Natural and anthropogenic extensive destruction of the spruce forest community of the European part of Russia: main trends of biodiversity dynamics

Nina Ulanova,Andrei Kaplevsky

doi:10.1051/e3sconf/202126501021

Nina Ulanova, Andrei Kaplevsky

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202126501021

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Abstract

We analyzed the main trends of the change in the species richness of plant communities after catastrophic natural (beetle outbreaks, windfalls) and anthropogenic (clear cutting) disturbances. We examined the dynamics of the structural diversity of species richness of herb-dwarf scrubs layer with different reforestation technologies after the death of spruce stands. The study of similarity and ordination of vegetation showed the proximity of the undamaged forest to the unharvested stand, and the difference of these plant communities from clear-cut. The main determining factor of species richness was the intensity of plant community disturbance after catastrophes. We analyzed the reforestation dynamics of plant communities after catastrophic disturbances. Clear cutting led to the formation of grassy communities with a sharp increase in the species and structural diversity of plant community.

Highlights

The problem of conservation of forest biodiversity is one of the most important challenges in biology and ecology in 20-21 centuries and the central task of wildlife conservation
All anthropogenic and natural disturbances are considered to be negative factors leading to a reduction in biodiversity [1]
We focused on an understudied aspect - the dynamics of plant species composition in spruce forests of southern taiga and mixed coniferous-leaved forests of European Russia after "catastrophic" disturbances

Summary

Introduction

The problem of conservation of forest biodiversity is one of the most important challenges in biology and ecology in 20-21 centuries and the central task of wildlife conservation. The large-scale death of forests leads to the reduction of diversity of biotopes, phytochors, and plant communities, the extinction of species and the reduction of their intraspecific genetic diversity. These conventional ideas are based on the comparison of data from different researchers, construction of spatiotemporal patterns, etc. The natural environmental mechanism of the decay of spruce forest stand (which is the final stage of the dynamics of spruce plant communities at the final stage of succession in the European part of Russia) is implemented in catastrophic windfalls, fires or dead-wood patches during outbreaks of eight-dentated bark beetle (Ips typographus L.). The degree of disturbance of ecosystems during disasters leading to the destruction of spruce forests determines the rate of recovery of vegetation in areas damaged by fires, windfalls, and in the epicenters of spruce desiccation

Increase of biodiversity: species richness and structural diversity

Regenerative dynamics of plant communities after catastrophic disturbances