Abstract
An active process of the invasion of woody vegetation, resulting in the formation of light forests, has been observed in predominantly herbaceous small dry valleys of the forest-steppe uplands of the East European Plain over the past two decades. This paper investigates the spatial features of the density of trees in such light forests and its relationship with relief parameters. The Belgorod Region, one of the administrative regions of European Russia, was chosen as a reference for the forest-steppe zone of the plain. The correlation between some relief characteristics (the height, slope, slope exposure cosine, topographic position index, morphometric protection index, terrain ruggedness index, and width and depth of small dry valleys) and the density of light-forest trees was estimated. The assessment was carried out at the local, subregional and regional levels of generalization. The relief influence on the density of trees in the small dry valley network is manifested both through the differentiation of moisture within the territory under study and the formation of various conditions for fixing tree seedlings in the soil. This influence on subregional and regional trends in the density is greater than on local trends. The results obtained are important for the management of herbaceous small-dry-valley ecosystems within the forest-steppe uplands in Eastern Europe.
Highlights
Over the recent 20 years, there has been an active invasion of tree vegetation into the herbaceous ecosystems in the southwestern part of the European territory of Russia [1]
A specific feature of the forest-steppe in the southwestern part of European Russia is the dispersal of tree vegetation along the small dry valley network that has a significant density there and, has an impact both on the formation of local landscapes and the features of their economic use
By the example of the Belgorod Region, for the first time for the landscapes of the forest-steppe uplands typical of the East European Plain, the main regularities of contemporary changes in the density of trees in light forests of the network of small dry valleys were revealed
Summary
Over the recent 20 years, there has been an active invasion of tree vegetation into the herbaceous ecosystems in the southwestern part of the European territory of Russia (hereinafter, European Russia) [1]. This process in the region can be associated both with current climate change [2]. A small dry valley (bálka in Russian terminology) is a dry (or with a temporary snowmelt-induced or rainfall-induced water stream) valley with soddy slopes. The relatively small size and the absence of a permanent watercourse at the bottom of small dry valleys is one of the diagnostic features that distinguish them from typical river valleys
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
