scholarly journals Regularities of Vertical Propagation Mammals of the Mountain Massive Munku-Sardyk

Author(s):  
F. A. Danilov ◽  
◽  
V. A. Prelovskiy ◽  

The Munku-Sardyk mountain range is an important link in the Eastern Sayan mountain system, performing a barrier and refugial role for various mammalian species, in the transition zone between the Central Asian steppe and the Siberian taiga. Thus, the southern steppe slopes are the northern limit in the distribution of the Tuvan and Mongolian voles, Tarbagan marmot, tolai hare, mountain weasel and manul. For the Altai mole, brown bear, sable, Siberian musk deer, reindeer and elk, the southern border of their distribution lies in the forest zone of the Khubsugul region. The paper presents the basic information about the features of the vertical distribution of mammals on the southern and northern slopes of the massif. The complex structure of the vertical zonation of the mountain range and the harsh habitat conditions are of paramount importance in the distribution and number of mammals inhabiting it. The species composition of communities in five high-altitude belts is presented: forest-steppe, mountain- taiga, subalpine, alpine and nival. A comparative analysis of the degree of similarity of mammalian communities, depending on the altitudinal zonality and exposure of the slope, using the Jaccard coefficient, based on the analysis of qualitative data, has been carried out. A high degree of similarity of the lower belt with the higher one was revealed on both slopes of the mountain range. The highest degree of similarity between the mountain-taiga and subalpine belts was noted, and the lowest degree was observed in the forest-steppe and nival belts that were separated from each other. The low species diversity in the nival belt is associated with the harsh habitat conditions associated with the absence of protective feeding stations and mechanisms of adaptation to hypoxia in most mammals living in the lower part. When comparing the community of mammalian faunas between the belts of the southern and northern slopes, a high similarity of mountain-taiga belts and a decrease in the proportion of common species with height were noted. The obtained information eliminates the existing gaps in the territory poorly studied in the zoogeographic plan and makes it possible to form a unified environmental policy in the transboundary region.

2002 ◽  
pp. 32-43
Author(s):  
V. I. Vlasenko ◽  
M. G. Erunova ◽  
I. S. Scerbinina

The reserve “Stolby” is characteristic key plot of the mountain-taiga and subtaiga-forest steppe altitudinal belts in the East Sayan Mountains, where anthropogenic influence is the least pronounced. It was founded in 1925, in 15 km southward of Krasnoyarsk city, on north-west spurs of the Western Sayan Mountains which adjoin closely to right bank of the Yenisei River bordering upon the Middle Siberian Plateau. Reserve's physiography is characterized by low mountain and middle mountain erosion-accumulation relief with absolute heights of 200-800 m. Low mountain part (200-500 m) is composed of loose sedimentary rocks. In the middle mountain part of the reserve (500-800 m) there are outcrops of sienite rocks of various stages of destruction. Vegetation and soils of the reserve change in agreement with absolute heights and climate. In low mountains spread the subtaiga and forest-steppe leaved-light needle forests on mountain grey forest soils (8.1 % of reserve territory); the middle mountain part is occupied by the light needle and dark needle taiga forests on mountain podzol soils (91.9 % of the area). As the basement for vegetation map we took the map of forest environments of reserve by T. N. Butorina compiled according to materials of land forest management of 1977 year. As the result of forest management near 2000 biogeocoenoses were distinguished. The type of biogeocoenosis, according to V. N. Sukachev, is selected as mapping unit. Biogeocoenoses were united into 70 groups of forest types, representing 21 series of associations which are reflected in the map legend (Fig. 1). The main goal of map is to show the territorial distribution of groups and series of types of biogeocoenoses in the main structural units - altitudinal be't complexes (ВПК) which are equivalents of altitudinal vegetation belts. For designation of forest tree species various kinds of hatches were used. Formations of Siberian pine, larch, pine, fir, spruce, birch and aspen forests are shown on the map. Within the ВПК arabic numerals show the groups of types of biogeocoenoses (forest types), united into series according to similarity of dominants in ground layer. The mountain-taiga ВПК includes the following series and groups of types of biogeocoenoses: dwarf-shrub-moss (1-4); sedge-moss (5-9); bilberry-low herb-moss (10-14); tall herb-sedge (15-19); tall herb-wood sour-moss (20-26); tall herb-small reed (27-32). The subtaiga-forest steppe ВГ1К embraces: shrub steppificated (33-34); shrub-forb steppificated (35-38): sedge- bilberry (39-40); sedge-forb (41-43); bracken (44); small reed-forb (45); bilberrv-forb- sedge (46, 47); forb-tall herb (48-51); tall herb (52-55); wet tall herb-small reed (56-59); fern-tall herb (60). Intrazonal phytocoenoses: brook tall herb (61-63); brook shrub (64-68); lichen-moss (69); cowberry (70). In 1999-2000 on the base of topographic map in a scale 1 : 25 000, map of forest environments, transformed by us into vegetation map of the reserve, M. J . Erunova and I. S. Scerbinina worked out an electronic variant. For this project the instrumental facilities of GIS, GeoDraw and GeoGraph (CGI IG RAS, Moscow) and programs of Geophyt were used.


2000 ◽  
pp. 26-31
Author(s):  
E. I. Parfenova ◽  
N. M. Chebakova

Global climate warming is expected to be a new factor influencing vegetation redistribution and productivity in the XXI century. In this paper possible vegetation change in Mountain Altai under global warming is evaluated. The attention is focused on forest vegetation being one of the most important natural resources for the regional economy. A bioclimatic model of correlation between vegetation and climate is used to predict vegetation change (Parfenova, Tchebakova 1998). In the model, a vegetation class — an altitudinal vegetation belt (mountain tundra, dark- coniferous subalpine open woodland, light-coniferous subgolets open woodland, dark-coniferous mountain taiga, light-coniferous mountain taiga, chern taiga, subtaiga and forest-steppe, mountain steppe) is predicted from a combination of July Temperature (JT) and Complex Moisture Index (CMI). Borders between vegetation classes are determined by certain values of these two climatic indices. Some bioclimatic regularities of vegetation distribution in Mountain Altai have been found: 1. Tundra is separated from taiga by the JT value of 8.5°C; 2. Dark- coniferous taiga is separated from light-coniferous taiga by the CMI value of 2.25; 3. Mountain steppe is separated from the forests by the CMI value of 4.0. 4. Within both dark-coniferous and light-coniferous taiga, vegetation classes are separated by the temperature factor. For the spatially model of vegetation distribution in Mountain Altai within the window 84 E — 90 E and 48 N — 52 N, the DEM (Digital Elevation Model) was used with a pixel of 1 km resolution. In a GIS Package IDRISI for Windows 2.0, climatic layers were developed based on DEM and multiple regressions relating climatic indices to physiography (elevation and latitude). Coupling the map of climatic indices with the authors' bioclimatic model resulted into a vegetation map for the region of interest. Visual comparison of the modelled vegetation map with the observed geobotanical map (Kuminova, 1960; Ogureeva, 1980) showed a good similarity between them. The new climatic indices map was developed under the climate change scenario with summer temperature increase 2°C and annual precipitation increase 20% (Menzhulin, 1998). For most mountains under such climate change scenario vegetation belts would rise 300—400 m on average. Under current climate, the dark-coniferous and light-coniferous mountain taiga forests dominate throughout Mountain Altai. The chern forests are the most productive and floristically rich and are also widely distributed. Under climate warming, light-coniferous mountain taiga may be expected to transform into subtaiga and forest-steppe and dark-coniferous taiga may be expected to transform partly into chern taiga. Other consequences of warming may happen such as the increase of forest productivity within the territories with sufficient rainfall and the increase of forest fire occurrence over territories with insufficient rainfall.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Tiralla ◽  
Maika Holzapfel ◽  
Hermann Ansorge

AbstractThe increasing animosity towards wolves (Canislupus) by livestock-keeping nomads in Mongolia and the accompanying conflicts highlight the urgent need for knowledge about the feeding behavior of wolves, since information on the feeding ecology of wolves in Mongolia is rare, especially in the mountain taiga and mountain forest steppe regions of Northern Mongolia. Those regions are characterized by a relatively high wildlife diversity and are sparsely populated by humans. To face this problem, 137 wolf scats were collected in the Khentii Mountain range in Northern Mongolia between 2008 and 2012. Almost all wolf faeces contained remnants of wild ungulates, which made up 89% of the consumed biomass. Siberian roe deer (Capreoluspygargus) was the most important and positively selected prey species. It was followed by red deer (Cervuselaphus) and wild boar (Susscrofa), which was negatively selected by wolves. Wolves also fed on buffer prey species such as lagomorphs and small mammals. No evidence of domestic ungulates was found in the wolf diet. Thus, near-natural habitats with a diverse fauna of wild animals are important to limit livestock depredation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 18-23
Author(s):  
Elena Evgenievna Boryakova

The study of the nature reserve oak forest near the village of Pelya-Khovanskaya ecosystem was done in the region of Nizhny Novgorod. The investigated wood is unique for its complex structure. It is situated in the forest-steppe zone, characterized by a high species diversity of small mammals and vegetation, which indicates the complexity of trophic and spatial connections. Several series of sample plots were described: 41 of 2020 m and a number of 11 m sites, totaling 300. Abundance of species by Brown-Blanke scale and the number of specimens of adolescence were specified for each 1 sq. m. plot. Mammals were trapped with the help of trapping grooves and transects method. Vegetation cover is characterized by the presence of a clear intra-differentiation as well as the existence of two basic ecologo-coenotic groups/cores - the nemoral (with Pulmonaria obscura Dum. as the center species of the core) and the meadow-fringe. The most distinct group is formed by forest-shoot species. It can be explained by more forest-steppe rather than nemoral nature of vegetation. Small mammals are represented by the following species: common and small shrews, small forest mouse, yellow-throated and field mice and harvest mouse, vole-housekeeper, common, plowed and red voles, European mole. Two species among them - vole-housekeeper and mouse-baby - are listed in the Red Book of the Nizhny Novgorod Region. Matching burrows of mouse-like rodents with soil richness with nitrogen and humidity, two well-defined peaks are observed. The greatest number of burrows is found in places where the soil is high in nitrogen. Moles were found in areas with a large projective coating of Primula veris: coefficient Spearman rank 0,50. There was a negative correlation of the number of moles and vegetation covering of Pyrethrum corymbosum (-0,46), which is the marker of the driest parts in the forest. In general, the nature reserve oak forest near the village of Pelya-Khovanskaya is of considerable interest, both from botanical and from zoological point of view. Long-term studies of biocoenosis will allow to monitor the facility and to correct the proposed protective measures.


Author(s):  
T. V. Kuzmina ◽  
E. Iu. Toropova

The aim of the study was to determine the influence of plant species and year conditions on the biological diversity and number of insects – inhabitants of the crown layer of woody plants of the Rosaceae family in the conditions of the northern forest-steppe of the Ob region. The research was carried out in 2017–2018. During the flowering period of woody entomophilous plants, insects were collected by mowing with an entomological net in the crowns and undercrown space (25 strokes in four repetitions). In the crown of woody introduced plants Pyrus ussuriensis (Ussuri pear), Prunus maackii (Maak plum), Amelanchier alnifolia (alder irga), Spiraea betulifolia (spiraea birch leaf), Physocarpus opulifolius growing on the territory of arboretum of RAS in the northern forest-steppe of the Ob region, a total of 2597 insect specimens from 7 orders and more than 30 families were found. The largest number of insects belonged to the order Diptera (49.4 %). Representatives of the orders Thysanoptera (23.7%) and Hymenoptera (11.4%) made a significant contribution to the formation of the entomofauna. The entomofauna of different species of woody plants from the Rosaceae family differed in the taxonomic groups of insects and their numbers. A high degree of enomofauna similarity (Jaccard coefficient is 0.75) was found between Amelanchier alnifolia and Pyrus ussuriensis with similar flowering periods. A low degree of similarity was found between Amelanchier alnifolia and Spiraea betulifolia (0.32) and between Pyrus ussuriensis and Physocarpus opulifolius (0.33). The species of the plant (38.1 and 26.1%, respectively) had the greatest influence on the biological diversity and the number of entomocomplexes, which indicates the adaptation of insects to a woody plant of the Rosaceae family. The conditions of the year significantly (by 9.8%) influenced the biological diversity of insects during the flowering period.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-340
Author(s):  
A. O. Turanov ◽  
A. Y. Nikitin ◽  
E. I. Andaev

Studying of immune interlayer value to tick-borne encephalitis virus in human population of the Transbaikalia Territory resulted from natural immunization of the healthy population in 31 Municipal areas in 2011–2016 is presented. Human selections were formed proportionally to the population size in the concrete human settlement among persons of the various age and professional groups living at this territory not less than 10 years and unvaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis virus. Total 4367 blood sera were investigated. Laboratory testing for antibodies of G class to tick-borne encephalitis virus in blood sera of the human population was performed by immune-enzyme analysis using a set of reagents “VektoVKE-IgG” of Joint-Stock Company “Vektor-Best” (Novosibirsk city). The monitoring data indicated the presence of natural immunity to tick-borne encephalitis virus in the human population. Mean annual level of immune interlayer in Municipal areas varied from 3.1 to 52.7% (in Transbaikalian Territory — 13.1±0.51%). High level (from 20 to 52.7%) was characteristic for mountain-taiga-forest-steppe zone (Krasnochikoisky — 23.8±3.36%; Uletovsky — 52.4±4.48%; Gazimuro-Zavodsky — 29.4±4.94% districts) and mountain-tundra-taiga zone (Tungokochensky district — 20.0±3.58%). In steppe zone the level of immune interlayer was lower and observed in districts with elements of south-taiga larch and pine forests. It was established that levels of the immune interlayer in human population living in mountain-taiga-foreststeppe and mountain-tundra-taiga zones authentically higher than in steppe area — t = 3.8; Р < 0.001 and t = 2.27; Р < 0.05, respectively. Distinctions in the value of the immune interlayer between mountain-tundra-taiga and mountain-taigaforest-steppe zones were non-authentic: t = 0.1; P > 0.05. Active circulation of tick-borne encephalitis virus was accompanied by authentic (Р < 0.01) increase of the interlayer in persons with the virus antibodies in 2014–2016 (15.8±0.69%) in comparison with 2011–2013 (9.7±0.78%). Also it was noted in all landscape zones: in steppe zone the increase was to 42.8% (P > 0.05); in mountain-taiga-forest-steppe — to 61.3% (P > 0.05); in mountain-tundra-taiga — to 150.0% (Р < 0.01). It was not possible to reveal correlation between the recourse for medical aid and the value of immune interlayer in the population formed as a result of latent immunization. Results of the population immunity studying essentially expand our knowledge about the condition of the natural foci and dynamics of development of the epidemic processes in it, and can be used at planning of the preventive actions.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-31
Author(s):  
Anastasia Viktorovna Ivanova ◽  
Natalia Viktorovna Kostina

Ecological approach to the study of flora implies an integral flora unit called elementary flora (EF), which is usually regarded as the elementary unit of floristic division. Identification of the minimum-range of EF is prerequisite for the research of flora of any territory. The aim of this research is to identify the number of EF in the research area (floral patterns) by comparing the values of certain parameters of the family range of flora in four minimum-ranges. The basin of the river Sok is the research area. Its landscape zoning varies in different literature sources. Florae of the four minimum-range habitats are formed on territorial basis with reference to the existing floristic descriptions. The following parameters of the family range of flora in four minimum-ranges were used: establishment of the order of the first triad of families depending on number of species in a sample, percentage of monotypic families and percentage of species in the top ten families. The considered values of florae parameters in the sample areas corresponding to the minimum-range habitats show a certain degree of similarity. The largest differences were observed in the study of the formation of top three leading families, depending on the number of species. This indicator reflects the peculiarities of individual sample areas due to the variety of intra-landscape. The authors reach a conclusion concerning the conditional affiliation of the researched territory to one EF. The conclusion is based on the analyzed parameters of the family range of flora of all minimum-ranges as well as their floristic descriptions


2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-129
Author(s):  
Nataliia Pashkevych ◽  
Raisa Burda

Abstract In order to assess the level of anthropogenic transformation of the vegetation cover of the nature protected areas located within the Ukrainian Forest Steppe, we have analysed the distribution of alien species in natural and anthropogenic habitats. All recorded species are represented in habitats shaped by human activity: dominated by phanerophytes, which included deciduous and coniferous woodlands as well as shrublands of Rhamno-Prunetea class. The same number of species was found in grassland habitats and is caused by the huge number of potential ecological niches as a result of the complex structure and also by the proximity of transportation networks and watercourses. Biotopes of chamaephytes and nanophanerophytes, though being represented in all the studied sites, often have a very narrow ecological amplitude and occupy small areas, making it difficult for alien species to spread. About one-third of species were recorded across at least three habitat types; such species may be considered eurytopic in their secondary ranges. Most widespread species were Fallopia convolvulus L., Vicia angustifolia Reichard, Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronqist, Phalacroloma annuum (L.) Dumort. and Setaria viridis (L.) P. Beauv. At the same time, there was not a single species that would have occurred in all habitat types. In sum, agricultural lands and ruderal biotopes were highly invaded; three times less alien plant species occurred in woodlands, shrublands, grasslands and wasteland; and only small number of non-native species were restricted to continental water habitats.


2000 ◽  
pp. 32-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. I. Vlasenko

The character of forest dynamics in the last century may be traced on the key area of the Altai-Sayan mountain country — the Sayan-Shushensky Biosphere Reserve of total area 389 000 ha. It is situated at the border of humid mountain region of South Siberia and the arid areas of Tuva. The basement for creation of prognosis map of potential state of the Reserve vegetation cover for 2050 year includes: 1) the data on inventory, ages structure, and conditions of forests; 2) the results of the earlier studies of dynamics of mountain open woodlands; 3) materials of dendroclimatic investigations at the upper and lower forest boundaries in the Sayan Mts.; 4) prognosis of climatologists. While classifying the Reserve vegetation, 1500 biogeocoenoses have been united into 362 types of biogeocoenoses which have been included into 112 groups of associations identified in altitudinal vegetation belts: goltsy, meadows and shrub thickets; high elevation open woodlands; mountain taiga; subtaiga—forest- steppe complexes. Local expansion of forest boundaries, at the expense of forming the 40— 80 years old forest stands in goltsy and open woodlands, testifies to climate warming, and a rise of the subtaiga—forest-steppe pine and larch forests of the 40—80 years old is the evidence of climate humification in this region during the last century. According to the prognoses of climatologists this tendency will continue in the future 50 years. On the territory of the Sayan-Shushensky Reserve, within the strip of 200 m width at the age of steppefied forests as well as within the steppes with shrubs, mesophilous species will be developed in the shrub, herb-dwarf shrub and moss cover. Under protection of shrubs, young open stands of larch and pine will spring up (on the area of 200 ha) and in subtaiga forests Abies sibirica and Pinus sibirica will appear among the regrowth. Under canopy of the mountain taiga and the subtaiga larch forests, the second layer of dark needle-leaved species will be formed. In the places of present pyrogenic derivatives — birch and aspen forests — the fir forest with admixture of Pinus sibirica and Picea obovata will be restored. On the area of 49 322 ha, occupied by mountain woodlands (87% of the total area), the closed mountain taiga forest of Pinus sibirica will spread. The area of goltsy and shrub thickets will decrease by 44.4% (19 214 ha), being replaced by the high elevation open woodlands of Pinus sibirica and Larix sibirica. In accordance with changes in vegetation cover the boundary between the Altai-Sayan and the Central-Asian forest areas within the Reserve's territory will deviate from the modern one approximately by 25 km.


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