Maira Kussainova

Scopus Publications

Historical grazing intensity determines the response patterns of plant community and soil nutrient stocks to grazing exclusion in a temperate meadow steppe
Haonan Guo, Xiaoping Xin, Jiquan Chen, Phil J. Murray, Maira Kussainova, et al.
Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment, 2026
Leveraging sUAS-Sentinel-2 synergy for cross-scale mapping of canopy cover and aboveground biomass across Mongolia and Kazakhstan
Venkatesh Kolluru, Ranjeet John, Jiquan Chen, Geoffrey M. Henebry, Jingfeng Xiao, et al.
Remote Sensing of Environment, 2026
Influence of Geographical Locations on Drinking Water Quality in Rural Pavlodar Region, Kazakhstan
Raikhan Beisenova, Jiquan Chen, Maira Kussainova, Kamshat Tussupova, Rumiya Tazitdinova, et al.
Water Switzerland, 2025
Drinking water quality in rural areas is impacted by industrial and agricultural runoff, water treatment infrastructure, and household economic conditions. This study explores the relationship between drinking water quality, water sources, and land cover types in northeastern Kazakhstan. The Water Quality Index (WQI) was calculated for each household and village using the Horton Equation. Land cover was mapped using Sentinel-2 Level-2A imagery. Statistical differences among villages were analyzed through one-way ANOVA and t-tests. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) was built using Maximum Likelihood estimators, with significance set at p < 0.05. Significant variations in manganese, hydrocarbonates, and chlorides were observed based on the distance from the Irtysh River and water sources. Grasslands had the greatest influence on water parameters (−14.89), followed by croplands (5.96), urban lands (2.15), and other land types (2), with forests having the least effect. Biological indicators, such as Actinomycetes sp., were significantly correlated with forests (2.32) and other land cover types. Grasslands reduce mineral content in groundwater, while croplands and forests contribute to mineral enrichment, particularly nitrates from croplands. Urban areas increase chemical loads in groundwater, and manganese levels decrease with distance from the Irtysh River. Chlorides and hydrocarbonates are highest near the river. Rural water treatment infrastructure should be improved, stricter pollution controls should be enforced, and sustainable land use practices should be promoted to reduce agricultural and urban runoff. Additionally, economic incentives for household filtration, regular water quality monitoring, and a coordinated watershed management approach can enhance long-term water security.
A Geospatial Livestock-Carrying Capacity Model (GLCC) in the Akmola Oblast, Kazakhstan
Jiaguo Qi, Zihan Lin, Mark A. Weltz, Kenneth E. Spaeth, Gulnaz Iskakova, et al.
Remote Sensing, 2025
Spatial disparities in rangeland conditions across Kazakhstan complicate field-based assessments of livestock-carrying capacity (LCC), a critical metric for the country’s food security and economic planning. This study developed a geospatial livestock-carrying capacity (GLCC) modeling framework to quantify LCC spatio-temporal dynamics at the Oblast level, by integrating satellite-derived data on vegetation, water resources, and terrain with in situ measurements. By providing ground-truth observations and contextual detail, field-based measurements complement remote sensing data and help to validate estimates and improve the reliability of the GLCC model. The modeling framework was successfully applied and validated in a case study in the Akmola Oblast, Kazakhstan, to specifically map the spatial and temporal distributions of LCC, using publicly available MODIS NPP data and in situ data from 51 field sites. The modeling results showed distinct spatial patterns of LCC across the Oblast, reflecting variability in rangeland productivity with higher values concentrated in southern and southeastern regions (up to 0.5 animals/ha). The results also depicted significant interannual LCC fluctuations (ranging from 0.099 to 0.17 animals/ha) possibly due to rainfall variability, and thus an indicator of climate-related risks for livestock management. Although there is still room for further improvement, particularly in model parameterization to account for grazing pressures, forage quality, and livestock species, the GLCC modeling framework represents a simple modeling tool to map livestock-carrying capacity, a more meaningful indicator to rangeland managers. Further, this work underscores the value of integrating remote sensing with field-based observations to support data-driven rangeland management planning and resilient investment strategies.
Rangeland Resource Assessment in the Aqmola Region of Kazakhstan
Kenneth E. Spaeth, Mark A. Weltz, Jason Nesbit, Jiaguo Qi, William A. Rutherford, et al.
Rangeland Ecology and Management, 2025
Dominant role of grazing and snow cover variability on vegetation shifts in the drylands of Kazakhstan
Venkatesh Kolluru, Ranjeet John, Jiquan Chen, Preethi Konkathi, Srinivas Kolluru, et al.
Communications Earth and Environment, 2024
Quantifying key vegetation parameters from Sentinel-3 and MODIS over the eastern Eurasian steppe with a Bayesian geostatistical model
Zhenwang Li, Lei Ding, Beibei Shen, Jiquan Chen, Dawei Xu, et al.
Science of the Total Environment, 2024
Water loss through evapotranspiration after precipitation events in bioenergy crops grown in similar climatic conditions
Kevin Postma, Siddhesh Mane, Meicheng Shen, Maira Kussainova, Raikhan Beisenova, et al.
Frontiers in Environmental Science, 2024
The relationship between precipitation and evapotranspiration (ET) is critical to understanding water cycle related dynamics in ecosystems, including crops. Existing studies of bioenergy crops have primarily focused on annual or seasonal ET rates, with less attention given to the immediate ET response following precipitation events. This study examines the variation in ET rates in the days subsequent to precipitation events across various bioenergy crops—corn, switchgrass, and prairies—utilizing 13 years (2010–2022) of growing season data. Meteorological and eddy covariance flux data were collected from seven eddy covariance flux towers as part of the GLBRC scale-up experiment at the Kellogg Biological Station Long Term Ecological Research sites. The analysis revealed that average ET peaked the day after precipitation and declined linearly over the following days, with a statistically significant relationship (p-value = 0.00027, R2 = 0.96). Neither the type of biofuel vegetation nor the historical land use significantly influenced ET post-precipitation events (p-values = 0.53 and 0.153, respectively). Key predictors of ET following precipitation events include shortwave radiation, season, day of the year, ambient temperature, vapor pressure deficit (VPD), long-wave radiation, precipitation amount, soil moisture, and annual variability. These findings enhance our comprehension of ET responses in bioenergy crop systems, with implications for water management in sustainable agriculture.
Influence of time conditions on the soil temperature indicators in Kazakhstan
Caspian Journal of Environmental Sciences, 2023
Gridded livestock density database and spatial trends for Kazakhstan
Venkatesh Kolluru, Ranjeet John, Sakshi Saraf, Jiquan Chen, Brett Hankerson, et al.
Scientific Data, 2023
Livestock rearing is a major source of livelihood for food and income in dryland Asia. Increasing livestock density (LSKD) affects ecosystem structure and function, amplifies the effects of climate change, and facilitates disease transmission. Significant knowledge and data gaps regarding their density, spatial distribution, and changes over time exist but have not been explored beyond the county level. This is especially true regarding the unavailability of high-resolution gridded livestock data. Hence, we developed a gridded LSKD database of horses and small ruminants (i.e., sheep & goats) at high-resolution (1 km) for Kazakhstan (KZ) from 2000–2019 using vegetation proxies, climatic, socioeconomic, topographic, and proximity forcing variables through a random forest (RF) regression modeling. We found high-density livestock hotspots in the south-central and southeastern regions, whereas medium-density clusters in the northern and northwestern regions of KZ. Interestingly, population density, proximity to settlements, nighttime lights, and temperature contributed to the efficient downscaling of district-level censuses to gridded estimates. This database will benefit stakeholders, the research community, land managers, and policymakers at regional and national levels.
Effects of different fertilization practices on CH4 and N2O emissions in various crop cultivation systems: A case study in Kazakhstan
Maira KUSSAİNOVA, Maxat TOİSHİMANOV, Gulnaz ISKAKOVA, Nursultan NURGALİ, Jiquan CHEN
Eurasian Journal of Soil Science, 2023
Comparative Verification of Leaf Area Index Products for Different Grassland Types in Inner Mongolia, China
Beibei Shen, Jingpeng Guo, Zhenwang Li, Jiquan Chen, Wei Fang, et al.
Remote Sensing, 2023
Grazing-induced cattle behaviour modulates the secondary production in a Eurasian steppe ecosystem
Lulu Hou, Xiaoping Xin, Haixia Sun, Yi Tao, Jiquan Chen, et al.
Science of the Total Environment, 2023
Effects of Long-Term Grazing on Feed Intake and Digestibility of Cattle in Meadow Steppe
Lulu Hou, Xiaoping Xin, Beibei Shen, Qi Qin, Ahmed Ibrahim Ahmed Altome, et al.
Agronomy, 2023
Optimal ranges of social-environmental drivers and their impacts on vegetation dynamics in Kazakhstan
Kolluru Venkatesh, Ranjeet John, Jiquan Chen, Jingfeng Xiao, Reza Goljani Amirkhiz, et al.
Science of the Total Environment, 2022
Untangling the impacts of socioeconomic and climatic changes on vegetation greenness and productivity in Kazakhstan
Kolluru Venkatesh, Ranjeet John, Jiquan Chen, Meghann Jarchow, Reza Goljani Amirkhiz, et al.
Environmental Research Letters, 2022
Sustainability challenges for the social-environmental systems across the Asian Drylands Belt
Jiquan Chen, Ranjeet John, Jing Yuan, Elizabeth A Mack, Pavel Groisman, et al.
Environmental Research Letters, 2022
Remote Sensing Approach for the Appearance and Disappearance of Oasis Farmland in Kazakhstan
Buho Hoshino, Kazuki Seno, Maira Kussainova, Nobutake Nakatani, Satoru Hobara
International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium IGARSS, 2022
Towards a single integrative metric on the dynamics of social-environmental systems
Jiquan Chen, Ranjeet John, Changliang Shao, Zutao Ouyang, Elizabeth A. Mack, et al.
Sustainability Switzerland, 2021
Efficiency of using the rangeland hydrology and erosion model for assessing the degradation of pastures and forage lands in Aydarly, Kazakhstan
Maira KUSSAİNOVA, Kenneth E. SPAETH, Ermekkul ZHAPARKULOVA
Eurasian Journal of Soil Science, 2020
Soil properties that determine the mortality and growth of Haloxylon aphyllum in the Aral region, Kazakhstan
Kayo Matsui, Tetsuhiro Watanabe, Maira Kussainova, Shinya Funakawa
Arid Land Research and Management, 2019
Management of wood resources: A dilemma between conservation and livelihoods in a rural district in the Aral region
Kayo Matsui, Yerlan Akhapov, Maira Kussainova, Shinya Funakawa
Energy for Sustainable Development, 2017
The effect of applying the microbiofertiliser ‘‘MERS’’ on the soil microbial community and the productivity of winter wheat under the conditions of Southeast Kazakhstan
Maira Kussainova, Marion Tauschke, Abdulla Saparov
Environmental Science and Engineering, 2014

RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

Historical grazing intensity determines the response patterns of plant community and soil nutrient stocks to grazing exclusion in a temperate meadow steppe
H Guo, X Xin, J Chen, PJ Murray, M Kussainova, W Fang, Z Zhao, H Li, ...
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 407, 110465 , 2026
2026
Citations: 1
Leveraging sUAS-Sentinel-2 synergy for cross-scale mapping of canopy cover and aboveground biomass across Mongolia and Kazakhstan
V Kolluru, R John, J Chen, GM Henebry, J Xiao, R Shinde, M Kussainova, ...
Remote Sensing of Environment 336, 115302 , 2026
2026
Моделирование пространственно-временного распределения плотности пастбищного скота в Казахстане на основе машинного обучения
MD Kussainova, V Kolluru, R John, J Chen, ND Nurgali, АА Zhapparova
Herald of science of S. Seifullin Kazakh agrotechnical university … , 2025
2025
A geospatial livestock-carrying capacity model (GLCC) in the Akmola Oblast, Kazakhstan
J Qi, Z Lin, MA Weltz, KE Spaeth, G Iskakova, J Nesbit, D Toledo, ...
Remote Sensing 17 (8), 1477 , 2025
2025
Citations: 1
Influence of Geographical Locations on Drinking Water Quality in Rural Pavlodar Region, Kazakhstan
R Beisenova, J Chen, M Kussainova, K Tussupova, R Tazitdinova, ...
Water 17 (7), 945 , 2025
2025
Citations: 2
Rangeland resource assessment in the Aqmola region of Kazakhstan.
KES Jr, MA Weltz, J Nesbit, J Qi, WA Rutherford, CJ Williams, D Toledo, ...
2025
Rangeland resource assessment in the aqmola region of Kazakhstan
KE Spaeth Jr, MA Weltz, J Nesbit, J Qi, WA Rutherford, CJ Williams, ...
Rangeland Ecology & Management 98, 389-398 , 2025
2025
Citations: 5
Multi-scale/multi-sensor estimates of canopy cover and above ground biomass trends in Mongolia and Kazakhstan
R John, V Kolluru, J Chen, S Saraf, GM Henebry, J Xiao, A Chandel, ...
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 2024, GC24G-05 , 2024
2024
Harnessing the potential of drone imagery and Sentinel-1 data for cross-scale mapping of above-ground biomass and canopy cover across Mongolia and Kazakhstan
V Kolluru, R John, S Saraf, J Chen, GM Henebry, J Xiao, M Kussainova, ...
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 2024 (83), GC21Q-0083 , 2024
2024
Water loss through evapotranspiration after precipitation events in bioenergy crops grown in similar climatic conditions
K Postma, S Mane, M Shen, M Kussainova, R Beisenova, A Nanda, ...
Frontiers in Environmental Science 12, 1463852 , 2024
2024
Citations: 2
Dominant role of grazing and snow cover variability on vegetation shifts in the drylands of Kazakhstan
V Kolluru, R John, J Chen, P Konkathi, S Kolluru, S Saraf, GM Henebry, ...
Communications Earth & Environment 5 (1), 424 , 2024
2024
Citations: 16
Quantifying key vegetation parameters from Sentinel-3 and MODIS over the eastern Eurasian steppe with a Bayesian geostatistical model
Z Li, L Ding, B Shen, J Chen, D Xu, X Wang, W Fang, A Pulatov, ...
Science of the Total Environment 909, 168594 , 2024
2024
Citations: 13
Оценка эрозии почвы и состояния качества воды в нижней части Сырдарьи с использованием метода арифметического индекса качества воды
Ф Салехи, МД Кусаинова
Почвоведение и агрохимия, 95-107 , 2024
2024
МАЙБҰРШАҚ ЕГІСТІГІ ЖАҒДАЙЫНДА КӘДІМГІ СҰР ТОПЫРАҚТАРДЫҢ ЫЛҒАЛ ҚОРЫ ЖӘНЕ СУ-ФИЗИКАЛЫҚ ҚАСИЕТТЕРІНЕ СУАРУ РЕЖИМІН ОҢТАЙЛАНДЫРУДЫҢ ӘСЕРІ
М Бейсенбаева, А Жаппарова, Д Сыдық, К Караева, М Кусаинова, ...
ІЗДЕНІСТЕР, НƏТИЖЕЛЕР, 123-132 , 2024
2024
Influence of time conditions on the soil temperature indicators in Kazakhstan
M Kussainova, M Toishimanov, A Syzdyk, T Tamenov, N Nurgali, J Chen
Caspian Journal of Environmental Sciences 21 (5), 1117-1122 , 2023
2023
Citations: 9
Gridded livestock density database and spatial trends for Kazakhstan
V Kolluru, R John, S Saraf, J Chen, B Hankerson, S Robinson, ...
Scientific Data 10 (1), 839 , 2023
2023
Citations: 45
Effects of different fertilization practices on CH4 and N2O emissions in various crop cultivation systems: A case study in Kazakhstan.
M Kussainova, M Toishimanov, G Iskakova, N Nurgali
Eurasian Journal of Soil Science 12 (4) , 2023
2023
Citations: 6
Comparative verification of leaf area index products for different grassland types in inner Mongolia, China
B Shen, J Guo, Z Li, J Chen, W Fang, M Kussainova, A Amarjargal, ...
Remote Sensing 15 (19), 4736 , 2023
2023
Citations: 9
Grazing-induced cattle behaviour modulates the secondary production in a Eurasian steppe ecosystem
L Hou, X Xin, H Sun, Y Tao, J Chen, R Yan, X Zhang, B Shen, AIA Altome, ...
Science of the Total Environment 889, 164191 , 2023
2023
Citations: 13
Effects of long-term grazing on feed intake and digestibility of cattle in meadow steppe
L Hou, X Xin, B Shen, Q Qin, AIA Altome, YMZ Hamed, R Yan, S Nurlan, ...
Agronomy 13 (7), 1760 , 2023
2023
Citations: 8

MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

Optimal ranges of social-environmental drivers and their impacts on vegetation dynamics in Kazakhstan
V Kolluru, R John, J Chen, J Xiao, RG Amirkhiz, V Giannico, ...
Science of the Total Environment 847, 157562 , 2022
2022
Citations: 84
Sustainability challenges for the social-environmental systems across the Asian Drylands Belt
J Chen, R John, J Yuan, EA Mack, P Groisman, G Allington, J Wu, P Fan, ...
Environmental Research Letters 17 (2), 023001 , 2022
2022
Citations: 51
Soil dehydrogenase activity of natural macro aggregates in a toposequence of forest soil
M Kussainova, M Durmuş, A Erkoçak, R Kızılkaya
Eurasian Journal of Soil Science 2 (1), 69-75 , 2013
2013
Citations: 47
Gridded livestock density database and spatial trends for Kazakhstan
V Kolluru, R John, S Saraf, J Chen, B Hankerson, S Robinson, ...
Scientific Data 10 (1), 839 , 2023
2023
Citations: 45
Untangling the impacts of socioeconomic and climatic changes on vegetation greenness and productivity in Kazakhstan
K Venkatesh, R John, J Chen, M Jarchow, RG Amirkhiz, V Giannico, ...
Environmental Research Letters 17 (9), 095007 , 2022
2022
Citations: 36
Social-ecological systems across the Asian Drylands Belt (ADB)
J Chen, Z Ouyang, R John, GM Henebry, PY Groisman, A Karnieli, ...
Landscape dynamics of drylands across Greater Central Asia: people … , 2020
2020
Citations: 24
Dominant role of grazing and snow cover variability on vegetation shifts in the drylands of Kazakhstan
V Kolluru, R John, J Chen, P Konkathi, S Kolluru, S Saraf, GM Henebry, ...
Communications Earth & Environment 5 (1), 424 , 2024
2024
Citations: 16
Efficiency of using the rangeland hydrology and erosion model for assessing the degradation of pastures and forage lands in Aydarly, Kazakhstan
M Kussainova, KE Spaeth, E Zhaparkulova
Eurasian Journal of Soil Science 9 (2), 186-193 , 2020
2020
Citations: 16
Quantifying key vegetation parameters from Sentinel-3 and MODIS over the eastern Eurasian steppe with a Bayesian geostatistical model
Z Li, L Ding, B Shen, J Chen, D Xu, X Wang, W Fang, A Pulatov, ...
Science of the Total Environment 909, 168594 , 2024
2024
Citations: 13
Grazing-induced cattle behaviour modulates the secondary production in a Eurasian steppe ecosystem
L Hou, X Xin, H Sun, Y Tao, J Chen, R Yan, X Zhang, B Shen, AIA Altome, ...
Science of the Total Environment 889, 164191 , 2023
2023
Citations: 13
Soil properties that determine the mortality and growth of Haloxylon aphyllum in the Aral region, Kazakhstan
K Matsui, T Watanabe, M Kussainova, S Funakawa
Arid Land Research and Management 33 (1), 37-54 , 2019
2019
Citations: 13
Influence of time conditions on the soil temperature indicators in Kazakhstan
M Kussainova, M Toishimanov, A Syzdyk, T Tamenov, N Nurgali, J Chen
Caspian Journal of Environmental Sciences 21 (5), 1117-1122 , 2023
2023
Citations: 9
Comparative verification of leaf area index products for different grassland types in inner Mongolia, China
B Shen, J Guo, Z Li, J Chen, W Fang, M Kussainova, A Amarjargal, ...
Remote Sensing 15 (19), 4736 , 2023
2023
Citations: 9
Ocenka kachestva i potencial'noj urozhajnosti pochv v global'nom masshtabe
E Smolentseva, MK Sulejmenov, AS Saparov, KM Pachikin, ...
Pochvovedenie i Agrokhimija (4), 81-91 , 2011
2011
Citations: 9
Effects of long-term grazing on feed intake and digestibility of cattle in meadow steppe
L Hou, X Xin, B Shen, Q Qin, AIA Altome, YMZ Hamed, R Yan, S Nurlan, ...
Agronomy 13 (7), 1760 , 2023
2023
Citations: 8
Towards a single integrative metric on the dynamics of social-environmental systems
J Chen, R John, C Shao, Z Ouyang, EA Mack, GM Henebry, G Dong, ...
Sustainability 13 (20), 11246 , 2021
2021
Citations: 7
Effects of different fertilization practices on CH4 and N2O emissions in various crop cultivation systems: A case study in Kazakhstan.
M Kussainova, M Toishimanov, G Iskakova, N Nurgali
Eurasian Journal of Soil Science 12 (4) , 2023
2023
Citations: 6
Rangeland resource assessment in the aqmola region of Kazakhstan
KE Spaeth Jr, MA Weltz, J Nesbit, J Qi, WA Rutherford, CJ Williams, ...
Rangeland Ecology & Management 98, 389-398 , 2025
2025
Citations: 5
Management of wood resources: A dilemma between conservation and livelihoods in a rural district in the Aral region
K Matsui, Y Akhapov, M Kussainova, S Funakawa
Energy for Sustainable Development 41, 121-127 , 2017
2017
Citations: 4
Оценка качества и потенциальной урожайности почв в глобальном масштабе
ЕН Смоленцева, МК Сулейменов, АС Сапаров, КМ Пачикин, ...
Почвоведение и агрохимия, 81-91 , 2011
2011
Citations: 4

Maira Kussainova

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Scopus Publications

RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS