Middle-scale mapping of vegetation cover of the Moscow District at the ecological-dynamic basis

Middle-scale vegetation map shows the most important botanical-geographic reguliarities of plant cover depending on the environmental conditions of the territory. Legend divisions reflect the typological differentiation of vegetation cover (fig. 1). The higher rank units are: type of vegetation, class of formations, group of formations, formation. Class of associations and group of associations are adopted as the main mapping units.

Forest vegetation is classified and analyzed in terms of the ecological-dynamic concept by V. B. Sochava (1968, 1979). According to this concept forest association is considered to be a part of dynamic system (epiassociation), integrating both the climax community and its modifications which arise in the course of spontaneous or anthropogenic succession. In the case of mesic meadows the method of ecological-dynamic series is used. The series are grouped according to leading ecological factors (soil fertility and humidity) or anthropogenic factors (grazing and haymaking).

Middle-scale vegetation map of the Moscow District based on the ecological-dynamic principle is highly informative. It reflects the coenotic diversity, botanical-geographic reguliarities, typological diversity of climax and secondary communities of forests, mesic meadows, mires taking into account the floristic, phytocoenotic, ecological and geographic criteria. The map shows modern status of and trends in vegetation dynamics depending on anthropogenic impact. The vegetation map of such kind can be used for solving the ecological problems: monitoring, supporting the ecological stability, presevation and improvement of a human environment.