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The Most Important Biodiversity Nodes and Phytogeographic Phenomena of the Mountain Steppes of Southern Siberia

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Abstract

The most important floristic nodes as the standards of flora biodiversity in various sectors of Southern Siberia have been identified: Saylyugem–Mongun–Taiginsky in Altai and western Tuva; Sangilensko–Darkhatsky in southeastern Tuva and Mongolia; and Selenginsko–Daursky in Transbaikalia. There are many mountainous, central-Asian species located on the eastern border of their ranges in the mountains of Sailyugem and Mongun–Taiga: the share of boundary species reaches 40% (Сoluria geoides, Potentilla lydiae, Allium pallasii, Lonicera microphylla, Artemisia obtusiloba, etc.), which is indicative of historical links between the western sector of southern Siberia and central Asia. A high rate of endemism (up to 60% in the fraction of rare species) bring originality to the flora of the Sangilen Highlands. Border species, including Cymbaria dahurica, Onosma gmelinii, and Oxytropis tragacantoides, are also typical here; this indicates the migration potential of the territory. The western Transbaikal node in the south of Buryatia, which is characterized by the presence of relics of the nemoral flora of eastern Asia, is of particular interest. These include Ulmus pumila, Armeniaca sibirica, Rhamnus erythroxylon, Filifolium sibiricum, Spodiopogon sibiricus, and Saposhnikovia divaricata. According to this indicator, the flora of the Selenginskaya Dauria has a high level of diversity (40%). The paper reveals features of the floristic diversity of the vegetation of the steppes and mountain forest–steppe of western Transbaikalia and also considers the natural factors that cause them. It is shown that this is a consequence of both the ecotonic position of the territory (zonal–provincial) and the global climatic influence of the Atlantic and Pacific, as well as natural factors of the permafrost north and arid central Asia. The diversity and heterogeneity of the vegetation of Baikal Siberia made it possible to substantiate the boundaries of individual provinces and districts in the scheme of geobotanical zoning. The vegetation of the steppes and forest–steppe of the Selenginsky midmountains of western Transbaikalia, which has been given the status of a special buffer province, is the most complex.

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Notes

  1. The species names are given according to the Siberian Flora handbook (Flora Sibiri, 1988–2003).

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Funding

The work was financially supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project nos. 15-44-04112r_Sibir_a, “Relict and endemic plants of Transbaikalia: analysis of the state of populations, ecological mapping of the refugia, and prospects for preservation of the gene pool,” and 16-04-20813, “Rare plants and phytocoenoses of the Baikal region and adjacent territories.”

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  1. Dorzhi Banzarov Buryat State University, 670000, Ulan-Ude, Russia

    B. B. Namzalov

  2. Buryat Research Institute of Agriculture, 670045, Ulan-Ude, Russia

    B. B. Namzalov

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Namzalov, B.B. The Most Important Biodiversity Nodes and Phytogeographic Phenomena of the Mountain Steppes of Southern Siberia. Arid Ecosyst 11, 238–248 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079096121030100

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