The Magadan Reserve was founded in 1982. It includes a wide variety of natural complexes and landscapes of the Magadan region. This object is located on the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk.
The Magadan Reserve consists of several sites that are located at a sufficient distance from each other. They are difficult to access, there are no transport routes and settlements. The sites into which the Magadan Reserve is divided vary greatly in climatic conditions, topography, flora and fauna. Today we will talk about the plant and animal world of this object.
The woods
More than half of the entire territory is covered by forests. Mostly they are conifers. Kayander Larch is the main forest-forming species. Larch trees are the most common type in the reserve. They cover more than half of the forests. There are 7 types of larch forests. The most common are dwarf-moss. They occupy waterlogged, insufficiently drained terraces, slope plumes. The second breed, which is widespread here, is cedar elfin. This species in the reserve is found everywhere both in the form of thickets, and under the canopy of larch forests. It covers about a third of the forest area. Cedar-elfin forests are also found on the slopes of the mountains, towering above the border of larch woodlands. Mountain tundra and char are even higher. Tape forests grow along streams and rivers where there is no permafrost. Their strip is the more productive and wider the larger the watercourse. Chosenia and poplar, alder and tree-like willows are found only in their composition. In addition, there is the greatest wealth and diversity of plant associations.
Thanks to the under-bed taliks along large rivers, relict valley poplar-chosenia forests are formed. Their main breed is the large-scaled choosen, as well as aromatic poplar. There are flat-leaved birch and larch, which reach maximum productivity in these places. There are also tree-like willows. In the reserve, despite the developed hydro network, these forests are insignificant in area. Stone-birch, alder, white-birch forests are distributed limitedly. The smallest areas are forests in which aspen and Siberian spruce grow .
Undergrowth
As for the undergrowth, its main components are: alder, elfin tree, mountain ash, rowan leaf, Asian bird cherry, edible honeysuckle, spirea loosestrife and Stevena, dulcoptera and needle logs, Middendorff birch. In the subordinate tiers of shrubs, cedar rosemary, lingonberry, bicameral shiksha, and blueberry dominate.
In the moss-lichen layer, different types of green mosses predominate, sphanga mosses are found in poorly drained areas.
Features of the reserve sites
Describing the reserve Magadansky in terms of its sites, it should be noted that the vertical zonality of vegetation is common to them. It manifests itself especially brightly on the Olsky site, where there are many mountains. It is the southernmost. This site is of particular interest. The mountainous terrain and marine climate determine the uniqueness of the local vegetation. On the Olsky site (Magadansky reserve) there is no larch, but vast areas are covered with thickets of cedar dwarf elf. In addition, mountain tundra also occupy a large territory. On the slopes of the mountains pure stone birch trees grow. Poplar-Chosenia forests are found in river valleys of small extent. In the upper reaches they are replaced by impenetrable thickets of cedar dwarf and alder. In floodplains common shrubs and tall grasses and grass-meadow meadows are common. The Yamskoye lesnichestvo (its mainland) includes the place of distribution of Siberian spruce. These plants of the Magadan reserve are a relic of the Magadan region. Spruce does not form pure plantings. It is found as an integral part of floodplain larches, and sometimes poplar-chosenia forests.
We turn to the characterization of the animals that inhabit the Magadan Reserve. Photos and their habitats are presented below.
Land mammals
Of the most common mammals, one can mention chipmunk, red-backed voles, white hare, pika, fox, brown bear, ermine, sable, and American mink. Elk in these places is also numerous. Species that live in all areas, but whose settlement density is somewhat lower, include flying squirrel, common squirrel, weasel, housekeeper vole, and wolverine. In all areas, in addition, there were visits of lynxes to the Magadan Reserve. These animals belong to one of the rarest species in the reserve. Lynx (pictured above) is found in forest areas. Because of the expensive and original fur, this animal was persecuted before the creation of the reserve.
For a number of species, the conditions necessary for existence exist only in certain areas. For example, the coastal slopes of Yamsky and Olsky are the only places in the reserve where the black-capped marmot lives. Animals such as the wolf, forest lemming, reindeer and muskrat are found only in the Seymchansky and Kava-Chelomdzhinsky area. Only on the latter are Asian forest mice and Far Eastern shrew registered.
Red-gray and red voles, chipmunk, house-keeper vole and forest lemmings are inhabitants of the taiga fauna, which are typical in general for the Magadan region. One of the rarest rodents on Earth is Amur lemmings. It can be found only in eastern Siberia.
Marine mammals
As for marine mammals, the species that is most widespread in the Magadan Reserve is the largha seal (pictured above). This animal prefers to stay close to the coastline throughout the ice-free period. It arranges deposits during low tides, resting on stony braids or on the exposed coast. Akiba, or ringed seal, is found mainly along the coast of the Kony Peninsula. Lahtak, or sea hare, is quite common in the waters of the reserve. It most often occurs singly, near the coast. On the island of Matykil (refers to the Yamsky Islands) there is its only large deposit, which includes about 60 individuals. There is also the only sea lion rookery in the Magadan Reserve. They leave this rookery in the fall, heading to places to the south. Then, in the spring, they reappear here to produce offspring.
Whales
The most common whale that lives in the waters of the reserve is the killer whale. It is most numerous near the Koni Peninsula. In the Sea of Okhotsk, throughout its northern part, the sharp-mouted, or minke whale lives. He often visits and coastal shallow areas. In summer, minke whale is most often found near the Koni Peninsula.
The gray whale is extremely rare in the reserve . Only a few meetings are known with him over the entire existence of the reserve of interest to us. Sometimes porpoises, belugas, lionfish accidentally enter coastal waters.
Amphibians
We continue to talk about the fauna of such an object as the Magadan Reserve. Description of the amphibians living here will not take much time. They include only two types. The representative of the tailed amphibians is the Siberian coral-toothed, and the Siberian frog - tailless. The Siberian Coral Tooth (pictured above) lives in all parts of the Magadan Reserve. Siberian frog is found in isolated populations. It can be found in the reserve only in the basins of the Taui, Kolyma, Yama, Kava rivers.
Fish
Among migratory fish, the most common species are chum, pink salmon, and coho salmon. Sockeye salmon and chinook salmon are found singly. The natural spawning grounds for salmon are located on the Chelomdzha and Yam rivers, the territory of which is considered the largest in the Okhotsk Sea. In the largest rivers on the territory of this reserve (Kava, Yama, Chelomdzha) kunja, char, grayling are numerous. The latter is the most common inhabitant of the rivers of the Magadan Reserve. Malma is also one of the most numerous.
Birds
As for the avifauna, it is no different from that characteristic of the Okhotsk-Kolyma region. On the territory of the reserve, you can find representatives of 13 groups that live in northeast Russia. In the Taui Lowland, where the Kava-Chemlomdzhinsky site with many old and thermokarst lakes is located, some of the main reserves of waterfowl are located. Here the taiga bean grouper, screaming swan, teal (clapper and whistle), pintail, hench, mallard, broad-toed nest, large and medium-sized roosters nest here. Species typical for eastern Siberia (killer whale, teal-kloktun, stone-beetle and American blue singe) add a Far Eastern flavor to the fauna of waterfowl. In the river valleys there are often a wood grouse, partridge, and hazel grouse.
Anseriformes
The reserves of the Magadan region are very important for the protection of natural diversity. In particular, Magadan plays a very important role in protecting the flocks of anseriformes that fly through its territory. The fact is that all sites are located on the main routes of bird migration. Before the reserve appeared, intensive hunting was conducted in places of feeding schools and on passes. Through the territory occupied by the Magadansky State Nature Reserve, a significant part of the swans, geese, and also some species of ducks that live in the extreme north-east of our country migrate.