Borovichev E.A. Botanical excursion on the Northern Soroya. Hammerfest, 2014.

г>- ■ j L, V w r Г f£“ ’ * ' •vLJ ' J k f s k - •Y e' ‘ ^.h _ ' m Wr ■-ft* - < Majorpart o fthe Soroya belongs to alpine (tundra) zone Photo F. Neregdrd Position o fthe Soroya Island in the Biogeographical Division o fNorway (Norwegian Mainland only). The map from the Pilot Project on Emerald Network is shown on the left and the adjustments o f2007 on the right. The Figure isfrom the report "Emerald Network in Norway - Final Reportfrom the Pilot Project ”/ Directoratefor Nature Management. 2007. The Soroya Island (taken in theframe) is included now into the alpine zone take permanent hold in one or another habitat. Such a more or less stable composition o f plants communities is a result o f long-term vegetation development under regional macroclimate and local habitat conditions, which include properties o f bedrocks and soils, altitude, water regime, sun and wind exposure, interactions with other plants, etc. Diverse plant communities mirror the habitat properties better than complicated laboratory equipment and in different habitats plants composition and cover differ substantially. The major groups o f vegetation types o f the Soroya Island include subalpine mountain birch forests, alpine (tundra) communities, meadows and grasslands, wetlands, bare rock and scree and coastal communities. On the map o f Europe Biogeographic Regions the Sarnya Island belongs to the Alpine Region, which means that majority of plant communities here are mountainous. Shaip and rugged mountainous landscape significantly affects the diversity o f vegetation, and everywhere in the mountains o f the island there are vegetation belts or zones which can be 24