A Topography-Based Model of the Vegetation Cover of the Lanzhinskie Mountains

Abstract

A b s t r A c tBy means of the GAM technique it is possible to create detailed maps of the po tentialvegetationforregionsthataredifficulttoaccess.Thisisparticularlyim por tant for wide mountain areas of Northeast Asia, where such maps have never beencreated.HighresolutionDEMspermitincreasedpredictionaccuracyand mo delingof complexvegetationpatterns.Mostvegetationtypesintheareaare con trolled mainly by the moisture regime and by regimes of sediment transport andaccumulation.Therelativelysmallamountsof rainfallinthecontinentalcli matearedistributedspatiallybyrelief elements.Thiscreatesawiderangeof soil mois tureregimes:fromverydry,withaprolongedperiodof moisturedeficit,to wet,withoutmoisturedeficitduringthegrowingseasonatall.Therefore,mois tureappearstobeacriticalresourceinthisclimaticregion,anditisamaindif fe rentiatingfactorforthevegetation.Themapof potentialvegetation,obtained sa tisfactorily,reflectsaltitudinalzonationandinterzonalpatternsof vegetation distribution.Theareaoccupiedbysomevegetationcommunitiesisoverestimated, however,duemainlytoinsufficientDEMresolution.

An illustrated introduction to general geomorphometry

“…Curvatures are systematically used in geomorphic studies to describe, analyse and model landforms and their evolution (Burian et al, 2015; Elmahdy and Mohamed, 2013; Evans, 1980; Guida et al, 2016; Melis et al, 2014; Mitusov et al, 2013, 2014; Prasicek et al, 2014; Temovski and Milevski, 2015). In soil science and ecology, curvatures are regularly applied to study relationships in the topography–soil–vegetation system and to perform predictive soil and vegetation mapping (Behrens et al, 2010; Florinsky et al, 2002; Moore et al, 1993; Omelko et al, 2012; Sharaya and Shary, 2011; Shary and Pinskii, 2013; Shary and Smirnov, 2013; Shary et al, 2016; Stumpf et al, 2017). In structural geology, curvatures are utilized to reveal hidden faults as well as to study fold geometry (Bergbauer, 2007; Florinsky, 1996; Lisle and Toimil, 2007; Mynatt et al, 2007; Roberts, 2001; Stewart and Podolski, 1998).…”

“…Insolation is utilized to describe the thermal regime of slopes in geobotanical and agricultural research (Shary and Smirnov, 2013;Shary et al, 2016). Catchment and dispersive areas as well as topographic index are widely used in hydrological and related soil, plant and geomorphic studies (Behrens et al, 2010;Beven, 1997;Florinsky et al, 2002;Mitusov et al, 2013Mitusov et al, , 2014Moore et al, 1993;Omelko et al, 2012;Sharaya and Shary, 2011;Shary and Smirnov, 2013). Stream power index is applied in erosion and soil research (Florinsky et al, 2002;Moore et al, 1993;Omelko et al, 2012).…”