Dynamics of Weather and Climatic Characteristics and Ecological Functions of a Small Forest Basin
Investigations of the climatic parameters and protective characteristics of forest ecosystems were carried out at a small drainаge area in the upper reach of the Ussuri river (Southern Sikhote Alin') as an example. Anаlysis of the 40 years dynamics of air temperature and the regime of atmospheric precipitation showed that changes of the temperature background and preciрitation redistribution within a year occur: a trend to an increase in the average annual air temperature is observed as a result of warming during the cold and transition periods of a year, the number of years with insufficient wetting during the summer and autumn seasons and with snowy winters increases. The ecological potential of the basin, expressed in the quantitative indices of water-regulative and water protection role of parent forests, is decreased after the experimental felling of main use. With the general increasing negative dynamics of the forest resources of the region, climatic changes may cause an increase in the surface drainage during spring, a decrease in the channel runoff, worsening of watering and water quality of large river basins.