Major biotopes of north-taiga and birch forests of the Murmansk region: landscape and botanic diversity, grounds for protection

The paper gives survey of spruce, pine and subarctic birch forest biotopes of the Murmansk region. Major types of biotopes have been determined and characterized. Diversity of classification approaches as well as woodland key units in nature-protection literature have been surveyed. The "biotope" as the unit on the level of forest plant community as well as "landscape complex of communities" have been proposed as the basic levels of biodiversity protection. Major protected woodland biotopes in the Murmansk region have been proposed.