Biomass Of Mountain & Forest Vegetation In Chechen Republic

Abstract

This research aims to comprehensively assess the current state of the mountain-forest belt in the Chechen Republic. The assessment is crucial for formulating tasks related to forest renewal and protecting against further anthropogenic impact. The Chechen Republic is categorized as a region with deficient forest cover, measuring less than 20%, significantly lower than the 80% recorded a century ago. Following the logging of valuable forest-forming tree species like the eastern beech, along with various types of oak, ash, maple, and others, less valuable species and shrubby thickets have replaced them. This shift has altered the hydrological regime, impacting water regulation and leading to an activation of landslide processes. Consequently, the research aims to map the territory and develop cartographic schemes, including a map of the forests of the Chechen Republic, a cartographic scheme indicating the resistance of mountain forests to external influences, and a cartographic scheme illustrating anthropogenic damage to the forest complex. The primary research method involved geobotanical field route studies at reference points with landscape profile layovers. The findings reveal a powerful anthropogenic impact, particularly unauthorized logging, leading to the substitution of valuable tree species with less valuable ones. The conducted studies demonstrate that the forest complex of the Chechen Republic is currently undergoing significant anthropogenic impact, primarily through unauthorized logging, resulting in substantial changes in the composition of tree species.