TRENDS OF CHANGES IN THE FLORISTIC COMPOSITION OF STEPPE VEGETATION IN THE NORTHERN BAIKAL REGION UPON CLIMATE WARMING
L.V. KRIVOBOKOV, О.А. АНЕНХОНОВ
Institute of General and Experimental Biology, SB RAS, 670047 Ulan-Ude, Sakhyanovoi str., 6
leo_kr@mail.ru
Keywords: flora, steppes, Cleistogenetea squarrosae, climate warming, aridization, Baikal region
Abstract
Activity indices of plant species in altitudinal zonal elements of the flora were analyzed. As a result, displacement
of forest-steppe species by true steppe species in Cleistogenetea squarrosae communities was revealed. Comparison of these tendencies with those in forest vegetation in Baikal Region suggests that ridge slopes
are characterized by increasing of humidity. On the contrary, aridization process is observed in basins. Both alternatively oriented trends are inspired by general climate warming. Due to temperature increase, the permafrost
existing on the forested slopes is gradually melting and provides additional soil moisturing. At the same time, the steppe ecosystems suffer a loss of the soil water supply as well as air moisture affected by
climate warming.
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