On syntaxonomy of high-mountain meadow steppes in the Central Caucasus, Russia

2005 ◽  
pp. 93-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. L. Tsepkova
Keyword(s):  
High Mountain ◽  
Mountain Meadow ◽  
Subalpine Meadows ◽  
Diagnostic Species ◽  
Subalpine Belt ◽  
Central Caucasus ◽  
New Association

A new association Artemisio chamaemelifoliae—Plantaginetum atratae is described from the subalpine belt of the Central Caucasus. Its diagnostic species are Artemisia chamaemelifolia, Plantago atrata, Salvia verticillata, Potentilla pimpinelloides. The association is probably affiliated with the class Festuco-Brometea Br.-Bl. et Tx. 1943and the order Festucetalia valesiacae Br.-Bl. et Tx. 1943, as is testified by a high proportion of species diagnostic of these syntaxa in the composition of the studied communities. If compared to syntaxa of the true subalpine meadows of the study area, reported earlier (Цепкова, 1987), the association is distinguished by the absence or single occurrence of Festuca varia in the composition of its stands as well as by the absence of Calamagrostis arundinacea, Betonica macrantha, Centaurea cheirathifolia, and Silene ruprechtii in the diagnostic species set. The differentiation from the post-forest meadows is provided by the presence of the xero-mesophyte Phleum phleoides and the xerophytes Artemisia chamaemelifolia, Astragalus oreades, A. captiosus and Teucrium orientale.

scholarly journals Meadow biogeocenoses in the subalpine belt of the Kabardino-Balkaria State High-Mountain Reserve (Central Caucasus)

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatyana S. Uligova ◽  
◽  
Fatima V. Gedgafova ◽  
Olga N. Gorobtsova ◽  
Nelli L. Tsepkova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Mountain ◽  
Subalpine Belt ◽  
Central Caucasus

Numerical classification of French vegetation of Carici caryophylleae – Genistetea lobelii J.-C. Klein 1972

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. e68062
Author(s):  
Pauline Delbosc ◽  
Mathieu Le Dez ◽  
Jean-Bernard Bouzillé ◽  
Kevin Cianfaglione ◽  
Frédéric Bioret
Keyword(s):  
Expert System ◽  
Dominant Species ◽  
Numerical Classification ◽  
Distribution Map ◽  
Diagnostic Species ◽  
Plant Associations ◽  
Formal Definitions ◽  
Twinspan Classification ◽  
New Association

Carici-Genistetea lobelii Klein 1972 corresponds to cyrno-sardinian oromediterranean cushion scrub and related grasslands. In France, this class is only present in Corsica and the syntaxonomic scheme is debated among phytosociologists. The aim of this paper is to highlight the main plant associations of Carici-Genistetea lobelii Klein 1972 and to define the diagnostic species for each phytosociological unit. We compiled 519 vegetation plots and we applied EuropeanVegetationChecklist expert system for the classes of European vegetation to retain only vegetation plots belonging to Carici-Genistetea lobelii. We obtained a dataset with 189 vegetation plots and we classified them with Modified TWINSPAN classification. Our analyses recognized 6 plant associations and 3 sub-associations already described in the literature; and to describe a new alliance corresponding to the supra-mediterranean vegetations (Genistion salzmannii), a new association (Brimeuro fastigiatae-Juniperetum nanae) and its sub-association (alnetosum suaveolentis). For each of them, we identified diagnostic, constant and dominant species and produced their distribution map. Formal definitions were then written for each phytosociological unit (from subassociation to class) and grouped in an expert system to automatically classify the vegetations of Carici-Genistetea lobelii.

scholarly journals PINE FORESTS OF THE CLASS ERICO–PINETEA HORVAT 1959 FROM DAGESTAN (NORTHERN CAUCASUS)

Ekosistemy ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 27-42
Author(s):  
N. B. Ermakov ◽  
Z. A. Abdurakhmanova ◽  
Yu. V. Plugatar
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Sylvestris ◽  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Pine Forests ◽  
Northern Caucasus ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Western Atlantic ◽  
Quantitative Classification ◽  
Diagnostic Species ◽  
Western Asia

The paper represents the results of grass pine forests classification in Dagestan by the Brown-Blanquet method. A number of 68 releves of pine forests (taken from the paper by Abdurakhmanova et al., 2018) were included in two higher categories of vegetation – the boreal forests of the class Vaccinio–Piceetea Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. et al. 1939 and the sub-Mediterranean thermophilous forests of the class Erico–Pinetea Horvat 1959 based on the quantitative classification. Comparative syntaxonomic analysis of the Caucasian communities of the Erico–Pinetea class revealed their high level of floristic originality in comparison with similar forests of southern Europe, Western Asia and Crimea. This corresponds to the unique bioclimatic conditions of Dagestan located on the territory with a clear effect of «rain shadow» from the high mountain ranges of the Greater Caucasus stretching on the way of the western Atlantic moist air masses that result in the high climate continentality. These essential ecological and floristic peculiarities of the grass pine forests of the Eastern Caucasus provided a basis for the description of a new order — Alchemillo sericaceae–Pinetalia sylvestris ord. nova hoc loco representing the extreme eastern part of the Erico–Pinetea class range. The diagnostic species group of the order includes dominantly Eastern-Euxinian, Caucasian endemics and Eurasian xerophilous species: Juniperus oblonga, Alchemilla sericata, Galium valantioides, Peucedanum ruthenicum, Thalictrum foetidum, Rosa elasmacantha, Filipendula vulgaris, Koeleria cristata, as well as diagnostic species of subordinated alliances. The order includes two alliances demonstrating the ecological and floristic differences of Dagestan pine forests due to the thermic factor. The alliance Bupleuro polyphylli–Pinion sylvestris all. nova hoc loco (holotypus of the order) includes grass pine forests with predominance of thermophilous floristic elements. Differential species of the alliance are Astrantia major, Valeriana alliariifolia, Polygonatum verticillatum, Pyrethrum coccineum, Psephellus daghestanicus, Galium rubioides, Calamagrostis arundinacea, Rubus saxatilis, Brachypodium pinnatum, Fragaria vesca, Fragaria viridis, Primula macrocalyx, Anthriscus sylvestris, Amoria ambigua, Bupleurum polyphyllum, Hylocomium splendens, Pleurozium schreberi, Dicranum scoparium, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Rhodobryum roseum, Climacium dendroides, Abietinella abietina, Plagiomnium cuspidatum, Betula litwinowii, B. pendula. Three associations and two non-rank communities were included in the alliance (Carici albae–Pinetum sylvestris Ermakov, Abdurakhmanova, Potapenko 2019 — holotypus of the alliance, Ranunculo caucasicae–Pinetum sylvestris ass. nova hoc loco, Viburno lanatae–Pinetum sylvestris Ermakov, Abdurakhmanova, Potapenko 2019, community Stachys atherocalyx–Pinus sylvestris, community Centaurea phrygia–Pinus sylvestris). The alliance Onobrichido cornutae–Pinion sylvestris all. nova hoc loco includes unique cryophilous pine forests with predominance of the cushion plants in the gound layer and numerous constant species of Caucasian cryophilous and xerophilous endemics. Diagnostic species of the alliance are Onobrychis cornuta, Festuca woronowii, Gypsophila tenuifolia, Salvia canescens, Rosa elasmacantha, Androsace koso-poljanskii, Galium brachyphyllum, Thymus daghestanicus, Asperula alpina, Anthemis dumetorum, Scutellaria oreophila, Satureja subdentata, Potentilla recta, Teucrium polium, Euphorbia virgate, Scabiosa gumbetica, Astragalus alexandri, A. fissuralis, Seseli alexeenkoi, Pseudomuscari pallens, Rhamnus pallasii, Vincetoxicum funebre, Jurinea ruprechtii, Helianthemum dagestanicum, Stipa caucasica, Centaurea edmondii, Selaginella helvetica, Scorzonera filifolia, Dracocephalum austriacum, Viola somchetica, Oxytropis lanata. At present the alliance is represented by a single association – the Onobrichido cornutae–Pinetum sylvestris ass. nova hoc loco. The results of the classification have demonstrated a significant level of originality of the Caucasian grass pine forests and a high floristic status of the Caucasus as a one of the important centers of modern phytodiversity.

scholarly journals Cryoconites as biogeochemical markers of anthropogenic impact in high mountain regions: analysis of polyaromatic pollutants in soil-like bodies

One Ecosystem ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evgeny Abakumov ◽  
Ivan Kushnov ◽  
Timur Nizamutdinov ◽  
Rustam Tembotov
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Minimum Concentration ◽  
Method Of Calculation ◽  
Mountain Environments ◽  
Central Caucasus ◽  
Anthropogenic Processes ◽  
Almost All

The globalisation and omnidirectional character of anthropogenic processes has challenged scientists around the world to estimate the harmful effects of these processes on ecosystems and human health. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is one the most infamous group of contaminants, originated both from natural and anthropogenic processes. They could transport to high latitudes and altitudes through atmospheric long-distance transfer and further enter ecosystems of these vulnerable regions by deposition on terrestrial surfaces. An interesting object for tracking transboundary contamination processes in high mountain ecosystems is called cryoconite. Cryoconite, a dark-coloured supraglacial sediment which is abundant in polar and mountain environments, is considered as a storage of various pollutants, including PAHs. Thus, it may pose a risk for local human health and ecosystem through short-distance transfer. Studied cryoconite sediments were collected at the surface of Skhelda and Garabashi glaciers, Central Caucasus high-mountain region, as well as mudflow, moraine material and local soils at the Baksan Gorge in order to examine levels of their contamination. We analysed the content of 15 priority polyaromatic compounds from the US EPA list and used the method of calculation of PAHs isomer ratios with the purpose of identifying their source. To estimate their potential toxicity, Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) equivalents were calculated. Maximum concentration was defined for NAP (84 ng×g-1), PHE (40 ng×g-1) and PYR (47 ng×g-1), with the minimum concentration for ANT (about 1 ng×g-1). The most polluted material is a cryoconite from Garabashi glacier because of local anthropogenic activities and long-distance transfer. High-molecular weight PAHs are dominated in PAHs composition of almost all samples. The most common sources of PAHs in studied materials are combustion processes and mixed pyrolytic/petrogenic origin. Toxicity levels of separate PAHs did not exceed the maximum permissible threshold concentrations values in most cases. However, the sum of PAHs in BaP equivalents exceed the threshold values in all samples, in some of them more than twice.

On a new vegetation association of the Black Sea pseudolittoral zone

2013 ◽  
pp. 3-8
Author(s):  
D. F. Afanasyev ◽  
Sh. R. Abdullin
Keyword(s):  
Black Sea ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Diagnostic Species ◽  
Ulva Compressa ◽  
New Association ◽  
Macrophytic Algae

A new association of macrophytic algae Ulvo compressae–Cladophoretum albidae of the Russian Black Sea pseudolittoral zone is described. The association seems to be related to the alliance Ralfsion verrucosae Giaccone 1993. The diagnostic species of the association are Ulva compressa and Cladophora albida. Two variants of the association have been described. Diagnoses of the association and its variants are given.

Mountain forest-steppe of South-East Altai and South-West Tuva

2014 ◽  
pp. 86-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. I. Makunina
Keyword(s):  
Mountain Forest ◽  
Forest Steppe ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Special Investigation ◽  
South West ◽  
South Siberia ◽  
Larch Forests ◽  
Steppe Communities ◽  
Steppe Belt ◽  
New Association

Some geobotanists, who studied arid mountain steppe landscapes in South-East Altai and South-West Tuva, mentioned the existing of small isolated larch forest areas at the height 2100–2400 m above sea level (Kuminova, 1960; Il’inskaya, 1980). We have made a special investigation of the vegetation of this rather peculiar forest-steppe. It can be called “high-mountain forest-steppe” by the altitudinal position and “cold forest-steppe” by the level of the heat. Such forest-steppe areas are found only in certain orographic conditions: they are confined to the slopes of rivers’ valleys. The foots of these slopes are situated at an altitude 1900–2000 m a. s. l. and the flat tops of the mountains – at 2400–2500 m a. s. l. Light slopes of the mountains are occupied by bunchgrass steppes, larch forests and meadow steppes are located on the shady slopes. Forest-steppe landscapesare confined to thealtitudinal rangeof the steppe belt, whichis divided intotwosubbelts: the lower with bunchgrass(moderately dry) steppes and theupper with cryophytic steppes. The boundaries betweensub-belts are at differentaltitudes in the SoutheastAltai andSouthwestTuva. In South-Eastern Altai bunchgrasssteppes are replaced by cryophytic ones at the height 2400–2500m a. s. l., so forest-steppes are completely included in bunchgrass steppe subbelt. In SouthwesternTuva this boundary is at 2200–2300 m a. s. l., so the lower parts of the light slopes are covered by bunchgrass steppes and the upper parts — by cryophytic steppes. The steppes in mountain forest-steppe of South-East Altai belong to alliance Helictotrichion schelliani, the Tuvinian ones — to alliance Festucion tschujensis. These two alliances are from order Helictotrichetalia shelliani, class Cleistogenetea squarrosae.Alliance Helictotrichion schelliani includes mountain steppes that mostly occur in semiarid bioclimatic regions of South Siberia and North Mongolia; forest-steppe plant communities of arid South-East Altai represent the “cold branch” of this alliance. The bunchgrass steppes belong to new association Potentillo sericeae–Agropyretum cristati,the meadow steppes — to new association Sileno repentis–Caricetum pediformis. In mountain forest-steppe of South-West Tuva 3 associations present alliance Festucion tschujensis which combines steppe communities with participation of cryopetrophytic species. Bunchgrass steppes are described as new association Oxytropido macrosemae–Agropyretum cristatae, cryophitic steppes – as new association Oxytropido eriocarpae–Poetum attenuatae, meadow steppes are included in association Artemisio phaeolepidis–Kobresietum myosuroidis. The larch forests belong to alliance Pachypleuro alpini–Laricion sibiricae (order Festuco ovinae–Laricetalia sibiricae, class Rhytidio rugosi–Laricetea sibiricae). Forests of association Swertio obtusae–Laricetum sibiricae are characteristic of South-East Altai, forests of association Artemisio rupestris–Laricetum sibiricae are common in South-West Tuva, forests of association Kobresio myosuroides–Laricetum sibiricae are recorded in both regions.

New association Сladophoro fractae–Stuckenietum chakassiensis of the class Ruppietea maritimae from Siberia

2017 ◽  
pp. 55-60
Author(s):  
L. M. Kipriyanova
Keyword(s):  
Salinity Range ◽  
Ruppia Maritima ◽  
East Siberia ◽  
The South ◽  
Diagnostic Species ◽  
Novosibirsk Region ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Saline Waters ◽  
New Association ◽  
The Republic

New ass. Cladophoro fractae–Stuckenietum chakas­siensis Kipriyanova ass. nov. hoc loco, referred to the alliance Сladophoro fractae–Stuckenion chakassiensis Kipriyanova all. nov. hoc loco, to the order Ruppietalia maritimae J. Tx. ex Den Hartog et Segal 1964 and to the class Ruppietea maritimae J. Tx. ex Den Hartog et Segal 1964 was described in Siberia. Nomenclature type (holotypus) — relevé 3 (author′s number 5.3) in Table. Dominating diagnostic species is Stuckenia chakassiensis (Kaschina) Klinkova (Flora Nizhnego Povolzhiya, 2006). (Synonyms are Potamogetonpectinatus L. subsp. chakassiensis Kaschina in Krasnob. et Safonova, 1986, Novoe o Fl. Sibiri: 245. — P. chakassiensis (Kaschina) Volob. 1991, Sibir. Biol. Zhurn. 5: 75. — P. chakassiensis var. tenuior Volob. 1993, Sibir. Biol. Zhurn. 3: 57. — P. intramongolicus Ma, 1983, Acta Bot. Bor.-Occid. Sin. 3(1): 8, nom. inval. — P. acifolius Ma, 1983, Acta Bot. Bor.-Occid. Sin. 3(1): 8, nom. inval. — Stuckeniaintramongolica (Ma) Tzvel. 1999, Bot. Zhurn. 84(7): 111, nom. illeg.). The species richness (data of fifteen relevés) is 1–4 per relevé, which is explained by relatively high salinity values. A total of 8 species were registered in association communities. Communities with total cover 20–95 %, occupy quite large (from 20 to more than 100 m2) areas in the studied lakes. The main ­layer — submerged plants — is made by shoots of Stuckenia chakassiensis. There are other species with a wide range of halotolerance (Cladophora species), as well as brackish and saline water species (Ruppia maritima, Chara aspera, C. canescens, C. altaica) and Althenia orientalis, Ruppia drepanensis, R. cirrhosa, Lamprotamnium papulosum, which are much rarer in Western Siberia. Other layers are not expressed, except for the emergent plants represented by reed on the border of belts of submergent and emergent vegetation. Communities of associations were observed only in the brackish (oligohaline, mesohaline, polyhaline) waters of the various classes and groups: mainly sodium-chloride in the south of West Siberia, and sodium-bicarbonate in East Siberia. Not too often they were found in sodium-sulfate and magnesium-bicarbonate waters. Salinity range of association in Transbaikalia was 1.11–9.57 g/dm3. Maximum salinity for Stuckenia chakassiensis communities in the Novosibirsk region was 10.32 g/dm3, in the lakes of Khakassia — 28.8 g/dm3. The pH values varied from 6.55 to 10.50. Special publications (Kipriyanova et al., 2016, 2017) are devoted to a description of the hydrochemical preferences of the S. chakassiensis and some other species of the genus Stuckenia in the lakes of Transbaikalia. According to the obtained data in the brackish waters of the lakes of East Siberia, S. chakassiensis forms thickets with rather high productivity (up to 517.4±89.51 g/m2 abs. dry weight) (Kipriyanova et al., 2017). The association′s area of distribution appears to coincide with the range of the species, which is a southern part of Siberia (Kurgan Region, Novosibirsk Region, Altai Territory, the Republic of Khakassia, the Republic of Buryatia, Trans-Baikal Territory), northern Kazakhstan, northern China, Mongolia, and rarely — the South Eastern Europe: Volgograd Region (Chernyshkovsky district, in the estuaries and lakes of the Tsimlyansky sand massif near the hamlets Tormosin and Morskoy ) (Flora of the Lower Volga region, 2006; Krasnaya..., 2006) and in the Caucasus ­(Tzvelev, 1990). The association quite logically fits into the class Ruppietea and the order Ruppietalia. In addition to the actual cenoses of different Ruppia species, the communities of other aquatic halotolerant plants, such as the association of emergent plant Eleocharitetum parvulae (Christiansen 1934) Gillner 1960, the bryophyte cenoses Rielletum helicophyllae Cirujano et al. 1993, Rielletum notarisii Cirujano et al. 1993 may be included into this class (Rivas-Martínez et al., 2002; and others). Some researchers place into this class the communities of halotolerant charophytes of the Charion canescentis Krausch 1964 alliance, and the ass. Ranunculetum baudotii Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. et al. 1952 (Berg et al., 2014). The input of the ass. Cladophoro fractae–Stuckenietum chakassiensis to the Ruppietea class corresponds to principles and methods of the Braun-Blanquet approach (Braun-Blanquet, 1964), since the diagnostic species of the new association is accompanied with different species abundance in the brackish and saline waters: Ruppia maritima, Chara canescens, C. altaica, as well as species with a wide range of halotolerance — Cladophora fracta and others. The character diagnostic species of Сladophoro fractae–Stuckenion chakassiensis alliance are the species specific for continental brackish and saline waters of forest-steppe and steppe zones of Asia such as Stuckenia chakassiensis, S. macrocarpa, Chara altaica.

scholarly journals Saxifrago Ferdinandi-Coburgi-Seslerietum Actarovii - A New Association from the Subalpine Belt of the Slavianka (Orvilos) MTS. (Bulgaria)

Hacquetia ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todor Karakiev ◽  
Rossen Tzonev
Keyword(s):  
Balkan Peninsula ◽  
High Mountains ◽  
Northern Greece ◽  
Republic Of Macedonia ◽  
Subalpine Belt ◽  
New Association ◽  
Yugoslav Republic ◽  
Subalpine Grasslands ◽  
Phytosociological Study

Saxifrago Ferdinandi-Coburgi-Seslerietum Actarovii - ANew Association from the Subalpine Belt of the Slavianka (Orvilos) MTS. (Bulgaria)The paper discusses the phytosociological and syntaxonomical position of the dry subalpine grasslands in the Slavianka (Alibutoush, Orvilos) Mts. (South-Western Bulgaria, Northern Greece). A new associationSaxifrago ferdinandi-coburgi-Seslerietum actaroviiass. nova has been established as a result of the phytosociological study. It is considered as an endemic vegetation unit from the calcareous subalpine terrains in the Central Balkan Peninsula high mountains (Southwestern Bulgaria, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Northern Greece). The new syntaxon belongs to the allianceEdrajantho-SeslerionHorvat 1949. A comparison with related syntaxa from other calcareous mountains from Northern Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is discussed.

scholarly journals Biological activity of mountain meadow subalpine soils of Central Caucasus

2021 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 00008
Author(s):  
Fatima Gedgafova ◽  
Olga Gorobtsova ◽  
Tatyana Uligova ◽  
Rustam Tembotov ◽  
Elena Khakunova
Keyword(s):  
Biological Activity ◽  
Ecological Studies ◽  
Integral Index ◽  
Acid Base ◽  
Undisturbed Soil ◽  
Mountain Meadow ◽  
Altitudinal Zonality ◽  
Pasture Degradation ◽  
Central Caucasus ◽  
First Time

Indicators of biological activity (humic content and stock, Cmic content and stock, hydrolytic and redox enzymes activity) were measured for the first time in the upper horizons of mountain meadow subalpine soils of Central Caucasus (elbrus altitudinal zonality in Kabardino-Balkaria). The comparative assessment was performed for the biological characteristics together with soil density and acid-base properties for soils of natural and pasture ecosystems. The integral index of ecological and biological soil state (IIEBSS) was calculated to estimate the level of changes in biological activity. It was shown that pasture degradation leads to 30% decrease of IIEBSS compared to the undisturbed soil. The defined biological parameters of natural undisturbed mountain meadow soils could be used as diagnostic indicators for the ecological studies of ecosystems under anthropogenic load.

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