2025 Ecosystem Transformation 8 (2), 98-114

On the distribution and economic use of natural and anthropogenically transformed peatlands in the mountain-forest zone of the Republic of Bashkortostan and in the Bashkir Trans-Urals

Baisheva E.Z.  , Shirokikh P.S., Martynenko V.B., Muldashev А.А., Bikbaev I.G.

An inventory and a GIS-map of natural and anthropogenically transformed peatlands of the mountain-forest zone of the Republic of Bashkortostan and the Bashkir Trans-Urals, represented by forest-steppe and steppe regions, are created in this study on the basis of expeditionary research data and Earth remote sensing methods. A total of 360 peatlands, encompassing more than 45.6 thousand ha, are detected. It is found that more than one third of the peatlands under study were subject to drainage and peat extraction, and the degree of their disturbance in the Bashkir Trans-Urals (about 60% of the area) is much higher than in the mountain-forest zone of the Republic of Bashkortostan (25%). Among the peatlands preserved in their natural state, more than 70% of the areas are not used for agriculture. Drained but undeveloped peatlands are the most in demand among anthropogenically
transformed peat mires. Peatlands from which peat was extracted are of lower economic value, with more than 40% of their area not used for agriculture.

E. Z. Baisheva
Ufa State Petroleum Technological University, Russia
Kosmonavtov St. 1, Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, 450064 Russia

Ufa Institute of Biology, Ufa Federal Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences
prospekt Oktyabrya 69, Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, 450054 Russia

elvbai@mail.ru

P. S. Shirokikh
Ufa State Petroleum Technological University
Kosmonavtov St. 1, Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, 450064 Russia

Ufa Institute of Biology, Ufa Federal Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences
prospekt Oktyabrya 69, Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, 450054 Russia


V. B. Martynenko
Ufa State Petroleum Technological University
Kosmonavtov St. 1, Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, 450064 Russia

Ufa Institute of Biology, Ufa Federal Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences
prospekt Oktyabrya 69, Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, 450054 Russia


A. A. Muldashev
Ufa State Petroleum Technological University
Kosmonavtov St. 1, Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, 450064 Russia

Ufa Institute of Biology, Ufa Federal Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences
prospekt Oktyabrya 69, Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, 450054 Russia


I. G. Bikbaev
Ufa State Petroleum Technological University
Kosmonavtov St. 1, Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, 450064 Russia

Ufa Institute of Biology, Ufa Federal Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences
prospekt Oktyabrya 69, Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, 450054 Russia

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