Role of the subalpine forest ecosystems (on example of the southern slope of Great Caucasus)

Abstract

The current situation of subalpine forest ecosystem is diccussed in this article. Investigations were carrid out in the the typical Duruji river basin, where beacuse of anthropogenic influnce occured degradation of forest and grass cover, followed by deterioration of physical characteristics of soil, encreasing of surface runoff and soil erosian causing signifiant decresing of the upper boundary of forest from 2500-2600 m to 2100-2200 m above sea level. The main physical characteristics of soil: such as dispersivity, hydrofiltration, indexes of erosion was studied for the Duruji River muflow basin. Soils of subalpine forets ecosystem characherized by good water regulation functions and they are natural mechanizms for runoff regulation. Afforestation-melioration activities should be carried out for the the deforested areas resulted from anthropogenic influence which are under serius threat of erosion. Recomendations are developed according to the seclectes species, soil conditions and slope declinations.