STRUCTURE OF THE VEGETATIVE COVER OF THE NORTH-EASTERN PART OF TUVA

Abstract

The article presents the study of vegetation cover in the Northeast of Tuva. The surveillance research was conducted in summer season from 2009 to 2017. It was revealed that nearly all altitudinal vegetation belts common to the Mountains of Southern Siberia are widespread in the studied area. The vegetation cover that creates biological diversity and conditions for its preservation, is peculiar for its geological history (relatively young site), specific landscape (combination of highlands and lowlands), climatic and landscape mosaic, low impact of anthropogenic activities. The vegetation cover conforms with the laws of altitudinal zonation, highland belts and mountain taiga belts. The prevailing type of vegetation is mountain taiga. In the result of conducted research, a series of electronic large-scale maps were created (universal map and evaluation map) with the help of ArcView GIS software. Both traditional methods and modern mapping techniques were used for vegetation communities, based on forest surveying data as well as on author’s filed research records. The vegetation map fragment is provided and the area’s landscape structure is described. Vegetation cover in the area under research is characterized by originality due to historical and environmental conditions, as well as proximity of the mountains. Currently, this is one of the few Siberian areas where anthropogenic activity is very limited. As of landscape peculiarities, the territory is remarkable for inhomogenuity of its landscape and environment which in its turn results in a wide typological variety of vegetation and considerable contrast of vegetation cover. In this regard, the territory of these mountain ridges is a model region to study historical development of vegetation cover in the mountains of the Southern Siberia.