Spatial structure of Globularia bisnagarica L. (Plantaginaceae, Magnoliopsida) coenopopulations

A O Kondratieva,A S Parkhomenko,A V Bogoslov,A S Kashin,I V Shilova

doi:10.35885/1684-7318-2021-1-35-46

Abstract

The paper presents the results of the spatial distribution analysis of 18 Globularia bisnagarica L. coenopopulations in the Saratov, Samara, Ulyanovsk and Orenburg regions and the Republic of Tatarstan. The analysis was carried out with the Spatstat package of the R environment for statistical computing. The research reveals an aggregation tendency for the G. bisnagarica coenopopulations. It is suggested that this tendency may be attributed to the prevalence of seed reproduction and certain peculiarities of dissemination (barochory) in the studied coenopopulations as well as to the confinement of the species to eroded landforms (slopes of watersheds, gullies, runoff hollows, etc.) characterized by high heterogeneity of environmental conditions. It has been established that the majority of G. bisnagarica coenopopulations grow in heavily or moderately sodded habitats. Nevertheless, in the studied communities, G. bisnagarica occurs abundantly and dominates along with Stipa pennata, Bromus inermis, Salvia nutans, Elytrigia repens, Poa compressa, etc. Finally, the spatial structure of G. bisnagarica coenopopulations is impacted by the interspecific competition in calciphilous phytocenoses under the invasion of eurybiontic steppe grasses.

Highlights

Spatial structure is considered a key complex parameter for evaluating the inherited adaptive potential and competition capacity of a population under environmental conditionsCorresponding author
Spatial structure is defined as an arrangement of specimens and their groups in space
Based on the size and mutual arrangement of aggregations, this spatial distribution type is subdivided into three subtypes (Fig. 2)

Summary

Introduction

Spatial structure is considered a key complex parameter for evaluating the inherited adaptive potential and competition capacity of a population under environmental conditions. The examination of spatial structure in rare species populations promotes their stable and fairly sustainable existence in a particular biocoenosis and is a critical part of environmental protection action. Spatial structure is defined as an arrangement of specimens and their groups in space. Such arrangement depends on external environmental factors as well as biological species traits – plant life-form, reproduction type, seed dissemination, vegetative vagility, etc

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Conclusion