E. E. Timoshok, E. O. Filimonova, and O. Yu. Propastilova
Institute of Monitoring of Climatic and Ecological Systems, Siberian Branch,
Russian Academy of Sciences, Akademicheskii pr. 10/3, Tomsk, 634050 Russia;
e-mail: timoshovkee@mail.ru
Received February 19, 2008
Abstract—The structure of Siberian stone pine (Pinus sibirica Du Tour.) and Siberian larch (Larix sibirica
Ledeb.) stands and specific features of their formation have been studies in the forest–tundra ecotone on the
North Chuya Ridge (2235–2475 m a.s.l.). Changes in the structure of these stands along the transition from the
upper boundary of closed forests to the high-mountain tundra have proved to have an ambiguous pattern. Both
tree species form mixed clusters of similar-aged trees in the lower part of the ecotone but grow singly, in scat-
ters, in its upper part. The formation of conifer stands (tree clusters) in the lower part of the ecotone, on the
slopes of the Aktru River valley, began during climate warming in the second half of the 19th century. The
expansion of confers to its upper part took place markedly later, in the early 20th century (Siberian larch) or
even in the 1930s (Siberian stone pine).
DOI: 10.1134/S1067413609030059
Key words: upper timberline, Central Altai, Pinus sibirica, Larix sibirica.
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