Phytocoenotical behaviour of boreal plant species in broadleaved-forest zone communities

Abstract

Phytocoenotic behaviour of 11 species of boreal vascular plants and mosses is analyzed within the broadleaved-forest zone in comparison with that in different subzones of the boreal-forest zone, based upon the set of 1417 relevés made in European Russia in 1996–2017. The significance of differences in species cover is estimated by means of the one-way ANOVA. The cover of species like Vaccinium myrtillus, V. vitis-idaea, andHylocomium splendens in broadleaved / spruce forests of zonal types is constantly decreasing southwards. On the contrary, the cover of Luzula pilosain Scots pine forests and Pleurozium schreberi and Dicranum polysetum in paludified Norway spruce forests is subject to southward increase. Finally, Oxalis acetosella and Equisetum sylvaticum demonstrate maximae of their cover in forests of zonal types in the southern-boreal and hemiboreal subzones. The dark-coniferous boreal forest “cortege” of species is breaking down into several different floristic elements in the broadleaved-forest zone. These are: “vaccinietal” species p. p. sensu Yu. D. Kleopov (like Vaccinium myrtillus), “quasi-boreal” species sensu V. B. Sochava (Oxalis acetosella, Maianthemum bifolium, Trientalis europaea), hygromesophytes with aged areas (Equisetum sylvaticum), associated species with European-Ancient-Mediterranean nemoral (Luzula pilosa) or East-Asian boreal-montane (Rubus saxatilis) origins. Phytocoenotical behaviour of species is not always different in the intrazonal and the zonal community types but is rather similar in many cases like those of Vaccinium vitis-idaea and Equisetum sylvaticum. The more distinct differences in species positions are found in the extrazonal communities. The statistically proved differences are lacking in phytocoenotical behaviour of Maianthemum bifolium and Trientalis europaea in different zones and subzones due to either florogenetical, or purely methodical reasons, the latter connected with low abundance but high constancy of these species. Disintegration of vegetation “corteges” and individualization of coenotic patterns of species previously growing together are usually observed at the climatically determined (zonal / subzonal or altitudinal) distribution limits.