Vegetation

Vegetation is presented with forests, steppe, tundra, meadows, swamps, bushes, rock vegetation and saline vegetation. Flora of the Altai territory has 2186 species of higher vascular plants and also 1886 species of native plants, 300 species of adventitious plants, 400 species of moss and 700 species of lichen. These species include endemic and relict ones.

Hayfields and pastures occupy 3731 thousand hectares that comprises 35% of agricultural land. Hayfields and pastures have economic value as they are a feeding basis for livestock farming. Many rare animals and plants can be found in hayfields and pastures. 10 percent of plants making coarse fodder grow there. They are mostly cereals, legumes and forbs. The most productive hayfields in green forage amount are flood hayfields. The grass of natural meadowlands prevents soil erosion and deflation (in case of reasonable livestock pasture).

Valuable flora of the Altai territory includes 913 species of medicinal plants, 379 species of melliferous plants, 663 species of fodder plants, 400 species of ornamental plants, 228 species of food plants, 42 species of vitamin plants, 117 species of dye plants, 87 species of ether – oil plants, 58 species of tanniferous plants, 135 species of noxious plants and 79 species of industrial plants.

Medicinal plants are the biggest plant group and 100 species are widely used in traditional medicine, some of them are golden thistle, maral root, red root, Ural licorice, origanum, tutsan, horseheal and others.

The medicinal plant resource decreases so there is a limitation in gathering these plants.

Forests of the Altai territory have a great environmental and economic value. The total area of forest resources is 4375,1 thousand hectares (26% of the Altai territory). The percentage of forest land in the Altai territory comprises 21%. Forests grow unevenly in the territory.

The percentage of forest land in Kulundinskie steppes and the forest-steppe territory of the left bank of the Ob river is 12%; of the left bank of the Ob river – 24%; of the mountain territory – 34%. Wood reserve is 523,5 million cubic meters.

The dominant trees in the Altai territory forests are coniferous trees - 43,2% (including cedar 1,1%) and small-leaved trees – 56,8%.

The average age of planting is 62,8 years; coniferous trees – 84,6 years; deciduous trees – 47 years.

According to the forest territory and forest economy conditions, the role and importance of forests in the Altai territory, the forest has been divided into four districts: Belt pine forest district, Priobskiy, Salairskiy and Predgornyi districts.

Fires bring great damage to the forests. After a fire the ecological system of the forest is damaged. Bad consequences stay for a long time and often are impossible to eliminate. Belt pine forest and forest by the river are fire-hazardous. About 80% of fires start there.

Fire-hazardous period in the Altai territory lasts through April to October. The most disastrous fires for the last 50 years were in 1951 and 1997. 59,8 thousand hectares in 1951 and 144,1 thousand hectares in 1997 were in fire.

Beside fires trees can be damaged by destructive insects, adverse weather conditions (windfall caused by wind squall).

Forest restoration measures are taken for the elimination of forest fire consequences and vermin and for widening the forest covered area. The annual volume of forest restoration in the Altai territory comprises 10 thousand hectares.