Analysis of regression relationships of air temperature at different altitudes in the mountains of the Northern Urals

Abstract

We investigate the temperature factors, which limit the spread and survival of plants in high mountain conditions of the Northern Urals. We aim to establish regression relationships of temperature data of four altitudinal belts in the southern part of the Northern Urals (59º30′ N, 59°15′ E) with the control data received from the Karpinsk meteorological station (Sverdlovsk region 59°46′ N, 60°00′ E). The air temperatures were recorded continuously day and night, every two hours, at a height of 1.5–2 m above the soil surface from May to October 2019 at four elevation locations: 460 m a.s.l. (in the mountain forest belt, under the canopy of Siberian stone pine stands); 640 m a.s.l. (in the mountain forest belt, under the canopy of Siberian stone pine stands); 820 m a.s.l. (in the belt of sub-alpine woodlands with elements of mountain forest-tundra);1030 m a.s.l. (on a plateau in the mountain tundra). We have established that the change in the air temperature at different elevation levels and at the meteorological station occurred relatively synchronously. The difference in average daily temperatures between the control data from the meteorological station and elevation points at 460, 640, 820 and 1030 m a.s.l. was 2.2, 3.0, 4.7 and 5.1 °С, respectively. We have established a reliable close rectilinear connection of the average daily air temperatures obtained from the station and all four elevation points. The coefficient of determination (R²) for elevation levels at 460, 640, 820 and 1030 m a.s.l. was 0.96, 0.95, 0.92 and 0.88, respectively. The relationships between the maximum and minimum temperatures, depending on the elevation level, with the control data from the meteorological station were also quite high (R² does not fall below 0.83 for maximum and 0.7 for minimum). Identified relationships and obtained regression equations allow to reconstruct, retrospectively, the dynamics of the thermal regime based on the data from the Karpinsk meteorological station for mountainous habitats of different elevation levels in the southern part of the Northern Urals over a long-term period. The results also imply the possibility of reconstruction of extreme temperatures, which act as factors limiting dispersal and survival of plants, and determine the biodiversity of ecosystems.