Spatial distribution of small-leaved forests in the Kuznetsk Depression

• Published in: International Journal of Environmental Studies
• Main Authors: Gulyaeva, Anna F., Revushkin, Alexandr S., Kuznetsov, Alexander A., Lashchinskiy, Nikolay N.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: мелколиственные леса; Кузнецкая котловина; распространение лесов; taiga
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1080/00207233.2015.1028782; https://openrepository.ru/article?id=276412

This article concerns the spatial distribution patterns of small-leaved forests in the Kuznetsk Depression, where these communities are the forest components of zonal vegetation. Two levels of spatial forest heterogeneity are described. Depending on mesorelief, forest communities are organized into topo-ecological series, which differ in sets of components and area covered by different elements. On a larger scale, depending on climatic features in different parts of the depression, the spatial pattern of communities and topo-ecological series reflect the zonal structures. In general, the spatial forest distribution is considered as follows: the central part of the depression is covered by Artemisio – Betuletum communities in combination with Calamagrostio – Betuletum forests; approaching the eastern border of the depression, they change to Trollio – Populetum and Campanulo – Betuletum combinations; the southern part is occupied by communities of Campanulo – Betuletum, together with Saussureo – Populetum forests; in the north-western part the only forest association is Primulo – Betuletum. Throughout the entire region, in places with bad drainage occur communities of Carici – Betuletum. Based on climatic parameters, forest-steppe and sub-taiga sub-belts can be distinguished. Forest-steppe in its turn can be divided into an original fragment of plain forest-steppe and typical forest-steppe. In the eastern part of the depression, a sub-taiga sub-belt developed but in the western part, it exists outside the depression.