POLYSYSTEM ECOLOGICAL SPACE AND STABILITY OF ALPINE MEADOWS (CENTRAL CAUCASUS)

The regularities of mono- and poly-system organization of high mountain meadow topoecosystems (with “Zhilasu” pasture in the Elbrus region as an example) are described on the basis of modeling the inter-component and inter-complex landscape relationships. The modeling technique using the methods of information theory and fuzzy set theory is expounded. The structural parameters of ecological niches of high mountain meadows were introduced for comparative assessment of their function and stability with regard to different representation measures of altitudinal-zonal ecological space.