Population status and variation of the rare species Dactylorhiza viridis (L.) R. M. Bateman, Pridgeon & M. W. Chase (Orchidaceae) under anthropogenic load conditions in the meadow phytocenoses of the Central Caucasus

Abstract

We studied the variation of morphological characters, ontogenetic structure and vitality of seven cenopopulations of Dactylorhiza viridis (L.) R. M. Bateman, Pridgeon & M. W. Chase within the Kabardino-Balkar Republic in 2015–2019. The studies were conducted in the meadow plant communities under different conditions of anthropogenic load (recreation and grazing). The species presents medium phytocenotic plasticity of morphological characters (I p=36–70%) and high variation of morphological characters (CVх–ср=18,55–45,22%) under changeable conditions of growth. The intensification of growth processes in the individuals with the maximum increase of the cenopopulation vitality (IVC = 1,12–1,18) is observed in the composition of undisturbed meadows. The portion of generative individuals is 44,8–52,6% in ontogenetic spectra, and the stable seed reproduction of cenopopulations is registered. Under the intensification of the anthropogenic load, the vitality of cenopopulations (IVC = 0,80–1,04) and the density of individuals (0,47–3,20 ind./m2) are decreased; the portion of generative individuals is increased in ontogenetic spectra (65,4–81,6%). The rate of the seed reproduction of cenopopulations, in which the density of individuals accounts for 28,47 ind./m2, is high on the rubbly substrata with low total projective cover.

Monitoring of biodiversity of the flora of mountain Cheget (Prielbrusye)

“…К настоящему времени накоплены фрагментарные сведения о биоразнообразии флоры горы Чегет, в частности, еѐ восточного склона, подвергающегося наиболее высокой антропогенной нагрузке. Они касаются уровня синантропизации растительных сообществ субальпийского пояса, динамики численности и состояния ценопопуляций отдельных видов [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15].…”