ECOLOGICAL AND COENOTIC ANALYSIS OF LARGE MESO-HYGROPHYTIC FERNS AND LARGE HERB-FERN FORESTS IN THE CYCLONIC SECTOR OF THE WESTERN SAYAN
Bocharnikov M.V. ECOLOGICAL AND COENOTIC ANALYSIS OF LARGE MESO-HYGROPHYTIC FERNS AND LARGE HERB-FERN FORESTS IN THE CYCLONIC SECTOR OF THE WESTERN SAYAN // ECOSYSTEMS: ECOLOGY AND DYNAMICS, 2019, Vol. 3, No. 3, Pp. 87-104 | Abstract | PDF | Reference |
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- Forests of the Western Sayan Mountains (photo by M.V. Bocharnikov)
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- Cedar and fir forest with broad-leaved grasses and large ferns in the middle mountainous zone of the Kulumys Ridge (photo by M.V. Bocharnikov)
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- Aspen forest with Matteuccia in the low mountainous zone of the Kulumys Ridge (photo by M.V. Bocharnikov)
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- Cedar and fir forest with broad-leaved grasses and Matteuccia in the low mountainous zone of the Kulumys Ridge (photo by M.V. Bocharnikov)
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- Matteuccia “window” in an aspen forest in the low mountainous zone of the Kulumys Ridge (photo by M.V. Bocharnikov)
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- Cedar and fir forest with broad-leaved grasses with large ferns in the high mountain taiga zone of the Ergaky Ridge (photo by M.V. Bocharnikov)
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- Fir forest with Dryopteris in the mountain taiga zone of the Kedransky Ridge (photo by M.V. Bocharnikov)
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- Under the canopy of fir forest with Bergenia and Dryopteris in the mountain taiga zone of the Kedransky Ridge (photo by M.V. Bocharnikov)
The role of coenose-forming species of large meso-hygrophytic ferns has been revealed in the forests of the cyclonic bioclimatic sector of the Western Sayan in various altitudinal belts on a generalized altitude profile. The indicator role of 6 species of ferns (large rhizomatous life form) with a high phytocoenotic similarity in forest communities has been determined based on the IndVal coefficient throughout the altitudinal spectrum of their distribution. Strong altitudinal connections of large fern species have been identified to communities in the cyclonic sector of the Western Sayan, where they dominate in the subtaiga and mountain-taiga belts, including the dark-tree (chern) sub-belt. Significant amplitudes of heat and moisture have been determined by the method of indirect ecological ordination (DCA-ordination) for large meso-hygrophytic species of three sub-groups: macrothermic (Matteuccia struthiopteris (L.) Tod.), mesothermic (Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth, Dryopteris filix-mas (L.) Schott, D. carthusiana (Vill.) HP Fuchs, Diplazium sibiricum (Turcz. ex Kunze) Sa. Kurata) and microthermic (Dryopteris expansa (C. Presl) Fraser-Jenk. & Jermy) species. The key role of large herb-fern forests has been determined in the botanical diversity of the perhumid sector of the Western Sayan by the method of inclusion of forest associations’ coenofloras. The altitudinal patterns of coenotic role of ferns have been found in the vegetation cover of the Western Sayan according to the evaluation of inter-species conjugacy of coenofloras’ types and indicators of occurrence and abundance in communities. Optimal conditions for the species of ferns have been identified in small leaf-dark coniferous dark-tree (chern) forests, which are confirmed by high phytocoenotic activity.
Keywords: meso-hygrophytic ferns, large herb-fern forests, coenoflora, ecological ordination, IndVal, Western Sayan.
DOI: 10.24411/ 2542-2006-2019-10040