Modern structural-dynamic organization and trends in the development of forests in the foothills of the Khamar-Daban ridge (South-Western Trans-Baikal)

The development of forest vegetation in the Baikal region during a long period of forest use (industrial clearcuts of different forms and intensity) at the background of climate variability in recent decades has undergone significant changes in the spatial and vertical structure of forests of different physiographic conditions of their formation  in Pribaikal and Trans-Baikal. We present the results of 10 years of research of structural-dynamic organization and cenotic destruction of forests in the foothills of the Khamar-Daban Ridge (South-Western Trans-Baikal). The peculiarities of the modern structure and trends in the development of light coniferous forests stated on the key sites of the studied area allowed to find out vector of their formation possible under present environmental and climatic conditions. 

The main factor of such forecast is revealed synfolial differentiation of timber stands, species composition and structure of soil cover as of an edificatory of a concrete forest type reflecting zonal features in the organization of forest vegetation. We found out trends of primary stage of replacement of forest formation trees species, where in light coniferous forests with dominance of pine (Pinus sylvestris) and presence of larch (Larix sibirica), there is undergrowth, in which a considerable role belongs to such dark coniferous species as cedar (Pinus sibirica) and spruce (Picea obovata). The presence of cedar and spruce in the 2nd synfolium suggests as well the start of replacement of forest forming trees species since the second half of last century. The replacement of forest forming species from light coniferopus to dark coniferous components is a regular process of secular dynamics of zonal (primary) taiga. We have to consider cutting and fires as destructive factors of such trends as development of forests in the studied area as these factors will favor formation and existence of long-term secondary small-leaf forests in space and time.

1. Atlas. Baykal. M.: Izd-vo FSGK, 1993. 160 s.

2. Atlas. Baykal’skiy region: obshchestvo i priroda. M. : Izd-vo “Paulsen”, 2021. 320 s.

3. Alekseyev A. S., Dmitriyev V. Yu., Ponomarenko A. G. Ekosistemnyye perestroyki i evolyutsiya biosfery. M. : GEOS, 2001. Vyp. 5. 126 s.

4. Armand D. L., Kushnareva G. V. Perekhod ekosistem cherez kriticheskiye sostoyaniya v prostranstve // Ekosistemy v kriticheskikh sostoyaniyakh. M. : Nauka, 1989. S. 75–138.

5. Blauberg I. V., Yudin E. G. Stanovleniye i sushchnost’ sistemnogo podkhoda. M. : Nauka, 1973. 270 s.

6. Bol’shakov V. N., Kryazhimskiy F. V., Pavlov D. S. Perspektivnyye napravleniya razvitiya ekologicheskikh issledovaniy v Rossii // Ekologiya. 1993. № 3. S. 3–16.

7. Bardunov L. V. Opredelitel’ listostebel’nykh mkhov Tsentral’noy Sibiri. L. : Nauka, 1969. 330 s.

8. Voronov A. G., Drozdov N. N., Krivolutskiy D. A., Myalo E. G. Biogeografiya s osnovami ekologii. M. : Izdvo MGU, 2002. 391 s.

9. Zony i tipy poyasnosti rastitel’nosti Rossii i sopredel’nykh stran (Karta, M-b 1 8 000 000). M. : Izd-vo MGU, 1999. 2 l.

10. Konspekt flory Sibiri. Sosudistyye rasteniya. Novosibirsk : Nauka, 2005. 362 s.

11. Korrelyatsionnaya ekologo-fitotsenoticheskaya karta; M-b 1 : 7 500 000. Irkutsk : Izd-vo IG SO AN SSSR, 1977. 1 l.

12. Karta ispol’zovaniya zemel’ yuga Vostochnoy Sibiri; M-b 1: 1 500 000. M. : GUGK, 1988. 2 l.

13. Landshafty yuga Vostochnoy Sibiri; M-b 1 : 1 500 000. M. : GUGK, 1977. 4 l.

14. Metody geobotanicheskikh issledovaniy. M. : Izdvo Assotsiatsii “Ekosistema”, 1996. 21 s.

15. Polevaya geobotanika: T. 4. M.-L., 1976. 336 s.

16. Rastitel’nost’ yuga Vostochnoy Sibiri; M-b 1 : 1 500 000. M. : GUGK, 1972. 4 l.

17. Sochava V. B. Rastitel’nyy pokrov na tematicheskikh kartakh. Novosibirsk : Nauka, 1979. 189 s.

18. Shmal’gauzen I. I. Integratsiya biologicheskikh sistem i ikh samoorganizatsiya // Byulleten’ MOIP. Otdniye biol. 1961. T. 66. Vyp. 2. S. 104–135.

19. Flora Tsentral’noy Sibiri. Novosibirsk : Nauka, 1979. T. 1–2. 1047 s.

20. Flora Sibiri. Novosibirsk : Nauka, 1987–2003. T. 1–14.

21. Ekosistemy v kriticheskikh sostoyaniyakh. M. : Nauka, 1989. 160 s.

22. Ekologicheskoye zonirovaniye Baykal’skoy prirodnoy territorii; M-b 1 : 1 000 000. Irkutsk: Izd-vo IG SO RAN, 2002. 2 l.