MORPHOLOGICAL PATTERN MOUNTAIN TERRAINS POSTGLACIAL REGION AND ITS TRANSFORMATION

Abstract

This article describes the stages of glaciation of the West Caucasus in the Quaternary period and the dynamics of modern glaciers. The study adresses the morpho-logical structure and transformation of vegetation in periglacial areas (for example, the Alibek glacier). A schematic map of the morphological units of the Alibek periglacial areas has been created. The herbarium material was collected at fourteen test plots and the plant species were identifed. A bar chart has been created as an aid for the comparative analysis. Given the age of formation of the bottom and lateral moraines associated with certain phases and stages of the retreat of the Alibek glacier as well as the species diversity of contemporary vegetation, the main stages of the transformation of plant components in these morphological units of the landscape were identifed: the early phase of overgrowth of natural complexes in the Fernau stage (area №7, 8), middle phase of overgrowth with subalpine meadows and krumholtz forms of birch trees (№1-5, 12), a mature stage of krumholtz birch formations(№11, 12, 13) and the current sub-alpine meadows (№14).