Variability of Siberian Larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.) Generative Organs in Mountain Populations in Mongolia and Adjacent Regions of Russia
A. P. Barchenkov1, L. I. Milyutin1, S. Jamiyansuren2
1V. N. Sukachev Institute of Forest, Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, Akademgorogok, 50/28, Krasnoyarsk, 660036 Russian Federation
2Institute of General and Experimental Biology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Zhukov avenue, 77, Ulaanbaatar, 210351 Mongolia
Keywords: лиственница, изменчивость, морфологические признаки, шишки, семенная чешуя, Siberian larch, variability, morphological features, cones, seed scale
Abstract
The Siberian larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.) is the main forest genus in Siberia and Mongolia. The systematization of Siberian larch is based on morphological diversity, so the study of morphological features variability is actual for selecting and foresting of this forest genus. Analysis of variability of cones’ morphological features for Siberian larch have been carried out. The morphological features variability for more than thirty coenopopulations in different vegetation conditions have been investigated. The basic laws of larch features differentiation in mountain regions Mongolian and Russian Altai and Khangai have been revealed. The main factors, deciding the variability of cones morphological features are exposure, elevation and exposition of mountainside. The intrapopulation variability of cone morphological features increases with increasing elevation of the coenopopulation above sea level. The highest values of metric features of cones have been found in more moist northern and north-eastern flanks of the Altai and Khangai. The trees with rounded form of seed scale have been most common in the populations structure of Siberian larch. However, the increase of the occurrence of trees with a straight and notched form of seed scale edge has been observed with increasing elevation of the population above the sea level. Apparently, the increase of the occurrence of trees with a straight and notched form of seed scale edge is not typical for this genus larch shows that these features are revealed in extreme environmental conditions.
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