Nature Conservation Research: Заповедная наука (May 2021)
Comparison of structure and chemical composition of ground cover and soils of fir-spruce forests in Pechora-Ilych State Nature Reserve, Northern Urals
Abstract
Bilberry-feathermoss (BFM) fir-spruce forests on podzols and boreal tall herb (BTH) fir-spruce forests on brown soils were studied in the Pechora-Ilych State Nature Reserve, Northern Urals. In each type of forest, 50 × 50-cm2 monoliths were taken at the root zone depth (n = 54 and n = 45 for BTH and BFM, respectively). Living plants of herbs, dwarf shrubs, and mosses were taken from the monoliths for the subsequent determination of species and affiliation of the latter to functional groups. Profile pits with mixed sample selection from each soil horizon were also made in three replications on the same sites. Concentrations of Mg, Al, P, S, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, and Zn were measured in plant and soil samples using the X-ray fluorescence analysis. It was found that herbs form the bulk of the ground cover of the studied BTH fir-spruce forest. The boreal species proportion in the flora of these communities, if compared to that in the BFM flora, is 28% lower. On the contrary, the nemoral and nitrophilous species proportions are 20% and 14% higher, respectively. Mg, Zn, Mn, and Al are accumulated in the shoots and roots of plants of both forest types, whereas the content of Ca, K, S, and P is higher only in the roots. The chemical composition of plants is dependent on both their functional group and forest type they inhabit. The highest levels of Cа, K, P, and Mg were found in boreal low herbs as well as in tall herbs in both forest types. The content of Al, Fe, Zn, Mn, and S was the highest in the BTH tall herbs. Boreal low herbs possess higher levels of K, S, Mg, P, Zn, Fe, and Al content in the BTH fir-spruce forest; the same is found for Mn content in boreal shrubs. The content of P, S, Al, Ca, Fe, and Mn varies in meadow grasses of the fir-spruce forest, while tall herbs, both boreal and nemoral, display similar levels of Al, Fe, Mn, and Mg content together with boreal low herbs. The comparison of soil (O and A horizons) chemical composition in the forest types studied reveals that the content of Ca, Mg, K, Zn, P, and S is 50% higher in brown soils, and the content of Al and Fe is higher in podzols. The latter fact originates mainly due to high amounts of the ground cover litter fall, rich in these elements.
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