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

Mixed and Deciduous Forests

<<< Forests and Woodlands of the Crimea | Biomes & Regions Index | Forest and People: A Historical Perspective >>>

Deciduous Forests of Transcaucasia

Subtropical forests occur in the Colchis (Kolkhida) and Talysh (Lenkoran) lowlands and on the surrounding slopes. Both lowlands were densely forested in the past. However, the development of agriculture has led to extensive deforestation, especially on the Talysh lowland, where almost all natural forests have been destroyed.

The climate of the Colchis lowland is mild and humid. On the lowland, the mean temperature of August (the warmest month) is about 23-24°C; mean monthly temperatures in winter are seldom below 4°C. Annual rainfall averages 1500 mm and exceeds 2200 mm in the foothills with a maximum between September and November. Abundant heat and moisture supplies support lush vegetation. Productivity of these forests is very high and exceeds productivity of the deciduous forests of Central Russia by a factor of two. The phytomass reserves exceed 400 t ha-1 and the share of wood is 80 per cent (Bazilevich, 1993). The accumulation of litter reaches 8-10 t ha-1 and of dead phytomass 60 t ha-1 (Bazilevich, 1993).

Deciduous species dominate forested areas on the lowland and only in the mountains do coniferous stands occur locally (Dolukhanov, 1980). The Colchis lowland is swampy and floodplains are frequently inundated. Woodlands are composed mainly by Alnus barbata and forests developing in stream valleys are represented by Pterocarya, Acer lactum, and Albizia julibrissin. Forests composed of deciduous species (Ouercus hartwissiana, Q, imeretina, Q. iberica, Carpinus caucasica, Castanea saliva, and locally, Vagus orientalis) occur in drier habitats, mainly in the foothills and on the lower slopes. The admixture in such forests consists of Fraxinus excelsior, Tilia platy-phyllos, Ulmus spp., and in some places Zelkova carpini-folia. On the middle slopes, between 1000 m and 1500 m, Fagus forests are totally predominant, while at higher altitudes (up to 1800 m) Fagus is supplemented by Abies nordmanniana and Picea orientalis.

The forests of the Colchis lowland have specific undergrowth, composed predominantly by evergreen broad-leaved shrubs (Rhododendron ponticum, R. smirnowii, R. luteum, Laurus officinalis, and Ruscus). In favourable microclimatic conditions, these shrubs develop an appearance of low, erect trees or form dense thickets, reaching 3-4 m in height (Dolukhanov, 1980). These shrubs frequently invade deforested slopes and, being resistant to low temperatures and deep snow cover, occur at altitudes of up to 2000 m. Tree felling, natural hazards (avalanches, mudflows, windfalls) favour the widespread development of these shrubs. The undergrowth of the Colchis forests includes also other evergreen plants: Buxus colchica, Ruscus spp., Arbutus andrachne, and Hypericum x inodorum. Leaf-falling shrubs like Crataegus spp., Corylus spp., and Vaccinium arctostaphylos are also common as well as woody wines (Hedera colchica, H. helix, Dioscorea caucasica). The herbaceous cover contains many heat-loving relics which migrated to the Caucasus from Europe during the Pleistocene glaciations and spread over the Colchis lowland.

The coastal lowland and slopes of the Talysh mountains are distinguished by a warmer and drier climate than that of the Colchis lowland although annual precipitation is still high (on Talysh lowland, it averages 1200 mm with the maximum in autumn). In the past, the region was much more densely forested. Now, natural forests occur mainly in the Talysh mountains. Subtropical forests containing numerous relics and endemics (Ouercus castaneifolia, Parrotia persica, Alnus subcordata, Acer velutinum, A. insigne, Albizia julibrissin, Gleditschia caspica, Pyrus spp.) dominate the lower slopes, up to 500-600 m, where yellow earths occur. Persian iron wood (Parrotia persica), which is a representative of the Hyrkanian flora of Tertiary age, forms numerous small-size stands. The evergreen undergrowth is poorer in comparison with that of the Colchis forests. Hedera pastuchowii is very common among woody vines and Danae racemosa is most widespread among shrubs. At higher altitudes (up to 1700-1800 m) on mountain brown earths, forests, typical of the Caucasus in general, occur. These are dominated by Ouercus imeretina, Carpinus caucasica, and Fagus orientalis.

<<< Forests and Woodlands of the Crimea | Biomes & Regions Index | Forest and People: A Historical Perspective >>>

 

 


Recommend this page to your friends:


* *