Scientific journal

European Journal of Natural History

ISSN 2073-4972

ИФ РИНЦ = 0,301

In the Central-Eastern part of Inner Tien Shan there is Karatal-Japyryk State Nature Reserve situated. It was established by resolution of the Kyrgyz Republic Government on the 1st of March 1994 with purpose of conservation of unique nature complexes, protection of rare and threatened species of flora and fauna of Central Tien-Shan, and maintaining regional environmental balance. The reserve currently occupies 21,264 hectares at an altitude of 2150-3980 m. above sea level being set with Son-Kul-Too and Acha-Tash ranges in the north and the range of Boor-Albas in the south. In general, the territory is a powerful mountain structure, considerably elevated (at least 2500 m, max – 4000 m above sea level) with a complex combination of ridges that occupy most of the reserve territory [1].

Objectives:

– processing of literature data on Inner Tien Shan vegetation description;

– scheduling of climatic conditions on the reserve’s territory;

– tabling of medicinal plants’ growing on the territory of the reserve expansion;

– studying the degree of distribution of medicinal plants in various high-landscape belts of the reserve.

Results of research and their discussion

The climate of the reserve is severe, harsh continental, with great fluctuations, both in seasons and during the day. Highland belt is cool in summer and cold (in places) and snowy in winter. July temperature here is +11, +16 °С. Winter is long (November-March) with January average temperatures –17, –20 °С. Nival belt (from 3500 m and above) is characterized by a harsh climate. This is the belt of snowfields, rocks, glaciers, moisture accumulation. Even in the lower part of this belt the average July temperatures do not exceed –4, –7 °С, average January ones fall to –22 °С. The average amount of precipitation is from 400 to 500 mm per year.

The relatively high air temperature in the summer period, followed by increased insolation, and constantly blowing winds contribute to the rapid evaporation of water from the soil and its desiccation. That’s why the development of plants in the highlands is strongly influenced by climatic factors, especially atmospheric precipitation [2].

In general, the Inner Tien Shan highland vegetation’s features are: narrow floristic spectrum; domination of grassy-motley and kobresia communities, different medicinal plants and low prevalence of shrubby and total absence of woody plants; predominance of steppes over other types of vegetation; low-level monodominant communities; high edifying role of dominants [3].

Woody vegetation is represented mainly by forests from spruce trees (Tien Shan) – picea schrenkiana and archaean Turkestan – juniperus turkestanica. They are typical for the forest meadow-steppe belt. Common bush – the alberta briar (rosa aiberti) is common of the bushes. Common cereals: oatgrass furrowed-festuca suicata, pinnate feather-brachypodium pinnatum, timothy grass-phleum pratense, oat-helictotrichon. Common herbs – geranium rocky-geranium saxatile, the vysilistnik simple and smelly-thalictrum simplex, foetidum [4]. Names of medicinal plants are shown in the table.

Fig. 1. High mountain belt (2200–3500 m) in summer

Fig. 2. High mountain belt (2200–3500 m) in winter

Fig. 3. Nival belt (3500 m and above) in winter

Fig. 4. Nival belt (3500 m and above) in summer