The Dynamics of the Morphology and Chemical Properties of Forest Litter during Natural Postagrogenic Reforestation and Its Effect on the Ground Cover

Abstract

The features of the dynamics of the morphology and chemical properties of forest litter during postagrogenic reforestation of plowed land in the southern taiga subzone are studied. The relationship of the dynamics of the structure of forest litter with floristic composition and ecological–coenotic structure of the ground cover is shown. The increase in reserves, as well as in the diversity of the structure and in the spatial variation of the main morphological parameters of forest litter in the course of tree stand regeneration has been revealed. Acidification and a decrease in the ash content and in the portion of easily decomposed fractions in forest litter are adequately reflected in the composition of the ground cover, in which the role of species adapted for increased acidity and low content of nutrients increases. After spruce enters the first tree layer, the spatial distribution of the structure, reserves, thickness, and fractional composition of forest litter is determined by the position in the tessera. In general, the succession and the dynamics of the morphology and chemical properties of forest litter testify to a decrease in the turnover rate in the biogeocenosis. The ecological scales by Ellenberg, Landolt, Tsyganov, and Ramenskii applied for the ground cover may be important tools in analyzing the dynamics of litter in forest ecosystems.