Forest types of the Surskaya Shishka upland

The article is devoted to the study of the ecological variety of the forest communities in the central part of the Volga Upland. This area hosts one of the most diverse forest ecosystems that protect a significant portions of the region’s biodiversity. Characteristics of the woods communities are given. Composition of the timber stand, undergrowth and ground cover analyzed. The preliminary classification units compiled using the methods of table sorting on the basic of vegetation and soil characteristic. For estimation state of the forestry vegetation following materials are used: plans of the forestry’s S 1:25000, colored by forest forming breeds and taxation descriptions. Analyze species composition of timber stands carry out by means of electronic tables EXCEL. The same edaphic group included sites with similar granulometric composition and other properties of soil-forming rock, thickness of organic horizons of ground and its features reflecting the degree of drainage (moisture). In order to estimate the relationship between vegetation and soil parameters the cartographic method are used. Simultaneously the groups of species that had the similar distribution along ecological gradient were established. The forest vegetation of investigated region is mostly influence by anthropogenous factors. The history of the forests formation has specific peculiarities caused by both nature conditions and history transformation of the territories. However, the basic features of the virgin woods here are preserved. Such are the pinewoods with moss cover growing in the hilly stretches and in the plains, as well as the pinewoods, growing on slopes. Current development rates in the region raise questions about future conservation value of these forest ecosystems.