INFLUENCE OF THE ANIMAL POPULATION ON THE EXOGENIC MORPHOGENESIS IN STEPPES OF THE SOUTH OF SIBERIA
O.I. BAZHENOVA1, E.M. TYUMENTSEVA2
1V.B. Sochava Institute of Geography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 664033, Irkutsk, ul. Ulan-Batorskaya, 1, Russia
bazhenova@irigs.irk.ru
2Irkutsk State University, Irkutsk, ul. Karla Marksa, 1, Russia
tumencev@irk.ru
Keywords: zoogenic morpholithogenesis, burrowing animals, biogenic microrelief, steppe permanent stations, experimental plots, zoogenic removal
Abstract
We examine an important role of zoogenic migration of matter in the transformation of the relief of the piedmont steppes of Southern Siberia. The study revealed a large diversity of the animal population involved in the morphogenesis. On the basis of long-term field observations of the behavior of denudation, it was found that burrowing mammals and ants remove to the surface of steppe slopes a significant amount of sandy loamy-loamy material from beneath the surface horizons (up to 10-15 t/ha); after that, it is involved in the subsequent movement by aeolian and fluvial processes. A qualitative assessment is made of the volumes of material relocated on the steppe slopes by various animals. The morphometric indicators of the zoogenic micro- and nanorelief are determined. Spatio-temporal variability in the zoogenic morpholithogenesis is demonstrated.
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