Meadows of the North Altai

Abstract

The North Altai meadows are situated in the low parts of the forest altitudinal belt (500—900 m a. s. l.). The climatic conditions of these sites are favorable for meadows. The sites have sufficient precipitation and rich soils. The diversity of meadows in the North Altai is presented by communities of 4 orders of class Molinio-Arrhenatheretea: Molinietalia (2 associations), Carici-Crepidetalia (5 subassociations of 2 associations), Arrhenatheretalia (3 associations), Galietalia veri (1 association). The main differences between a size of formations (units of ecological-phytocoenotic classification) and a size of associations (subassociations) (units of floristic classification) appear due to the biogeographical classifications suggesting the different limits of distribution of steppe meadows and forest meadows, true meadows and forest meadows. On the basis of data presented all meadow syntaxa can be grouped according 3 ranges of anthropogenic transformation: watershed range of lower part of the forest belt, watershed range of the forest-steppe belt fragments and river valley range.