Pinus Pumila Research Articles

Subfossil pollen spectra in the altitudinal belts of the Sikhote-Alin

This paper presents the characteristics and comparison of subfossil pollen spectra of modern plant communities in the altitudinal zones of the Northern Sikhote-Alin and the Southern Sikhote-Alin, using the cases of the Tordoki-Yani Mountain (absolute altitude 2090 m) and Oblachnaya Mountain (absolute altitude 1858 m). All pollen spectra from high mountains reflect the forests caused by long-distance transport of tree pollen. Due to the abundance of Picea pollen, the pollen spectra of the mountain tundra and upper part of the subalpine belts of the Northern Sikhote-Alin correspond to the most common type of vegetation at the upper forest borde r–the high-mountain spruce forest with Betula lanata, where Pinus pumila thickets can reach from the overlying belt. The largest amount of allochthonous pollen was found in the pollen spectra on the site without forest canopy. The pollen of broad-leaved trees was brought to high hypsometric levels by mountain-valley winds, rising air currents, from the underlying belts. The quantitative content of pollen of the main dominants of each altitudinal plant zone does not always accurately reflect the role of these taxa in the composition of the communities. The pollen productivity of Betula lanata exceeds the pollen productivity of the main forest forming species in all altitudinal zones, with the exception of the stone birch forests, therefore the share of its participation in the composition of the pollen spectra is overestimated. In the studied pollen spectra the content of Larix pollen is greatly underestimated compared to the role of this species in the forest stand, especially in soil samples from larch forest. It is associated with low pollen productivity, distribution and fossilization characteristics.

ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ ЭФИРНОГО МАСЛА ШИШЕК КЕДРОВОГО СТЛАНИКА (PINUS PUMILA (PALL.) REGEL)

Cedar elfin Pinus pumila (Pall.) Regel of the pine family – Pinaceae is a widespread plant in Eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East. Most studies of cedar elfin are devoted to the study of needles and woody greenery. Pine cones remain a poorly studied object, the chemical composition of which requires serious study to determine the prospects for further use. The aim of the work is to study the component composition and essential oil content in pine cones. To study the essential oil, samples of pine cones were harvested on the territory of the Magadan region, the Olsky urban district. The determination of the essential oil content in cones was carried out according to the methods of the State Pharmacopoeia of the XV edition. The component composition of the essential oil was determined using an Agilent 7890A gas chromatograph with a mass-selective detector. As a result of the study, it was found that a Clevenger device should be used to determine the content of essential oil in pine cones. The content of essential oil in cones is highest in July, slightly less in August, and in September there is no essential oil in the raw material. It has been established that July is the most favorable period for harvesting pine cones. The main component of the essential oil of pine cones is limonene. The proportion of the main component of the essential oil of pine cones, limonene, is higher in July, and the proportion of the undesirable component 3–karen increases in essential oil in August. The high content of limonene in the essential oil samples is a good prerequisite for further research and development of finished products.

Holocene Sediments оf the Adycha River Valley, Yakutia

Palynological analysis of radiocarbon-dated sediments from floodplain deposits and peat bogs preserved in the terraces along the Adycha River, a tributary of the Yana River, document the regional presence of larch forests over at least the last 10 500 14C BP (12 500 cal BP). The Adycha records indicate that the most favorable climatic conditions during this interval occurred during the Early Holocene, persisting up to 8 200 14C BP (9 200 cal BP), and during the Middle Holocene between c. 6 000-5 100 14C BP (6 900-5 800 cal BP). Climatic warming also happened between 400-190 calendar years ago, following the cooling of the Little Ice Age. The expansion of Pinus pumila into the Yana River basin occurred c. 7 000 14C BP (7 800 cal BP). A date of 8 200 14C BP falls within an interval of global cooling, referred to as the Bond 5 event, as defined from North Atlantic marine deposits.

Интродукция кедрового стланика в Лапландском заповеднике (Мурманская область)

The paper reflects the results of the condition of Pinus pumila (Pall.) Regel, which was sown in 1971 with seeds from Magadan City on the territory of the Lapland State Nature Biosphere Reserve. Siberian dwarf pine has been acclimatized, showed winter-hardy, has no damage, resistant to the conditions of the Murmansk Region.

Foraging efficiency of two alpine bird species in central Japan

ABSTRACT Capsule The foraging efficiency of Alpine Accentors Prunella collaris and Japanese Accentors P. rubida is highest on the snow surface in the alpine zone, where they forage for fallen arthropods. Aims To compare the foraging efficiency of two bird species across alpine habitats, including the snow surface, and discuss the impact of changes in snow cover on their foraging behaviour. Methods The foraging efficiency of two alpine bird species, recorded as the number of pecks per unit time, was compared in the alpine zone of Mount Norikura in central Japan, among four habitat types: snow surface, Japanese Stone Pine scrub, alpine tundra and scree. Results In total, respective 45 and 32 foraging sequences of Alpine Accentors and Japanese Accentors were recorded. For both species, foraging efficiency was markedly higher on the snow surface than in other habitats. Conclusion Alpine bird species exhibit high foraging efficiency on the snow surface in the alpine zone, assuming that prey sizes are similar across habitats. With the decreasing amount of remaining snowpack in the alpine zone, due to the general trend of climate change, bird species will likely have a shorter period to efficiently utilize these foraging habitats in the future.

Vegetation response to climate changes in the eastern Arctic during the Middle Gelasian age of the Early Pleistocene

Palynological analysis of sediments from El'gygytgyn Lake document vegetation changes in the Eastern Arctic from early marine isotope stage (MIS) 74 to late MIS 80 (c.2.1–1.9 MA) and close the last remaining gap in the El'gygytgyn pollen record. Cooler climates were characterized by a mix of Larix forest-tundra, shrub Betula tundra, and herb-dominated communities. During interglaciations, Larix forests with tree Betula and Alnus, and perhaps with a minor component of Picea and tree Pinus, characterized areas that today are tundra. These forests included a rich shrub understory of Betula, Duschekia, Salix, and Pinus pumila. Although MIS 77 has been considered a “super” interglaciation, the data do not indicate that this stage was exceptionally warm. Interstadial conditions are denoted by pollen assemblages that indicate the regional vegetation was dominated by Larix forest -tundra and an absence of Pinus pumila. The palynological results from this Early Pleistocene interval demonstrate the need to: 1) modify the El'gygytgyn age model; 2) reevaluate the relationship of sediment facies to climate change; and 3) reconsider the occurrence and/or definition of “super” interglaciations.

The Enmynveem mammoth and vegetation changes in arctic Chukotka during the Late Quaternary

Abstract Mining operations in the Enmynveem valley, northeastern Siberia, exposed a well-preserved right hind leg of Mammuthus primigenius (woolly mammoth), dated to ca. 37,500 cal yr BP. The leg had a fracture that crosscut the midsections of the tibia and fibula. Additional skeletal and soft tissue remains, including two mummified adults (Berezovka, ca. 47,200 cal yr BP; Bolshoi Lyakhovsky, ca. 37,000 cal yr BP), document the presence of mammoths in interior mountain valleys and across both northern and southern coasts of far northeastern Siberia during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3. A mosaic of herb-dominated tundra communities characterized the vegetation of the Enmynveem site during late to middle MIS 3 and MIS 2 (ca. 37,000–17,000 cal yr BP). Shrubs were limited to Salix during the late Pleistocene, whereas Betula also may have been present in sheltered sites during MIS 3. Herb communities remained dominant during the late Pleistocene–Early Holocene transition, although shrub Betula increased during this interval. By ca. 10,200 cal yr BP, the vegetation was Betula–Alnus shrub tundra. Larix and Pinus pumila were established in the valley by ca. 8700 cal yr BP and ca. 5700 cal yr BP, respectively.

Palynological records from glacial lakes, northern Priokhotye (western Beringia)

Palynological analyzes of sediments from glacial lakes in Northern Priokhot'ye provide the first continuous records of regional vegetation responses to climate change at the end of the Pleistocene and during the Holocene. The pollen stratigraphy from these coastal sites is like that described for more northern regions of Western Beringia. Herb dominated tundra with Poaceae-forb meadows characterized the Late Pleistocene and was replaced c. 12,100 cal BP by Betula shrub tundra and then by shrub Betula-Alnus tundra. In the Middle Holocene (c. 8900-4700 cal BP), Larix-Betula platyphylla forests with an undergrowth of Pinus pumila, shrub Betula, and Alnus became widespread. Pinus pumila also formed a high shrub tundra zone above altitudinal treeline. Finds of Betula platyphylla macrofossils suggest that summer temperatures were 2–4 °C warmer than today between c. 7700 and 6700 cal BP. Variations in Pinus pollen percentages during the Middle and Late Holocene suggest changes in altitudinal treeline related to intervals of relatively cooler or warmer climates. The timing of the postglacial thermal maximum and possible shifts in altitudinal treeline suggest paleoclimatic patterns that are more like southern areas of the Russian Far East than northern regions of Western Beringia. A Late Holocene tephra was found for the first time in the lake sediments and peat exposures of Northern Priokhotye. The most likely source of this important chronostratigraphic horizon is the Shiveluch volcanic eruption (Kamchatka Peninsula) dated to 2500–2600 BP (2580–2730 cal BP).

СПЕЦИАЛЬНОЕ ПИВО НА ОСНОВЕ НЕТРАДИЦИОННОГО РАСТИТЕЛЬНОГО СЫРЬЯ

Beer produced with the addition of herbal raw materials has its advantages: improvement of organoleptic and physico-chemical parameters, increase in shelf life. Coniferous herbs are a source of natural antioxidants, have high nutritional and biological value and can be considered as an alternative to hops. The conducted research was aimed at assessing the impact of the extract from the wood herbs of Pinus pumila (cedar ash) on the formation of the quality of the finished beer. The aim is to choose the optimal method of production of special beer on the basis of an aqueous extract of wood herbs of cedar ash, to determine the optimum ratio of beer and aqueous extract of cedar wood greens in terms of organoleptic properties of the finished drink, samples of the finished drink were prepared using lager (with the initial mash extract of 12.5 % and a level of bitterness equal to 1.1) and aqueous extract of Pinus pumila. Mixing was carried out according to the following ratios of beer and extract: 50:50, 60:40, 40:60 and 30:70. The extract was introduced into the wort at the stage of the main fermentation because this gives the minimum loss of aromatic substances. The carried out researches testify in favor of reception of a new sort of special beer and possibility of expansion of assortment of drinks of the brewing industry. The use of the aqueous extract from the wood herbs of Pinus pumila in the production of special beer has a positive effect on the quality of the finished drink and can be used as an alternative to hops. According to the conducted research, the ratio of beer and aqueous coniferous extract 50:50 allows us to get a drink with a characteristic malt and subtle coniferous taste and aroma. The ratio of beer to coniferous extract 60:40 gives the most balanced drink in terms of organoleptic characteristics.

Differences in photosynthetic and water use characteristics of four co-existing tree species at the treeline of the Japanese Alps

ABSTRACT Physiological characteristics of trees in the alpine treeline are critical for assessing the vulnerability of alpine forest ecosystems, but differences in water relations between co-existing deciduous and evergreen trees remain poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed the photosynthetic and water use characteristics of two deciduous broad-leaved (Sorbus matsumurana and Betula ermanii) and two evergreen coniferous (Abies mariesii and Pinus pumila) tree species at the treeline – i.e. the line connecting the highest patches of forest composed of trees at least three meters high – of Mt. Norikura in central Japan, to explore the physiological adaptations of trees to alpine environments. We monitored diurnal changes in leaf gas exchange rates and leaf and soil water potentials in each tree species during the growing season, as well as bulk leaf water relations based on pressure – volume curves and whole-tree hydraulic structures. The four species under study relied on different physiological characteristics at both leaf and plant levels for adaptation to their natural habitat. For maintaining water in leaves, S. matsumurana showed higher water use efficiency (WUE; the ratio of photosynthesis to transpiration) and osmotic adjustment. In contrast, B. ermanii showed lower WUE, while maintaining higher soil-to-leaf hydraulic conductivity with less stomatal control. In turn, A. mariesii showed higher WUE and leaf succulence. Meanwhile, P. pumila showed lower WUE but compensated for water loss through higher leaf hydraulic capacitance and tissue elasticity. Our observations demonstrate that tree species rely on specific physiological characteristics to adapt to the alpine treeline environment.

The influence of climatic factors on the vegetative development of introduced Pinus pumila (Pall.) Regel at the Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden-Institute

The article describes the vegetative development of introduced Pinus pumila (Pall.) Regel that grow in the experimental area of the Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden and Institute (the surroundings of the town Apatity). It gives the generalized over several years dates of the beginning of the main vegetative phenophases, the duration of the lateral shoot linear growth and needles, the sum of active and effective temperatures above 5 and 10 °C. To identify interrelations between phenodates and climatic factors, a correlation analysis was carried out (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used). The sum of effective temperatures above 10 °C and the sum of precipitation varies greatly from year to year. Medium, strong and very strong correlations were found between: the dates of the beginning of various phenophases and the dates of a stable transition through 0, 5, 10 °C; sums of active and effective temperatures; average temperature and air humidity for 5, 10 and 30 days before the beginning of the phenophase; the date of isolation of а wintering apical bud in the last growing season and the environmental conditions preceding its isolation. The length of shoots and needles was measured for 2016-2021. Significant correlations between the length of shoots and needles and phenodates and selected climatic factors were not found.

CLASSIFICATION OF DWARF PINE COMMUNITIES IN THE NORTH OF THE KORYAK DISTRICT (KAMCHATKA TERRITORY)

A detailed geobotanical characteristic of Siberian dwarf-pine (Pinus pumila (Pall.) Regel) communities of the north of the Koryak District is presented. The vegetation classification based on 83 relevés has been elaborated using main principles and classification methods of Russian dominant-determinant approach. As the result 10 associations, 10 subassociations and 9 variants classified within 5 association groups were revealed. The peculiarities of their species composition, community structure, ecology and geographical distribution were characterized. Using soil characteristics, several types of sites were recognized. It was shown that mesophytic moss-rich dwarf-pine shrubs (Pinetum pumilae hylocomiosum) were closely connected to the mean values of soil moisture and soil fertility of the sites. Rhododendron-rich dwarf-pine communities (subass. Pinetum pumilae rhododendroso aurei–hylocomiosum) adjoined them but they usually occurred on higher altitudes. Lichen-rich dwarf-pine shrubs (Pinetum pumilae fruticuloso–cladinosum) occupied the driest and poorest sites at the upper border of dwarf-shrub altitudinal belt (350–400 m a.s.l.). The dwarf-shrub-rich Siberian dwarf-pine communities (ass. group Pineta pumilae fruticulosa) were closely connected to rather dry and poor sites. In wet sites with shallow groundwater, Sphagnum-rich dwarf-pine communities (Pinetum pumilae sphagnosum girgensohnii) were found. Cloudberry-rich dwarf-pine shrubs (subass. Pinetum pumilae chamaemori–rubosum) adjoined them but mainly occurred on the peat hillock of palsas. The variation in the species composition and structure of communities are determined by their position in the relief and the density of the dwarf-pine layer. With a similar density of dwarf-pine, Sphagnum-rich dwarf-pine communities form in the foothills, and lichen-rich dwarf-pine shrubs form in mountains. The species diversity and the abundance of the subordinate layers are significantly reduced at the maximum density of the dwarf-pine; so poor-herb dwarf-pine communities (Pineta pumilae oligoherbosa) are formed.

Evolution of vegetation of the Lake Khanka Depression in the southernmost of the Russian Far East in the Holocene

This paper presents recently obtained palynological results regarding to the evolution of vegetation of the Khanka Depression in the Holocene. Radiocarbon-dated pollen records evidence that the evolution of vegetation in this area was more complicated than one has previously thought. As a result of a rapid increase in heat supply in the Early Holocene, the plants of the Manchurian flora, primarily Ulmus davidiana, Ulmus laciniata, Quercus mongolica, and Pinus koraiensis, began to expand to the Khanka Depression. However, Sphagnum mires with Betula grandulosa, Betula pubescens, and sparse forests of Larix, still remained in plains and valleys. Picea jezoensis, Pinus pumila, Betula grandulosa, Betula alnobetula, Betula pubescens, Pinus pumila and Larix were widespread in the mountains. During the Middle Holocene these cold-tolerant plants of the north-boreal flora, completely disappeared. Broad-leaved and fir-pine forests have become widespread. The vegetation of the Khanka Depression compared with modern one was characterized by great diversity of broad-leaved plants. At the beginning of the Late Holocene cooling has caused the expansion of Betula grandulosa, Betula alnobetula, Abies nephrolepis, Picea jezoensis, Betula pubescens, Betula costata, and Alnus hirsuta. The areas of forb meadows expanded on the plains. Larch sparse forests, thickets with domination of Betula grandulosa and Sphagnum mires reappeared. However, some thermophilic plants, such as Pinus koraiensis, Abies nephrolepis, Quercus mongolica, Juglans mandshurica, Ulmus davidiana, and Ulmus laciniata have survived. Since 1 300 cal BP, vegetation of the Khanka Depression began to degrade due to fires, plowing of the land, and deforestation.

Predicting Carbon Storage Jointly by Foliage and Soil Parameters in Pinus pumila Stands along an Elevation Gradient in Great Khingan

Alpine dwarf pine populations are dwelling in a climate-sensitive habitat, where detection of the carbon (C) cycle is still valued for sustainability. Foliar and soil parameters are key factors that combine to jointly affect aboveground C storage in alpine ecosystems, but how they generate combined contributions to aboveground C in alp dwellers still needs more research. In this study, Pinus pumila, a typical alp dwarf pine species in a canyon of the Great Khingan Mountain, was focused on. Their natural populations were investigated for individual growth and needle and soil parameters in plots across six categorized elevations from 800 m to 1200 m. Aboveground C storage was estimated by three allometric models which were all found to increase against increases in elevation. Along the increasing elevational gradient, needle concentrations of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) both showed decreasing trends, but activities of N and P assimilation enzymes and chlorophyl contents, as well as the soil contents of ammonium N and organic matter, all showed increasing trends. Multiple linear regression models indicated that elevation (parameter estimate, PE: +0.01), needle P (PE: +0.66) and chlorophyl contents (PE: +0.60) made jointly positive contributions to estimated C storage while soil pH had a negative contribution (PE: −1.80). For the purpose of sustainable C fixation by alp P. pumila populations, strategies should be considered to increase P availability and control high soil pH. Our results fill the gap about C storage and driving forces in alpine ecosystems, and their applications are not limited to being referenced by other alpine plants.

Unexpected discovery: an enclave of East-Siberian plants in Northern Europe.

Small native populations of the Siberian dwarf pine Pinus pumila (Pall.) Regel and bristle-pointed iris Iris setosa Pall. ex Link were discovered recently on Kildin Island located near the Kola Peninsula in the Barents Sea. Both species' records are from a natural landscape, and there is no evidence for their introduction by humans. Kildin Island is 3200km away from the typical range of the species. The discovery may have remained unnoticed for a long time because the island's interior remained relatively unexplored compared to its seashores. It is a result of a recent conservation assessment of the island as a whole, aiming to reveal habitats of threatened species and other subjects of conservation value. The occurrence of the two species may represent a glacial relict, but a good explanation of their origin is not available so far. This discovery may help to better understand the ecological history of the boreal zone of Eurasia.

Forage plants for the northern pika (<i>Ochotona hyperborea</i> Pallas) in the Chuvansky Range System (South Chukotka)

The northern pika (Ochotona hyperborea Pallas) is a small herbivorous animal from the Ochtonidae family, widely distributed in the mountains of Northeast Asia. Despite its small size, the northern pika plays a noticeable role in the transformation of organic substances of biocenoses. An essential feature of these mammals is the procurement of plant food for the winter period. The food ration of the animals is very diverse and depends on the structure of the surrounding vegetation. It includes aerial parts of shrubs, sub‑shrubs, herbaceous plants, ferns, Equisetum species, rarely trees, bushy lichens, fungi and very rarely mosses. According to our analysis of the literature data, more than 220 species of vascular plants are included in the diet of the northern pika in Northeast Asia. During a survey of the northern spurs of the Chuvansky Range in the basin of the Ozernoe Gorlo river (Anadyr river basin), 14 species of vascular plants, 8 species of bushy lichens and 1 species of moss were identified in winter stocks of the northern pika on 2 terrain areas differing in landscape and vegetation structure. Salix pulchra, S. berberifolia subsp. tschuktschorum, Chamaenerion latifolium, Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. microphyllum, Empetrum nigrum, Ledum palustre subsp. Decumbens are of great importance as the preferred food of northern pika in this territory. In addition, the Dryopteris fragrans fern and more rarely Betula nana, are harvested quite sustainably in one of the sections of a stone scree (stone run) surrounded by a Pinus pumila community. The role of bushy lichens and mosses in the nutrition of the northern pika needs to be clarified.

Palynological characteristics of plant communities in the eastern Arctic during the Early to Middle Calabrian Age

Palynological analysis of Early Pleistocene sediments from Lake El'gygytgyn indicate that climate was warmer than present between c. 1.2860 and 1.6975 Ma (late Gelisian–early Calabrian ages), although variations in the paleovegetation indicate fluctuations between relatively cool and warm conditions. During the coolest intervals, the vegetation on the Anadyr Plateau was a mix of Betula-Salix shrub tundra and Larix forest-tundra. Larix forests, which probably included trees species of Betula and Alnus, characterized the regional vegetation during the warmest times. Slightly cooler interglaciations are indicated by the presence of Larix-forest tundra. Pinus pumila pollen is not consistently present in all interglaciations, indicating that variations in the extent and/or duration of snow cover occurred during these warm intervals. The absence of pollen from this evergreen shrub contrasts with Holocene and Late Pleistocene assemblages, where the taxon is a hallmark of warm conditions. During the Early Pleistocene, Betula pollen indicates the plant's presence during warm and cool intervals, in contrast to Late and Middle Pleistocene spectra where shrub Betula is absent or rare. The pollen data from MIS 55 suggest that it was the coolest of the Pleistocene “super” interglaciations and that the MIS 43 climate was as warm as that of MIS 55. The El'gygytgyn palynological record is a powerful reminder that the distribution of arctic communities can be vastly reduced or eradicated during warm Earth scenarios.

Responses of soil enzyme activity to freeze-thaw alternation in Greater Khingan Mountains, China.

We examined the effects of freeze-thaw cycles (0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 15 cycles) on the activities of urease, invertase, and proteinase in the different layers of the soil under the four typical stands in the cold temperate zone, i.e., Pinus pumila stand, Rhododendron-Betula platyphylla stand, Rhododendron-Larix gmelinii stand, Ledum-Larix gmelinii stand, with the indoor freeze-thaw simulation culture method being used. The relationship between soil enzyme activity and multiple physicochemical variables was analyzed during freeze-thaw alternation. The results showed that the activity of soil urease was firstly increased and then inhibited during freeze-thaw alternation. After freeze-thaw, urease activity did not differ from that without freeze-thaw. Invertase activity was firstly inhibited and then increased during freeze-thaw alternation, and was significantly increased by 8.5%-40.3% after freeze-thaw. Proteinase activity was firstly increased and then inhibited during freeze-thaw alternation, and was significantly decreased by 13.8%-68.9% after freeze-thaw. After freezing and thawing, there was significant positive correlation between urease activity and ammonium nitrogen and soil water content in Ledum-L. gmelinii stand and P. pumila stand, respectively, and proteinase activity had significant negative correlation with inorganic nitrogen concentration in P. pumila stand, Rhododendron-B. platyphylla stand, and Ledum-L. gmelinii stand. Invertase activity had significant positive correlation with organic matter in Rhododendron-L. gmelinii stand and Ledum-L. gmelinii stand.

PHYTOCENOTIC INCIDENCE OF RHODODÉNDRON AURÉUM GEORGI (ERICACEAE) OF THE UDOKAN RIDGE, TRANS-BAIKAL TERRITORY

The paper presents data on phytocoenotic confinement of Rhododendron aureum Georgi, 1775 (Ericaceae) in the Udokan range. Using classical geobotanical methods, 79 populations of Rhododendron aureum were studied within the boundaries of the Trans-Baikal Territory. Within the fragment of R . aureum , the species is found within larch-siberian dwarf pine communities, larch yernic, pure siberian dwarf pine communities and areas of mountain tundra. Ecological densities and distribution differ even in similar communities. The most common associated species are Pinus pumila , Ledum palustre , Vaccinium vitis-idaea , Vaccinium uliginosum and others. The projective coverage of mosses and lichens can also vary from 5 to 95%. This work is particularly important for the assessment of biodiversity and future conservation efforts in areas that are rich in natural resources and minerals

NEW DATA ON VEGETATION AND SOILS OF URUP (KURIL ISLANDS)

The article presents new data on the vegetation of the island of Urup (Kuril Islands) obtained during the research of the authors in 2019 and 2021. The characteristics of the main forest communities (Erman’s birch forests, willow forests and Pinus pumila thickets), as well as rock and mire vegetation and vegetation of disturbed habitats, are given. The ecological-phytocenotic classification of the studied communities has been refined or carried out for the first time, the tables of geobotanical descriptions for a number of associations are given. Patterns of vegetation distribution in river valleys are considered. It is shown that in the northern part of the island, in the vegetation cover of the Pacific side, the role of mires and shrub communities increases in comparison with the Okhotsk Sea side. The description of soils is given in connection with the plant communities formed on them. The reasons of the revealed regularities are discussed, in particular, the influence of the relief, cold oceanic winds and fogs on the vegetation cover of the island.