Mountainous Part Research Articles

Федеральные особо охраняемые природные территории Алтайского края: современное состояние и перспективы развития

Одна из важнейших глобальных проблем современности — сохранение природной среды. Гарантией эффективного сохранения природно-территориальных комплексов региона является создание сети особо охраняемых природных территорий (ООПТ), которая обладает репрезентативностью по отношению к ландшафтному и биологическому разнообразию. Также известно, что более строгий режим охраны, который характерен для заповедников и национальных парков, способствует успешной реализации задач охраны природы. В статье рассмотрено современное состояние ООПТ федерального значения Алтайского края — Государственного природного заповедника «Тигирекский» и Национального парка «Салаир», а также перспективы создания проектируемого Национального парка «Горная Колывань». Показано, что действующие и проектируемая федеральные ООПТ в крае располагаются только лишь в его горной части, а природные комплексы равнинной части края, которые также обладают большой природоохранной ценностью, охраняются лишь режимами заказников и памятников природы регионального значения. Площадь федеральных ООПТ за последнее время в крае увеличена с 0,25 до 1,5 % от площади региона, что является одним из самых низких показателей по регионам Сибирского Федерального округа. Создание Национального парка «Горная Колывань» играет большую роль в сохранении природного разнообразияи историко-культурного наследия Северо-Западного Алтая, позволяет объединить разрозненные региональные ООПТ в единое целое на организационном уровне. В случае создания данной ООПТ и придания охранной зоне заповедника федерального статуса доля федеральных охраняемых территорий возрастет до 2,5 % от площади края.

Do farmland transfers mitigate farmland abandonment? ——A case study of China's mountainous areas

Farmland abandonment is a manifestation of farmland misallocation in mountainous parts of China. Farmland transfers are an important pathway for reallocating farmland, and it is still unclear whether farmland transfer can mitigate abandonment and what factors affect the relationship between the two. Thus, according to the principle of resource market allocation, this study constructed a theoretical model that included labor force, farmland resources endowment, and the land market. Combining unique survey data (539 samples), we used Tobit, IV-Tobitl, the interaction impact, and moderation effect models to analyze the effect of farmland transfers on abandonment at the village level. We found that farmland transfers could mitigate abandonment. The farmland abandonment rate declined by 0.09% when the transfer rate increased by 1%. For areas with fewer full-time agricultural labors, abundant farmland resources, more high-quality farmland, and more transfers with paid rent, the impact of farmland transfers on abandonment was greater. Village cadres also believed farmland transfers could mitigate abandonment, and viewed labor force resources and farmland resource endowment as important factors affecting abandonment. This study helps to deepen the understanding of the relationship between farmland transfers and abandonment, and serves as a basic scientific reference for corresponding policy suggestions on how to enhance the effect of farmland transfers.

المضمر والظاهر في رواية حجاب العروس للروائي محمد الحمراني مقاربة في التاريخانية الجديدة

تقوم أطروحة التاريخانية الجديدة في هذا البحث على مقاربة الخطاب السردي في رواية (حجاب العروس) للروائي محمد الحمراني التي كتبت بعد الاحتلال الأمريكي للعراق في التاسع من نيسان عام 2003،والبحث في كيفية دخول آثار الماضي وتصوراته إلى الثقافة المعاصرة، وصولا إلى إدراك العمل الأدبي ضمن سياقه التاريخي، ومن ثمّ تأويل شفرات النص السردي، وممارسة الأعمال الحفرية للإمساك بالأنصاف الثقافية الكامنة في النص الجمالي، هذه الأنساق التي تتستر في النص الروائي في أثناء تصويره المتخيل للواقع تصويرا من وجهة نظر معينة قد تتفق مع الأحداث التاريخية وقد تختلف فيها؛ لذا سيعمل البحث على تقويض الخطابات المركزية السائدة في النص الجمالي للكشف عن جزء الجبل الجليدي الغاطس في خطابات النص.
 البحث مقسم على قسمين: الأوّل مهاد نظري، وفيه التمييز بين النقد التاريخاني التقليدي والنقد التاريخاني الجديد، ومدى اشتراك الأخير مع النقد الثقافي، أمّا الثاني فيتضمن مقاربة للنص الروائي الذي بُنيَ عليه البحث

TOWARDS MASTER DATA MANAGEMENT FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE: THE SACRI MONTI WEB PLATFORM

Abstract. This paper focuses on managing the Cultural Heritage maintenance process through web platforms, exploring a data-driven new approach that relies on the framework of Master Data Management (MDM). The MDM framework is based on data quality, revisioning and auditing of information, and the Microsoft SQL Server Master Data Services (MDS) was used. It is a highly customizable commercial tool that proved to be effective and able to manage extended and articulated databases and provide stability and long-term software support. MDS provides powerful tools to avoid duplicates, ensure data quality, and record all the modifications that occurred on the dataset over time. These are key features to build a reliable platform for information management of complex CH assets.The paper presents some first tests applied for the Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy case of study. It is a UNESCO wide religious architectural complex site in northern Italy’s mountainous part. The paper compares approaches and previous experiences of Sacri Monti management using web platform information systems, such as the BIM3DSG, Chimera, and Main10ance, to support Sacri Monti management activity.

Mountain Region Development Strategy, Principles of Architectural-Spatial Organization Urban Areas and Housing

In this working paper, the current situation in the mountainous villages of the eastern part of Georgia, as well as urban-social and economic development potential and others, is studied. Mountainous villages need some fundamental functional planning and structural changes. It is noted that when deciding urban-social and architectural-planning questions, natural-climatic factors’ complexes should be considered: Difficult relief, its shape, its inclination and articulation, its climate and landscape variability by the vertical zoning, etc. In this work paper, we discuss the development problems of mountainous regions. Nowadays, there are severe problems in the mountainous villages: Lack of land, less competition, and technological backwardness of agricultural products. In winter, this area is almost empty of its difficult environmental conditions. Foreign experiences have been studied to plan the mountain settlements and formation-development principles, which could be used for the destination of architectural planning development in the mountainous part of east Georgia. It has been determined that it’s essential to form the mountainous regions as the general urban area to develop agriculture recreation and industry as well as agriculture recreation and tourism. According to the united urban planning development tendencies, development principles have been formed step bystep in the mountainous inhabited regions in the eastern part of Georgia.

Community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus skin and soft tissue infection risk assessment using hotspot analysis and risk maps: the case of California emergency departments

BackgroundCommunity-acquired Staphylococcus aureus (CA-Sa) skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are historically associated with densely populated urban areas experiencing high poverty rates, intravenous drug use, and homelessness. However, the epidemiology of CA-Sa SSTIs in the United States has been poorly understood since the plateau of the Community-acquired Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus epidemic in 2010. This study examines the spatial variation of CA-Sa SSTIs in a large, geographically heterogeneous population and identifies neighborhood characteristics associated with increased infection risk.MethodsUsing a unique neighborhood boundary, California Medical Service Study Areas, a hotspot analysis, and estimates of neighborhood infection risk ratios were conducted for all CA-Sa SSTIs presented in non-Federal California emergency departments between 2016 and 2019. A Bayesian Poisson regression model evaluated the association between neighborhood-level infection risk and population structure, neighborhood poverty rates, and being a healthcare shortage area.ResultsEmergency departments in more rural and mountainous parts of California experienced a higher burden of CA-Sa SSTIs between 2016 and 2019. Neighborhoods with high infection rates were more likely to have a high percentage of adults living below the federal poverty level and be a designated healthcare shortage area. Measures of population structure were not associated with infection risk in California neighborhoods.ConclusionsOur results highlight a potential change in the epidemiology of CA-Sa SSTIs in California emergency departments. Future studies should investigate the CA-Sa burden in other geographies to identify whether this shift in epidemiology holds across other states and populations. Further, a more thorough evaluation of potential mechanisms for the clustering of infections seen across California neighborhoods is needed.

The diversity of reptiles in different ecological environments of mountainous parts of Kashkadarya region

This study presents data on species composition, density, and the diversity indicators of reptiles in the mountainous area of Kashkadarya region, and the ecological factors influencing these indicators. Shannon-Weaver, Brillouin, Margalef species richness, Relative diversity, and Evenness indices were calculated as the main diversity indices. Notably, the research indicates that reptile diversity in the mountainous area is influenced by various factors including human activity (Anthropogenic factors), terrain, vegetation coverage, elevation, and soil composition. Among these factors, elevation and anthropogenic factors were identified as the primary determinants in the surveyed areas.

Подверженность населенных пунктов Республики Дагестан обвально-осыпным процессам

The object of the study is the landslide activity in the Republic of Dagestan. The paper considers the results of systematization and analysis of various sources containing information on the activity and danger of landslide processes in the settlements of the republic for 2004–2022. The conditions, causes, activity and danger of landslide manifestations on their territory are characterized. The role of natural and man-made factors in the development of this process and its obvious timing to the winter-spring-summer period of the year (the time of snowmelt and abnormal precipitation) is determined. 46 settlements were identified (in 21 administrative districts of the republic), where significant landslides occurred over the period under consideration. Most of these rural settlements are located in the low and middle mountainous parts of the republic. The largest number of affected settlements (from the studied processes) are located in the Tsumadinsky and Akhvakhsky administrative districts of the republic. It is noted that in the period from 2004 to 2022, the greatest landslide activity was observed in 2014, and a very weak degree was observed in 2010, 2013 and 2021. In 2006, 2017 and 2019, landslides in the settlements of the republic were not recorded. The most catastrophic landslide processes over the studied period of time were observed in the villages of Hebda and Golotl in the Shamil district. The article provides information on the scale of the collapse deformations and destruction of residential infrastructure on the territory of settlements. The analysis of the socio-economic consequences of the landslide allows us to speak about a fairly significant degree of their danger to the life of the population in the mountainous part of the republic.

Assessing NASA-POWER Precipitation Product in Predicting Surface Flow: Lower Jhelum River Case Study

The Lower Jhelum River watershed has variable topography (i.e. northern mountains and southern plains) and a subtropical climate with hot summers and cool winters. This emphasized the extensive use of state-of-the-art POWER reanalysis precipitation product rather than gauge estimates for hydrological investigations (modeling rainfall runoff, floods, and droughts etc.). To understand the consistency and potential of the precipitation values from both sources, the primary objective of this study was to establish a relationship between POWER data and rain gauge data by utilizing 13 rain gauge stations present in the catchment. While analyzing the rainfall data, a relatively weaker linear association ( R), ranging from .6, .68 to .78, was found between the ground-based observatories and the POWER product especially for the arid and semi-arid regions. For the mountainous part, covering a wide glacial range, POWER product showed a better match with ground-based observatories that is, R value ranging from .78, .88 to .91. The simulated stream flow results by integrated HEC-HMS model showed that the POWER product can become a good asset in developing the weather data for those areas where the rain gauges are either absent or inaccessible.

Comparative Analysis of Plant Cover of Plain and Mountain Shirvan (Azerbaijan)

A complete comparative analysis of the plain and mountainous parts of the Shirvan region of Azerbaijan has been shown in the paper. Basis the ecological and phytocenological principles widely used in modern geobotany have been taken in classifying the vegetation of the Shirvan territory. The species composition of edificators and subedificators (life forms) was taken as the main criterion when grouping and systematizing plants. Comparative analysis was carried out and for the first time, a map of the vegetation cover of Shirvan was compiled with botanical and geographical zoning on a scale of 1:100,000 based on ecological and phytocenological principles.

The effect of plant size on the phytoliths characteristics of short cells in the leaf epidermis of Dactylis glomerata L.

The present study is devoted to the revision of the influence of plant organs size on the size of phytoliths. Phytolith size parameters are used to identify cultivated grasses species in archaeological sites. Understanding how these characteristics are variable is necessary in such studies. The study of the variability of the phytoliths morphometric parameters will increase the possibilities of their use in plant systematics. The article presents a correlation analysis between the average values of the morphometric characteristics of Dactylis glomerata phytoliths from six different habitats with leaf sizes and generative shoots. The cock’s-foot specimens from forest, meadow and anthropogenically disturbed plant communities in the mountainous and plain parts of the south of Western Siberia were studied. Extraction of phytoliths was carried out using dry ashing. The measurement was made using the ImageJ software. Past 4.03 programs was used for statistical processing. The influence of the leaf length on the average values of the parameters of width, equivalent diameter, and inscribed radius of phytoliths of short epidermal cells of leaf was revealed. With an increase in the size of the leaf, the width of the phytolith and the parameters associated with it increase. The length of phytoliths, their area, perimeter, area and perimeter of the described figures weakly depend on the size of the vegetative organs of plants.
 Key words. Crenate, Dactylis glomerata, morphometry, phytoliths, short cells.

The fault network in the southern foot of Rila Mountains, SW BulgariaThe fault network in the southern foot of Rila Mountains, SW Bulgaria

Southwestern slopes of Rila Mountain and northern parts of the Mesta graben are one of the least studied areas in terms of brittle tectonics. We carried out studies in the area around Bachevo and Dobarsko villages aiming to observe the fault zone network. The Bachevo fault zone is defined as Paleogene–Eocene Low-Angle Normal Fault that later underwent strike-slip and normal fault reactivation. The zone is an important tectonic boundary, separating the ca. 56 Ma Kapatnik granite from the Ograzhden Unit. Another important and possibly younger extensional zone is the Semkovo Fault. The relationships between the both zones are unclear. In terms of the Quaternary tectonics, it is important to differentiate between the Semkovo fault and the active Southeastern Rila Normal Fault. There are no data about Quaternary activity of the Bachevo fault zone.

Турмархия Готия и византийский топотерит на Мангупе в конце X начале XI века

Introduction. The article examines the circumstances of the simultaneous appearance at the end of the 10th century in the central fortress of the Mountain Crimea – Doros, a byzantine garrison led by topotherete and the establishment of a separate tourmarchia of Gothia in the region. A special study of the issue allows to expand understanding of the causes and content of military-administrative reform. Methods. The research is interdisciplinary in nature. It takes into account all available information from written, sphragistic, epigraphic and archaeological sources about the events that took place in Taurica during the reign of emperor Vasily II (976–1025). Analysis. Establishment at the end of the 10th century in the Mountain Crimea the tourmarchia of Gothia and the appearance of Byzantine topotherete in Doros are events that had common causes. In the case of the tourmarchia we are talking about a plan to create an independent administrative structure in the mountainous part of the peninsula, which was supposed to quickly respond to external threats and over time be transformed into a “small” theme typical of its epoque. The residence of the tourmarch was the Mangup fortress, where no later than 994–995 the reconstruction of the fortifications was completed. These works were supervised by a byzantine official with the title topotherete, who stood at the head of a regular military unit and whose powers were reminiscent of those known from the second half of the 8th century topotheretes of cities in the border provinces of the empire. Results. The history of the tourmarchia in Mountain Crimea was short and ended around the middle of the 11th century. However, its appearance and existence were fully consistent with the military-administrative practice of Byzantium at that time in many regions of the empire, where numerous “small” thematic structures were created in dangerous areas to contain the expansion of the enemy or consolidate the empire in the conquered territories.

Structural and metamorphic evolution of a subducted passive margin: insights from the Briançonnais nappes of the Western Alps (Ubaye–Maira valleys, France–Italy)

This contribution analyses the structural architecture and tectono-metamorphic evolution of Briançonnais units in the southern French-Italian Western Alps. The studied area extends from a virtually non-metamorphic area adjacent to the Helvetic-Dauphinois External Domain in the west to the Monviso-Queyras ocean-derived units in the east, where metamorphism increases up to eclogite-facies. Mapping at the scale 1:10.000 of a mountainous part of the Ubaye-Maira transect was performed, which portrays in detail the Briançonnais units over ~ 100 km2. The lithologies include meta-andesite, meta-siliciclastics, marbles, turbiditic calcschists and flysch whose age spans from Late Carboniferous to Eocene. Metamorphism is low-grade greenschist-facies in the west but reaches the blueschist-facies to the east. Structures related to four phases of deformation are identified. The first two generations of structures (D1–D2), related to the original top-to-the-west nappe stacking, are associated with conditions close to the peak of Alpine metamorphism. Previous tectonic surfaces are transposed by the dominant deformation structures (D3), developed under retrograde/decompression conditions. This D3 corresponds to a backfolding and back-thrusting event with a top-to-the-E transport. A fourth phase (D4) developed during late low-grade metamorphic conditions and deforms the previous surfaces by locally developing a crenulation cleavage, followed by brittle tectonics. An updated metamorphic map is presented, backed on published estimates and new thermometric data obtained by Raman Spectroscopy of Carbonaceous Material (RSCM). The TRSCM values range from ~ 295 °C to > 350 °C, moving from the most external Briançonnais unit to the internal Queyras “Schistes Lustrés” units. Suspected Upper Cretaceous palaeofaults have been documented, allowing us to group the classic Aiguille de Mary and Ceillac (sub-) units into a single tectonic unit, here referred to as Maurin unit. The palaeogeographical reconstruction of the evolution of the studied transect highlights the importance of the Marinet and Maurin axial units in the feeding of the Late Cretaceous-Eocene breccias deposited on the more internal Acceglio-type units.

The Distribution Characteristics of Vegetation in the Subrange of the Altai Mountains, Xinjiang.

The Altai Mountains are an important center of biodiversity and are a major habitat for threatened and endemic species in Asia. Moreover, the Altai Mountains are a valuable site for the study of the evolution of central Asian vegetation. The Xinjiang Altai subrange represents the largest part of the southern Altai Mountains and has many unique plant communities. After conducting a thorough literature review and field investigation, we utilized the Chinese vegetation categorization system to identify the dominant plant communities in the Xinjiang Altai subrange and report their composition and distribution characteristics. Our results show that (1) the natural plant communities present in the Xinjiang Altai subrange can be divided into eight vegetation types, eighteen vegetation subtypes, and 50 communities. Among these, two communities-Form. Calligonum rubicundum and Form. Seriphidium borotalense-Festuca valesiaca-are present only in the Xinjiang Altai subrange. (2) The Xinjiang Altai subrange is located at the junction of three major biomes containing unique vegetation types (coniferous forest, temperate broadleaf forest, and desert). Thus, the Xinjiang Altai subrange is distinct in its staggered transition from mountainous boreal taiga to temperate desert. This research provides textual data to contextualize the cultural heritage of the Xinjiang Altai subrange and also provides a scientific basis for the protection and sustainable management of natural resources found in the Xinjiang Altai.

Recharge Estimation Approach in a Data-Scarce Semi-Arid Region, Northern Ethiopian Rift Valley

Sustainable management of groundwater resources highly relies on the accurate estimation of recharge. However, accurate recharge estimation is a challenge, especially in data-scarce regions, as the existing models are data-intensive and require extensive parameterization. This study developed a process-based hydrologic model combining local and remotely sensed data for characterizing recharge in data-limited regions using a Basin Characterization Model (BCM). This study was conducted in Raya and Kobo Valleys, a semi-arid region in Northern Ethiopia, considering both the structural basin and the surrounding mountainous recharge areas. Climatic Research Unit monthly datasets for 1991 to 2020 and WaPOR actual evapotranspiration data were used. The model results show that the average annual recharge and surface runoff from 1991 to 2020 were 73 mm and 167 mm, respectively, with a substantial portion contributed along the front of the mountainous parts of the study area. The mountainous recharge occurred along and above the valleys as mountain-block and mountain-front recharge. The long-term estimates of the monthly recharge time series indicated that the water balance components follow the temporal pattern of rainfall amount. However, the relation of recharge to precipitation was nonlinearly related, showing the episodic nature of recharge in semi-arid regions. This study informed the spatial and temporal distribution of recharge and runoff hydrologic variables at fine spatial scales for each grid cell, allowing results to be summarized for various planning units, including farmlands. One third of the precipitation in the drainage basin becomes recharge and runoff, while the remaining is lost through evapotranspiration. The current study’s findings are vital for developing plans for sustainable management of water resources in semi-arid regions. Also, monthly groundwater withdrawals for agriculture should be regulated in relation to spatial and temporal recharge patterns. We conclude that combining scarce local data with global datasets and tools is a useful approach for estimating recharge to manage groundwater resources in data-scarce regions.

Combining RUSLE model and the vegetation health index to unravel the relationship between soil erosion and droughts in southeastern Tunisia

Droughts and soil erosion are among the most prominent climatic driven hazards in drylands, leading to detrimental environmental impacts, such as degraded lands, deteriorated ecosystem services and biodiversity, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. In response to the current lack of studies combining drought conditions and soil erosion processes, in this study, we developed a comprehensive Geographic Information System (GIS)-based approach to assess soil erosion and droughts, thereby revealing the relationship between soil erosion and droughts under an arid climate. The vegetation condition index (VCI) and temperature condition index (TCI) derived respectively from the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) MOD13A2 and land surface temperature (LST) MOD11A2 products were combined to generate the vegetation health index (VHI). The VHI has been conceived as an efficient tool to monitor droughts in the Negueb watershed, southeastern Tunisia. The revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) model was applied to quantitatively estimate soil erosion. The relationship between soil erosion and droughts was investigated through Pearson correlation. Results exhibited that the Negueb watershed experienced recurrent mild to extreme drought during 2000–2016. The average soil erosion rate was determined to be 1.8 t/(hm2·a). The mountainous western part of the watershed was the most vulnerable not only to soil erosion but also to droughts. The slope length and steepness factor was shown to be the most significant controlling parameter driving soil erosion. The relationship between droughts and soil erosion had a positive correlation (r=0.3); however, the correlation was highly varied spatially across the watershed. Drought was linked to soil erosion in the Negueb watershed. The current study provides insight for natural disaster risk assessment, land managers, and stake-holders to apply appropriate management measures to promote sustainable development goals in fragile environments.

Diversity, Informant Consensus Factor and Cultural Significance Index of Wild Edible Plants in the Jaunpur region, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand

The wild edibles are essential not only for nutrition, medicine, fodder and fuel but also as potential source of income generation. The conventional use of wild edible plants is habitual in the remote and hill regions of the Uttarakhand state (India). The present study was carried out in a mountainous part of the Uttarakhand namely Jaunpur region situated in the district Tehri Garhwal. Extensive field surveys were conducted in the area to gather information (traditional knowledge on wild edible plants) from the inhabitants through questionnaire method. A total of 220 key informants including old aged farmers, shepherds, and vaidyas were surveyed. The present study resulted in documentation of a total 73 plant species (under 58 genera and 38 families) as source of wild edibles. Rosaceae (10 species) and Fabaceae (7 species) revealed as the most dominant families followed by Anacardiaceae, Moraceae and Rutaceae (4 species each). Majority of the recorded species belong to the tree habit (35% species) followed by herb (29%), shrub (29%), and climber (7%). The commonly used plant parts as source of wild edible in the area include fruits (59% species), leaves (24%), seeds (5%) and flowers (4%). Documentation of the traditional knowledge is much important because it provide alternative means to reduce hunger, poverty, and health issues especially in finding novel compounds (drug discovery).

Характеристики градовых процессов на северо-восточном склоне Малого Кавказа

Features of active convective processes with the formation and fall of hail on the northeastern slope of the Lesser Caucasus located on the territory of Azerbaijan during 1979–2020 are analyzed. The analysis was carried out using mathematical, statistical, and cartographic methods. The frequency of hail processes and the schematic map of the vertical distribution of average annual parameters of the number of hail days is presented. It is shown for the mountain part of the territory that there is an increasing frequency of hail processes, while their reduced number was registered in flat areas. The consequences of regional climate change and a long-term trend in the parameters of hail processes are investigated. It was found that hail processes in the region in the recent years have been more frequent, the frequency is higher in the afternoon. Keywords: convective processes, severe atmospheric events, hail processes, frequency, climate change, trend, MRL-5 radar data

Macroinvertebrates of Altai mountain rivers: factors of their formation and features of distribution within altitudinal gradient

With an increase in altitude, both abiotic and biotic conditions in mountain watercourses change. To assess the features of spatial distribution of macroinvertebrates as well as to identify the driving factors of this dynamics, the data on species richness, abundance and biomass of EPT taxa (mayfly, stonefly, caddisfly) from 21 small mountain rivers of Altai were analyzed. By location, all rivers were divided into 4 groups: the ones running in the low-mountain (<1000 m asl) zone, in the low (1000–1500) and upper (1500–2000) parts of the middle mountains and in the high-mountain (>2000 m asl) zone. A total of 71 EPT macroinvertebrate taxa were recorded in the studied streams. Species richness (according to the average species number per sample) as well as abundance and biomass of macroinvertebrates decreased with an increase in altitude. The maximum variance in structural indicators of communities appeared due to the combined influence of the location of the altitudinal zone and phytoplankton development level (estimated by the content of chlorophyll a). At the same time, categorical predictors (both abiotic and biotic) included in the analysis better explained the variability of diversity-related indicators than that of abundance and biomass. When developing the environmental monitoring programs for mountain watercourses, the identified trends in reduction (with altitude) of species richness of macroinvertebrate taxa responsible for the formation of taxonomically poor and strongly vulnerable communities in high-altitude areas should be taken into account.