Post-fire successions in protected mountain forests of Crimea

Abstract

Forest fires are one of the most powerful factors, not only in Russia, but all over the world. It affects the structure of ecosystems and causes the landscape transformations in it. In Crimea, the ‘Krymskiy’ National Park, where research was conducted, is a major keeper of population natural forests. Post-pyrogenic changes in vegetation cover were studied in pine phytocenoses (Pinus sylvestris L., Pinus pallasiana D. Don.) and juniper phytocenoses (Juniperus communis subsp. hemisphaerica C. Presl., Juniperus sabina L.). The investigated areas were covered by fire different intensivity 2-37 years ago. It was found that the surface fires damages all elements of the forest phytocenosis. The juniper forests burn down completely and have not recovered in a period of up to 20 years. Forest fires cause secondary post-fire (pyrogenic) regressive succession in the mountain forests of Crimea. Herbaceous plants appear on the investigated sample areas where the forest is burnt: violent competitor plants (K-plants); stress-resistant plants (C-plants) and ruderal plants (P-plants), as well as – plants-pyrophytes. In the first years after a forest fire, the herbaceous plant community is more diverse and aligned. In subsequent years, the number of species decreases, and the index alpha plant diversity value also decreases.