Ecology and regeneration of forest communities on the alluvial fan ...

-Study area-
2 Study area
2.1 Location
The study area is situated at 41°22' N <strong>and</strong> 46°51' E on the southern foothills <strong>of</strong> the
Greater Caucasus <strong>and</strong> is part <strong>of</strong> the Alasan-Awtoran depression (northwestern region <strong>of</strong>
Azerbaijan). It is an alluvial fan complex, which lies downstream <strong>of</strong> the small town <strong>of</strong>
Qakh. The altitude within the surveyed area ranges from 177 to 489 metres above sea
level. The fan consists <strong>of</strong> fluvial sediments, that eroded from the adjacent mountain
ranges <strong>and</strong> were deposited in an extensive foot slope along the mountain front. The
sediments are transported by the river Kurmukcay. The study site is surrounded up to
the north, south east <strong>and</strong> southwest by roads. One road cuts across the mid-fan. Another
one cuts across the lower fan, as does the railroad line Baku-Zaqatala. Some small
villages are scattered over the fan, even in its central region.
N
4 k m
Fig. 2.1 Map <strong>of</strong> alluvial fan complex at the southern slope <strong>of</strong> the Eastern Caucasus (Map source:
(Skworzow 1976)). Inset: Map <strong>of</strong> Azerbaijan <strong>and</strong> location <strong>of</strong> the study area (Map source: (Kurtubadze
2008))
-<strong>Ecology</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>regeneration</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>forest</strong> <strong>communities</strong> on the alluvial fan near Qakh (Northwestern Azerbaijan)-
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