The nature of the North is fragile and vulnerable. Because of low temperatures the processes of its regeneration are greatly slowed down: not only vegetation, but also microflora develops slowly. The world of animals, especially highly organized ones, exists at the limit of its life possibilities. Here, as nowhere else, any form of human activity must be strictly regulated. This task corresponds to the creation of reserves in the Arctic. One of them is Taimyr.

FIVE TYPES OF TUNDRA AND MORE

The Taimyr Nature Reserve has international status biosphere reserve of UNESCO. It consists of four sections: The main tundra area (1,324,042 ha) located southwest of Lake Taimyr, the Arctic section on the coast of the Laptev Sea (433,220 ha, including 37,018 ha of marine water area) and two relatively small northern forests - Ary- Masa (15,611 ha) and Lukunsky (9,055 ha). The area of ​​the protected zone is 930 thousand hectares, but it does not border on protected areas. Previously, it was the Bikada regional reserve, which served as a reacclimatization ground for musk oxen.
The reserve is located in the north of Central Siberia and covers five natural and climatic regions. These are flat Arctic tundra, Byrrangi mountain tundra, typical, southern tundra and forest tundra. Of course, only biogeographers know the difference between the two. In addition, the reserve includes the coastal regions of Lake Taimyr and the Arctic coast.

PLAIN TUNDRA

The vegetation cover of the tundra is not at all uniform, as one might assume. The vegetation of wetlands is very different from the cover of upland flat areas, and the slopes of the foothills and mountains are covered with completely different grasses and flowers. What they have in common is that the basis of the flora is perennial herbaceous plants, undersized shrubs (semi-shrubs), mosses and lichens. Oddly enough, there are many evergreens in these places. This is due to the very short growing season. Native plants have no time to waste on annual seed germination or bud break. But the round-the-clock illumination of the polar summer allows them to have time to give even a meager, but growth, to bloom and set seeds.
Because of the tight deadlines, many tundra plants bloom almost simultaneously. Elevated areas are especially picturesque in spring, where flowers grow in low compact curtains. Compared to the delicate arctic flower gardens, even the rock gardens and rockeries in our gardens seem coarse and pompous!
Inside the corollas of flowers, the temperature is always slightly higher. environment, and this is an additional factor that attracts insect pollinators, primarily arctic bumblebees. There are no bees here, but they are replaced by a few butterflies, beetles and Diptera (flies and mosquitoes), but their role as pollinators is incomparable with the bumblebee. Only bumblebees can quickly warm up to 40 ° C with the help of contractions of the pectoral muscles! At the same time, the dense pubescence of the integument allows them to maintain a high body temperature for a long time.
Native vegetation provides food reindeer, musk oxen, lemmings, as well as numerous wild geese arriving for nesting.

THE MOST NUMEROUS

The Arctic is "famous" for the abundance of local blood-sucking Diptera - mosquitoes and midges. They have an apt name - vile. Indeed, clouds of these annoying insects are just a disaster for all warm-blooded tundra. However, Diptera play a huge role in the ecosystems of the Arctic! They themselves and their larvae, living in local water bodies, serve as the main food for fish and birds. However, the same role is played by more numerous harmless bell mosquitoes.

THE NORTHERN Wanderer and settled inhabitants

The main animal of the peninsula, no doubt, should be considered a reindeer. It is here that the world's largest population of these ungulates lives - at least 700 thousand individuals! This wanderer of the North appears in all areas of the reserve. By winter, its thousands of herds migrate south, up to the forest-tundra, in the spring they migrate north, to the mountains of Byrranga and the coast of the Arctic Ocean, where strong and cold winds bring deliverance from midges. Nevertheless, separate groups of deer can be found in almost any area of ​​the reserve and at any time of the year. Migrating reindeer herds are followed by predators, primarily wolf packs. Wolverine is found mostly alone. Wolves prey on deer, and wolverines are limited to carrion or the remains of wolf prey. The wolverine rarely attacks adult deer, its prey is young or weakened, sick individuals.
Of the small predators, the Arctic fox and ermine are common. These animals are in serious competition with snowy (polar) and short-eared owls, as well as skuas. The most widespread species of rodents is the Siberian lemming; in dry, elevated areas of the tundra, you can find minks of the ungulate lemming.

FEATHER POPULATION

With the onset of spring, the air of the tundra is downright saturated with bird voices! Numerous horned larks and Lapland plantains sing loudly, loons scream incredibly loudly. Islets on tundra lakes were chosen by red-throated and black-throated loons for breeding chicks. Of the geese, the white-fronted goose nests en masse, and in a smaller number the bean goose. Looking like a smaller copy of the white-fronted goose, the white-fronted goose, once quite common, has become very rare. Now it is not easy to find its nesting sites. The tundra swan is widely distributed, but the tundra swan is scarce everywhere. Of the ducks here, most of all long-tailed ducks, in addition to them, there are common pintail, comb eider, Siberian eider.
The red-throated goose can be considered the feathered emblem of Taimyr. This amazingly beautiful and smallest goose of the world fauna breeds with pleasure in these places. He arranges his nests on the flat tundra, but prefers elevated areas, up to mountain valleys. An unusual feature of this goose is a pronounced desire to establish colonies under the protection of nesting birds of prey, especially large falcons. The gyrfalcon or peregrine falcon usually does not touch anyone near its nest, and even more so on the ground, and furiously drive out from their sites with continuous air attacks not only birds of prey, owls, gulls and skuas, but even arctic foxes and wolves! No wonder the indigenous northerners respectfully call falcons goose herders.

ON THE LAPTEV SEA

In the Arctic section of the reserve, the landscape of coastal tundra prevails, and in the west - the foothills and mountains of Byrranga. The flora and fauna of the local tundra is somewhat poorer than the interior of the reserve. This is due to the cooling effect of the waters of the Arctic Ocean in summer. Of the land mammals, lemmings and arctic foxes are the most common. At times in the summer, large migrating herds of reindeer appear, seeking salvation from the midges rampant in the southern tundra. Then the arrival of wolves and wolverines is possible, which disappear with the migration of deer herds. These predators do not live permanently in the coastal tundra.
From the birds all year round the white partridge and the snowy owl live. There are very few passerines, even snow buntings. A typical breeding species of the coastal tundra of the Arctic Ocean is the black goose. This small elegant goose is only slightly larger than the red-nosed goose. Sandpipers, sandpipers, Icelandic sandpipers, and turnstones are characteristic of waders. Flocks of pink gulls are found on migrations.
The Laptev Sea is one of the coldest regions of the Arctic Ocean, so the local species diversity and the number of marine organisms are lower than in the warmer regions of the Arctic. If the number of species of benthic animals in the Barents Sea reaches 1500-1800, then here their number decreases by 2-3 times! Even more contrasting is the difference in the quantitative ratio. If the biomass of the bottom inhabitants of the White Sea can reach 350 g / m 2, then in the local coastal waters- no more than 25 g/m 2 . The basis of phytoplankton are cold-resistant diatoms. Due to phytoplankton, there is zooplankton, which is dominated by copepod copepods. In turn, plankton-eating fish and such a giant as the bowhead whale feed on them. The most numerous fish in the Arctic - polar cod, more often referred to as a sika. Most of the locals feed on it. predatory fish, sea birds and animals.
The harsh climate is best tolerated by large marine mammals. The local population of walruses of the rare Laptev subspecies is about 10 thousand individuals. They feed almost exclusively on benthic invertebrates, mainly bivalve (lamellagill) mollusks, therefore, in winter period are very dependent on the presence of polynyas and ice formations in shallow areas. Several thousand rare animals live under protection in the Laptev Sea. Of the seals, the ringed seal is very numerous and the bearded seal (sea hare) is common - the largest seal in the Arctic. If the seal feeds on small fish and crustaceans, which it catches in the water column, then the bearded seal specializes in catching bottom mollusks and crustaceans. Herds of migrating beluga whales often appear. These cold water cetaceans are truly white in color.
All pinnipeds, primarily the ringed seal, are the object of hunting polar bear- the largest predator of the Earth. Now this symbol of the Arctic is not rare. In coastal waters, the appearance of such unique cetaceans as the narwhal (sea unicorn) and the bowhead whale is quite possible.

MOUNTAIN TUNDRA BYRRANGA

The Byrranga Mountains are the northernmost continental mountain system in the world. The landscape of these mountains at first strikes with gloomy beauty: black, monophonic, as if hewn peaks, slopes bristled with eroded rocky outcrops and jagged ridges. Until the very end of summer, snowfields turn white in the ravines, and only greenery peeps through the valleys. Even the indigenous population tried to avoid these places. Superstitious Nganasans and Dolgans considered this territory the Land of the Dead. In their wanderings, reindeer herders did not go beyond the foothills.
However, the first impression is deceptive. In summer, colorful meadows and bright spots of lush vegetation are not rare in the mountains. Even the even, gravelly tundras of the upper belt come to life and are full of flowers in spring: Novosiversia, grains and poppies are the first to appear. The strong dissection of the mountains and the abundance of closed basins, gorges and canyons create a variety of microclimatic conditions, due to which there are ecosystems of a very different nature - from cold mountain deserts to tall grassy mountain meadows and tall willow forests.
In the Byrranga mountain tundra area on the territory of the reserve and the Bikada buffer zone, two types of landscape prevail: dissected mid-mountain massifs (mountains proper) and flat-bottomed intermountain basins up to 7 km wide. home mountain range It is represented by a system of 12-20 parallel ridges with absolute heights of 300-695 m. In the region of the Eastern Highlands, the ridges merge into a high plateau. Mount Glacier, the highest point of Byrrangi, reaches 1146 m above sea level.
The fauna of the mountains is not rich. In winter, you can meet hares, musk oxen and reindeer in the mountains. Of the large predators, the wolverine lives. In the intermountain depressions, the tundra partridge lives all year round, replacing the white partridge, which is absent in the mountains. Snowy owls and arctic foxes are not numerous, as there are fewer small rodents in these places than in flat areas. But the ermine feels at home among the stone placers. The hoofed lemming is quite widespread in the mountains, while the Siberian lemming prefers swamps and meadows of hollows. Snow buntings are numerous in the mountains for nesting in summer. The common Wheatear, thanks to its lively and lively disposition, brings revival to the surrounding stone landscape. Only in this part of the reserve live the Khrustan and the red-throated sandpiper. Turnstone is much more common in the mountains than in the plains, where it is seen only in the tundra adjacent to the mountains. The herring gull settles in colonies on impregnable rock remnants, predominantly limestone, the Rough-legged Rough-legged Buzzard (Rough-legged Rough-legged Buzzard) and the Peregrine Falcon build their nests on hard-to-reach rock ledges. Occurs on nesting and gyrfalcon. On local glacial lakes, cases of nesting of a very rare white-billed loon have been noted.

THE RETURN OF THE MUSKOX

The musk ox is one of the most remarkable inhabitants of high latitudes. Once widespread in the cold regions of Eurasia and North America, this species was heavily exterminated in prehistoric times. The "youngest" of his remains, found in the Siberian Arctic, are at least 2600 years old. In the 70s of the XX century, it was decided to start work on its reacclimatization in Siberia. Three dozen animals were brought from Canada and the USA. In the summer of 1974, 10 Canadian animals (local Canadian subspecies) were delivered, and in the summer of 1975, 20 American ones (of Greenlandic origin). They were released to the east of Lake Taimyr in a protected area with the necessary landscape diversity - a combination of flat tundra with rugged foothill relief. At first it was the Bikada reserve, which, with the organization Taimyr Reserve received the status of a protected area. The valley of the river Bikada is a real oasis among the spurs of Byrrangi. Here in some places the shrub willows are taller than human growth! Now musk oxen have settled throughout the east of Taimyr, from Cape Chelyuskin in the north to the Khatanga River in the south. Now there are more than 2 thousand individuals, and according to some estimates - about 8 thousand!
Since 1996, Taimyr musk oxen have been settled in Yakutia, and since 1997 - in the Polar Urals and Yamal. Perhaps this is the biggest success in the restoration of almost extinct species! main reason was right choice places of new "settlements". Indeed, due to the humid climate of the Atlantic, the results of reacclimatization of musk oxen in Svalbard and in the mountain tundra of Norway turned out to be very modest. ■ The names of many birds in the Dolgan language are clearly onomatopoeic. So, the white-fronted goose is called “lyglya”, the duck-tailed duck is called “omulde”. Indigenous people distinguish between the calls of some birds of different sexes and give them the appropriate names. For example, an elegant male eider-comb is “er-kus”, and a female is “trapping”.
■ Dolgans love songbirds, especially Lapland plantain and white wagtail. After all, they arrive in the tundra in early spring and portend a prosperous summer life. They are affectionately called "heltai" and "hoo-kuta". Both species are considered symbols of happiness, especially the wagtail, which often settles near human habitation. According to local belief, if a wagtail appears at the time when a child is born, then happiness and well-being will accompany him all his life.
■ White and tundra partridges in winter, during the polar night, spend most of their time buried in the snow. Only once a day they go out for a short time to feed on willow buds. At the same time, they often have to dig up willow shoots from under the snow. When the crop is filled with frozen kidneys, partridges immediately burrow back into the snow. In the thickness of the snow cover, birds can even lay burrows-gallery. The horn trim along the edges of the toes is a good adaptation both for walking on loose snow and for digging it.
■ Despite its name, a musk ox is not a bull at all! This ruminant artiodactyl animal from the bovid family is more likely related to sheep. Its closest relative is takin, an inhabitant of the mountain forests of Eastern Tibet and China. 06/04/2018 02:00

The Taimyr Nature Reserve is a unique natural location. Here, in such favorable conditions, scientists have the opportunity to carefully study plants and animals, discovering new facts about them. The local complex of attractions is formed by historical, archaeological and natural sites. The fauna and flora of the reserve deserves special attention. This will be discussed in the publication.

History of the protected area

The reserve was created in 1979 on the Taimyr Peninsula, for which it received its name. The main goal of its formation was the preservation of the ecosystem of mountain tundra, plains and forest areas. The Taimyr Reserve was characterized by a cluster character. Initially, it consisted of four sections. These are "Ary-Mas", "Lukunsky", "Arctic" and "Tundra Territory". In 1994, the Bikada zone was annexed to the territory. Prior to that, it was used for optimal acclimatization and protection of musk oxen.

A year later, by decision of UNESCO, the reserve was awarded the honorary status of "biospheric". This meant that the territory was protected to protect the ecological systems and the gene pool of the region. In 2013, the reserve ceased to be an independent institution. It was included in the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Reserves of Taimyr", which previously included the Big Arctic and Putoransky reserves.

Today, this institution receives more than three thousand travelers annually. ABOUT natural area Taimyr Reserve in the guest book you can see enthusiastic and truly unique records left by hundreds of tourists, researchers and scientists who have ever been here.

Location and territory

The reserve is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory (Taimyrsky District, Khatangsky District and partially Diksonsky). The area of ​​the entire territory is more than 1.7 million hectares.

The reserve is localized on the basis of the North Siberian Plain, along which the Upper Taimyr River flows. On the left bank, the park borders on the spurs of Byrranga. They are smoothed, but partially have erosive dissection. The lowland itself is characterized by a special glacial relief, which in some places is covered by marine sediments.

Tundra mails have a lot of moisture. It is from frozen soil, practically does not evaporate. Since water permeability is minimal, this negatively affects the local flora. A strongly dissected relief leads to solifluction. That is, the soils begin to swell and slide, in places forming bare ground, which is characteristic of the spotted tundra.

How to get there?

The Taimyr Nature Reserve is located on a practically deserted peninsula in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, near the village of Khatanga. But spontaneously visit the attraction will not succeed. To do this, you must first contact the management of the reserve. It is located in Norilsk, on Talnakhskaya street, 22, in the second entrance. All issues related to scientific cooperation and visits to the protected area are discussed here. The administration also issues permission to visit the reserve and organizes a detailed briefing that explains all the possible dangers of staying in the tundra.

The village of Khatanga can be reached by plane. It usually flies once a week from Norilsk or Krasnoyarsk. But you need to be prepared for the fact that due to weather conditions, flights may be delayed or even rescheduled. In such cases, passengers spend the night at the airport for at least one day.

The nature of the reserve

In the Taimyr nature reserve natural conditions dictated by a sharply continental climate. Here 8-9 months lasts severe and Cold winter, during which the average air temperature is -45 degrees. In the Byrranga mountains, the temperature drops even below -60 degrees. Summer starts at the end of June and ends in August. It is quite warm, but the real heat up to +30 degrees lasts no more than a week. Up to 300 millimeters of precipitation falls per year. Here you can observe the polar day and night. Their duration is 83 and 65 days, respectively.

Also on the territory of the Taimyr Reserve, you can witness a very rare and beautiful phenomenon - the Northern Lights.

Flora of the reserve

The main part of the park is occupied by typical tundra vegetation. The right bank is represented by a subarctic location, and the left bank is characterized by a subzone of arctic tundra. There are also isolated areas with forest tundra.

In the mountains, grass-moss communities are most common. At the foot of the slopes, as a rule, there are many swamps. Dendrantems, lesquerelles, calciphilic grains, arthropods and eremogones grow on limestones. Most of them are beautiful flowering shrubs and herbs.

In the tundra zones of the Taimyr Reserve, dryad communities are combined with moss and sedge conglomerates. The southern valleys are overgrown with arnica, willows, alders and wild roses. Here you can also see red currants. In swampy meadows there are sedges, dupontia and Scheuchzer cotton grasses. Lichens of foliose and crustaceous rocks are located near the hollows of frosty cracks. The largest species diversity is represented in the Byrranga mountains.

It is worth noting that there are many plants in the Taimyr Reserve, which are in the Red Book. These are the Arctic Castille, the grains of the Field, the Arctic Siberian wormwood and other species.

park fauna

A typical inhabitant of the reserve is the lemming. It is curious that in these animals the claws grow together in winter so that they resemble hooves. Another characteristic inhabitant of the reserve is the reindeer. This is where the largest population is found.

Musk oxen deserve special attention. These are representatives of prehistoric times who coexisted with mammoths, but unlike them, they were able to survive to this day. Previously, musk oxen occupied only certain parts of Canada. In 1974 they were brought to the reserve for subsequent acclimatization.

In total, more than 20 species of mammals can be counted in the park. Wolves were able to develop an incredibly large population. This is due to the fact that here a large number of deer, which are the main source of food for the "orderlies of the forest". White and brown bears rare, but still there is a chance to meet them. Of the rodents in the reserve, there are many Middendorf voles. The marine animals of the Taimyr Reserve include walrus, beluga and seal.

Ichthyofauna of the reserve

Mountain lakes have a relatively poor diversity of species. But lake char swims in abundance. In a deep pool of rivers, grayling is most often found. Very rich ichthyofauna in water locations of the plains. There you can meet representatives of the salmon family. Whitefish, cisco, white salmon and vendace swim in the rivers. Also, burbots, smelt and peled live in the local waterways.

Birds of the Taimyr Reserve

As for birds, scientists number more than a hundred of them in the protected area. various kinds. These are representatives of the family of goose, chicken, passerines, loons, owls and predators. Also here you can count a large population of waterfowl.

The typical inhabitants include the long-tailed duck. It is the most numerous species. There are many gulls, sandpipers, sandpipers, dunlin, turukhtans, godwit and polar terns here. The rarest inhabitants are golden eagles, peregrine falcons, gyrfalcons, red-breasted gooses and white-tailed eagles. It will be great luck to spot them floating in the air. White-billed loons, comb eiders and tundra swans are of particular value for research by specialists.

So, the Taimyr Nature Reserve is one of the largest protected areas in Russia. It was created almost 40 years ago to protect and study the local flora and fauna. The nature of the park is very unusual and beautiful. Therefore, it must be visited at least once in a lifetime. But before traveling to the Krasnoyarsk Territory, you should coordinate the excursion with the administration of the reserve. She will answer all your questions and tell you the schedule of the next events of the reserve. You will also have to stock up on warm clothes, because the local conditions are quite harsh.

Kievyan street, 16 0016 Armenia, Yerevan +374 11 233 255

The Taimyr Nature Reserve is a unique natural location. The purpose of creating such a large protected park is to preserve the ecosystems of the plains and mountain tundra, as well as the forests of Ary-Mas and Lukunsky.

Here, in such natural and fertile conditions, scientists can carefully study natural objects discovering new facts. The complex of sights is formed by natural, archaeological, as well as historical objects. The flora and fauna of these places deserve special attention.

Story

The protected area on the Taimyr Peninsula was established in 1979. The park is characterized by a cluster character. Initially, it was formed from 4 sections. In 1994, the Bikada zone was added to its territory, which had previously been used for the protection and optimal acclimatization of the musk ox. A year later, the natural location became known as the biosphere.

In March 013, it was decided to deprive the Taimyrsky Reserve of the status of an independent institution. The park area became part of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Reserves of Taimyr", which previously included the Putransky and Big Arctic reserves.

Geographic location and territory

The protected area is located in the Khatanga district of the Taimyr district Krasnoyarsk Territory, and also partially in the Dixon region. Area - 1348316 ha.

The reserve is located on the basis of the North Siberian lowland along the Upper Taimyr River. The accumulative type plain is distinguished by a special glacial relief partially covered by marine sediments. On the left bank of the river, the reserve park borders on the spurs of the Byrranga mountains, which are smoothed out, but are distinguished by partial erosive dissection.

Tundra soils are very wet. Moisture from frozen soil almost does not evaporate, and water permeability is minimal. This negatively affects the flora. The relief is strongly dissected, which leads to solification. Soils bulge and slide, forming structures of "bare" earth, characteristic of spotted tundra.

Nature

The climate is sharply continental. Here, for most of the year, a cold and harsh winter reigns, only for a short period of time, giving way to summer. Most of the park is occupied by typical tundra vegetation. The left bank is represented by a subzone of arctic tundra, the right bank is a subarctic location.

There are also isolated areas with forest tundra. In the mountains, you can observe the locations of the Arctic deserts. There are almost no flowering plants or mosses. Lichens of scale and leafy rocks are located along the hollows of frosty cracks.

On the southern slopes of the foothills there are groups with dryad-moss vegetation. There are also polygonal swamps.

In the northern locations of the subarctic tundra, the base of the landscape is represented by tussock and shrub conglomerates. Flat-hilly swamps are also widespread.

Fauna

(Lemming)

A typical inhabitant of the Taimyr Reserve Park is a lemming. It is curious that in winter the claws grow together in such a way that they very much resemble a hoof. Another characteristic "inhabitant" of the reserve is the reindeer. Here is the largest population of these animals.

The musk ox deserves special attention. These representatives of prehistoric times once coexisted with mammoths, but unlike their neighbors, they managed to survive to this day. Until 1974, musk oxen lived only in certain areas of Canada, but were brought to the reserve with subsequent complex acclimatization.

(musk ox)

There are 21 species of mammals in the reserve, among which arctic foxes and wolves have found a place for themselves. The latter were able to develop an incredibly large population. This is largely due to the fact that a large number of deer live here, which the "orderlies of the forest" like to hunt. The musk ox was also bred in the tundra.

Brown and polar bears are rare inhabitants, but all of them can be found here. Of the rodents, the Middendorff's vole lives in the park. The main marine mammals are beluga, seal and walrus.

Ichthyofauna

(lake char)

Lake char is found in abundance in mountain lakes. In the deep whirlpool of any local river, you can catch grayling, and char on bistrins. In mountain lakes, the ichthyofauna is relatively poor, which cannot be said about rivers and lake locations on the plains.

Here you can find salmon. In the rivers there are representatives of the whitefish family - nelma, vendace, whitefish, and omul. The local waterways are also characterized by burbot, peled, and smelt.

Birds

Over a hundred species of various birds live in the reserve. These are representatives of loon-shaped, goose, predatory, chicken, owls and passerines. A large number of waterfowl have been observed. Of particular value are the comb eider, white-billed loon, and tundra swans.

Most rare species birds: white-tailed eagle, golden eagle, gyrfalcon, peregrine falcon, red-breasted goose. The most numerous species is the duck duck. There are many gulls, arctic terns, waders, godwit, turukhtans, dunlin, sandpipers.

Flora

On the territory of the protected park there are many plants that are listed in the Red Book. Among them, it is worth noting the following: arctic castille, arctosiberian wormwood, grains field.

The flora of Mount Byrranga and the foothills is a separate system, characterized by a special diversity of species. Mosses grow in the arctic tundra. In swampy meadows, you can see dupontia, sedge, Scheuchzer's cottongrass.

A typical tundra is characterized by a combination of dryad communities with sedge groups and moss conglomerates. The southern tundra valleys are overgrown with alder, arnica, willows, and wild roses. You can even find red currant here.

The vegetation of the mountains is represented by grass-moss communities. There are many swamps at the foot of the mountains. On limestones, one can find calciphilic grains, lesquerelles, arthropod, eremogon, dentrantem. Most of these plants are represented by flowering herbs and shrubs.

TAIMYRSKY
reserve

Location and history of the Taimyr Reserve

Taimyr State nature reserve created February 23, 1979. Due to organizational difficulties, it began to actually function in 1985. The Taimyr Reserve has a cluster character and consists of 5 sections - the Main tundra territory in the Khatanga and Dikson regions of the Taimyr Autonomous Region, the Ary-Mas, Lukunsky and Arctic zone "Bikada" in the Khatangsky district of the Taimyr Autonomous Okrug. The areas of the reserve cover more than 4 degrees in latitude and represent forest-tundra zones, subzones of southern, typical and arctic lowland tundras, as well as mountain tundras of the Byrranga mountains. The main goal of organizing the reserve was to preserve and study the natural plain and mountain tundra ecosystems in the Main Tundra Territory and the northernmost forests in the world in the Ary-Mas and Lukunsky areas. Particular attention was also paid to the protection of the endemic of Russia - the red-breasted goose and the world's largest Taimyr population of wild reindeer.

The total area of ​​all 5 clusters of the reserve is 2,717,832 hectares, including 1,780,072 hectares of fully protected areas. On March 4, 1994, the reserve of district subordination "Bikada" (937,760 ha), created to protect the newly acclimatized population of the musk ox, was transferred under the control of the reserve as a buffer zone, but its status and boundaries have not been finally determined to this day due to disagreement with district administration. In 1995, by decision of the UNESCO MAB, the Taimyr Reserve received the status of a biosphere reserve. There is an agreement on commonwealth with NP "Schleswig-Holstein Wattenmeer" (Germany, the Netherlands). There is a wetland near the boundaries of the reserve international importance"Delta of the Gorbita River", several more areas of the reserve are included in the prospective list of the Ramsar Convention.

The nature of the Taimyr Reserve

The climate on the territory of the reserve is sharply continental, severe, with long cold winters and short summers.

429 species of vascular plants, 212 species of leafy mosses, 263 species of lichens grow throughout the reserve. Of these, 47 species were also noted. cap mushrooms and 157 micromycetes. Vegetation is represented by 6 types - lichen, moss, herbaceous, shrubby, shrubby and woody. In the arctic tundra, only the first 4 types are common, in typical and mountainous - all except the last, in the southern areas - all except the first. The composition of the flora (and fauna), the structure of the soil cover, vegetation (and animal population) are quite different in areas of the reserve that are very remote from each other, the physical and geographical conditions of which are also very different. These sites are located in different subzones of the tundra, the distance between the extreme northern and southern ones is more than 300 km. Therefore, it is more convenient to describe the nature of the reserve in terms of different subzones - southern (including forest islands), typical and arctic areas.

Animals of the Taimyr Reserve

21 species of mammals have been recorded in the reserve (not counting some pinnipeds and cetaceans swimming in the Arctic area), 110 species of birds, for 74 of which nesting has been proven, more than 15 species of fish are found in rivers and lakes.

The animal world of mountain landscapes is rather poor. There are few wintering species: lemmings, snowy owl, occasionally reindeer, arctic foxes, musk oxen stay in the mountains in winter. In the summer, snow bunting and wheatear are numerous in the mountains, and crunch and sandpiper - rubythroat are found only here. Turnstone is much more common in the mountains than on the plains, where it is noted only in the tundra adjacent to the mountains. The herring gull in the mountains abruptly changes nesting stations and settles in colonies on impregnable remnants of rocks, mostly limestone. Of the birds of prey, the upland buzzard (Rough-legged Rough-legged Rough-legged Buzzard) and the Peregrine Falcon are common, arranging nests on hard-to-reach rock ledges. There is a gyrfalcon.

There are many hares in the mountains, an ermine settles in the stone ruins of the lower belt, and a wolverine is found. The number of lemmings in the mountains is lower than in the plains. More common are the ungulate lemmings, traces of which can be found quite high; Siberian lemming prefers to settle in swamps and meadows of hollows. The number of Arctic fox in the mountains is much lower than on the plains - this is due to the lack of convenient places for burrowing. Arctic fox burrows are common only in intermountain basins, especially on sandy-loamy ancient sea terraces. In general, in the basins animal world richer than in the mountains themselves; sometimes real oases of life come across here. valleys mountain rivers represent natural migration corridors for wild reindeer; in the eastern part of the reserve ("Bikada") in the intermountain basins in the summer, large groups of musk oxen are found, and in the west one can meet single males. Hares are found everywhere in hollows, especially along wide valleys of streams with willows and meadows. There is unconfirmed information about entering the valley of the river. Fadyukuda brown bear.