Aeolian landscapes of Prebaikalye and Transbaikalye areas

Aeolian landscapes are typical of the area of Prebaikalye and Transbaikalye. They occur both on the shore of Baikal and at various distances from the lake and they are related to areas of boreal forest and steppe. They are characterized by both natural and anthropogenic origin. The former are more typical of Transbaikalye, where they represent old dune forms at different stages of formation, stabilized by pine forest vegetation. These landscapes probably originated at the end of the Pleistocene and the beginning of the Holocene. Anthropogenic aeolian landscapes are more clearly visible and noticeable because of the geomorphologic processes occurring there at present. They occur in both of the regions and they are related to diverse economic activities of man in the past hundred, up to two hundred, years. The dominating type of surface features is that of wind erosion, which is related to old forms being blown away. The accumulative effect of wind is definitely of minor significance there; this can be seen in minor size and diversity of forms. Vegetation, which is clearly psammophylous, adapts itself to these contemporary aeolian processes. This is mostly herbaceous vegetation, or less often shrubs or undershrub. It creates a range of plant communities and associations, frequently of unique nature and with peculiar features of adaptation of plants to life in heavy habitat conditions.