Ecological-geographical structure of mountain boreal forests in Siberia and problems of small-scale mapping
Galina OGUREEVA
Moscow state university, Moscow, Russia
Phytogeographic research in the mountains is connected with the development of
the three-dimensional structure concept of vegetation cover. Integral manifestation
of latitudinal and altitudinal zonal peculiarities of the vegetation distribution is typical
for the mountains. The vegetation diversity is reflected in the complex natural
differentiation of the mountains and, primarily , in the altitudinal zonal distribution
of plant communities. The Siberian Mountains are distinguished by 27 altitudinal
zonality types, united in 9 groups of the boreal class, reflecting the connection of
mountain biota with zonal vegetation and biogeographical areas. The high-altitude
belt is considered as a structural part of the type. The mountain taiga belt has geographic
variations which are characterized by complex formations: the Ural-Siberian,
Angaridian, Okhotian, Beringian complexes of vegetation formations. Boreal
forests are composed of other high-altitude zones: forest-steppe, subtaiga,
subalpine and subgoltzy belts. Within the limits of a high-altitude belt boreal forests
form complex combinations of forest associations (or various syntaxa), or come in
contact with other vegetation types, forming different specific vegetation structures
(or territorial units: phytocatens, high-altitude series, exhibition combinations of
phytocatens). The phytogeographic features structures, reflecting ecological and
natural potential of ecotopes, depend on their position in biogeographical systems
of the Siberian Mountains. These vegetation structures can be displayed on
a small-scale map as autonomous units. There is an experience of a display of
structural subdivisions of the boreal forest as chorological units as review maps.
The legend of the Circumboreal Vegetation Map based on an ecological-geographical
principle may be more informative to show the diversity of boreal forests in
the mountains of the Siberia.
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© 2012 Organizing Committee
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