Cartographic assessment of the present status of vegetation in Prebaikalia for water use optimization

Abstract

We bring up the issue related to the need and importance of undertaking an assessment of the present status of vegetation in Prebaikalia. The vegetation of this region has long been experiencing strong anthropogenic destructions, especially in the southern, more developed, areas. Anthropogenic impacts on vegetation continue to be enhanced thus influencing the processes of spontaneous development of vegetation and decreasing its ecological potential. Assessment of the present status of vegetation as a complex self-evolving autotrophic natural entity having its own evolutionary history of development and dynamical potential is used in reference to identifying and evaluating the degree of disturbance of its native (spontaneous) florocenotic structure. To improve objectivity of research results uses a cartographic method supported by GIS technologies. On the basis of the principles of a structural-dynamical classification of plant communities as suggested by V. B. Sochava, we compiled a universal geobotanical medium-scale (1:500 000) map for Prebaikalia. The map was generated for two purposes: inventory, i.e. identifying the typological belonging of existing plant communities in the region, and for assessment–dynamical purpose to identify the epitaxon structure of the entire vegetation cover. These efforts were accompanied by a formalized assessment of the age structure of tree stands of the region’s forest communities as well as a clear differentiation between forest and non-forest vegetation by identifying new burns and felling areas. The findings formed the basis for generating a detailed 1:500 000 map of disturbances to Prebaikalia’s vegetation displaying 11 kinds of vegetation disturbances ranging from the persisting native communities to those substituted by agrocenoses and introductions of urban settlements. A general outline of the present status of vegetation is provided as well as the main directions for nature management optimization in the region within the framework of the state ecological policy.