Flora and Vegetation of Deflation Byranattalakh Lake Surroundings (the Lower Reaches of Viluy River, Central Yakutia)
In modern times the study and protection of biological diversity is an important issue. In Yakutia, in the mid-1990s, a network of protected areas «Ytyk Kere Sirder» was established. A list of 26 unique lakes was included on this network. In 2012 Under the State order of the Ministry of nature protection of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) «Certification of unique lakes of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia)» the first comprehensive studies were conducted, including flora and vegetation surroundings of the lake Byranattalakh (63°41’57,9˝ s. sh., 129°29’54,4˝ v. d.). One of the largest lakes in Yakutia, abundant in fish stocks, is on tukulans or blown aeolian sands of Leno-Vilyui interfluve. In landscape-genetic classification of lakes, it refers to deflationary thermokarst lakes. The purpose of research is to assess the current state of the unique lake to identify its characteristics, management and protection. The main tasks include identification of species structure and diversity of the flora of the main plant communities, monitoring observation for rare and endemic species tukulans for conservation and protection. The study of flora and vegetation of Byranattalakh Lake surroundings carried out based on route and floristic studies by geobotanical methods. The flora of vascular plants near Byranattalakh Lake is poor and typical for tukulans. On the materials about tukulans there are described peculiar psammophytic communities of Pinuspumila, lichen, and ledum-lichen pine forests and grassy groups. The rare species are represented by only one endemic of tukulans - Koeleria skrjabinii Karav. et Tzvel, included in the Red Book of Yakutia. Isolation and inaccessibility of tukulans of lower reaches Viluy River in summer impede finding new species of plants, including rare and endemic that need monitoring supervision and protection.