Forest vegetation of the Zhetysu Alatau

Abstract

Data on floodplain, small-leaved, and dark coniferous forests in the Zhetysu Alatau is presented. Floodplain forests are located in the valleys of the Horgos, Usek, and Borohudzir rivers, where trees and shrubs are abundant along with grass and meadow vegetation, often covering the floodplain and displacing herbaceous communities. Species such as Salix, Populus macrocarpa, and Ulmus pumila are found, as well as shrub thickets of Hippophae rhamnoides, Rosa beggeriana, R. alberti, Rhamnus cathartica, Lonicera tatarica, Berberis heteropoda, and B. iliensis. The small-leaved forests consist mainly of Malus sieversii and include six groups of apple orchard types: mixed-grass, poplar, aspen, hawthorn, maple, and shrub. Associated tree species include Malus niedzwetzkyana, Crataegus songarica, Acer tataricum subsp. semenovii, Populus tremula, and P. macrocarpa. The dark coniferous forests consist mainly of Picea schrenkiana and include seven groups of forest types: fir, aspen, poplar, shrub, arch, mixed-grass, and moss. Species such as Abies sibirica, Populus tremula, Juniperus sabina var. balkanensis, J. communis var. saxatilis, various shrubs, mixed-grass, and moss associations are also found. Rare and endangered species are identified include Malus sieversii, M. niedzwetzkyana, Berberis iliensis, Fritillaria pallidiflora, Tulipa kolpakowskiana, Aquilegia vitalii, Paeonia anomala, and P. tenuifolia.