Архив метки: plant communities

ALIEN SPECIES OF VASCULAR PLANTS IN PLANT COMMUNITIES OF THE MIDDLE TAIGA OF THE ARKHANGELSK REGION

Ecology and dynamics Опубликовано автором

Chmykhov А.А. , Leonova N.B. ALIEN SPECIES OF VASCULAR PLANTS IN PLANT COMMUNITIES OF THE MIDDLE TAIGA OF THE ARKHANGELSK REGION // Ecosystems: ecology and dynamics. No 3. 2023. P. 28-48. | Abstract | PDF | Reference

 

In this article we discuss the distribution of alien species in the vegetation cover of the middle taiga of the Arkhangelsk Region. This is a relevant problem that has not been studied so far. We used the data of long-term biogeographic studies obtained from the Ustyanskaya Educational and Research Station located in the Arkhangelsk Region, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Geography; as well as our own field materials for 2019-2022. We determined the composition of alien plant species in the study area and analyzed their taxonomic belonging, as well as their ecological and geographical characteristics. We used traditional methods of botanical-geographical field survey and desk processing of collected data, coupled with a list of scientific publications written on the role of alien species in plant communities. Moreover, we analyzed the ecological ranges of species based on D.N. Tsyganov’s ecological scales and mapped the mass occurrence of the most widespread alien species in the key sites of the study area. The results of this study revealed that alien species in the vegetation cover of the middle taiga of the Arkhangelsk Region currently account for about 9% of the floristic list, most of them being introduced into the region intentionally during agricultural activities. The taxonomic spectrum of such species is mostly represented by Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Brassicaceae families that are common in North America and Asia. In terms of coenotic aspects, these species are distributed mainly in floodplain and upland meadows communities, in fallow lands, secondary forests, anthropogenic coenoses of residential areas, along the roads. Most of these species grow in the middle taiga due to the presence of large river valleys, a well-developed agriculture and a railroad network.

Keywords: alien plant species, taxonomic composition, ecologic and coenotic composition, geographical elements, ecological scales, plant communities.

Funding. The work was carried out as part of the state task No. 121051100137-4 of the research topic “Spatial and temporal organization of ecosystems under conditions of environmental changes”.

DOI: 10.24412/2542-2006-2023-3-28-48

EDN: MUTZCE

CHANGES IN THE FLORA COMPOSITION OF PLANT COMMUNITIES IN THE SOUTHERN ARKHANGELSK REGION IN THE 20th CENTURY

Ecology and dynamics Опубликовано автором

Eremeeva E.A.,  Leonova N.B. Changes in the Flora Composition of Plant Communities in the Southern Arkhangelsk Region in the 20th Century // Ecosystems: Ecology and Dynamics. No. 3. 2022. P. 27-47. | Abstract | PDF | Reference |

 

Based on the analysis of floristic data for different periods of time, this work studies the species composition changes in plant communities of the middle taiga in the south of the Arkhangelsk Region. In accordance with the “Flora of the Northern Territory” by I.A. Perfiliev (1934-1936), we compiled a taxonomic list of higher vascular plants of the Ustyansky District, Arkhangelsk Region that were growing there in the early XX century, and then corrected it in accordance with modern taxonomic nomenclature. We also carried out a comparative analysis of the early XX century list and the modern one, compiled for the same territory, and found differences in their taxonomic, ecological, coenotic and geographical compositions, as well as in the groups of species that changed their presence/absence status. The taxonomic changes turned out to be a decrease in the list by 140 species of vascular plants from 95 genera and 41 families, while 69 species from 57 genera and 31 families were registered in the territory for the first time. Although the taxonomic spectra for both periods are generally similar, the study has revealed that Brassicaceae and Fabaceae taxa increased, but Cyperaceae, Ranunculaceae and Orhidaceae decreased. We calculated coefficients of floristic similarity, Spearman and Kendall coefficients of correlation, and the generic coefficient. According to Jaccard similarity coefficient, the correlation coefficients showed a weak relation, while the floristic lists were highly similar, but the generic coefficient has decreased. It may indicate that flora identity and biological diversity decline due to the environmental changes.

An analysis of the ecological and coenotic composition of vascular plants for both studied periods showed an increase of species of disturbed habitats and a decrease of those that were close to indigenous communities, such as nemoral, boreal and wetland.

Climate changes, in particular, the increase of average annual temperature and the sums of active temperatures over the studied period, affected the change in the floristic composition of plant communities. The number of cold-resistant species of a hypoarctic-boreal range decreased, while some heat-loving broad-leaved-forest-steppe and plurizonal species appeared. According to the distribution of the species numbers along the Landolt ecological scales, the number of species with a high need for warmth increased, as well as the number of mesoxerophytes. The proportion of alien species also increased, most of which coming from southerly regions: Galega orientalis Lam., Lupinus polyphyllus Lindl., Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden.

Keywords: E.A. Eremeeva, N.B. Leonova. Changes in the Flora Composition of Plant Communities in the Southern Arkhangelsk Region in the 20th Century // Ecosystems: Ecology and Dynamics. No. 3. 2022. P. 27-47..

DOI: 10.24412/2542-2006-2022-3-27-47

EDN: APMFXP