West Siberian broadleaf and mixed forests


The West Siberian broadleaf and mixed forests, also known as the Western Siberian hemiboreal forests, is an ecoregion in Russia. It consists of a thin band of mixed forest along the southernmost edge of the West Siberian taiga in Western Siberia, and north of the forest steppe belt. The biodiversity of the zone is the highest in Siberia, due to its transitional position between many different ecoregions. The area acts as a long corridor for migration of animals along the east-west axis. The ecoregion is in the Palearctic realm, with a Humid Continental climate. It covers.

Location and description

The ecoregion is an east-west strip, stretching from Chelyabinsk in the west to Krasnoyarsk in the east. The zone is only from north to south. The Ob River and Irtysh River, and tributaries of those rivers, cross the region from south to north. The southeast of the region breaks up into low mountains.

Climate

The region has a Humid continental climate. The cool summer subtype is characterized by mild summers, cold winters and less precipitation than the hot summer sub-type. Mean temperatures range from -24° C to +25° C. Average annual precipitation is 390 mm.

Flora and fauna

The forests of the region are dominated by Siberian fir, Siberian spruce, Siberian pine, Scots pine, and small-leafed Linden. Recently, grassy areas have been covered by more Silver birch and Aspen. About 20 percent of the region is swamp, most of which are eutropic. The canopy in these areas is White birch.

Protections

There are no large federally protected areas in the ecoregion, and it has been heavily affected by human activities.