Petrophytic vegetation patterns on moisture gradient in the Southern Urals and adjacent territories
A. Yu. Korolyuk1, S. M. Yamalov2, M. V. Lebedeva2, N. V. Zolotareva3, N. A. Dulepova4, Ya. M. Golovanov2
1Central Siberian Botanical Garden of SB RAS
2South-Ural Botanical Garden-Institute of UFRC RAS, Ufa, Russia
3Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology of UB AS, Ekaterinburg, Russia
4Central Siberian Botanical Garden of SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
Keywords: петрофитная растительность, степи, индикаторные виды, экологические факторы, увлажнение, каменистые местообитания, Южный Урал, petrophytic vegetation, steppes, indicator species, environmental factors, moisture, rocky habitats, Southern Urals
Abstract
The Southern Urals is a unique region of Eurasia with high variety of flora and vegetation. Mountain relief predominates in the steppe and forest-steppe landscapes. Stony habitats and petrophytic vegetation are widespread here. It is characterized by a high diversity of flora and numerous endemic, rare and endangered plants. The dataset of 3,614 relevés of forb and shrub communities from the territory of the Southern Urals and adjacent regions was analyzed. Formalized methods of cluster analysis, assessment of moistening using ecological indices of plants, and definition of indicator species were used. Change patterns in petrophytic communities species composition along the moistening gradient were determined. It was found that with moisture increasing, the number and cover of petrophytic species in communities on rocky habitats decreases. On the contrary, the proportion of indifferent species is growing. Five groups of species indicating different gradient segments were determined. Based on the cluster analysis results, 4 large units of petrophytic vegetation were identified. Desert-steppe communities have the greatest floristic originality among vegetation on rocky habitats. In their diagnostic combination obligate petrophytes predominate, many of which grow on limestone outcrops. These communities are found in the south of Orenburg region mainly in the dry steppe landscapes of the Southern Urals. Dwarf semishrub-bunchgrass steppes are widespread within the steppe landscapes and are common in the forest-steppe of the Urals. Forbs-bunchgrass petrophytic steppes are widely represented in the northern part of the steppe zone and in the southern forest-steppe regions, as well as in the forest-steppe landscapes of the Middle Urals. Meadow petrophytic steppes are found in forest-steppe and forest landscapes.
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