The current state of the natural monument «Kalinovsky Elnik» (Chelno-Vershinsky District of the Samara Region)

Abstract

On the territory of the natural monument Kalinovsky Elnik (Chelno-Vershinsky District of the Samara Region) almost all old-growth common spruces died in 2013 and belong to the category of old dead wood, there are isolated individuals belonging to the old windbreak, only 23 common spruce remained alive, a shrub layer from Lonicera xylosteum L., Padus avium Mill. is developed, in some places generative representatives of deciduous species Acer platanoides L. and Tilia cordata Mill. are found to stand separately. Common spruce self-seeding is also found in the ecotone from the spruce forest to the meadow community. On the territory of this natural monument there is Norway-maple-linden community with Aegopodium podagraria, Betula pendula Roth, Pinus sylvestris L., Quercus robur L., Populus tremula L., in which at least 22 species of vascular herbaceous plants live, including Pleurospermum uralense Hoffm. from the Red Book of the Samara Region, 49 lichen species, including 3 new species for the Samara Region (Chaenotheca chrysocephala (Ach.) Th. Fr., Cresponea chloroconia (Tuck.) Egea et Torrente, Melanohalea septentrionalis (Lynge) Essl.). This community can be classified as a biologically valuable forest landscape. On this basis it is recommended to preserve the status of a protected area for this territory and to make appropriate amendments to the botanical description of this natural monument.