapes, which are the most important pastures, have been analyzed and results illustrates that when cattle graze heavily or rest frequently (shaded spots) the herb layer often turns ruderal. Analyzing the computation results and percent of available good pastures, we found, that both sub provinces have more available areas of “good” pastures. The Table 6.11 below presents the available areas of “good” pastures within 2 sub provinces.

Areas of good pastures within sub provinces (source: classified NOAA image) Somons name

Mountain steppe and meadow (ha) Percent of good pastures

Zuunhangai 43000 ha 10.80% Omnogobi 8525 ha 43.34%

Table 6.11 The attempt to estimate the correlation between available good pastures and number of existing live-stock in these sub provinces showed, that one of the sub province have the density of 16 animal per



hectare (see Table 6.12 below). According to research by Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan (Ayurzana Enkh-Amgalan, 2000), the estimated total carrying capacity of Mongolian pasture is around 63 sheep units per year. The relation of this number with vegetation and landscape type was not mentioned. Therefore, the pasture lands capacity and livestock density analysis within selected models will be necessary step of de-veloping current information system.

Correlation between good pastures and livestock density Table 6.12 Somons name

Mountain steppe and meadow (ha)

Amount of livestock

Livestock density

Zuunhangai 43000 ha 113600 head 2.65 animal per ha Omnogobi 8525 ha 135600 head 16 animal per ha

6.4 Conclusion

In current Chapter for system implementation and testing purpose the way of illustration some compo-nents has been selected. The vegetation change analysis was done. The full theoretical description of models on pasture lands capacity analysis and livestock density has been presented. The requirements of information system development cost are discussed. This should be taken into account for future system implementation. The database has been implemented on Microsoft Access; the result and query analysis is demon-strated respectively. The presentation of result on vegetation changes analysis showed, that areas of Omnogobi and Zuun-hanagai sub provinces has been computed as changed, e.g. decreased and increased. The main com-parison was between 2 vegetation types maps. One of them was derived from Mongolian National At-las, year of composition is 1991 and NOAA AVHRR classified raster map of NDVI differences in years 1997 and 1998. The classified image showed difference of precipitation between these 2 years. The landscape map used in cross-matrix operation within 2 vegetation classes maps was derived from Mongolian National Atlas. The performed analysis illuminates some vegetation and landscape classes, which were changed. For final result, comparison of results of modeling and scientific literature review has been made. The comparison indicated, that those areas are under high risk of degradation, due to their ecosystem state. The ecosystem assessment has been made by Mongolian and Russian botanists showed that selected ecosystem condition is ranging from very weak to very strong altered state. Results received from vegetation change analysis showed, that some areas has been computed as have been changed, therefore, the other models of pasture lands capacity analysis and livestock density analysis is needed to be executed, to make more clear picture of real situation in the current area.



CHAPTER 7 CONCLUSION

The main objective of current research was to design a information system for land degradation as-sessment. The information system design steps begin from analysis of requirements in system design. It is fol-lows several steps from the problem structuring to system implementation and testing phase. Literature review was carried out to understand the concepts in system design and to get some insight into the problems related to land degradation. Main identified rural problem under concern is land deg-radation in pasture areas. Scientific literature and information of World Wide Web (WWW) showed that the current problem has many different dimensions and aspects. The main feature of current problem is on nature of Mon-golian economy as a country with extensive livestock production. The 3 main indicators of land deg-radation has been proposed: • Changes in vegetation cover; • Changes in composition of top soil and • Changes in topography. Changes in vegetation cover in relation to grazing environment has been suggested as a core indicator of desertification and degradation processes from the literature review and is thus selected as the main indicator of land degradation in our case. Rural problems are usually fussy, ill structured and undefined. Therefore, the Soft System Methodol-ogy (SSM) was used for problem structuring in this case. Rich picture (Problem tree) in Usage world (Figure 3.5) and Top Level Diagram (Figure 3.6) have pre-sented the three main indicators identified from literature review. The main causes and impacts were classified into 3 groups: socio-economic, institutional and environmental. The identified indicators have been presented as the components of land degradation problem. Language analysis of different terminology related to land degradation problem, on geography, botany and specific Mongolian words, used in current research is helped to illustrate different dimensions of the problem and to understand concepts of the current problem. The main sub systems, e.g. vegetation change analysis sub system, changes in soil and topography were presented accordingly from the results of the problem structuring. The system strategy and planning phase selected vegetation change analysis system as a main system have to be developed in further. The information system requirements and information analysis in terms of potential users’ requirements has been analyzed.



The other steps of the system design and implementation phase were on database design and imple-mentation of environmental model. The main output of the proposed system were vegetation change analysis, livestock density analysis and pasture lands capacity analysis maps, out of which only vege-tation change analysis has been executed, due to time constrains and lack of the relevant information. The final result showing computed difference within 2 sub provinces of Zuunhangai and Omnogobi were compared with findings from literature review on the ecosystem state conditions in western Mongolia. However, to make final conclusion on that matter, the implementation of other models on livestock density and pasture lands capacity analysis will have to be available which is not the case in this study. The main requirements for information system design have been identified and applicable indicator selected in line with the research objective. The possible recommendation for particular case can be made from results on vegetation change analysis. Pasture environments in arid and semi-arid ecosystems are vulnerable to changes in vegeta-tion cover. The Remote sensing techniques can be used for short and long-term monitoring purposes. Information system which can collect, process and analyze different information sources as demon-strated in the study, could be of assistance. The current research showed many existing different as-pects and dimensions of current problem. However, the used information was not enough to make a definite conclusion and recommendation. Therefore, it would be of advantage, if other models can be implemented and other sub systems are designed. It is therefore recommended, that the models on livestock density analysis and the pasture lands capacity analysis be executed, so that the results from them can be used along with the results of this study to enable making a better conclusion. The full design of land degradation information system will be in implementation of 2 other sub sys-tems, such as analysis of changes on topography and analysis of changes in soil systems.



APPENDIX 1.

Structure of Mongolian Ministry of Nature and Environment

PRIMEMINISTER

STATESECRETARY AGENCY

VICEMINISTER

ADMINISTRATIVEMANAGMENT DEPARTMENT

STRATEGY PLANNING,MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT

FINANCIAL & LOGISTICMANAGEMENT DIVISION

INFORMATION, MONITORINGAND EVALUATION

DEPARTMENT

POLICY COORDINATIONDEPARTMENT

PROTECTED AREASMANAGEMENT

DIVISION

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIONDISIVION & PROJECT TEAM

ENVIRONMENTALPROTECTION AGENCY

GOVERNMENT REGULARITYAGENCY

NATIONAL AGENCY OFMETEREOLOGY,

HYDROLOGY ANDENVIRONMENTAL

MONITORING

GOVERNMENTIMPLEMENTATION AGENCY

LAND MANAGEMENTAUTHORITY

GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTINGAGENCY



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