Earth’s Cryosphere, 2011, Vol. XV, No. 3, p. 71-80

INFLUENCE OF THE SNOW COVER DYNAMICS ON THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF FORESTS, CENTRAL YAKUTIA

A.N. Nikolaev, Y.B. Skachkov

Melnikov Permafrost Institute, SB RAS, 677010, Yakutsk, Merzlotnaya str., 36, Russia, yktnan@mpi.ysn.ru

Analysis of the snow cover influence on larch and pine tree growth has been carried out in Central Yakutia. It has been established that the tree radial increment was closely related to the depth of snow cover in the period of its establishment in the previous year. It has been revealed that the maximum snow depth and the time of snow cover thawing affect greatly the development of the forest vegetation in investigated region.

Key words: Snow cover, tree-ring chronologies, the permafrost, radius growth of tree.

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