Growth, seeding and reforestation of Pinus sibirica (Pinaceae) in cenopopulations of different altitudes in Mountain Shoria

УДК 582.475.2+575.174.015+574.2

Abstract

In mountainous regions, climate humidity significantly influences the distribution of vegetation at altitude. In the moderately humid climate of Mountain Shoria, the fir formation with an admixture of Siberian stone pine dominates in the lower mountain belts; the upper limit of the forest is formed by fir and Siberian stone pine. With climate warming, changes in the nature of the distribution of stone pine formations in mountain belts are possible. To assess these prospects, the characteristics of growth, sexual reproduction and reforestation in different-altitude (780, 1020, 1250, 1440 and 1510 m above sea level) cenopopulations of Siberian stone pine on the Mustag mountain (the vicinity of Sheregesh) were considered. It has been shown that in the lower mountain belts, despite the completely satisfactory state of the sexual reproduction and periodically high seed crops, Siberian stone pine regeneration is difficult due to the competitive advantages of fir reforestation. The climatic conditions of the subalpine zone and upper forest limit allow stone pine and fir to grow without intensification their interspecific competition. It is assumed that the observed moderately humid climate warming will contribute to the preservation of the Siberian stone pine formation in the upper mountain zones, since an improvement in the temperature regime will favor not only growth, but also sexual reproduction.