Rare vascular plant species of Transbaikalia (Republic of Buryatia and Zabaikalsky Kray), Russia

Study Extent

All occurences of rare vascular plant species are actual to 2013, where this information for studied Red Data Books have been prepared.

Sampling

Some part of distribution records of the rare plants of Buryatia registered by satellite navigators and field surveys, other data geo-referenced from herbarium specimens. Distribution records were imported to GIS software to create species distribution maps for Red Data Book of Republic of Buryatia (2013). Preliminary analysis of distribution of rare plants of Buryatia earlier has been presented (Sandanov, 2016). Digitalization of species distribution maps of Zabaikalsky region was performed in QGIS software by means of georeferencing tool. Source raster maps were georeferenced by snapping control points to destination vector shapefile, which in our case was the border of Zabaikalsky region. Control points linked raster maps to destination shapefile which resulted in transformation of the maps according to spatial projection of destination features (WGS 1984). Subsequently, species distribution locations were digitized from each map. Coordinates of each location were calculated in attribute table.

Quality Control

All distribution records have been manually checked during different steps of dataset processing. Some points were analyzed by means of satellite imagery.

Method steps

1. 1. Compilation of rare species distribution records from sattelite navigators and field survey for Republic of Buryatia. 2. Geo-referencing of herbaria specimens for Republic of Buryatia. 3. Digitalization of species distribution maps of Zabaikalsky Kray was performed in QGIS from the Red data Book. 4. Merging all distribution records to one dataset.

Transbaikalia represents a large region of the Southern Siberia consisting of numerous mountain ranges within the upper basins of the three large rivers, the Amur (Pacific Ocean basin), the Yenisei and the Lena (Arctic Ocean basin). This region belongs to Republic of Buryatia and Zabaikalsy Kray of Russia. The study area is located within 49°22’ and 58°30’ of the northern latitude and 98°60’ and 121°95’ of the eastern longitude. The major part of Transbaikalia territory is covered by forests, however, the steppe vegetation is an inherent component in its southern parts. Steppes are broadly represented within the steppe and forest-steppe mountain belts, as well as in the vast plains of the southeastern part of studied territory.