Home

Physical Geography
  Tectonics and Geology
  Climatic Change
  Climate at Present and in the Past
  Soils
  Rivers, Lakes, Seas and Wetlands
  Permafrost
  Biodiversity

Biomes & Regions
  Arctic Environments
  Boreal Forests
  Mixed and Deciduous Forests
  Steppe and Forest-steppe
  Arid Environments
  The Mountains of Northern Russia
  The Mountains of Southern Siberia
  The Caucasus
  The Mountains of Central Asia
  Lake Baikal
  The Far East

Environmental Problems
  Radioactive Contamination
  Oil and Gas Development
  Air Pollution
  The Aral Sea Problems
  Deforestation and Degradation of Forests
  Nature Protection and Conservation

Images of Russian Nature
  Geographic Index
  Systematic Index
  Alphabetical Index

Nature Reserves
  Northern Russia
  Central Russia
  Povolzhye (Volga river basin)
  Southern Russia
  Ural Mountains
  Western Siberia
  Eastern Siberia
  Far East


Ôîòîãðàôèè ïðèðîäû Ðîññèè
  Ãåîãðàôè÷åñêèé êàòàëîã
  Ñèñòåìàòè÷åñêèé êàòàëîã
  Àëôàâèòíûé êàòàëîã


Nature Landscapes of the World
  Europe
  Asia
  North America
  South America
  Africa
  Australia
  Antarctic

Field Ecology Education
  Instructive Videos
  Instructive Manuals


Ýêîëîãè÷åñêèé Öåíòð Ýêîñèñòåìà íà Facebook Ýêîëîãè÷åñêèé Öåíòð Ýêîñèñòåìà ÂÊîíòàêòå

Þòóá êàíàë Ýêîñèñòåìà YouTube EcosystemaRu

Ñêà÷àòü íàøè ïðèëîæåíèÿ èç ìàãàçèíà RuStore
Ñêà÷àòü íàøè ïðèëîæåíèÿ èç ìàãàçèíà RuMarket Ñêà÷àòü ïðèëîæåíèÿ Ýêîñèñòåìû èç ìàãàçèíà NashStore
Ñêà÷àòü ïðèëîæåíèÿ Ýêîñèñòåìû èç ìàãàçèíà GetApps Xiaomi
Ñêà÷àòü ïðèëîæåíèÿ Ýêîñèñòåìû ÝêîÃèä èç ìàãàçèíà Google Play / Play Market
Ñêà÷àòü ïðèëîæåíèÿ Ýêîñèñòåìû ÝêîÃèä èç AppStore / iTunes
Âèäåî-360 ïî ýêîëîãèè íà íàøåì Youtube êàíàëå

Bird Decoys for European Birds: Songs, Calls, Sounds, Bird voices - application for Android download from Google Play / Play Market for free



Share this page with your friends:



( ) : : = = + +


Russian Nature

Home | Physical Geography | Biomes & Regions | Environmental Problems | Images of Russian Nature | Nature Reserves

Our Field Ecology Center published more than 180 methodical materials for nature studies. Some of them are in English:
Mobile educational application: Ecological Field Studies Techniques on Play.Google Mobile field guide Birds of North America: Songs and Calls Decoys on Play.Google WILD FLOWERS OF RUSSIA Field Identification Guide on Play.Google Mobile field guide Birds of Russia on Play.Google Mobile field guide Birds of Russia Songs, Calls and Voices on Play.Google Mobile field guide Birds of Europe Songs, Calls and Voices on Play.Google Mobile field guide Birds of Europe Songs, Calls and Voices on Play.Google
Mobile Educational Apps and Field Identification Guides for Russian, European and American Birds
Applications for Android and iOS are available at GooglePlay and AppStore


Please put an active hyperlink to our site (www.rusnature.info) when you copy the materials from this page

Biomes and Regions of Northern Eurasia

Boreal Forests

<<< European Taiga | Biomes & Regions Index | Central Siberia >>>

Western Siberian Taiga

In Western Siberia, the taiga zone is marked by a widespread occurrence of wetlands (Figure 9.5) and the taiga zone here is often referred to as a biome of forested wetlands.

Vegetation of Western Siberia

Fig. 9.5 Vegetation of Western Siberia. Compiled by A. Tishkov using data from Sochava (1979)

Wetlands cover over 50 per cent of the West Siberian lowland and only in the easternmost areas, drained by the Yenisey tributaries, is the development of wetlands relatively limited. Watersheds provide optimal conditions for the accumulation of peat and the development of strongly acid peat bogs. Forests develop in proximity to rivers where drainage is better and, because of the exceptional swamping, they do not occupy large areas but stretch for great distances along rivers. Forests also occur on elevated drier sites in wetlands. However, these forests are sparse and tree growth is impeded. Five tree species dominate: Picea obovata, Abies sibirica, Pinus sibirica (all are dark taiga species), and P. sylvestris and Larix sibirica. Pinus sibirica does not require much warmth and grows well in areas with an excess of stagnant water. It is often found along the edges of peat bogs where its growth is impeded. The participation of Picea obovata is reduced in comparison with the European taiga because of the excessive supply of moisture. The broad-leaved tree species are absent, with the only exception of Tilia sibirica, which occurs in the undergrowth in the southern regions.

Similar to the European territory, a characteristic of the West Siberian northern taiga is low and open canopy with a cover between 30 per cent and 50 per cent (Agakhany-ants, 1986). Two types of forests, which are often swampy, with abundant dwarf shrubs and green mosses dominate: those composed of Picea obovata and those with two dominants, Picea obovata and Larix sibirica. Better-drained localities are occupied by forests comprised of Larix sibirica. In the north, they develop on sandy substrata which is otherwise uncharacteristic of Larix which prefers soils rich in lime. Towards the southern edge of the northern taiga, Pinus sylvestris develops on sandy soils.

The main forest-forming species in the middle taiga are Picea obovata and Pinus sibirica that occur in association with dwarf shrubs (Vaccinium spp., Ledum palustre) and green mosses (Pleurozium schreberi). The participation of Abies sibirica increases southwards. Similarly to the European taiga, herbaceous cover in the West Siberian middle taiga is very poor. In the north of the middle taiga, pine forests are common while in the south birch forests, which mainly represent secondary succession, are widely distributed.

The widespread occurrence of Pinus sylvestris across extensive areas makes it difficult to draw a boundary between the southern and the middle taiga subzones. In the southern taiga, the share of forested areas increases to approximately 60 per cent while areas occupied by wetlands become smaller. Forests are formed by the dark taiga species with Abies sibirica, the conifer most demanding of warmth, becoming increasingly important. Forests are distinguished by a taller and closer canopy. The green-moss forests develop on well-drained watersheds and associations with grasses and herbs occur on the slopes of river valleys. Undergrowth composed of Sorbus sibirica, Cornus alba, Sambucus racemosa, and large ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris) develop in the forests growing in river valleys. Phytomass reserves and productivity of forests increase in comparison with the northern regions from 90 to approximately 230 t ha-1 and from 5 to 6.5 t ha-1 a-1 (Bazilevich, 1993). The stands are mainly mature and the share of wood in total phytomass exceeds 75 per cent (Bazilevich, 1993: Bazilevich and Tishkov, 1986).

Extensive areas on the southern edge of the West Siberian taiga are occupied by birch forests. The stands composed of Betula krylovii, which reaches 25-30 m in height, are primary forests. Secondary birch forests also develop in burned sites.

<<< European Taiga | Biomes & Regions Index | Central Siberia >>>

 

 


Recommend this page to your friends:


* *