Environmental Dynamics of the Ribbon-Like Pine Forests in the Parklands of North Kazakhstan

Abstract

The ribbon-like pine forests of North Kazakhstan represent the principal territorial intrazonal and azonal biotopes. Integrated bio-geographic studies of the pine forests’ status were performed in the Beskaragai and Chaldai Nature Reserves in the Pri-Irtysh River basin within, at present, the climate–change most susceptible transitional parkland-steppe zone of Central Asia, adjoining the West Siberian Lowland. The investigations followed the regional topographic gradient with a series of mapped sites characterizing the spatial relief patterns of the pristine forest distribution and the associated phytocenoses. The results revealed marked natural arboreal cover restoration differences between the geographically close upland and lowland forest ecosystems. The regional tree growth dynamics show the varying intensity of the pine seedlings’ succession, the tree stands’ biomass productivity and the environmental stability, weakened by the extreme continentality and progressing aridification along with adverse anthropogenic ecological impacts. The specific geomorphic, soil and hydrological conditions are the principal determining factors. The more vital plain and lowland pine forests host the floristically richer fescue-dominated communities compared to the more fragile and precipitation-poorer upland pine settings. The latter forest ecosystems display a higher vulnerability to the current climate change, generating tree drying, forest fires, and to modern human activities such as logging, herding and recreation. The research conclusions provide new insights on the natural ribbon-like pine forests’ sustainability and adaptation to the ongoing continental warming triggering fundamental environmental transformations in Central Asia’s parklands.

Expansion of Naturally Regenerated Forest

“…The main tree species dynamics are subjected to current climate change; therefore, integrated bio-geographic studies of pine forest might help to identify forest areas most susceptible to climate change effects. Here, the showed that the more fragile and precipitationpoor upland pine settings display a higher vulnerability to the current climate change, resulting in increased tree death and forest fires [5]. These three main results suggest that the dispersal potential and shrubs as facilitative microhabitats could be factors to consider in forest expansion management plans.…”

Assessment of the State of the Landscaping System in the City of Aktobe, the Republic of Kazakhstan under Conditions of Man-Made Load Using Remote Sensing

“…The sanitary-hygienic, ecological, aesthetic social functions of the green space are of great importance. New approaches aimed at the design of landscape diversity in landscaping cities are being formed [10]. At the same time, great importance is attached to parks, boulevards, squares as a central center of stabilization and preservation of the natural environment, as well as to green corridors that create the integrity of the street landscaping system [11].…”

Assessment of the State of the Landscaping System in the City of Aktobe, the Republic of Kazakhstan, under Conditions of Man-Made Load Using Remote Sensing

“…The sanitary-hygienic, ecological, and aesthetic social functions of the green space are of great importance. New approaches aimed at the design of landscape diversity in landscaping cities are being formed [10]. At the same time, great importance is attached to parks, boulevards, and squares as a central center of stabilization and preservation of the natural environment, as well as green corridors that create the integrity of the street landscaping system [11].…”