The Sayan Alpine meadows and tundra
ecoregion (WWF ID: PA1016) is an ecoregion that covers the high areas of the
Sayan Mountains above the treeline, between the
Altai Mountains
The Altai Mountains (), also spelled Altay Mountains, are a mountain range in Central Asia, Central and East Asia, where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan converge, and where the rivers Irtysh and Ob River, Ob have their headwaters. The m ...
in the west and
Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal (, russian: Oзеро Байкал, Ozero Baykal ); mn, Байгал нуур, Baigal nuur) is a rift lake in Russia. It is situated in southern Siberia, between the federal subjects of Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and the Repu ...
in the east. The area is remote and protects diverse species of alpine flora and fauna. It has an area of .
Location and description
The ecoregions covers the terrain above the treeline in the high ranges of the Western Sayan Mountains, in the
Altai Republic
The Altai Republic (; russian: Респу́блика Алта́й, Respublika Altay, ; Altai: , ''Altay Respublika''), also known as Gorno-Altai Republic, and colloquially, and primarily referred to in Russian to distinguish from the neighbour ...
, and the Eastern Sayan Mountains, reaching almost to
Irkutsk
Irkutsk ( ; rus, Иркутск, p=ɪrˈkutsk; Buryat language, Buryat and mn, Эрхүү, ''Erhüü'', ) is the largest city and administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. With a population of 617,473 as of the 2010 Census, Irkutsk is ...
. There are also some high areas in northern Mongolia. This ecoregion is characterized by glacially-carved valleys with an upland mosaic landscape of alpine meadows.
Climate
The region has a
subalpine climate
The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of an ocean, ge ...
(
Köppen ''Dfc''). This climate is characterized by high variation in temperature, both daily and seasonally; with long, cold winters and short, cool summers with one to three months averaging at least . Mean precipitation is about /year. The mean temperature at the center of the ecoregion is in January, and in July.
Flora and fauna
Both plant and animal diversity is high, as the area is relatively protected by its remoteness and by its position at the meeting places of different ecological zones. From treeline up to the barren rock zone, alpine meadows and associated species predominate.
Protections
There are two significant nationally protected area that reach into this ecoregion:
*
Altai Nature Reserve
Altai Nature Reserve (russian: Алтайский заповедник, also called ) is a Russian ('sanctuary, strict nature reserve') in the Altai Mountains of south Siberia, Russia. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Golden Mounta ...
, which has populations of
Snow leopard, and
Argali, among other threatened species,
*
Azas Nature Reserve, with bald mountain tundra and alpine meadows representing about 16% of the reserve.
See also
*
List of ecoregions in Russia
The following is a list of ecoregions in Russia, according to the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF):
Terrestrial Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
* Caucasus mixed forests ( Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Turkey)
* Central Europe ...
*
List of ecoregions in Mongolia
The following is a list of ecoregions in Mongolia, according to the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF):
Terrestrial Temperate coniferous forests
* Altai montane forest and forest steppe ( China, Khazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia)
* Khangai Mountains c ...
References
{{reflist
Ecoregions of Mongolia
Ecoregions of Russia
Montane grasslands and shrublands
Palearctic ecoregions