Geographia Polonica (1986) vol. 52
Granite hillslope morphology and present-day processes in semi-arid zone of Mongolia
Geographia Polonica (1986) vol. 52, pp. 125-134 | 
Full text
Abstract
The Middle-Khalkhasian Upland which exists on the southern foreland of theKhentei in Mongolia separates these mountains from the Gobi Plain. Even if thisplateau is actually riverless the landscape is characterized by a net of broad andlong valleys. Period of valley formation is correlated with the Pleistocene when thearea was modelled by large permanent rivers flowing from the North to the Southunder humid and severe climatic regime. Soil covers on slopes contain features ofthe ancient humid climate as well as of dry continental climate (Kowalkowski andLomborinchen 1975). They indicate very advanced slope evolution and infilling oftectonic undrained depressions of this technically active region in the Holocene.Discontinuous permafrost which exists at present was also responsible for theHolocene morphogenesis.
The programme of field works was concerned mainly with the manner of slopedevelopment after the phase of Pleistocene pluvio-fluvial erosion and contemporaneousgeomorphic processes. Periglacial slopes located in higher elevations were excludedfrom this study as they have been analysed separately (Kotarba 1980).
[kotarba@zg.pan.krakow.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Św. Jana 22, 31-018 Kraków, Poland