Analysis of phytocoenotic diversity of steppe vegetation of the Baikal-Gobi transect

For the first time, the syntaxonomic diversity of steppe vegetation along the Baikal-Gobi transect was determined, represented by 49 associations belonging to 23 formations, 5 florocoenotypes, and 3 ecological-historical series. The classification construction according to the ecological-phytocoenotic dominant-determinant principle was based on data collected during field research and processed using traditional geobotanical methods: route reconnaissance studies, geobotanical descriptions, cluster and gradient analysis. Units of this approach give an idea of the current state of communities at a certain stage of succession, and syntaxa reflect the ecological features of vegetation inherent in the territory. This approach has an applied value, expressed, in particular, in mapping – the volume of the main syntaxa is smaller compared to the ecological-floristic approach, which makes it possible for a more meaningful analysis in large-scale mapping.