East Siberian taiga

East Siberian taiga in the north of Khabarovsk Krai.

The East Siberian taiga ecoregion, in the Taiga and Boreal forests Biome, is a very large biogeographic region in eastern Russia.

Setting

This vast ecoregion is located in the heart of Siberia, stretching over 2° of latitude and 50° of longitude (56 degrees north to 58 degrees north, and 30 degrees east to 80 degrees east). The climate in the East Siberian taiga is subarctic [i.e. tropical deciduous and coniferous] and displays high continentality, with extremes ranging from 40 °C (104 °F) to −62 °C (−80 °F). Winters are long and very cold, but dry, with little snowfall due to the effects of the Siberian anticyclone. Summers are short, but can be quite warm for the northerly location. Precipitation is low, ranging from 600 millimetres (24 in) to 200 millimetres (7.9 in), decreasing from east to west. The topography of this ecoregion is varied, consisting of wide, flat plains and areas of karst topography. In contrast to the neighbouring West Siberian taiga, large bogs and wetlands are conspicuously absent.Some trees also shed their leaves annually, which shows that it has deciduous forests characteristics.

Flora

Vegetation consists mainly of vast, dense forests of Dahurian Larch (Larix gmelinii), with Siberian Larch (Larix sibirica) and the hybrid between the Dahurian and Siberian Larches (Larix x czekanowskii) occurring in the west. Throughout the ecoregion, smaller areas dominated by Siberian Pine (Pinus sibirica), Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris), Siberian Spruce (Picea obovata) and Siberian Fir (Abies sibirica) can be found. Pine forests and deciduous forests composed of birch and poplar species become more common as one moves south, and at the headwaters of the Lena River and the Nizhnyaya Tunguska River, as well as in the Angara River basin, steppe and shrub-steppe communities can be found along with areas of forest-steppe.

Fauna

Mammals of the East Siberian taiga include Siberian Musk Deer (Moschus moschiferus), moose (Alces alces), elk (Cervus canadensis) and wild boar (Sus scrofa). Birds of this ecoregion include the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Black Stork (Pandion haliaetus), Hooded Crane (Grus monacha), Carrion Crow (Corvus corone), the Siberian Blue and Rufous-tailed Robins (Luscinia cyane and L. sibilans, respectively), the Thrush Nightingale (Luscinia luscinia), Pallas's Rosefinch (Carpodacus roseus), Pacific Swift (Apus pacificus) and Baikal Teal (Anas formosa). There are also Siberian Tigers.

Conservation status, threats and protected areas

Although little of this ecoregion is protected, its conservation status is listed as "Relatively Stable/Intact". Protected areas include the Stolby, Olyokma, Tunguska and Central-Siberia zapovedniks (roughly "scientific nature reserves"). The main threats to this ecoregion's integrity are poaching and clear-cut logging in the southern and central portions of the region.

References

• "East Siberian taiga". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund. 
• World Wildlife Fund (2001). "East Siberian taiga". WildWorld Ecoregion Profile. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 2010-03-08.