Home – Home – Jornals – Flora and Vegetation of Asian Russia 2024 number 3

On the territory of the Tomsk Region there is a group of species that have isolated locations, low numbers, are characterized by a narrow ecological amplitude and are located on the border of their range. However, they do not have conservation status and require additional research. In this regard, studies were carried out on three local cenopopulations of Nepeta nuda in the south of the Tomsk Region. N. nuda is a Eurasian meadow-steppe species. This is a perennial herbaceous taproot sympodially growing polycarpic plant with an elongated erect shoot, a hemicryptophyte. For the studied species, the phytocenotic location was established, the seasonal rhythm of development, morphological parameters, ontogenetic structure and seed productivity were studied. The influence of the anthropogenic factor on the stability of a rare species in natural habitats was studied. It has been established that the northern boundary of the species’ distribution lies in the south of the Tomsk Region (Kozhevnikovsky district). The habitats of the species are limited mainly to moderately steep and gentle slopes of southern exposure, occupied by steppe meadows. The species was recorded as part of forb-grass, forb-reed grass and forb-sedge plant communities. The floristic composition of phytocenoses with the participation of N. nuda is quite depleted and is represented by 18-30 species. The density of N. nuda individuals in the surveyed areas remains quite low, varying between 1.38-3.50 individuals/m². The ontogenetic composition of cenopopulations is characterized by incompleteness: there are no individuals at the initial stages of ontogenesis or, in general, this group is poorly represented. Also, no individuals in the senile state were found in any of the coenopopulations. The main way to renew and maintain the number of species in nature is seed propagation. However, due to significant damage to fruits and seeds by insect pests, the seed productivity of the species, according to some indicators, is reduced by more than half. Seed germination remains below average. There is no vegetative propagation. As a result of the data obtained on the distribution and state of coenopopulations of N. nuda in the south of the Tomsk Region, we consider it necessary to recommend this species for inclusion in the next edition of the Red Book of the Tomsk Region with rarity status 3 - a rare species, on the border of its range.

The influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on the anatomical structure of the chlorenchyme of leaf blades, as well as glumes of spikelet and flower at generative shoots of Koeleria pyramidata , Poa angustifolia , Agropyron cristatum and Bromus inermis (Poaceae) was studied. On the example of Koeleria pyramidata and Agropyron cristatum the comparison of the growing conditions, differing in precipitation and pasture load was carried out. At Poa angustifolia and Bromus inermis the effects of trampling were considered. The mesophyll of the leaves of Koeleria pyramidata and Poa angustifolia is composed of cells of simple shape, the chlorenchyma of the leaf blades of Agropyron crispatum and Bromus inermis , as well as the glumes of spikelet and flower of all species are made of cells of complex shape. At the same time in different habitats, the main features of assimilative tissue organization are preserved. For the leaves of Koeleria pyramidata , the possibility of restructuring the mesophyll structure in the conditions of a dry mountain steppe in comparison with a steppificated meadow was shown - from ventrodorsal to isolateral-palisade, close to isopalisade. In other species, the structure of the mesophyll of leaf blades is preserved in different habitats. Ecological adaptations of chlorenchyma of festucoid grasses to unfavorable growing conditions are mainly associated with a decrease in the height and thickness of assimilative cells of simple shape and sections of cellular cells, with their compaction, while a tendency to simplify the spatial configurations of cells of complex shape appears.

The presented work contains the results of studying the floristic diversity of vascular plants in protected mires in the mountain part of the Sverdlovsk Region (Russia). The studies were carried out on six peat six mires: Shitovskoe, Malinovskoe, Paklinskoe, Moroshechnoe, Severka, Shaitanskoe. The article provides a list of discovered species of vascular plants. In total, 170 species of vascular plants, 10 subspecies and 3 hybrids belonging to 104 genera, 47 families, and 5 divisions were identified in the flora of the studied mires. The leading families in terms of the number of species are Cyperaceae (27 species), Rosaceae (15 species) and Ericaceae (12 species), the leading genera are Carex L. (21 species), Salix L. (9) and Rubus L. (6). A relatively low level of species similarity between the floristic lists of bogs under consideration was revealed. The greatest similarity was noted for the Paklinskoye and Severka mires. Рlurizonal and boreal species with a wide distribution (Holarctic, European-West Asian and Eurasian) dominate in the flora. Among the biomorphological groups, polycarpic herbs are of significant importance (63 %), of which 39 % are rhizomatous plants. In the studied mires, cenopopulations of some rare species included into the Red Data Book of the Sverdlovsk Region were revealed: Juncus stygius L., Corallorhiza trifida Châtel., Nymphaea candida J. Presl et C. Presl, Hammarbya paludosa (L.) Kuntze, Dactylorhiza incarnata (L.) Soó, Dactylorhiza maculata subsp. fuchsii (Druce) Hyl., Goodyera repens (L.) R. Br., Malaxis monophyllos (L.) Sw. and Neottia ovata (L.) Bluff et Fingerh.

As climate aridity increases, the bioclimatic districts of Tyva form the following series: semihumid district - semiarid district of “rain shadow” - semiarid district - arid district. In this series the upper boundary of the steppe belt varies from 900 to 2300 m above sea level. The purpose of this work is to identify and analyze the patterns of steppe distribution in different bioclimatic districts of Tyva. 800 steppe geo-referenced geobotanical releves have been used. These releves have been attached to 15 associations of floristic classification; units of phytocenotic classification of different ranks have been assigned to them. Releves of one steppe association from one bioclimatic district have been brought together in one group, 22 steppe groups have been deliniated. In the mountains, mosaic of plant communities is determined by humidity and heat supply. The humidity values have been calculated according to the scale of humidity optima; as a criterion of heat supply, the values of height above sea level have been used. In the coordinate system “humidity - height above sea level”, schemes of ordination of 22 steppe groups have been made; differences in their humidity and height above sea level have been statistically verified. Meadow steppe, tussock steppes, bunch-grass steppes with Carex pediformis , bunch-grass steppes and desert steppes with Nanophyton grubovii are found to form a series of humidity decrease, the difference of neighboring steppe types is statistically significant. Widespread in Tyva mountains stony habitats in the semihumid district are covered with background steppes. In semiarid districts, the rocky slopes of steppe belt become the neighboring belt steppe “outposts”; in forest-steppe belt, the rocky slopes wear specific petrophytic bunch-grass steppes. In the arid bioclimatic district, stony habitats retain background steppes. In terms of humidity, the petrophytic bunch-grass steppes and bunch-grass steppes with Carex pediformis have no significant differences. For each bioclimatic district an ordination scheme and a description of steppe vegetation have been compiled. In semihumid and arid districts, 4 steppe associations have been noted in each of them, and 8 steppe associations have been recorded in each semiarid district. The spectra of steppe communities in each bioclimatic district are unique. The steppe vegetation of arid district is the most original (similarity coefficients are 0-0.08), and steppe spectra of semiarid districts are similar (similarity coefficient is 0.64). The geographical distribution of the steppe associations has been modeled using MaxEnt. In the resulting models, the AUC values for training and test samples are 0.96-0.99. The potential area unites the territory where the probability of community finding exceeds 0.5. It has been revealed that the areas of steppe communities in Tyva outline а mosaic of mountain basins and surrounding mountain ranges. The areas of meadow and tussock steppes delineate the boundaries of forest-steppe landscapes, bunch-grass steppe area limits the steppe belt, and desert steppes with Nanophyton grubovii or Stipa glareosa indicates desert-steppe landscapes. Potential area of steppe habitats was found to hold a quarter of Tyva territory. The largest part belongs to bunch-grass steppes with Carex pediformis (31 %), the smallest one - to desert steppes (3 %).

Incorrect names of some syntaxa occurring in the south-eastern part of Russia from the class Thero-Salicornietea Tüxen in Tüxen et Oberdorfer 1958 have been corrected. In this region, the class Thero-Salicornietea is represented by the order Salicornietalia perennantis Golub, Theurillat, Chuvashov et Stepanova ord. nov. (= Camphorosmo-Salicornietalia Borhidi 1996 nom. inval. Art. 3o, 5a, 17) and two alliances, namely Salicornion perennantis Géhu 1992 nom. corr. (= Salicornion prostratae Géhu 1992 nom. inept.), Suaedion salsae Golub et Tchorbadze in Golub 1995 (= Suaedion acuminatae Golub et Tchorbadze in Golub 1995 corr. Lysenko et Mucina 2015 nom. superfl., Art. 29c). The first alliance includes one association Salicornietum perennantis (Soó ex Wendelberger 1943) Soó 1964 nom. corr., the second alliance includes two associations, namely Suaedetum acuminatae Golub et Tchorbadze in Golub 1995 nom corr., and Salicornio perennantis-Petrosimonietum Rukhlenko et Golub 2013 nom. corr. The associations Suaedetum acuminatae Golub et Tchorbadze in Golub 1995 and Suaedetum salsae Golub et Tchorbadze in Golub 1995 were combined into a single association under the name Suaedetum acuminatae Golub et Tchorbadze in Golub 1995 nom. corr. The authors believe that the areas of the plant communities of the alliances Salicornion perennantis Géhu 1992 nom. corr. and Suaedion salsae Golub et Tchorbadze in Golub 1995 coincide over a significant area. Their features in this total area, reflected in the floristic composition, are associated with different ecological conditions of the habitats. Additionally, the authors published the new alliance Camphorosmion annuae Golub, Theurillat, Chuvashov et Stepanova all. nov. (= Thero-Camphorosmion Vicherek 1973 nom. inval., Art. 3b), which in central Europe replaces the more eastern alliance Camphorosmo songoricae-Suaedion corniculatae Freitag, Golub et Yuritsyna 2001.

Petrophytic steppes are widespread in steppe and forest-steppe landscapes of piedmonts and low mountains of Altai-Sayan region. They belong to the class Festuco-Brometea Br.-Bl. et R. Tx. in Br.-Bl. 1947 and the order Helictotricho-Stipetalia Toman 1969. Petrophypic communities usually occupy steep stony southern slopes and ridge tops. A formalized cluster analysis was performed on 31 associations representing the alliances Centaureion sumensis Golub et al. 1995, Elytrigion pruiniferae Korolyuk et al. 2022, Helictotricho desertorum-Orostachyion spinosae , Scorzonero austriacae-Koelerion sclerophyllae Solomeshch et al. 1994 (Fig. 1). South Siberian petrophytic steppes differ from the steppes by a numerous group of plant species (Table 1). For this reason, we describe a new alliance. Alliance Alysso obovatae-Orostachyion spinosae all. nov. Holotypus - ass. Allio rubentis-Caricetum humilis Korolyuk 2007. Diagnostic species (D. s.): Alyssum obovatum , Artemisia gmelinii , Astragalus ceratoides , A. follicularis , Eritrichium pectinatum , Goniolimon speciosum , Gypsophila patrinii , Hedysarum gmelinii , Orostachys spinosa , Patrinia intermedia , Potentilla acaulis , Veronica pinnata. The alliance unites petrophytic steppes of piedmont, foothill and low-mountain landscapes of the north-western periphery of Altai-Sayan mountain region. Communities are confined to stony habitats with close bedding of bedrocks. The alliance includes 2 sualliances and 7 associations (Table 2). Suballiance Allio rubentis-Caricenion humilis suball. nov. Holotypus - ass. Allio rubentis-Caricetum humilis Korolyuk 2007. D. s.: Allium rubens , Bupleurum bicaule , Carex humilis , Centaurea sibirica , Coluria geoides , Eritrichium altaicum , Iris ruthenica , Lupinaster pentaphyllus , Polygala comosa , Pulsatilla patens , Thalictrum petaloideum , Thymus sect. serpyllum , Youngia tenuifolia , Ziziphora clinopodioides. The suballiance represents petrophytic steppes of lowland and foothill areas of the Northern and Western Altai. The coenoses occupy convex stony slopes and ridges. Suballiance Artemisio frigidae-Scorzonerenion austriacae suball. nov. Holotypus - ass. Potentillo acaulis-Festucetum valesiacae Lashchinsky ex Korolyuk et Kipriyanova 1998. D. s.: Allium vodopjanovae , Artemisia frigida , Spiraea hypericifolia , Scorzonera austriaca , Veronica incana . The suballiance unites steppes on stony slopes and sides of river valleys of the right bank of Ob river, Salair Ridge and Kuznetsk depression. A new association is described within the suballiance. Ass. Alysso lenensis-Potentilletum acaulis ass. nov. (Table 3, rel. 1-23), holotypus - Table 3, rel. 1 (field no. 19-570): Novosibirsk region, Suzun district, 4 km west of the Sharchino village, steep south-eastern slope of the Karakan River valley, 54.26847° N, 82.44793° E, 13.08.2022, author - A.Yu. Korolyuk. D. s.: Allium vodopjanovae , Alyssum lenense , Astragalus testiculatus , Cleistogenes squarrosa , Ephedra distachya , Hedysarum gmelinii , Potentilla acaulis (dom.), Taraxacum erythrospermum . The association represents rare petrophytic communities of forest-steppe landscapes east of the Ob River in Novosibirsk Region (Fig. 2). The communities occupy convex steep (up to 30-35°), usually southern slopes of river sides, often with bedrock outcrops. The position of the ass. Gypsophilo patrinii-Festucetum valesiacae Korolyuk 2007 is still unclear and new data from the eastern regions of Kazakhstan should be analyzed.

The psammophytic steppe community occurring on fluvio-glacial deposits in the Minusinskaya intermountain basin was classified as the association Pulsatillo turczaninovii-Caricetum korshinskyi ass. nov. within the class Festuco-Brometea Br.-Bl. et Tx. 1943 , order Brachypodietalia pinnati Korneck 1974 and alliance Veronici incanae-Helictotrichion desertorum Korolyuk et Makunina in Korolyuk 2007 . It occupies only dry convex parts of southern slopes of sandy dunes surrounded by extra-zonal pine forests. DCA ordination showed floristic differences between two variants of association. The less oligotrophic and more xerophytic variant of Poa botryoides is characterized by a well-developed grass layer with dominance of Poa botryoides , Achnatherum sibiricum , Dianthus versicolor , Carex pediformis , Cleistogenes squarrosa , Bupleurum scorzonerifolium . The second variant of Abietinella abietina is characterized by a poorly developed of grass layer and the constant presence of mosses and lichens ( Abietinella abietina , Rhytidium rugosum , Cladonia arbuscula , Peltigera canina ). The analysis of DCA axes and floristic composition demonstrated importance of substrate type and humidity regime as main factors for differentiation of variants. In addition, the specificity of the species composition of steppe communities is determined by the surrounding forest communities, which introduce their characteristic species - Rubus saxatilis , Maianthemum bifolium , Fragaria vesca , Agrimonia pilosa , Potentilla humifusa , Vaccinium vitis-idaea , Goodyera repens , Chimaphila umbellata , Orthilia secunda , Neottianthe cucullate .