Zonal tundra and forest-tundra of the middle reaches of Anabar river (southern tundra subzone North-West Yakutia)

The plant communities of zonal tundra (subass. Carici arctisibiricae-Hylocomietum alascani alectorietosum nigricantis subass. nova hoc loco) and larch forest-tundra (ass. Cassiopo tetragonae-Laricetum dahuricae Telyatnikov, Troeva et Cherosov ass. nova hoc loco) of the region of the Saskylakh village, which is located in the subzone of the southern tundra of the north-western part of Yakutia, have been characterized. The described larch forest-tundra is one of the northern outposts of woody vegetation and it is characterized by high activity of tundra (arctic and hypoarctic) species. This is due to the high continental climate, due to which permafrost soils expand far to the south, promoting the advancement of tundra communities in this direction and displacing forest vegetation. Zonal mossy tundras are a geographical variant of the association Carici arctisibiricae-Hylocomietum alascani Matveyeva 1994, common in the Siberian Arctic and Subarctic. The zonality of these communities is characterized by the fact that they occupy the gentle slopes of watersheds with moderate conditions of moisture and drainage. Communities are distinguished by a large proportion and activity of tundra species, predominance of mesophytic mosses, hypoarctic shrubs, and lichens.