Mosses of Shorsky National Park, Shoria Mountains, Altai-Sayan Mountain region.

Mountain (Gornaya) Shoria is the southern part of the Salair-Kuznetsk upland; it is situated southward from the Tom River and is characterized by smooth relief with elevation intervals between valleys and ridges being 200-300 m, most peaks are lower than 1200 m and do not exceed the tree line. ShorskyNational Park is located in the most unspoilt southern part of the region and includes territories in the upper and middle reaches of the Mrassu river and the upper reaches of the Kondoma river. Mean annual precipitation and temperature vary from 1300-2000 mm and -1,5°C in central highmountain parts to 800 mm and +1,2°C in periphery. The prevailing type of primeval vegetation here is chernevaia taiga, the most thermophilic and humid type of forest in South Siberia. The canopy of Populus tremula and Abies sibirica is open and tree groups form a mozaic with tall-herb meadows. Herb layer is closed and tall; the most abundant are Aconitum septentrionale, Crepis sibirica, Cirsium helenoides, Saussurea latifolia, Euphorbia lutescens. Average height of herbage is 1-1.5 m, but generative sprouts of some species (Alfredia cernua, Delphinium elatum, Heracleum dissectum, Anthriscus sylvestris, and others) often exceed 3 m.