Abandoned Rural Village (IMAGE) American Institute of Biological Sciences Caption Institutional and policy shifts on the Mongolian Plateau have led to major changes in human practices and the natural world. Traditional nomadism and other pastoral lifestyles have been replaced by urban habitation, which has led to the abandonment of rural villages such as the one shown here. Credit Jiquan Chen Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.