Orographic Conditions For Growth of Pinus Brutia var. Pityusa (Steven) Silba in Mountain Crimea

The studies were carried out on the territory of growth of natural populations of Pinus brutia var. pityusa (Steven) Silba in the Crimean Mountains. The purpose of the research was to study the orographic characteristics of the landscape, to identify the features of their influence on the state of the prospects for the development of P. brutia var. pityusa plantations. When conducting observations, we used methods of space sounding and a system of computerized assessment of the exposure and slope of individual sections of the studied territories, and determined the integral indicators of these characteristics in gradations according to altitudinal zones. As a result of the research, it was found that the orographic factors in total have a noticeable effect on the formation of P. brutia var. pityusa forest stands in the Crimean Mountains, especially at the first stages of their development. It was revealed that in the coastal zone in the Ayazma natural boundary, the steepness of the slopes has the most significant limiting effect. In the central part of the P. brutia var.pityusa forests in the Ayazma natural boundary, after forest stands were damaged by crown fires, the high steepness of the slopes contributes to the active development of erosion and landslide processes, especially in the area of clear sanitary felling. It is shown that in the Batiliman natural boundary, with a slight decrease in the steepness of the slope, their exposure plays an important role. On the southern slopes, which occupy most of the area of the Batiliman natural boundary, the growth opportunities for young P. brutia var. pityusa plants are deteriorating, which has a negative impact on the processes of its natural renewal. It has been established that an increase in the diversity of orographic conditions in terms of slope exposure also increases the dispersion of microclimatic conditions in Karaul-Oba Mountain in comparison with the territories of the western part of the growth of P. brutia var.pityusa in the Crimean Mountains. It is shown that the landscape features of the Novy Svet natural boundary – a relatively small slope and southeastern exposure of the slopes, an increase in the stability of the microclimate in the amphitheater basin, where most of the P. brutia var. pityusa plantations are located, provide an improvement in growing conditions. The total effect of orographic factors determined the growth possibilities of P. brutia var.pityusa in the territory of the Novy Svet natural boundary, the extreme eastern part of its distribution in the Crimean Mountains.

var. (Steven) Silba, orography, slopes, exposure, steepness, var. (Steven) Silba, plantations, growing conditions