Northeastern Siberian BioProvince

This BioProvince (as defined by Armen Takhtajan) includes the broad expanse of territory extending from the western and southwestern foothills of the Verkhoyansk Range eastwards to the Sea of Fotsk and the Bering Sea, but excludes Kamchatka and the extreme northern territories that lie within the Arctic BioProvince. The climate is strongly continental with anticyclonic weather dominating much of the year. The summers are very hot (up to +40°C) while winters are bitterly cold (down to -62°C in Central Yakutia), but snow cover is usually only moderate to thin. The average annual temperature is below freezing. All this leads to the preservation of permafrost, which is a major factor in the distribution of vegetation. Annual precipitation ranges from 400 to 600 mm in the western part, gradually decreasing to 200 mm eastward. The geology is complex but most of BioProvince lies on the Siberian Precambrian platform. In Central Yakutia there are thick alluvial deposits forming extensive plains. The flora includes a number of endemic genera including Gorodkovia and many endemic species. Central Yakutia is considered to be one of the centres of endemism in Siberia. Endemics here include Adenophora jacutica (Camanulaceae) and Polygonum amgense (Polygonaceae). The flora of eastern Siberia as a whole (including the mountains) consists of some 2,300 species with many endemics such as Artemisia czekanowskiana (Asteraceae), Caltha serotina (Ranunculaceae), Draba sambykii (Brassicaceae), Gastrolychnis angustifolia subsp. tenella, Juncus longirostris (Junaceae), Megadenia bardunovii, Oxytropis calva, O. leucantha (Fabaceae), Papaver variegatum (Papaveraceae), Potentilla jacutica (Rosaceae), Salix saposhnikovii (Salicaceae), Senecio lenensis (Asteraceae), Thymus evenkiensis (Lamiaceae) and Viola alexandroviana (Violaceae).

The following accounts for this BioProvince have been written or will be written with particular reference to endemic and locally important species. Accounts available are displayed in green or yellow. Those displayed in red are either in the pipeline or awaiting expert contributions.

 

Index
Major Ecosystems
Endemic Vascular Plant Flora
Endemic Flora (Siberia)
Bryophyte Flora
Fungus Flora
Lichen Flora
Invertebrate Fauna
Amphibian Fauna
Reptile Fauna
Bird Fauna
Mammal Fauna
Conservation Status