Anisirrwv and Pospelov: The Landscape and Geobotanical Characteristics
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cryophyte group (arctic, arctic-alpine, meta-arctic), a significant number, especially in alpine
landscapes, of Siberian and East-Siberian cryophytes, form the basis of the investigation. The
role of hypoarctic and boreal species was greater in the large valleys (for example, the Krasnaja
river valley). The typical Arctic character of the flora is represented by the major role of the
families Brassicaceae, Poaceae; genera Draba, Poa, Saxifraga, and, at the same time, typical
alpine species are also well represented, through the families Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Rosaceae;
generas Pedicularis, Papaver, Potentilla. Thus, on the basis of areal and taxonomic analysis, it
is possible to identify the region as typical Siberian-Arctic/alpine flora.
Dwarf shrubs, herbs, mosses and lichens were observed within the area of investigation. The
vegetation as a whole is subject to altitude zonation. However, the limits of the belts (zones) so
varied with elevation that to give their sharp hypsometric significance is practically unrealistic.
On slopes with different aspects and inclinations we found consecutive replacement of the same
types of plant cover, but the extent of the belts and their limits with respect to elevation can be
distinguished at a scale of 200 m and more. Hence, by distribution over an area of
phytocoenotic units, connected with generically consistent surfaces, we can divide them into the
background and the local elements of vegetation. The former is represented in communities
with mosaic or complex vegetation, whereas the development of the latter is governed by
external factors (geomorphologic, hydrothermal). On the map they are included in structural
units as separate elements.
At the highest hypsometric levels, the background communities are cool mountain deserts,
with sparse lichen-herb and lichen-moss-herb vegetative cover. These communities are formed
in areas with low snow accumulation, combined with coarse residual deposits. They are
replaced downwards on the profile by gravelly dry moss-forb and forb-moss tundra with
solitary plant cushions, frequently without a continuous vegetative cover. Such communities
are distinguished from deserts by a richer flora and greater cover (up to 30 %). Depending on
drainage, either petrophilous forbs (Papaver polare, Saxifraga sp. et al.) or, on more humid,
fine-grained sites, Deschampsia borealis, are dominant. A belt of dry herb-dwarf shrub-moss,
mesic dwarf shrub-moss and dry herb-dwarf shrub tundra occurs on patterned grounds, from
fine-grain ed-gravel to lower elevation loamy sites. Within this belt, clear sub-belts are
identifiable, distinguished by the introduction of separate plant species. At the upper elevation
limits of this belt, dwarf willow (Salix polaris) plays an essential role, at mid-elevations, the
sedge (Carex arctisibirica) cover is also significant, and at lower elevations dryas (Dryas
punctata) begins to dominate. Dryas is practically unique to this sub-belt, with clear altitudinal
distribution limits. However, it occurs as the only dominant only on gravelly soils, whereas on
sorted soils, it tends to be replaced by other species. Such a wide range of zonation mimics the
zonal community distribution of the Taimyr plain: sedge-dwarf willow-moss in arctic tundra
subzones and dryas-sedge-moss in subarctic subzones.
This unique complex of slope communities, which we considered to be a background for
further distinctions between regions, was advanced on striped (dellic) slopes. As a rule, all of
these communities were found below 300 m; on ridges, therefore, the vegetation was mesic
herb-dry as-moss, and in drainage stripes it was moist sedge-moss and sedge-dwarf willowmoss.
Superimposed on this background vegetation, communities of polygonal bogs at all stages of
development were found, with wet sedge-moss (Carex concolor) and moss-sedge depressions
and moist herb-shrub-moss on the raised boundaries of polygons or palsas.
Fragments of background communities were sometimes also local elements of complex
vegetation units. The most frequent example was moss-forb tundra on decimated auleurolites
outcrops and on breaks in altiplanation terraces. The local communities of the territory were
rather diverse, and the following were found to be most common. The nival and subnival
communities were distributed in all altitude belts. Sparse moss-lichen vegetation found on the
313
cryophyte group (arctic, arctic-alpine, meta-arctic), a significant number, especially in alpine
landscapes, of Siberian and East-Siberian cryophytes, form the basis of the investigation. The
role of hypoarctic and boreal species was greater in the large valleys (for example, the Krasnaja
river valley). The typical Arctic character of the flora is represented by the major role of the
families Brassicaceae, Poaceae; genera Draba, Poa, Saxifraga, and, at the same time, typical
alpine species are also well represented, through the families Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Rosaceae;
generas Pedicularis, Papaver, Potentilla. Thus, on the basis of areal and taxonomic analysis, it
is possible to identify the region as typical Siberian-Arctic/alpine flora.
Dwarf shrubs, herbs, mosses and lichens were observed within the area of investigation. The
vegetation as a whole is subject to altitude zonation. However, the limits of the belts (zones) so
varied with elevation that to give their sharp hypsometric significance is practically unrealistic.
On slopes with different aspects and inclinations we found consecutive replacement of the same
types of plant cover, but the extent of the belts and their limits with respect to elevation can be
distinguished at a scale of 200 m and more. Hence, by distribution over an area of
phytocoenotic units, connected with generically consistent surfaces, we can divide them into the
background and the local elements of vegetation. The former is represented in communities
with mosaic or complex vegetation, whereas the development of the latter is governed by
external factors (geomorphologic, hydrothermal). On the map they are included in structural
units as separate elements.
At the highest hypsometric levels, the background communities are cool mountain deserts,
with sparse lichen-herb and lichen-moss-herb vegetative cover. These communities are formed
in areas with low snow accumulation, combined with coarse residual deposits. They are
replaced downwards on the profile by gravelly dry moss-forb and forb-moss tundra with
solitary plant cushions, frequently without a continuous vegetative cover. Such communities
are distinguished from deserts by a richer flora and greater cover (up to 30 %). Depending on
drainage, either petrophilous forbs (Papaver polare, Saxifraga sp. et al.) or, on more humid,
fine-grained sites, Deschampsia borealis, are dominant. A belt of dry herb-dwarf shrub-moss,
mesic dwarf shrub-moss and dry herb-dwarf shrub tundra occurs on patterned grounds, from
fine-grain ed-gravel to lower elevation loamy sites. Within this belt, clear sub-belts are
identifiable, distinguished by the introduction of separate plant species. At the upper elevation
limits of this belt, dwarf willow (Salix polaris) plays an essential role, at mid-elevations, the
sedge (Carex arctisibirica) cover is also significant, and at lower elevations dryas (Dryas
punctata) begins to dominate. Dryas is practically unique to this sub-belt, with clear altitudinal
distribution limits. However, it occurs as the only dominant only on gravelly soils, whereas on
sorted soils, it tends to be replaced by other species. Such a wide range of zonation mimics the
zonal community distribution of the Taimyr plain: sedge-dwarf willow-moss in arctic tundra
subzones and dryas-sedge-moss in subarctic subzones.
This unique complex of slope communities, which we considered to be a background for
further distinctions between regions, was advanced on striped (dellic) slopes. As a rule, all of
these communities were found below 300 m; on ridges, therefore, the vegetation was mesic
herb-dry as-moss, and in drainage stripes it was moist sedge-moss and sedge-dwarf willowmoss.
Superimposed on this background vegetation, communities of polygonal bogs at all stages of
development were found, with wet sedge-moss (Carex concolor) and moss-sedge depressions
and moist herb-shrub-moss on the raised boundaries of polygons or palsas.
Fragments of background communities were sometimes also local elements of complex
vegetation units. The most frequent example was moss-forb tundra on decimated auleurolites
outcrops and on breaks in altiplanation terraces. The local communities of the territory were
rather diverse, and the following were found to be most common. The nival and subnival
communities were distributed in all altitude belts. Sparse moss-lichen vegetation found on the