China

Dalai Lake Biosphere Reserve, in the far north-eastern part of China, covers grassland ecosystems and wetlands which are considered as internationally important for migratory birds under the Ramsar Wetland Convention. Many rare species are distributed in the biosphere reserve, for example the Mongolian gazelle Procapra gutturosa and the bird Otis tarda. The typical steppe ecosystem is dominated by species such as Stipa grandis and Aneurolepidium chinense. However, this area is relatively fragile due to its thin soil layer and low precipitation (less than 350 mm per year). The main problems arise from overgrazing, overfishing and increasing eutrophication of the lakes.

The lakes in the biosphere reserve supply water to some 300,000 people and 2.5 million animals (2002) and the steppe ecosystem provides an important herding base. The human population is about 11,380 people in the biosphere reserve, among which 50% distributed along the edges of the area (2002). This region is thought to be one of the places where traditional Mongolian culture originated. Ten different nationalities can be found here, i.e. Mongolia, Man, Dawuer and Ewenke. Tourism plays an increasing role in the local economy. Dalai Lake Biosphere Reserve offers ideal sites for and research on wetland ecosystems and bird migration, cooperating with Mongolia and Russia.