Magadansky State Nature Reserve
Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO Russian Ministry of Natural Resources
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All four clusters of Magadansky Reserve are separated from each other, rather hard-to- reach and have no settlements or constant transport roads. Each cluster has its own distinctive features in locality appearance, climate conditions, composition of flora and fauna. Clusters of the Magadansky Reserve are located within the Northern Far East mainland mountain and upland physical-geographical province. Among them emerges the Okhotsko-Kolymskoye highland standing on the watershed between Kolyma basin (Arctic basin) and rivers falling into the Okhotsk Sea. From the west the area is adjoined by the south-eastern edge of Cherskogo mountain system and a line of intermountain areas the most noteworthy of which is Seimchano-Buyundinskaya. The Reserve's area is situated in the zone of moderate and sub-polar climate charactcrzed by cold long winter and cool short summer. The vegetation period is not enough provided by heat, typical are summer frosts and uneven humidification. All landscape-vegetation groups of the south of the Magadan Region are presented at the Reserve. According to the latest data, at the area of three near-Okhotsk clusters were noted 638 species of higher vascular plants. At floristically poor Seimchansky clusters grow 236 plant species, but the share of continental species absent at other clusters is high here. The most significant features of each cluster from the conservational point of view: Yamsky coastal cluster - features the disjunctively located part of Siberian spruce areal on the north-eastern edge of its distribution. The cluster is distinguished by the high biodiversity and the abundance of relic dark-coniferous plant species. Yamsky marine cluster - features the peculiar vegetation of the bird bazaars of Yamsky islands which had apparently been formed as the result of long-time interaction of birds and coastal vegetation. Kava-Chelomdjinsky cluster - except its vast area and great diversity of vegetation types, is unique by its species composition and wetland complex typology. A line of species on their eastern edge of area1 grows here. Olsky cluster - has one of the richest specific flora of the northern Far East with great number of endemics of the different floristic regions and relics of different age and genesis. The peninsula is an intersection spot of arctic and arctic-alpine species' southern migration routes and routes of' Far East species moving to the north. Simchansky cluster - is the only continental cluster with the composite flood plain structure and rich and diverse wetland and flood plain vegetation. It is peculiar by many species common in the Pacific found in its inland flood plain forests as relics. In rivers and lakes of the Reserve are met 32 fish species. The most numerous are migrating salmons - humpback salmon, chum salmon, silver salmon (Onchoryncus Gorbuscha, 0. keta, O. kisutch) separate specimen of quinnat and blue-back salmon (O. tschawytscha, 0. nerka) are met. In rivers and lakes of the Seimchansky cluster are common: Arctic grayling, whitefish, Brachymystax lenok, Coregonus cylinotraceous, pike, perch and burbot. Avifauna of the Reserve is representative for the Okhotsk-Kolyma area. Avifauna list includes 173 species, 150 of which are nesting; the others are noted on passage. 40 species of terrestrial and 8 species of marine mammals have been registered within the Reserve. Most common are Sores caecutiens and Sores daphaenodon, northern redbacked vole, chipmunk, pika, blue hare, brow bear, fox, sable, ermine, mink, locally - elk and bighorn sheep. At all clusters are met, but less typical are: red and Russian flying squirrels, root vole, weasel, gluttton. Lynx is rarely met.