The Chuy Valley and the northern slope of the Kyrgyz Range is one of the most studied areas of the Republic in terms of flora and geobotany. Significant contributions to the study of the flora of the Chuy Valley have been made by I.V. Vykhodtsev, E.V. Nikitina, A.G. Golovkova, A. Moldoyarov, L.I. Popova, and others.
In works dedicated to geobotanical zoning, the Chuy Valley is classified within the Chuy and Kemin districts of the Northern Tien Shan province.
The vegetation of the Chuy Valley is diverse and exhibits a pronounced altitudinal zonation. The following altitudinal belts are distinguished:
The semi-desert vegetation belt occupies the northwestern lowland part of the plain at altitudes of 550-700 m and the edges of the foothill plains, reaching altitudinal marks of 900-1000 m. The plant cover of this belt consists of a sparse herbaceous layer with a projected cover of 30-40% in spring. The herbaceous layer is usually dominated by various wormwoods with a mixture of onion fescue, accompanied by feather grass, and occasionally shiny chiy and creeping bulrush. Alongside them, half-shrubs such as izen, teresken, and others are widespread, and in spring, numerous ephemeral and ephemeroid species (such as snowdrops, onions, tulips, etc.) appear. With the onset of the dry summer period, they wither, dry out, and are replaced by a dull group of xerophytes, drought-resistant plants. The semi-desert areas are almost entirely developed by humans. Natural vegetation has survived in small fragments in places with highly dissected relief.
In the valleys of the Chu River and its major tributaries, lush green meadows have formed due to the close occurrence of groundwater. They stretch in varying widths, occupying the floodplains and low terraces of the rivers.
At a higher level of groundwater (less than 1 m), in the zone of their emergence and in the floodplain of the Chu River, marshes known as "sazy" are formed. The sazy zone is primarily populated by reed thickets, sedges, and bulrushes, among others.
Steppe belt encompasses the relatively elevated part of the foothill plain and foothills at altitudes of 1000-1700 m. South of the railway line to the foothills and throughout the eastern, central, and western parts of the basin, a strip of dry foothill steppes is present. On terraces and cones of erosion of deeply incised valleys, steppe vegetation penetrates up to altitudes of 2000-2300 m.
The plant cover of the steppes, depending on the predominance of certain plants under varying moisture conditions, is represented by typical fescue, mixed fescue, and other types of steppe vegetation.
Fescue steppes dominated by smooth brome grass are widespread over a wide range of altitudes: from the foothills to the alpine zone. Fescue is common in the composition of semi-desert and dry steppe vegetation, dominating in the steppes of the eastern part of the foothills, penetrating into the mid-mountain and high-altitude regions as part of meadow steppes.
Mixed fescue steppes dominate in the upper part of the dry steppe belt, penetrating into the low foothills along the shaded slopes of ravines and gullies. Among the grasses, alongside common fescue, there are feather grasses (Kyrgyz, Lessing's, and hairy), slender wheatgrass, creeping couch grass, and among the wormwoods - tarragon, and less frequently - late wormwood, as well as various herbs such as chamomile, meadow clover, snakehead, etc. In favorable springs, the herbaceous layer is rich in ephemeroids. The projected soil cover reaches 7%.
Couch grass and mixed herbaceous steppes, found in the low mountains of the western part of the Kyrgyz Range, are characterized by the predominance of couch grass, reaching heights of 80-100 cm. With the onset of drought, couch grass dries out, as do many of its companions; on dry southern and southeastern slopes, couch grass steppes have sparse herbaceous layers, while on better-watered northern and western slopes, mixed herbaceous-couch grass meadows form. In total, about 100 species have been registered in this steppe, of which more than 1/3 are ephemeroids /E. Nikitina, 1962/.
Karandyz and bristle grass steppes (southern savannah-like steppes) occupy the lower part of the steppe belt. Characteristic plants of these steppes include karandyz (high elecampane), eremurus, and umbrella-shaped ferulas and prangos. They are particularly characteristic of the western part of the Kyrgyz Range. The powerful woody roots of karandyz serve as medicinal raw material and are subject to harvesting, which, along with plowing, poses a threat to the destruction of this plant.
In the bristle grass steppe, the hemostatic bristle grass dominates. It is very drought-resistant, which explains its wide distribution, especially on dry slopes with southeastern exposure. Bristle grass steppes are valuable early summer pastures. Their average yield ranges from 10 to 14 centners per hectare /E. Nikitina, 1962/.
Feather grass and fescue steppes are mainly distributed in the basins of the rivers Ashmara, Jardy-Kaindy, Ak-Suu, Sokuluk, and others. The structure of the steppe is dominated by hairy, Kyrgyz, and fescue grasses. In addition, sedges, some species of wormwoods, yarrow, and others are found.
In the foothills of the Kyrgyz Range (Baitik, Bosbeltik, Besh-Kyungey, Chong-Daly, etc.), steppe vegetation forms a narrow strip and is found in hollows, terraced surfaces, and river valleys. Such steppe plants externally resemble meadow forms. However, with the onset of summer, due to the arrival of the dry period, the herbaceous layer quickly dries out.
The main steppe areas in the plains of the Chuy Basin have been converted to agriculture. Their natural habitats have survived in unfavorable rocky areas for farming.
Meadow-steppe and meadow belt. Meadow steppes, which replace steppe vegetation under conditions of increased moisture, are located on the slopes of high foothills and in the lower strip of medium mountain slopes, as well as in small depressions (Toguz-Bulak, Ok-Torkoy, Chunkurchak, Bultake, Belsaz, etc.). Their range extends at altitudes of 1700-2800 m.
Meadow steppes are communities formed by representatives of steppes and meadows. The vegetation is usually characterized by floral richness and strong development of the grass cover. The herbaceous layer almost everywhere includes typical fescue, tufted oat, meadow fescue, and steppe timothy. The most widespread are the hedgehog-fescue formations. In the valleys of the rivers Chunkurchak, Chetyndi, Issyk-Ata, and Norus at altitudes of 1700-2800 m, there are areas consisting exclusively of hedgehog-meadow formations. The main plants include fescue, sedges, dandelions, Tibetan astragalus, Tien Shan gentian, and others. They form a powerful high-yielding herbaceous layer. The projected soil cover is 80-90%. These are hayfields with yields exceeding 30 centners per hectare /E. Nikitina, 1962/. Scattered throughout the background of meadow steppes are often found spherical juniper, as well as shrubs - rose hips, meadowsweet, barberry, irgai, honeysuckle, and occasionally hawthorn.
Meadow belt. In the mid-mountain and high-altitude regions of the Kyrgyz Range, formations of mountain meadows - subalpine and alpine - are widely represented. They develop at altitudes of 2800-3300 m above sea level. Floodplain meadows - sazy occupy negligible areas due to the stoniness of the floodplains of mountain rivers. Tall grass meadows occupy windward (northern, western) slopes, leveling surfaces, and terraces. These meadows are characterized by dense, closed herbaceous layers of complex floristic composition. Professor A.G. Golovkova (1955) distinguishes between grassy (with steppe timothy, fescues, and hedgehog) and mixed herbaceous meadows (associations of meadow clover and mixed herbs, geranium and mixed herbs). A. Moldoyarov identifies formations of creeping couch grass, hedgehog, forest fescue, and bulrush meadows. The ratio of grasses and mixed herbs in the composition of tall grass meadows is determined by their economic condition.
On the background of tall grass meadows, especially in rocky places, patches of shrubs - honeysuckles, irgai, rose hips, as well as Tien Shan rowan are common. Tall grass meadows are highly productive forage lands.
Subalpine meadows have a complex floristic composition, combining species of medium mountain meadows and typical alpine species. Subalpine meadows are usually characterized by the predominance of mixed herbs and a minor role of grasses. The diversity of mixed herbs adds color to subalpine meadows throughout the summer.
Initially, yellow tulips and goose onions define the aspect, followed by pink primroses, blue forget-me-nots, golden potentillas, lilac shemurs, yellow poppies, purple gentians, and others. The abundance of nectar-producing plants makes the meadows a valuable base for the development of beekeeping. The herbaceous layers of subalpine meadows are usually two-tiered, with projected soil cover ranging from 75 to 100%. On drier slopes, meadows are replaced by meadow steppes. Here, shemur combines with fescue, and many bellflowers, alpine asters, alpine potentillas, yellow-white edelweiss, and others are found. The projected cover in such areas decreases to 60-70%.
Near the lower boundary of the subalpine belt, numerous cushions of the creeping shrub - Turkestan juniper can be found. Harsh mountain winds press the shrub to the ground. Juniper thickets are a very typical plant formation of the subalpine belt.
Subalpine meadows and meadow steppes are valuable summer pastures with a yield of about 19 centners per hectare. The consumable part is about 10 centners per hectare.
The alpine meadow belt is located at altitudes of 3100-3400 m and occupies significant areas, especially in the central and western parts of the range. The terrain is dissected by the upper reaches of rivers, often with grassy slopes. The watersheds of the mountains are often flat, smooth, and sometimes bare rocks and stone slides are found.
Alpine meadows form under conditions of a short growing season and a lack of warmth. The flora of the alpine meadows of the Kyrgyz Range includes 117 species, of which 75 species are common with subalpine meadows. The vegetation of the belt, depending on the slope exposure and moisture, has a meadow or meadow-steppe character, rich in juicy and brightly colored species. Grasses and mixed herbs dominate, especially cobrezia, lady's mantle, geraniums, creeping couch grass, and others. Yellow poppies and gentians with large blue bells beautifully adorn the alpine meadows. Very beautiful are primroses with large clusters of pink flowers. In gravelly places, low fragrant edelweiss can be found. In the areas of sazy, sedges, black-purple onions, and other species are abundant. Cobrezia-sazy meadows are widely distributed in the basins of the rivers Kara-Balta, Ak-Suu, Issyk-Ata, Kegeti, and others.
The herbaceous layer of alpine meadows is low, with a projected cover of 90-95%. These meadows, despite their low herbaceous layer, are distinguished by the brightness and freshness of the colors of grasses and flowers, as well as the density of the herbaceous cover. However, the herbaceous layer is often interrupted by rocky-gravelly places, slides, and shrubs.
Alpine meadows are highly productive summer pastures. Especially mixed herbaceous and cobrezia meadows have high nutritional value, up to 70-80 feed units per 100 kg of dry mass /Zakhariev et al., 1969/. The forage value of cobrezia meadows can be equated to that of alfalfa or clover.
High-altitude subnival belt is found at altitudes above 3600-3800 m. The upper part of the zone consists of rocky outcrops, screes, morainic accumulations, snowfields, and glaciers. In the lower limits of the belt, on stony-gravelly poorly developed soils, cushions of dryadites, edelweiss, alpine buttercup, and other cryophyte species can be found. The roughness and mobility of the substrate, caused by intense processes of frost weathering, also hinder the settlement and further development of plants. Higher plants can only grow in areas protected from the cold - in depressions, in rock crevices, and among debris, where fine soil and moisture accumulate. This belt is home to a unique world of microorganisms: bacteria, lower fungi, algae, and others /Glazovskaya, 1951/.
It is necessary to note that in addition to the zonal arrangement of soil-vegetation cover, there is also azonal tugai (tookay - in Kyrgyz) vegetation, developed along the valleys of large rivers. It is most widely distributed in the more expanded parts of the floodplains of the Chu, Shamsy, Issyk-Ata, Ak-Suu, and other rivers. Tugai vegetation is mainly represented by various shrubs: barberry, rose hip, jyrkanak, willow, and others. Occasionally, forest masses (birch, poplar, aspen, etc.) are found along the floodplains of the Chu River. Finally, a significant area in the foothill zone is occupied by cultivated vegetation (gardens, fruit and berry crops).
Belt of forest-shrub vegetation is associated with the mid-mountains of the range, where there is sufficient moisture and is represented by two formations - spruce forests and juniper thickets. Spruce forests of Tien Shan spruce (Schrenk) occupy steep northern and northwestern slopes of the Kyrgyz Range. The altitudinal limits of the belt are 2200-2800 m above sea level. In contrast, juniper thickets of spherical juniper are distributed from 1600 to 2400 m. The spruce forests represent isolated masses, where dense curtains alternate with meadow clearings. The central part of the northern slope of the Kyrgyz Range, from the valley of the Ala-Archa River in the west to the valley of the Shamsy River in the east, is characterized by the highest forest cover. The extreme east of the northern slope of the Kyrgyz Range is almost devoid of tree vegetation. Here, steppe and meadow formations prevail, with rare thickets of juniper (the basins of Baydamtala, Konorchok). The last island of spruce forests is located in the valley of the Ala-Archa River.
Within the central part of the range, the forest cover of individual river valleys varies sharply. For example, in the basin of the Ala-Archa River, both spruce and juniper thickets are present, while in the valley of the Alamudun River, spruce forests are completely absent. In the valley of the Chunkurchak River, there are also no spruce forests, and juniper thickets are mainly represented by low sparse forests. Another example is the basin of the Issyk-Ata River, where the valley of the main river is devoid of spruce forests, while in the valley of the right-bank tributary of the Tuyuk River, significant masses of them are present.
Juniper thickets of juniper and spherical juniper with a mixture of Turkestan form on forest-brown soils both on northern and northwestern slopes, as well as in more heated habitats. The height of juniper usually does not exceed 3-4 m. On steep rocky slopes, low juniper trees with their compact crowns create a unique spotted pattern known as "Ala-Archa." Ala-Archa translates from Kyrgyz as "spotted juniper."
The forests and shrub thickets of the Kyrgyz Range are protected by law, as they have water-regulating and water-protective significance. Moreover, they protect the slopes of the mountains from erosion and prevent the formation of mudflows. The grass cover and tree roots prevent surface runoff from the slopes. By slowing down snowmelt, forests also have some influence on river regimes. It is no coincidence that the motto of the International Congress of Foresters, held in India in 1974, was: "Forest is water, water is harvest, harvest is life."
The significance of forests in the recreational use of the territory is exceptionally high. In this regard, the forest masses of the Ala-Archa River valley are of recreational value. This is one of the closest and most picturesque mountain gorges to the capital of the republic, Bishkek. Additionally, the presence of a good road facilitates the creation of an interesting recreational zone for city dwellers.
Geoecological condition and requirements for the protection and rational use of vegetation.
Vegetation is the sum of plant communities of the Earth or its individual regions and areas. The role of plants in the cycle of substances and in nature is enormous, primarily due to their composition, enabling photosynthesis. Vegetation is of great importance in the biosphere, serving as a regulator of the gas composition of the atmosphere. It absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen. The anti-erosion and health-promoting significance of plant cover is invaluable.
The role of plants in human life is significant. They provide the necessary environment for existence, serve as a source of various food resources, building materials, and are widely used in various sectors of the economy.
Finally, vegetation is one of the most mobile components of the natural environment. Therefore, it changes most rapidly under the influence of economic activities. The impact of human activity can be both negative and positive. Negative impacts include the direct destruction of plants during their use (deforestation, overgrazing, trampling by domestic animals), during the extraction of minerals, in the process of plowing, etc. Positive impacts include the cultivation of a wide variety of crops over vast areas and a large amount of biomass participating in photosynthesis.
The loss of rare plant forms is particularly irreparable; it is believed that many species, primarily higher plants, are currently at risk of extinction. The disappearance of any species from the territory of the Chuy Valley is a significant loss for science and practice. Each biological species is an irreplaceable experiment of nature, containing information from many generations of ancestors, and deciphering it has exceptionally great significance.
In the Chuy Valley, forest masses are represented by two formations - spruce forests and juniper thickets. The total area of the state forest fund of the Chuy Valley is 32,338 hectares (National Report on the State of the Environment, 1997).
Forest is water, water is harvest, harvest is life. From an ecological point of view, the forest is a resource for photosynthesis and self-purification of the biosphere. All this indicates that the area of forest masses in the Chuy Valley must not be reduced in any way, but rather restored and increased. Forest masses serve as a place for recreation for the population.
Many thousands of people from the cities and regions of the Chuy Valley go to natural forests in the summer to spend their weekends or vacations in nature. In doing so, they make significant changes to the forests; trees are cut down or young trees are damaged, campfires are lit, and campsites are littered with cans, broken bottles, plastic dishes, etc. Plastic bags, containers, and cans do not decompose; even bacteria disdain them. Of course, a significant portion of the litter left is burned in the fire, less frequently buried, but not always. Careless handling of fire, a carelessly thrown cigarette can lead to forest fires. Everyone who visits the mountains should remember this. All of this negatively affects natural forest regeneration. There is a need for ecological education and awareness among the population.
Vegetation and plant communities, as well as forest areas of the Chuy Valley, are most affected by human activities in the process of economic activity. This is primarily expressed in the destruction of wild plants during their direct use (cutting, mowing, gathering berries, flowers, and medicinal herbs). In carrying out agricultural, construction, and other works, humans often worsen the living conditions of wild plants and their communities. Unfortunately, many forest areas in the region are practically unprotected and are subjected to grazing, which hinders the regeneration of forest vegetation. Excessive grazing leads to the death of young trees, worsens the growth conditions for adult trees, and causes the disappearance of birds and other wildlife. Therefore, grazing in mountainous conditions requires scientifically justified regulation.
All plant species that constitute an important part of our natural environment should be protected. All of them are useful except for those that, when they reach fields, become weeds. Among them are many plants that produce berries and fruits, and exceptionally beautiful flowers. Therefore, the loss of any plant species as a gene pool is unacceptable.
The following rare and endangered plant species have been included in the Republican Red Book: Kolpakovsky tulips, Greig's tulips, Zinaida's tulips, high elecampane, large-cup primrose, Petunnikova's almond, and others. The species listed in the Red Book indicate that these species truly need constant protection.