TALL-HERB BOREAL FORESTS ON NORTH URAL

• Published in: Russian Journal of Ecosystem Ecology
• Main Authors: A. A. Aleinikov, N. S. Smirnov, O. V. Smirnova
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Russian
• Published: Penza State University Publishing House 2016
• Subjects: taiga (boreal forests); human impact; biodiversity; green moss spruce-fir forests; tall herb spruce (-fir) forests; refugia of prehistoric boreal forest; signs of undisturbed boreal forest; Ecology; QH540-549.5; Pechora; taiga
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.21685/2500-0578-2016-3-3; https://doaj.org/article/c6560c19ca874ed0a7279e50c386bcd3

Background. One of the pressing aims of today’s natural resource management is its re-orientation to preserving and restoring ecological functions of ecosystems, among which the function of biodiversity maintenance plays an indicator role. The majority of today’s forests have not retained their natural appearance as the result of long-standing human impact. In this connection, refugia studies are becoming particularly interesting, as they give us an insight into the natural appearance of forests. Materials and methods. Studies were performed in dark conifer forests of the Pechora–Ilych reserve, in the lower reaches of the Bol’shaya Porozhnyaya River in 2013 yr. Vegetation data sampling was done at 50 temporary square plots of a fixed size (100 m2) randomly placed within a forest type. A list of plant species with species abundance was made for each forest layer. The overstorey (or tree canopy layer) was denoted by the Latin letter A. The understorey layer (indicated by the letter B) included tree undergrowth and tall shrubs. Ground vegetation was subdivided into the layers C and D. Layer C (field layer) comprised the herbaceous species (herbs, grasses, sedges) and dwarf shrubs together with low shrubs, tree and shrub seedlings. The height of the field layer was defined by the maximal height of the herbaceous species, ferns, and dwarf shrubs; the height varied from several cm to more than 200 cm in the ‘tall-herb’ forest types. Layer D (bottom layer) included cryptogamic species (bryophytes and lichens). Species abundance in the each layer was usually assessed using the Braun-Blanquet cover scale (Braun-Blanquet 1928). The nomenclature used follows Cherepanov’s (1995) for vascular plants, and Ignatov & Afonina’s (1992). Results. The present article contains descriptions of unique tall-herb boreal forests of European Russia preserved in certain refugia which did not experience prolonged anthropogenic impact or any other catastrophes. Comparative research into species and ecological diversity of typical ...