Vegetation Changes due to the Impact of PJSC ALROSA Activities, Measures to Reduce Ecological Stress

The present paper deals with the research of plant cover in the area of a diamond-mining company. Its main objects are the vegetation of a natural biotope, affected land areas and the vegetation of transformed affected territories in the area of Udachninskiy Mining and Processing Plant. The research describes the original state of vegetation on the territory – typical zonal sparse larch forests. Then the degrees of vegetation transformation are shown. Intensive exploitation of natural resources has led to the destruction of natural landscapes on a vast territory. The main types of land cover disruptions as a result of Udachninskiy Mining and Processing Plant activities are land embankments, excavations, wet territories. According to the intensity of impact all territories are differentiated into micro-, mesoand macro-anthropogenic plots. The transformation of vegetation cover happens on all levels of impact. The most profound transformation was found on macroanthropogenic plots where environment recovery is not possible in a foreseeable future. Meso-anthropogenic impact leads to the transformation on population and ecosystem levels resulting in changes of structure and content of plant communities. Successions on micro-anthropogenic plots follow the way towards the reconstruction of original zonal types of vegetation. It is shown that damaged landscapes have a sharp contrast with natural landscapes in terms of flora. The natural flora of higher vascular plants in the area of Udachninskiy Mining and Processing Plant accounts for 287 species from 155 genera of 62 families. The flora of damaged territories accounts for 91 species, from 71 genera of 23 families. It constitutes only 32.71% of the list of the natural flora in the area of Udachninskiy Mining and Processing Plant. The research highlights the need for scientific analysis and reclamation works on affected lands of Udachninskiy Mining and Processing Plant.