#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. According to the Joint Directorate of Taimyr Nature Reserves, the research was carried out by the leading flora specialists of the region – Elena and Igor Pospelov. They studied the shores of lake Nakomyaken, in the valley of the Tonel river. The valley is located in the Putoransky Nature Reserve, which is part of the directorate.
“We have identified many species that have never been found in Putorany before or are very rare for these places. For example, there is such a plant – tavolga, aka meadowsweet. Tavolga was first seen in the southwest, in the Yenisey basin, but near Norilsk, on the plateau, it was not found. And in this place it is numerous, forms dense thickets in the glades. It feels like we are in a forest near Moscow”, the scientists said.
The researchers also met a species of orchids that had not previously been noted in Putorany and in the North in general – this is a heart-leaved twayblade. In addition, they found a rare grape-fern, as well as many frogs, which had not been seen in such quantities there before:
“Whether this is connected with global warming is impossible to say for sure. But, judging by the thickets of meadowsweet and other rare plants, all this was formed in just 50-100 years. For example, single peonies were a discovery, but here there are whole glades. In Talnah, there is a separate population. It was noticed five or six years ago, and we are watching it, it’s increasing in number. And in the Nakomyaken area there are meadows of it!”
According to Elena Pospelova, the unexpected finds can be explained by the special microclimate of the local area.
“This is a real oasis on the Putorana plateau. It would be nice to make a micro-reserve there or provide some other special protection regime that can ensure the safe existence of this unique corner of nature, atypical for these places”, she said.
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Text: Mikhail Tuayev, Photo: shutterstock.com and Reserves of Taimyr / zapovedsever.ru
