XVI International Botanical Congess

Using the newest textual and cartographic data on vegetation of Eurasia the detailed scheme of zonal vegetation differentiation of this continent is worked up. The largest latitudinal subdivisions are bioclimatic belts which include systems of vegetation zones depending on types of climate. There are 7 such belts on Eurasian continent: arctic and subarctic: boreal, subboreal, subboreal-subtropical, subtropical, tropical and subequatorial, equatorial. 24 zones and 12 subzones are revealed within these bioclimatic belts. The types of altitudinal zonality of vegetation cover in numerous mountain systems are also elaborated. The analysis of longitudinal regularities of vegetation distribution results in the scheme of sectoral differentiation. 5 large sectors from the west to the east sea coast of the continent are presented: West European - Mediterranean (Atlantic), Central-East European - Minor Asian, West Siberian - Near Easter, East Siberian - Central Asian, East-South Asian (Pacific). The main criteria of sectoral subdivision are the structure of zonality and the character of vegetation of longitudinal variants of zones.