Vegetation of the subalpine belt ukrainian carpathian mountains it is represented by a whole strip of stlannikov-a transition zone from the forest to the treeless Alpine belt. Over coniferous forests mostly grow thickets mountainpines-zherepa. Above the beech forests, impassable thickets of alder growing green (Leleka) and Siberian juniper.
Dense thickets of mountain pine, whose height reaches three meters, are almost impassable. Anyone who has ever lost the trail in zherep, will always remember how difficult it is to fight with this trunks of plants that creep along the slopes and the length of which reaches twelve meters. The thickness of these branches reaches 25 centimeters. The oldest zherep Bush was found on the slope of mount Turkul. According to experts, this Bush is 400 years old.
В folk medicine mountain pine is used for treatment a variety of respiratory diseases. To First world war in the Montenegrin massif, there was a small factory that was engaged in the production of essential oil from this plant. Thickets of Siberian juniper and green alder are also a serious obstacle on the way tourist’s. Alder forms impenetrable bushes or stalks 2-3 meters high, with branches up to 10-15 meters long. Particularly unpleasant experience passing through the wet stranniki. This is similar to a car wash that uses large rotating brushes.
The above-mentioned plants perform an important protective function of water regulation, protect the soil from erosion, and forests – from snow avalanches and landslides.
Thickets of Carpathian pine (“zherepa”)
