Using Data on the Thermal Conditions of Soils for the Differentiation of Vegetation in the Exposure-Related Forest-Steppe of Transbaikalia

The results of the long-term monitoring (from 2008 to 2018) of thermal conditions have been applied to assess the ecotopological differentiation of vegetation in the exposure-related forest-steppe of Transbaikalia. Significant differences are revealed between thermal conditions on northern and southern slopes, as well as between different kinds of forest-steppe along the aridity and continentality gradients. The temperature conditions on southern slopes are relatively unified and determine the formation of vegetation of one steppe class: Cleistogenetea squarrosae. The temperature conditions on northern slopes are more heterogeneous and result in the development of plant communities of different classes: steppes of the class Cleistogenetea squarrosae and forests of the hemiboreal class Rhytidio-Laricetea and of the boreal class Vaccinio-Piceetea. Differences in soil temperature are additionally affected by the size of forest plots in the forest-steppe.