Snowbed vegetation in the plain East European tundra: new alliances and place in syntaxonomic system

Abstract

We studied snowbed communities in place of long-lying snow in the typical and southern tundra subzones of the East European sector of the Arctic. Three new associations (Salicetum herbaceae-polaris Lavrinenko et Lavrinenko ass. nov., Salici polaris–Sibbaldietum procumbentis Lavrinenko et Lavrinenko ass. nov. and Myosotido asiaticae–Salicetum polaris Lavrinenko et Lavrinenko ass. nov.) on siliceous substrates united into a new alliance Veronico alpinae–Salicion polaris Lavrinenko et Lavrinenko all. nov. in order Salicetalia herbaceae and class Salicetea herbaceae. One new association (Pinguiculo alpinae–Salicetum reticulatae Lavrinenko, Lavrinenko et Neshataev ass. nov.) on stabilized calcareous soils is placed in a preliminary alliance Carici parallelae–Salicion reticulatae Lavrinenko, Lavrinenko et Neshataev prov. in order Arabidetalia caeruleae and class Thlaspietea rotundifolii. Table analysis, cluster analysis of relevés and syntaxa and analysis of association coenofloras from East European tundra, from mountainous areas of Northern Europe and from Arctic Siberia confirm the reliability of defining new alliances.