Relationship between Degree of Dominance and Species Richness in Grass Communities with Different Productivities

Abstract

The aim of this study is to test the assumption that the relationship between the degree of dominance and local species richness may be different in grass communities with different productivities. Alpine, subalpine, and low-mountain grasslands, as well as subalpine mires, alpine communities of low-snow habitats and those with long-term snow cover, steppe communities, and the grass layer of low-mountain forest communities of the Western Caucasus and Ciscaucasia, are used as objects of research. The data on the phytomass of 419 plots with an area of 0.25 m2 are studied. The results show that, the higher the mean productivity of communities is, the closer the relationship between the degree of dominance and species richness is, and the closest relationship is observed in meadow communities. Possible causes of these relationships are considered. It is reasonably suggested that this may be due to the features of the organization of plant communities with high and low productivity (in particular, high or low intensity of interspecific competition).