FORESTS ON THE NORTHERN SHORE OF LAKE LADOGA: LANDSCAPE CHARACTERISTICS AND CHANGES CAUSED BY HUMAN IMPACT

Materials on the natural features and present-day status of forests on the northern shore of Lake Ladoga are presented. The study area covers some 700 km along the shore – from the Svir River mouth to the R. Kokkolanjoki – L. Veyalanjarvi – R. Asilanjoki system (the Asilanjoki empties into Lake Ladoga at the border between Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Region). The material was gathered through analysis of archival data,satellite and aerial images, surveys of the shore along pre-defined routes, and descriptions of the forest cover along landscape profiles. Within a coastal strip of up to 10 kmwide, 9 profiles (41 km long in total) have been established at different times in the past, 6 of them (28 km) starting from the shoreline. This part of the shore is occupied almostentirely by the following geographical landscape types: a) lacustrine and glaciolacustrine heavily paludified flatland with pine habitats prevailing; b) lacustrine and glaciolacustrinemoderately paludified flatland with pine habitats prevailing; c) rocky, slightly paludified landscape with pine habitats prevailing. In the middle taiga subzone of Karelia, these typesoccupy 8, 4.5 and 1 % of its area, respectively. General characteristics of the landscapes (geological-geomorphological, degree of paludification, soil cover) are briefly described.The range, ratio and spatial arrangement of forest types were identified (with examples of the most characteristic fragments of landscape profiles). The distinctive features of forestin some locations on the shore are reported. The transformations of the forest cover as a result of human activities are evaluated (through comparison with archival, nearly 150‑year-old, forest inventory data). The present-day situation is described in terms of designation of protected areas of various categories and protective forests.