Livestock grazing is an important part for the livelihood of a large part of the world’s population. While in some areas of the world water accessibility is often taken for granted, in arid regions this can be a limited resource. The central Asian country of Mongolia is one of the countries that sees excessive livestock grazing in an arid region. Nomadic pastoralism is widespread to ensure access to fresh water sources as well as pastures. These movement patterns are under ongoing research, but so far, the impact of water accessibility on these movement patterns has not been investigated. Specifically in the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area, pastoralists rely on water obtained from a variety of sources like lakes, rivers, and wells. I analysed camp usage and the availability of water for pastoralists to uncover current movement patterns and how these are influenced by water. I want to gain insight on how the distance to the closest water source influences camp usage and how this changes with seasonality and the size of the herd. For this I conducted Kruskal-Wallis and two-sided Pearson tests respectively. A potential overlap between wildlife and livestock was investigated since this might be a potential conflict and further leading to the spread of diseases. Furthermore, I modelled precipitation and temperature until the year 2050 to spot a potential redistribution of water in an already arid region. There was no correlation found between the seasons nor herd size and the distance to the closest and second closest water source. In my analysis, the overlap between wildlife and livestock was found only to a minor extend. Precipitation and temperature in the region were found to change only to a marginal degree from 2023 to 2050. Due to this, I identified the most important water sources and camps based on the analysisof the current data.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(経済学) / 甲第24825号 / 経博第672号 / 新制||経||304(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院経済学研究科経済学専攻 / (主査)教授 矢野, 剛, 教授 西山, 慶彦, 教授 諸富, 徹 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Economics / Kyoto University / DFAM

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Approved for public release; distribution in unlimited. / Since the collapse of the Communist bloc, Mongolia has pursued the independent foreign policy with balanced relations attached to the two great neighbors - Russia and China. Meanwhile, the search for a "third neighbor" (the United States, Japan and/or the collective community of democracies) has been seen as the alternative approach to the existing "neighbor-oriented" policy. The thesis argues that both approaches are not mutually exclusive schools of foreign policy, but rather constitute the common approach that is described within this research as "bufferism." To present an alternative vision of the nation's foreign policy orientation, the thesis covers the major schools of international relations and identifies the two major causes of policy: identity (based on constructivism) and interest (based on realism). As a nation, Mongolia faces the identity trilemma and the security dilemma, without much preference given to any of these options during the last decade. Hence appears the nation's ambiguity in identity, security and economic development. The thesis puts the argument that without prioritizing one option, Mongolia faces the risk of degrading into a failing state isolated from the global affairs. Thus, the reconciliation of its identity and interest, as well as of its aspirations must lead to a rational choice of a Sino-centric East Asian policy dimension over any other. / Civilian, Mongolian Ministry of Defense

This thesis deals with selected forms of the Manchu court influence on the relations of Khalkha and Inner Mongolia, eventually Northern China. It describes mainly the influences in the field of Buddhism (sir-a-yin šasin). It underlines the development of cultural-religious relations, phenomenon of pilgrimages, particularly the pilgrimages to Wutaishan, but the main topic is the role of Dolonnuur monastery and Dolonnuur municipality in the religious relations between Khalkha, Inner Mongolia and the Manchu court. Author points out, how the transitional period of these relations is reflected in the stories of Dolonnuur monks and in the increasing importance of Dolonnuur as a center of Chinese trade. This analysis is based on the local archive sources unpublished so far, especially the correspondence diaries of Dolonnuur monastery administrative bureau.

Thesis: Ph. D. in Geochemistry, Joint Program in Marine Geology and Geophysics (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences; and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), 2016. / "February 2016." Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references. / Fractional crystallization of mantle-derived basaltic melts is a critical process in producing a compositionally stratified continental crust characterized by a silicic upper crust and a mafic lower crust. This thesis explores outstanding questions associated with fractional crystallization through detailed field, petrological, and geochemical studies of the Dariv Igneous Complex in Western Mongolia. The Dariv Igneous Complex records the crystallization of a high-K primitive arc melt at shallow crustal levels, preserving both biotite-bearing ultramafic and mafic cumulates, as well as liquid-like evolved plutonics, such as (quartz-)monzonites. Chapter 2 presents comprehensive field and petrographic descriptions of the complex and establishes the petrogenetic groundwork to understand the conditions under which it formed. Results of this study indicate that the observed lithologies formed through the fractional crystallization of a high-K hydrous basalt, typical of alkali-rich basalts found in subduction zone settings, at 0.2-0.5 GPa and elevated oxygen fugacities. Chapter 3 presents a quantitatively modeled liquid line of descent (LLD) for the complex based on whole rock geochemical analyses, which is able to explain the trends observed in the monzonitic plutonic series observed in continental arcs. The oxygen isotope trajectory of fractionally crystallizing melts is rigorously constrained through modeling and mineral analyses in Chapter 4. This study indicates that large (1 to 1.8%o) increases in [delta]18O as a melt evolves from basaltic to granitic in composition due to the fractionation of low [delta]18O minerals. As such, the majority of [delta]180 values of upper crustal silicic plutonics can be explained through fractional crystallization of primitive arc basalts alone without needing to invoke assimilation of high [delta]18O crustal material. Finally, Chapter 5 explores the timescales associated with fractional crystallization through high precision U-Pb geochronology of zircon from the Dariv Igneous Complex. Evolution from a basaltic melt to a silica-rich monzonitic melt in the Dariv Igneous Complex occurred in <300 ka. If rates of fractional crystallization are primarily a function of cooling, this study provides an end-member constraint for fractional crystallization of a basaltic melt at relatively cool, shallow crustal levels. Together, these studies advance our understanding of the compositional, isotopic, and temporal variations associated with the formation of the continental crust. / by Claire Elizabeth Bucholz. / Ph. D. in Geochemistry

Water resources in the semi-arid to arid areas of Central Asia are often limited by low precipitation, and hence vulnerable to impacts of global change, i.e. socio-economic development and climate change. Both, socio-economic development and climate change are very likely causing significant changes as water resources are affected by two main effects: Firstly, growing population and industrial activities in the region raise the pressure on water resources due to increasing water abstractions. Secondly, air temperature in the region has been rising in the past far above global average and it is expected to increase further, which will lead to changes in runoff generation and therefore water availability. Increasing temperature as well as increasing water abstractions will affect water quantity and consequently water quality as a result of higher pollution intake or reduction in dilution capacity. Thus, it is of crucial importance to analyse and assess the state of current and future water resources to implement sustainable water management as the above mentioned effects very likely causing significant changes of water resources. Within the last years, the number of scientific research studies using large-scale models to simulate water availability and water use has increased substantially. Several new datasets from earth observations and new or improved models have been published (Werth et al. 2009; Werth and Güntner 2010; van Beek et al. 2011). Nevertheless, those studies focussed on water quantity and did not take into account impacts on water quality induced by global change although changes in water quality affecting aquatic ecosystems and species. Furthermore, spatially explicit large-scale modelling studies have not been carried out for Mongolia and Central Asia to get a comprehensive overview and assessment. To address this research gap, the large-scale water resource modelling framework WaterGAP 3 was applied to Central Asia with a focus on Mongolia to simulate impacts on current and future water resources. WaterGAP 3 consists of hydrology, water use and water quality sub-models in order to simulate current and future water quantity and quality.

La Mongolie occidentale a connu une sismicité intracontinentale exceptionnelle au cours de la première moitié du XXe siècle, avec 4 évènements sismiques d'une magnitude supérieure à 7.9, localisés sur des grandes structures décrochantes en régime transpressif senestre. Cette sismicité historique a été qualifiée d’essaim sismique, et des études paléosismologiques indiquent que ce phénomène a déjà pu se produire par le passé (3 à 4 ka). Mais si la partie est de la chaine du Gobi-Altaï a rompu lors du séisme du même nom en 1957 (Mw8) le long de la faille de Bogd orientale (WBF), plusieurs traces de failles affectant des formations Holocènes et présentant des longueurs > 100 km ont été documentées dans la partie ouest du massif, sans pour autant faire l’objet d’études quantitatives.Cette thèse apporte un état des lieux de l’activité sismique dans le Gobi-Altaï, au travers d’une cartographie détaillée des escarpements de failles actives au cours du pléistocène supérieur, associée à une analyse de la segmentation au regard de critères géométriques et cinématiques. Parallèlement, des investigations morphotectoniques et paléosismologiques, couplées à des méthodes de datations au 10Be in situ, OSL et 14C, ont permis de quantifier les vitesses de glissement depuis le Pléistocène supérieur, et les âges des paléo-ruptures au cours de l’Holocène sur les deux principaux décrochements analysés : les failles de la Vallée des Lacs (VOLF), et de Bogd occidentale (WBF) ; des données préliminaires permettent également de contraindre l’âge de la dernière rupture et la vitesse de glissement sur les failles de Tsogt (TF) et de Tsagaan Gol (TGF), situées respectivement dans le prolongement occidental de la WBF et de la VOLF. De plus, des mesures systématiques des décalages cosismiques horizontaux enregistrés par la morphologie, notamment le long de la rupture de surface du séisme de 1957, couplés à l’utilisation et le développement d’une approche statistique de détermination des glissements cosismiques moyens au regard de la segmentation, a permis de déterminer la fonction de distribution du glissement le long de l’EBF sur 3 cycles sismiques, suggérant d’une part une distribution du glissement assez homogène le long de la rupture, et d’autre part que le glissement du séisme généré en 1957 est d’une amplitude comparable de celle des précédents séismes, pour au moins 50 % de la rupture principale. Cette approche de détermination statistique des glissements moyens sur plusieurs cycles sismiques est prometteuse mais présente néanmoins certaines incohérences, et des voies de développement et de validations sont proposées.Les paramètres morphotectoniques et les âges des paléoséismes documentés dans cette thèse présentent une grande cohérence avec les données précédemment acquises sur l’EBF, avec des vitesses de faille lentes (0,7 ± 0,2 mm.a-1 sur la WBF et 0,5 ± 0,1 mm.a-1 sur la VOLF), des périodes de retour longues (4,0 ± 1,2 ka pour la WBF), et des décalages cosismiques relativement importants (2 – 4 m). Nos mesures de vitesses de faille indiquent par ailleurs une distribution de la déformation depuis la EBF vers les WBF et VOLF, séparant la déformation en deux faisceaux de failles, l’un se branchant au nord depuis la VOLF sur la TGF. Les déterminations des âges de paléoséismes indiquent une possibilité de cluster entre les différentes failles étudiées, avec trois ruptures potentiellement synchrones au cours de l’Holocène, dont une, rompant l’intégralité des décrochements analysés (WBF, EBF et VOLF), s’avère être temporellement corrélée au précédent cluster potentiellement identifié à 3 – 4 ka. Les paramètres présentés dans cette thèse permettent finalement de calculer des paléomagnitudes associées aux deniers évènements sur les WBF et VOLF, comprises entre Mw7,6 et Mw8 selon les paramètres et les lois considérés. Ces données fondamentales pourront servir de canevas de base pour les actuelles études d’aléas sismique en Mongolie. / Western Mongolia experienced an exceptional intracontinental seismic activity during the first part of the XXth century, with four seismic events with Mw > 7.9, located on large strike-slip faults with a transpressive left-lateral motion. This historical seismicity has been qualified as a cluster, and paleoseismological studies indicate that this phenomenon might have occurred 3 to 4 ka ago. Although the eastern part of the Gobi-Altai mountain range broke during the eponymous earthquake in 1957 (Mw8) along the Eastern Bogd Fault (EBF), several fault traces affecting Holocene formations and presenting continuous fault length > 100 km have been documented on the western part of the range, while not been the purpose of quantitative studies.This thesis first gives an inventory of the seismic activity within the Gobi-Altai, through detailed mapping of the fault scarps which show activity during the late-Pleistocene, also with an analyze of the fault segmentation regarding to geometric and kinematic criteria. Secondly, some morphotectonical and paleoseismological surveys have been carried on, along with dating techniques as 10Be in situ, OSL and radiocarbon, which allow quantifying the faults slip-rates since late-Pleistocene, and paleo-ruptures ages during the Holocene period on the two main strike slip faults analyzed : the Valley of Lakes Fault (VOLF), and the Western Bogd Fault (WBF); preliminary data also allow quantifying the slip rates and the age of the most recent event along the Tsogt Fault (TF) and the Tsagaan Gol fault (TGF), respectively located in the westward continuation of the WBF and the VOLF. Moreover, systematic lateral offset measurements have been carried on along the faults traces, and especially along the 1957 surface rupture, where a statistical approach based on probability density has been applied in order to assess the average lateral offsets successively recorded by the landforms, and reveals that the slip distribution along the EBF on 3 seismic cycles. This suggests first that the slip distributions rather even along the rupture, and secondly that the slip related to the 1957 earthquake is of the same amount than previous major ruptures on that fault, for half of the main 1957 surface rupture. This approach of average coseismic slip assessment on several seismic cycles is promising, but still presents some inconsistencies, and we propose developments and validation perspectives.Morphotectonic parameters and ages of paleo-earthquakes reported in this thesis present a strong consistency with former studies along the EBF, with slow slip-rates (0,7 ± 0,2 mm.yr-1 on the WBF and 0,5 ± 0,1 mm.yr-1 on the VOLF), and significant left lateral coseismic offsets (2 – 4 m). Our measurements of slip rates indicate furthermore a distribution of the on-fault deformation from the EBF to the WBF and the VOLF, splitting the deformation in two branches, the north one reaching the TGF and the southern one visibly branches on the TF. Assessments of the paleoearthquakes ages show three possible clusters between the studied faults during the Holocene time, and one of them may break the three faults (WBF, EBF and VOLF), and seems as well to correspond to the cluster possibly identified 3-4 kyr ago. The fault parameters presented in this thesis allow computing the paleomagnitudes related to last seismic events along the WBF and the VOLF, ranging from Mw7.6 and Mw8, depending of parameters and empirical relations considered. Finally those fundamental data may serve as basic pattern for current seismic hazard assessments in Mongolia.

L'objectif de la thèse concerne l'analyse du système matières organiques (carbone)-uranium-sulfure qui contrôle la formation du gisement d'uranium de type de roll-front au Zoovch Ovoo (Mongolie). La formation Cénomanienne du Sainshand est constituée de sédiments continentaux silicoclastiques déposés dans des milieux fluvio-lacustres. Le système global est en début de diagénèse et n'a pas été affecté par un enfouissement significatif, estimé à moins de 600 m pour une température maximale de 40°C. Le réservoir se caractérise par des sables non consolidés et des argiles silteuses. Parfois, certains lits de grès d’épaisseur décimétriques sont cimentés par des carbonates et disposés au sein de faciès silicoclastiques non consolidés. L’étude systématique des grès à ciment carbonaté a révélé la présence exclusive de dolomite. Quatre types de dolomite différents ont été reconnus. Tous ont été formés par des eaux d'origine météorique et présentent des caractéristiques isotopiques (C, O) semblables. Ils sont génétiquement liés les uns aux autres, avec de possibles épisodes de recristallisation impliquant une réincorporation progressivement moindre des éléments en traces comme les terres rares et le manganèse. Le premier type de dolomite est contrôlé par les conditions de sédimentation, tandis que les trois suivants sont contrôlés par diagenèse. Le troisième type de dolomite n'a été trouvé que dans des échantillons ayant été affectés par le roll-front alors que le quatrième est postérieur aux porteurs d'uranium. La matière organique détritique est très abondante et joue un rôle majeur dans le piégeage de l’uranium aux côtés de la pyrite. L'étude en pétrographie organique a montré que toute est d'origine végétale supérieure et immature, comme l'ont montré les mesures de réflectance de la vitrinite (<0,4%). Elle est exclusivement présente sous forme de particules détritiques et sa distribution est donc régie par l’évolution des conditions de dépôt sédimentaires. Huit générations de pyrite ont été identifiées sur la base textures et des associations minérales, avec trois types majeurs : les pyrites framboidales en sphérolites isolés, les surcroissances automorphes, et les pyrites de remplacement (épigénie). L'étude isotopique du δ34S de la pyrite a montré qu’une grande parties des pyrites s‘est formée par bio-réduction des sulfates. Les porteurs de l’uranium sont la pechblende et dans une moindre mesure la phospho-coffinite. La pechblende cimente et remplace la matière organique mais aussi les pyrites automorphes corrodées ce qui indique que l’enrichissement ou l’introduction massive de l’uranium s’est produit assez tardivement. La matière organique a piégé l’uranium de manière diffuse à des fortes concentrations, sous une forme minéralogique non accessible au MEB. Il peut s’agir de nanophases de pechblende de taille inférieure à la centaine de nanomètres. Pour expliquer ces concentrations, une préconcentration ne peut pas être totalement exclue ou un processus de diffusion piégeage lors du stade de minéralisation. La considération de l’ensemble des données indique que l’aquifère principal a été le siège probable d’activité microbienne subcontinue, qui est attestée par la formation à différentes stades de l’histoire du bassin de pyrites dont les caractéristiques isotopiques indiquent des processus complexes de fractionnement. La présence de matière organique en quantité significative et des pyrites peut expliquer l’efficacité du piège redox pour la réduction de l’uranium. Le modèle métallogénique présenté est celui d’un système mixte où un processus de type roll-front lié aux caractéristiques sédimentologiques de cette zone se superpose à un piège redox particulier dont la chimie C-S-U est assistée par les bactéries. / The objective of the PhD thesis concerns the analysis of the processes governing the carbon-uranium-sulfide system in the aquifers of the roll-front type Zoovch Ovoo uranium-deposit (Mongolia). The Cenomanian Sainshand Formation hosting the ore deposit contains reservoirs made of silicoclastic sediments deposited in fluvio-lacustrine settings mostly characterized by unconsolidated silty clays and sands ranging from arenite to sub-arkose. Occasionally some decimetres thick sandstone beds are dolomite cemented. Four different dolomite fabrics are recognized and classified according to their crystal boundaries and geochemistry. Isotopic analysis indicates that they were formed from meteoric waters with the carbon source being probably the detrital material itself issued from basement rock erosion. Dolomites are genetically related to each other with possible recrystallization episodes that are indicated by gradual depletion in REE and Mn. The first dolomite type was depositionally controlled, while the next three parageneses are diagenetic. The third dolomite type is found only in samples that have experienced roll-front waters, whereas the fourth post-dates uranium formation. As a result the dolomite cements paragenetic evolution is used as reference to document the whole burial history of the deposit. Organic matter particles, pyrite and uranium are very intimately related. Organic matter present in clay, silt and sand is always represented by poorly preserved detrital elements of higher plant origin and is very immature (peat stage; vitrinite reflectance <0.4%). At the scale of the sedimentary particles, organic matter complexes U(VI). However, despite a systematic association to UO2, it cannot be considered as directly involved in the reduction mechanism of uranium because of the low burial temperatures (max 50°C) and hence very limited diagenesis. Nevertheless, the investigation reveals that organic matter is the most important element in the U trapping process. Indeed, it acts as a substrate sustaining and focusing bacterial activity into specific sedimentary layers. In turn the microbial communities catalyze the reduction of sulfur, iron and especially uranium leading to two major consequences: 1) the precipitation of UO2 onto organic matter particles and 2) the formation of pyrite which acts as an additional reducer for U(VI). It appears that the uranium ore deposit at Zoovch Ovoo is primarily controlled by the distribution of the detrital organic matter in the sedimentary system as well as by the permeability network allowing the input of S, U and micro-organisms. The rather shallow aquifers probably underwent a nearly continuous bacterial activity which is responsible of many chemical features and processes controlling the U and sulfide precipitation. However, main uranium deposition events occur since the beginning of exhumation when enhanced fluid movement sustains roll-front activity. The latter displaces and combines the ingredients of the biochemical trap, allowing progressive enrichment in uranium through time.