Range of different mountain has been located in the territory of the Central Asia. One of the essential features of the Central Asian mountains is weakly express of the forest zone. Forest zone even was not developed in the most places. Many parts of the Central Asian mountains have been covered with plain and meadow plants. In connection with absence of forest cover in this area, forest-podzol kind of soils was not developed in the Central Asian mountains. In connection with height of the mountains, law of vertical spreading of soils in the upland regions of the Central Asia is very clearly visible. Below of the middle below:
We must note briefly the character of the land cover of the Central Asia mountains like Kopet dagh, Pamir, Ferghana crest and Changur Alatau mountain systems.
Kopet-dagh: This mountain has been located between the USSR and Iran boundary. This mountain system lies for 500 kms from west to east. As they are not very high, there is not constant snow on its top. Moreover, naked forest cover can characterize Kopet-dagh system as desert mountains. Because of different physical-geographical conditions the land cover of this area are very different. Main land types spread here:
1. Dark and light chestnut land.
2. Mountain desert-plain grey land.
3. Desert grey lands had been developed.
These lands as we wrote below substitute one by one in turn. Dark chestnut land has been spread in the heights of the mountain. Very seldom one can meet blackish land among them, too. Dark chestnut land is developed in the 1100-2800 metres heights. Below of these lands at the heights of 500-1100 metres chestnut lands have been located. Little below of this zone at height of 300-500 meters desert-plain lands has been spread. These lands surround the zone of passage between lowland regions and mountain regions.
At last, desert grey lands has developed in the foothills surrounding the mountain system. Mother rocks of these lands consist of prolluvial and de-alluvial sediments.
Because mountainous land of the Kopet-dagh is relatively damp compared to lowland they are mostly used in farming.
The Pamirs: These mountains consist of very high desert mountain plateaus. Height of these reaches 5000-5500 metres. The Pamir mountain system is separated in 2 parts called eastern and western. High plains located in eastern part of the Pamirs are cold and dry according to the climate. This is possible to look at that part as typical mountain desert. But west part has very complex uneven relief, and very differs from eastern part for land cover.
Land cover of the Pamirs:
It consists of grey land, saline lands. Mostly one can find here saline meadow lands and spreading sands.
Ferghana crest: Fergana mountainous crest is included in the structure of Tian-Shan mountain manes and has special land cover. According to research carried out by academician Prasolov it is possible to distinguish following land zones.
1. Mountainous-meadow and blackish lands of the Alps zone.
2. Blackish and black saline land.
3. Grey- forest land.
4. Dark grey land.
5. Grey land.
6. Saline grey land, saline and meadow lands.
Chanqur-Alatau mountain system belongs to Tian-Shan mountain system, too. Land cover substitutes each other while rising from bottom foothills to the top as noted here. Saline grey land till 600 meters, saline and sandy has been spread.
Chestnut land of the dry- meadow zone has been developed in 600-800 metres. Blackish land to 800-1200 metres. Blackish mountain meadow land to 1200-2000 metres. Alp and sub-alp meadows peaty and washed mountain–meadow lands in 2000-3000 metres. Likewise absence of forest land in the Central Asia it podzol lands were not developed here.
Siberia mountains: mountainous-meadow land zones were not developed in Siberia and far east mountain systems. All mountains here have been covered with forest lands. But naked areas are found at high mountain peaks that panorama of here reflects north tundras in itself, too. Let us characterize basic tracts of mountains of Siberia below:
Altay: Altay mountain system may be characterized with development of wide mountain plateaus. It has different land cover. Main types of lands are:
1. Black land.
2. Typical black land.
Washed black land.
Podzol black land can be shown. At the southern part of Altay light saline chestnut lands can be met at approximately 44° north foothill.
Podzol and changed black lands are located under forest plants. At last, at some mountainous heights mountain tundras can be found at rare cases, too. Primitive plants like water-plant and moss have been developed here mostly.
Sayan: Sayan mountainous system includes in Siberia mountain range.
Sayan mountains are divided into 2 parts as western and eastern.
Western Sayan mountains lie from east of Teles like towards Altay mountain. These mountains were mainly covered with facet rocks. In general, land cover of the Sayan mountains is characterized as given below:
Lower foothills and valleys of the Sayan mountains have been covered with black lands. Black washed land has been formed in the north slopes of the Sayan mountains. But at height of 600 metres podzol zone starts and rises up to upper part of forest zone. As forest is not developed at 1600-200 metres of height it is replaced by Tundra zone. Another peaty and swamp and swamp- meadow lands were formed here besides weakly developed primitive tundra lands. Most area of Sayan mountains have been covered with podzol lands.
