Ontogenetic structure of woody plant coenopopulations in ripe pine stands of Moscow city

The results of our study of the ontogenetic structure of cenopopulations of woody plants on 16 permanent sample plots in mature pine forests located in Moscow are presented. For the first time, a cenopopulation approach was used to assess the regenerative capacity of tree species in mature pine dendrocenoses in the conditions of the Moscow region. The study examined areas of mature pine stands which are representative of the Moscow region. The ontogenetic spectra of cenopopulations are considered, namely: Pinus sylvestris L., Acer platonoides L., Tilia cordata Mill., Ulmus laevis Pall., Corulys avellana L. Analysis of the number of trees and shrubs in the lower tiers of stands (undergrowth and understory) and their occurrence in sample plots was carried out. The cenopopulation of P. sylvestris has a right-sided age spectrum with predominance of individuals of the generative age state and is regressive under these conditions, since pregenerative individuals are completely absent. The cenopopulations of A. platonoides, U. laevis and C. avellana are characterized as effectively self-sustaining, while T. cordata is moderately selfsustaining. Based on the results of our study, the ontogenetic spectra of most populations of the studied species were established to be incomplete due to the absence of certain ontogenetic states in plants. A significant part of the cenopopulations of the species have a bimodal ontogenetic spectrum. The ontogenetic state and the formation of generation cycles of broad-leaved species are explained by the presence of a sufficient number of open areas – “gaps”. It is noted that young trees have a fairly significant mortality rate before they reach a generative ontogenetic state under the influence of external and intracoenotic factors. Analysis of the species composition of the undergrowth and understory showed that the set of tree and shrub vegetation included 12 species. 

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