Structure and Phytomass Production of Coastal Geosystems Near Lake Baikal

Abstract

Landscape structure has an important control over its functions. Landscape functions are treated as the resulting manifestations of the functioning processes in a landscape system of interrelated components: rocks, soil, water, air, and biota. Geosystem concept formulated by Viktor Sochava and factoral-dynamic approach to facies classification elaborated by Adolph Krauklis were applied as a theoretical and methodological framework. Natural landscapes surrounding Lake Baikal provide functions involved in the protection of water quality, water storage, phytomass production, and so forth. The phytomass production function was estimated in four study areas located in different parts of Lake Baikal shore (the east-northern—Barguzin mountain range; the western—the Priol’khon plateau and Olkhinskoe plateau; the southern—part of Khamar-Daban mountain range) and exposed to different degrees of impact. Fieldworks were conducted in summer seasons from 2010 to 2017. For these areas, the landscape maps at local scale were composed based on the landscape approach, fieldwork data, digital elevation model, and remote sensing. Landscape maps were interpreted to evaluate phytomass stock. Interpretation was based on tree phytomass and aboveground herbaceous phytomass measurements for various landscape types. Correlations between landscape attributes and this function were found.