Hydromass in Natural-Territorial Complexes in the Upper- and High-Mountain Landscapes of the Ialno Ridge

Abstract

The study of hydromass in natural-territorial complexes in the upper-mountain and high-mountain landscapes of the Ialno Ridge is based on the analysis spatial-temporal concept of natural-territorial complexes (NTCs), which was developed by Prof. Nikoloz Beruchashvili. This question allows analyzing and evaluating the following issues: moisture circulation and soil hydromasses in different NTCs. The study is based on the long-term field work conducted by the staff of Martkopi physical-geographical station. On the basis of the research some peculiarities of the territorial distribution of soil hydromasses were revealed. The maximum amount of the soil hydromasses (1733 t/ha) is registerd in the facies of the northern exposition and moderately slanting slopes with beech forest and litterfall, whereas the mean value is 1421 t/ha. In the soils of the facies spread at the top of the Ialno Ridge the maximum hydromass amount is 1173 t/ha and the mean value is 887 t/ha. But in the soils of the slanting tops with southern exposition presented as mixed grass meadows the maximum hydromass amount is 676 t/ha and the mean value is 633 t/ha. The research shows that in the NTCs with of the high-mountain subalpine and upper-mountain forest landscapes the hydromass amounts depend on humidity and pedomass amount in separate geohorizons of the soils. Besides, hydromass amount in soil is influenced by the following factors: exposition and declination of the slope, the thickness of the soil profile, behaviour of moisturizing, projection vegetation cover and facies, nano-forms of the relief. High amount of hydromasses is characteristic of the gorges on the southern exposition slopes (more than 2000 t/ha). The hydromass amount is also high (1500-2000 t/ha) in the beech forests in the natural-territorial complexes of the northern and southern exposition slopes. The amount of hydromasses is low (500-1000 t/ha) at the top of the Ialno Ridge and the subalpine meadows in the natural-territorial complexes of the southern exposition slopes. The same hydromass amount is observed in the vegetation semi-associations in the natural-territorial complexes of the slopes of the White Cliff. The hydromass amount is the least (less than 500 t/ha) in rocky natural-territorial complexes.