The Eastern Gobi desert steppe is a deserts and xeric shrublands ecoregion in Mongolia and northern China. It is the easternmost of the ecoregions that make up the larger Gobi Desert. It lies between the more humid Mongolian–Manchurian grassland on the north, east, and southeast, and the drier Alashan Plateau semi-desert to the west.
Fauna
Large mammals in the ecoregion include the Mongolian wild ass (Equus hemionus hemionus), Mongolian saiga antelope (Saiga tartarica mongolica), Yarkand gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa), and marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna). Several species of jerboas (family Dipodidae) are found in sandy areas. Jerboas are small mammals with long hindlegs and tails, adapted to burrowing and able to jump up to three meters. Native jerboa species include the long-eared jerboa (Euchoreutus naso), Kozlov's pygmy jerboa (Salpingotus kozlovi), Mongolian jerboa (Stylodipus andewsi), and Gobi jerboa (Allactaga bullata).
Native birds include the lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus), cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus), MacQueen's bustard (Chlamydotis macqueenii), chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar), Pallas's sandgrouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus), Mongolian ground jay (Podoces hendersoni), greater sand plover (Charadrius leschenaultii), and Mongolian finch (Bucanetes mongolicus).
Human use
The vast desert is crisscrossed by several trade routes, some of which have been in use for thousands of years. Among the most important are those from Kalgan (at the Great Wall) to Ulaanbaatar (); from Jiuquan (in Gansu) to Hami ; from Hami to Beijing (); from Hohhot to Hami and Barkul; and from Lanzhou (in Gansu) to Hami. Protected areas include Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, Wuliangsuhainiaolei Protected Area, Ergeliin Zoo Nature Reserve, Ikh Nartiin Chuluu Nature Reserve, Zagiin us Nature Reserve, Gobiin baga Strictly Protected Area, Ongon Tavan bulag Nature Reserve, Delgerkhangai mountain Nature Reserve, and Burdene bulag Nature Reserve.