Thyme plant communities of the Zhiguli Nature Reserve (Samara region)

Abstract

Background. Plant communities with the participation of the narrow-locality endemic Thymus zheguliensis occupy small areas on the slopes of the Zhiguli Mountains. The purpose of this work was the ecological and floristic characteristics of thyme plant communities on the territory of the Zhiguli Reserve (Samara region). Materials and methods. 32 relevés from the database “The vegetation of the Middle Volga” were used. The processing was carried out using JUICE program packages. Results and discussion. 3 groups of thyme communities have been formed. Diagnostic and constant taxa have been established. Rare and protected species are noted. The DCA-ordination are presented and the reliable correlation between the position of phytocenosis in the space of DCA-axes and the values of D. N. Tsyganov's environmental indicators (climatic and soil). Syntaxonomic comparison of the studied plant communities and acc. Thymo zhegulensis-Stipetum capillatae Lysenko 2018 showed that the species composition and characteristics of ecotopes differ. Further study of thyme plant communities of the rocky steppe will allow us to establish their syntasonomic rank.

Keywords

• plant communities
• cluster analysis
• thymus zheguliensis
• zhiguli mountains
• zhiguli reserve
• samara region