Home – Home – Jornals – Siberian Journal of Forest Science 2024 number 4

The results of a study of the biology of the development of vegetative and seed progeny of rare forms of the Siberian stone pine ( Pinus sibirica Du Tour), created under new testing conditions in the experimental forestry “Pogorelsky Bor” in the Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe, are presented. Mother trees of vegetative offspring grow in optimal conditions in the low mountains of the Western Sayan, and seed trees in the foothills of Khamar-Daban and the Lake Baikal basin. Rare forms of the Siberian stone pine trees are characterized, in addition to the two-year seeding period, by the development of megastrobiles in the year of flowering, a year earlier than in typical forms. According to the results of the study, it was revealed that the vegetative offspring of the Siberian stone pine inherits the annual and mixed type of seed production of the mother tree (808) of the Sayan population; The seed offspring of the Baikal population are distinguished by growth indicators (increased number of cotyledons, long needles, number of lateral shoots, height, growth), which are also characteristic of mother trees. All identified signs of vegetative and seed progeny of the Siberian stone pine rare forms created in the Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe are characteristic of hybrid plants, manifested as growth heterosis.

The results of 23-year study of the species composition, vertical and horizontal structure, and ecological characteristics of old-growth high-mountain Siberian stone pine ( Pinus sibirica Du Tour) forests survived in the valley of the Aktru River (North-Chuysky Range, Republic of Altai) at altitudes of 2160-2300 m above sea level and not exposed to human impact and fires throughout their existence are presented. The studies were carried out on ecological profiles laid on the northern, western and eastern slopes of the Aktru River valley. For the ecological assessment of habitats, the method of standard ecological scales by L. G. Ramensky - I. A. Tsatsenkin, implemented in the IBIS software were used. In total, eight variants of old-growth P. sibirica forests were identified on the territory of the Aktru mountain-glacial basin, characterized by significant differences in the composition and structure of the shrub layer and ground cover: three variants in the periglacial zone on the northern slope, two variants on the eastern slope and three variants on the western one. The richest species composition of vascular plants, mosses and lichens, is characteristic of the periglacial P. sibirica forests on the northern slope: 46 species of vascular plants, nine species of mosses and five species of ground lichens occur here; in the western slope forests, 32 species of vascular plants, six species of mosses and three species of lichens were found; on the eastern slope, 26 species of vascular plants and 8 species of mosses were discovered. In total, 104 species of vascular plants were identified in the composition of old-growth P. sibirica forests. The main generation of the trees of P. sibirica is over 400 years old. Despite being confined to different types of soils (cryozems, thin podburs, soddy podburs), forests are characterized by a narrow range of moisture (4 grades) and active soil richness (2 grades). The studied forests are of high scientific importance for understanding the formation and functioning of high-mountain forests. The necessity to preserve these forests is due to their rarity, undisturbed and significant age of the trees.

The ongoing climate changes in the boreal zone affect carbon sequestration capacity of forest ecosystems. Thus, the environmental conditions and taxonomic diversity of the plant cover of ecosystems determine the relevance of studying the fractional composition of their phytomass and pigment complex in the stability and regulation of the activity of the photosynthetic apparatus. Living ground cover is typically underestimated or excluded when estimating forest phytomass due to the lack of standard equations. In this study, we assessed the stock of aboveground phytomass and developed a set of allometric equations for widespread species of living ground cover growing in the mixed forest of the middle taiga: Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., Ledum palustre L., Vaccinium uliginosum L., Vaccinium myrtillus L., Linnaea borealis L. The highest percentage of occurrence in the forest ecosystems (60 %) is characterized by the species V. vitis-idaea . The dominant species is V. myrtillus , the reserve of which is 21.2 ± 52.8 g/m². The ratio of the average supply of leaf phytomass to wood phytomass ranged from 0.08 ± 0.17 for V. myrtillus to 0.73 ± 1.04 for V. vitis-idaea . Leaf area index and photosynthetic pigments for the study objects were also determined. The index varied from от 0.027 ± 0.062 м² м^-2 for V. myrtillus to 0.097 ± 0.077 м² м^-2 for L. palustre . In the mixed forest of the middle taiga zone, the largest amount of chlorophylls and carotenoids was found in the leaves of V. uliginosum , and the smallest - in V. vitis-idaea . The photosynthetic apparatus of the studied species is characterized by a fairly stable accumulation of photosynthetic pigments belonging to the light-harvesting complex.

Monitoring the distribution of tree and shrub vegetation at the upper forest limit in mountainous regions is one of the simplest and most effective methods for obtaining evidence of the effects of climate change on vegetation. One of the largest and most widespread shrub species on the Putorana plateau is the shrub alder ( Duschekia fruticosa (Rupr.) Pouzar). The study presents an analysis of the age and morphological structure of shrub alder thickets, which grow at different altitudes (200-600 m above sea level) within the forest - tundra ecotone in forest stands of different density on slopes with different exposures of the Putorana plateau. It has been established that the intensive expansion of shrub alder into mountain tundras, sparse and open forests on the slopes of all exposures of the Sukhie Gory massif occurred in the 20^th century, mainly in its second half. The influence of Gmelin larch ( Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Kuzen) stands on the distribution and morphological structure of shrub alder cenopopulations was revealed. The colonization and spread of shrub alder occurs in conjunction with larch stands. We established relationships between snow depth and the sum of projections of shrub crowns ( R² = 0.582). Shrub alder cannot survive in the absence of snow cover. There are significant differences in the distribution of shrub alder depending on the slope exposure. The distribution of shrub alder is higher on the slopes of southern and eastern exposures. The largest number of shrubs grow mainly in the lower part of the ecotone, where snow masses accumulate in greater quantities. The most likely explanation for the increase in density and advance to the mountains of alder shrub may be a general change in climatic conditions in the study area.

Long-term data on variations in snow cover parameters in the subtaiga and mountain-taiga group of forests in the protected area of the National Park Krasnoyarsk Stolby are presented. A significant reduction in the period of occurrence of stable snow cover (~ 20 days) was revealed due to later snow formation and earlier melting. To evaluate the water storage in snow, we use the thickness of the snow cover ( r = 0.74-0.96; p < 0.001) in specific conditions for period 2018-2023. According of our estimation the territory with snow depths in the intervals of 50-70 cm ( V , % < 50) is identified as a most stable areas (from 52 to 71 % of all protected area) in different years, except for 2021 yrs. (only 28 % of the territory) with the critically low amount of the snow. The total amount of the water storage in snow at the beginning of snowmelt, depending on the weather conditions of a different years, varied from 46.6 to 89.7 · 10⁶ m³ with an average weighted water storage per unit area from 98.8 to 190.1 mm. The presented data are comparable with those previously published for other territories of the Krasnoyarsk region (Burenina et al., 2013) and Siberia (Report..., 2019-2023), which makes it possible to further in-depth analysis of the relationship between evaluated data on water storage in snow and climatic parameters of the environment in longer time scale.

The patented method for introducing in vitro culture and obtaining regenerates from young shoots of Korean poplar ( Populus koreana Rehder) plus tree of the male genotype are discussed in the article. Modified MS and ½ MS media supplemented with an antibiotic and hormones were used for cultivation. To activate the axillary meristem, a combination of hormones was used in the following concentrations: 0.2 mg/l BA; 0.05-0.1 mg/l TDZ; 0.01 mg/l NAA. The shoots were multiplied on the same media using hormones: 0.4-0.6 mg/l BA and 0.1 mg/l IBA. Shoot growth was performed using the hormone 0.1 mg/l kinetin, and shoot rhizogenesis in the presence of 0.25-0.5 mg/l IBA and 0.1 mg/l kinetin.The sterile substrate consisting of equal parts of sand, vermiculite and forest soil was used for plants rooted. Poplar regenerants are differed in growth rate, but no morphological changes among them were observed. Some of the plants are characterized by rapid growth in height, while other plants developed very slowly. The tallest plant specimens in clones 1/1, 1/8 and 1/14 were observed, and their height varied from 18 to 30 cm. We believe that the appearance of plants with different growth rates is the result of the manifestation of somaclonal variability poplar during its cultivation in vitro . However, this phenomenon requires further confirmation. The plants obtained by this method do not have fungal, bacterial or viral infections and are able to reproduce by cuttings. The proposed technology enables for their further reproduction poplar for practical purposes.

Given the importance of Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) for forestry in the European part of Russia, it is necessary to have tools that allow one to make informed decisions on managing the forest growing process and planning forest use. The aim of the study is to develop a dynamic model of the growth and productivity of pine forest stands in the European part of Russia using data from repeated observations on permanent sample plots. The data used in the study are represented by 99 permanent sample plots in natural pine stands in the European part of Russia, observations of which were carried out from 1862 to 2023. The growth and productivity model of stands consists of separate equations for the dependence of the average height, average diameter and number of growing trees on the initial and final ages and initial values of the corresponding stand indicators and the dependence of the average form height on the average height of the stand. The model developed in the study provides forecasting of stand indicators within the accuracy established by the Forest measurement instructions, providing a confident forecast for an average period of 9 years. The average absolute percentage of error for average heights, diameters and form heights does not exceed 5 %, and for the number of trees, the stand basal areas and stand volume does not exceed 15 %. The developed model can serve as an alternative to traditional course growth tables in the design and justification of forestry activities, in the inventory of forests using the updating method, as well as for making management decisions when managing pine forests. In combination with additional equations, it can be used to predict the carbon sequestration potential of pine stands.

The results of studies of physiological processes (root respiration, intensity of photosynthesis and transpiration, pigment content, growth of needles and shoots) of Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) trees of different groups of subordination of a 230-year-old drained same-aged shift-sphagnum pine forest and the influence of selective (mine) felling. The position of the pine tree in the tree stand was consistent with the physiological state of the tree. The highest intensity of physiological and growth processes was noted in dominant trees (according to G. Kraft, trees of class II) - 1.5-2 times higher than in other groups of trees (co-dominant, oppressed). The lowest activity of physiological and growth processes was observed in oppressed trees. After selective felling, the illumination under the canopy of the tree stand increased by 3.2 times compared to the control without felling (up to 47.9 % of the illumination of the open area) and became favorable even for the growth of undergrowth. In pine trees left for cultivation, root respiration increased by 1.5 times, the intensity of photosynthesis and transpiration increased by 1.2-1.5 times, the content of chlorophylls decreased by 15-42 %, carotenoid pigments - by 5-32 % compared to control. The highest physiological and growth response to the selective cutting was shown by dominant trees of Kraft’s class II, and the lowest - by deppressed trees of class IVa. Mine cuttings did not change the structural differentiation of trees in the canopy, but increased their physiological activity, the growth of needles and shoots.

Bioecological characteristics (allometry, viability, morphometry) of the pyramidal shape of pedunculate oak ( Quercus robur L. var. pyramidalis ) under conditions of anthropogenic pollution of the city of Donetsk in the south of the East European Plain (Donetsk Ridge) were studied. The higher viability of control group of trees (1 point, healthy trees) compared with the experimental group (1.5 ± 0.5 points, healthy trees, rarely weakened) growing in anthropogenically polluted areas. The diameter of the trunks of the experimental group is on average 34 % higher than the diameter in control pedunculate oak stands. The volume of the stem and phytomass of various fractions of pyramidal pedunculate oak trees growing under conditions of anthropogenic load are ~ 50-70 % greater than for the control area. Moreover, the allometric dependencies in the two territories have the same patterns and are subject to power-law regression. The allometric ratio of the diameter to the length of the trunk ( d : l ) for both the control and experimental groups had a high value and amounted to 0.04-0.05. Deformations of the stems were not observed due to the high mechanical stability. The crown architecture underwent transformation in the presence of skeletal branches with a diameter to length ratio d : l < 0.01. In the course of studies of crown architectonics, irreversible deformations of skeletal branches of various orders (mostly small ones) were revealed in two territories equally, but no breaks or changes in crown closure were observed, the degree of plant accidents was at a low level (no breakages after removal of loads). Pedunculate oak trees are recommended for use in the formation of long-term plantings in industrial cities, because they retain high viability, mechanical stability and stable allometric indexes on which the stability of the entire plant depends.

Throughout its life cycle a plant receives nutrients from the soil and fertilizers that are introduced into it and then absorbed by the roots. Higher plants have an additional ability to absorb nutrients when their leaves are sprayed with a solution of a certain concentration. The amount of fertilizers applied to the soil must be determined in accordance with the analysis of its composition. However, it’s not obligatory when we apply foliar fertilization method, since the properties of the leaves depend not only on the type of plant, but also on the conditions in which it grew. This study for the first time introduces a method for determining optimal concentrations of foliar fertilization based on the structure and optical properties of the plant leaf. In 2023, Kuraginskoe production farm was chosen as a site of a field experience aimed at studying foliar fertilization of Novosibirskaya 31 spring soft wheat ( Triticum L.). The experiment was conducted in 4 ways: 1) control; 2) one-time foliar fertilizing in the tillering phase; 3) two times foliar fertilizing: in tillering and shooting phase; 4) triple fertilizing: in tillering phase, the shooting, and the beginning of earing. We used electron microscopy pictures to assess the standard deviation of thylakoids size as a degree of ordering. Based on models of one-dimensional photonic crystals, graphs of the density of photonic states were calculated. From the analysis of the obtained fluorescent spectra of the flag leaves, changes in the intensity and width of the spectrum lines are visible. Comparison of contours of the peak corresponding to photosystem (PS) II shows a difference in half-widths, which indicates a more active pumping of energy in a plant treated with triple fertilizing. The methods used in the study let us calculate a correlation coefficient equal almost to 1, which means strong link of these parameters. The study has shown that the main mechanism for increasing crop yield when applying foliar fertilizing is a more efficient transfer of energy from PS II to PS I.