Differentiation of Ecological Groups of Species According to their Reaction to Moisture in Differentiation of Steppes of the West Siberian Plain and South Urals
A. Yu. KOROLYUK1, S. M. YAMALOV2
1Central Siberian Botanical Gardens SB RAS, 630090, Novosibirsk, Zolotodolinskaya str., 101
2Botanical Garden-Institute of Ufa Scientific Centre RAS, 450080, Ufa, Mendeleeva str., 195/3
Keywords: steppes, steppe meadows, ecological groups, cluster analysis, South Ural, West Siberian Plain
Abstract
Upon the study of geobotanical descriptions of steppe meadows and steppes of South Urals, ecological groups of plants were differentiated on the basis of their reaction to moisture factor. The analysis of the species activity index along moisture gradient allowed us to identify the plant species that are diagnostic for zonal types of steppes: meadow steppes (order Festucetalia valesiacae) and typical bunchgrass steppe (order Helictotricho-Stipetalia). Most plants had similar activity indexes both on West-Siberian plain and in South Ural. The regional differences were caused by geographic peculiarities of the habitats: petrophytic species are common in South Ural mountain landscapes, halophytic and sand species - on West-Siberian plain.
|
