DISTRIBUTION OF SIBERIAN STONE PINE SEEDLINGS ROOT SYSTEMAT THE UPPER FOREST LIMIT (BY EXAMPLE OF THE SEMINSKY RANGE,THE ALTAI MOUNTAINS

Study of Siberian stone pine (Pinus sibirica Du Tour) regeneration in forest communitiesat the upper forest limit in the Seminsky Range gives a useful material to understandthe ecology and distribution of the regeneration and to preserve it under changingenvironmental conditions and human impact. During 4 years the study was carried out inforest communities at the upper forest limit in the Seminsky Range, the Altai Mountains,Russia with a high human impact (grazing livestock mainly) along altitudinal transectfrom the Tiyakhty Mountain (1890 m a.s.l.) to the Sarlyk Mountain (2507 m a.s.l.). Themethod of horizontal and vertical excavations and the method of comparative morphologywere used to study Siberian stone pine seedling root system. Disposition of the seedlingroot systems is surface and superficial (10-25 cm depth) and absorbing roots are locatedin the humus soil horizon. Distribution of the roots in young seedlings in soil horizonsdepends on seedling age. Most roots are located into 20 cm soil level in individualsof 5-11 and 16-23 years old. Twenty percent of the root systems (73% for intensive grazing)in individuals of 12-15 years old is located into 20-25 cm soil level. When the ageof the seedlings increases, the root system branching order increases too. The moreabrupt the slope is, the more compact the root system disposition and the less their massis. Sustainability of the seedlings to mechanical loads (resistance to wind, lodging, anderadication by stonefall and hoofs) depends on the disposition of roots in the seedlings.On the whole reforestation is satisfactory. The number of Siberian stone pine seedlings isenough to form the upper forest line.

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