Radial Growth of Scots Pine in the Zonal Ecotone of Forests and Steppes of the Southern Urals

Abstract

On the zonal ecotone of forest and steppe, there are differences in the radial growth of Scots pine. The dynamics of radial growth of Scots pine in the Orenburg forestry state institution indicates a decrease in the indicator over the years, which is associated with a more arid climate of the steppe zone and partially man-made influence of industrial enterprises in Orenburg. On the contrary, the dynamics of radial growth of Scots pine crops in the Buzuluksky Bor NP increases over the years, which, in our opinion, is due to wetter growing conditions in recent years. Comparing the average radial growth of Scots pine in the zonal ecotone of the forest and steppe, we can note higher rates in the forest zone of the NP "Buzuluksky Bor" and lower – in the steppe zone.