Renewal of Pinus brutia var. pityusa (Steven) Silba in reserved territories of Mountain Crimea

Abstract

It has been established that undergrowth of Pinus brutia var. pityusa (Steven) Silba is unevenly distributed on the territory of the burnt areas, its density varies within 2,9…8,2 thousand units/ha, the maximum reaches 15 thousand units/ha. The landscape-coenotic zones of the dynamics of the processes of renewal of native P. pityusa forest stands have been identified. An increase in the number of undergrowth near groups and single plants, which were not eliminated during sanitary felling on burnt areas, was revealed. The possibility of growth and development of undergrowth in these areas was determined by the influence of the phytogenic field of surviving trees, which protect young plants of P. pityusa from negative environmental factors. It was determined that a relatively uniform decrease in the density of undergrowth is observed when moving from the wall of the parent stand at a distance that is a multiple of 2–3 values of its average height. The effect of a time gap in the chronology of the passage of forest fires on the age and spatial structure of P. pityusa undergrowth is presented. A general assessment of the specifics of the age structure made it possible to establish that the activation of natural regeneration and the formation of coenopopulations of P. pityusa undergrowth occur within 2–3 years after the fire. It has been established that anthropogenic interference in the natural processes of renewal of indigenous communities reduces the possibility of implementing biocenotic processes of maintaining the integrity and restoration of the forest community by species capable of sustainable existence under the prevailing conditions. A reduction in the biocenotic space of P. pityusa dominance, which determines the formation of stands of coppice origin, with a predominance of Quercus pubescens Willd. n-generation, which significantly reduces the productivity, sustainability and biological diversity of forest communities of the Cape Aya landscape reserve.