Home – Home – Jornals – Contemporary Problems of Ecology 2016 number 3

The article presents the results of the analysis of ontogenetic and vitality structure of 7 cenopopulations of Oxytropis sulphurea (Fisch. ex DC.) Ledeb. in the high-altitude conditions of the Rydny Altai (Ivanovsky and Prohodnoi ridges) and the Saur ridge. In the study of the demographic structure it was determined that most of the populations from undisturbed habitats were characterized by left-side spectrums with maximums on juvenile or immature individuals. The changes in the structure of the studied ontogenetic spectrums of this species depended largely on the presence of anthropogenic influence. Grazing pressure led to formation of the spectrums with a maximum on g₃-plants. The vitality type of the O. sulphurea populations varied from exuberant to depressed; the depressed and balanced types of vitality prevailed. Intensive seed propagation provides stable existence of O. sulphurea in the high mountain alpine zone. The results of our study showed that O. sulphurea is an alpine-meadow species, which has strict ecological and cenotic propensity for alpine meadows with the prevalence of Festuca krylovianа, Anthoxanthum alpinum, Schulzia crinite and shrub tundras with Dryas oxyodonta.