Monitoring the Growing Environment of Wild Licorice with Analysis of Satellite Data at a Semi-arid Area in Mongolia

Wild licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) is an important medicinal plant. It is grown in Asia, most notably in semi-arid regions of China and Mongolia. Recently, overharvesting of wild licorice has caused land deterioration and/or desertification, and some countries have begun restricting the harvesting of wild licorice. The objective of this study is to research areas within semi-arid regions where wild licorice grows, both over the period of a year, and over several years, through satellite data. The study also seeks to investigate characteristics of the growing environment, such as soil temperature and water content. Monitoring results indicate that soil surface conditions were severe. However, a constant temperature is maintained in the deeper layer below 70 cm during winter months, and the layer below 30 cm has adequate water content to permit plant survival in summer. MODIS (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data were used to calculate seasonal variation in EVI (Enhanced Vegetation Index) in 2011. This clearly indicated differences between vegetated and non-vegetated areas. No vegetation index was obtained for the winter season, but some plants were able to grow in specific areas during summer months. MODIS satellite data from 2000 to 2013 were used to analyze the water resources in the area. Results showed that the extent of Lake Orog (near the licorice habitat area) declined, and that the lake suffered water shortages on several occasions over the last eight years. These results will contribute to recovery of wild licorice in semi-arid regions, also indicating potential areas of growth for wild licorice.