CALCIPHILOUS VEGETATION OF PENZA REGION BY THE EXAMPLE OF THE NATURE SANCTUARY «SUBBOTINSKIE SKLONY»

Novikova Lubov Alexandrovna, Doctor of biological sciences, chief researcher, sub-department of botany, plant physiology and biochemistry, Penza State University (40 Krasnaya street, Penza, Russia), la_novikova@mail.ru
Leonova Natalia Alekseevna, Candidate of biological sciences, associate professor, sub-department of botany, plant physiology and biochemistry, Penza State University (40 Krasnaya street, Penza, Russia), na_leonova@mail.ru

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Background. Chalky (calcicolous) flora and vegetation is extremely rare in the Penza region. The authors analyzed the current condition of calciphyte floro-cenosis complexes of the nature sanctuary «Subbotinskie sklony», regularities of formation and preservation possibilities thereof.
Materials and methods. In the nature sanctuary «Subbotinskie sklony» the authors investigated 2 geobotanic profiles under different degrees of intensity of anthropogenic impact. The profiles were located on the steepest parts of the slopes of the indigenous Bank of the river Nochka before the riverbed and included both forest and grass vegetation.
Results. The floristic composition of calcicolous communities of the nature sanctuary «Subbotinskie sklony» includes 95 species, of which 6 are rare for the Penza region and 1 species is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. Plant communities of the natural sanctuary are greatly transformed by economic activities and are presented by the associations of coniferous-broad-leaved, oak, black alder, willow forests, meadow and native steppes, steppe, native and bottomland meadows. Distribution of the main types of plant communities has a strict dependence on relief and mosaic substrate.
Conclusions. The degree of manifestation of calcicolous vegetation is determined by crown cover of the tree layer and the nature of the substrate. Prolonged economic activity led to significant degradation of the vegetation cover. Preservation of chalky (calcicolous) flora is only possible in plant communities spontaneously developing on complex mosaic substrates (flasks, marl, chalk) on steep slopes.

calciphilous vegetation, anthropogenic influence.

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