Pine Forests in Moscow Region: History and Perspectives of Preservation

Abstract

Features of the structure and composition of forests with admixture of pine (Pinus sylvestris) were studied in central, northern, and western parts of Moscow region, a central part of the East European plain. Pine stands and mixed pine and spruce forests comprise around 16% of the total area of woodlands within the studied territory. This study addressed a possibility of conservation of indigenous pine communities in Moscow region and considered landscape conditions where it could most likely occur. In order to assess the prospects for pine regeneration in various types of communities, the dynamics of its coenopopulations was analyzed. It was found that various types of pine communities are associated with relief parameters (altitudes, slopes, varying curvatures, and lighting) and localization in physical–geographical provinces. The spatial structure of groups of pine forest associations was characterized using landscape and ecological metrics. These data improve the understanding of the phytocoenotic structure of pine communities. Their composition is indicative of succession stage (1), domain-specific features of vegetation cover of the region (2), and associations with landscape elements (3). Pathways of secondary successions on watershed surfaces involve active demutation of spruce forests and, in some cases, mixed woods. This will limit the occurrence of pine and pine–spruce communities in Moscow region after several decades. Only a small part of pine forests will remain on steep river banks.