Dynamics of two contrasted alpine communities in the Causasus: resuffs of 14-years permanent plot observations

  • V.G. Onipchenko Department of Geobotany, Biological Faculty, Moscow State University, Moscow, 119899 Russian Federation
  • O.V. Blinkova Department of Geobotany, Biological Faculty, Moscow State University, Moscow, 119899 Russian Federation
  • A.A. Zakharov Department of Geobotany, Biological Faculty, Moscow State University, Moscow, 119899 Russian Federation
  • M.A. Abzeeva Department of Biology and Chemistry, Faculty of Geography and Natural History, KarachaevoCherkessian Pedagogical University, Karachaevsk, Karachaevo-Cherkessian Republic, Russia
Keywords: Alpine snowbed community, alpine lichenheath, fluctuations, succession, permanent plots, global change, Teberda Reserve

Abstract

Fluctuation and successional dynamics were studied in alpine lichen heath (ALH, winter snow free community) and snowbed community (SBC) in the Teberda Reserve, the Northwest Caucasus. Shoot numbers of each species were counted on 80 permanent plots for 14 years. Mean temporal variation coefficients were significantly bigger for generative shoot numbers than for total shoot numbers in both communities. All studied ALH species had coefficients of variation for total shoot number of less than 60%, but 5 of 20 species in SBC exceeded this value. A significant positive correlation coefficient was obtained between spatial and temporal variation for combined data and for total shoot numbers in SBC. As a whole, dominants were more stable than less abundant species in both communities. Most of the species in SBC showed positive correlations with each other (Festuca ovina, Carum meifolium, Pedicularis nordmanniana, Luzula multiflora, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Corydalis conorhiza, Gentiana pyrenaica, Festuca brunnescens, Phleum alpinum). Several species of ALH and SBC showed a significant linear trend for the period of observation. A positive trend (significant increase of shoot number) was found in 8 species in SBC, but Catabrosella variegata demonstrated a significant decrease in population density. Many fewer (5 from 19 studied species) ALH species showed an increase in shoot numbers. Only Trifolium polyphyllum decreased population density in ALH. Increased abundance of meadow species may be connected with global climatic changes or with a long-term response to the ending of grazing. According to autocorrelation analysis all species can be divided into two groups. The first group (most of the species in both communities) included species without any significant correlation coefficient for all temporal lags. The other group included species that had significant positive correlation coefficients for lag 1 year. More species from SBC demonstrated such conservative dynamics.

Published
2001-12-01
How to Cite
Onipchenko, V., Blinkova, O., Zakharov, A., & Abzeeva, M. (2001). Dynamics of two contrasted alpine communities in the Causasus: resuffs of 14-years permanent plot observations. Oecologia Montana, 10(1-2), 1-8. Retrieved from http://om.vuvb.uniza.sk/index.php/OM/article/view/125
Issue
Vol 10 No 1-2 (2001): Oecologia Montana
Section
Standard articles

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