KEY RESOURCE AND POPULATION PARAMETERS OF VACCINIUM MYRTILLUS L. IN SOUTH TAIGA FOREST ECOSYSTEM OF THE KIROV REGION

Abstract

Introduction. The research is urged by the demand in elaboration of actions on sustainable use of biological forest resources including the food capacity of the forest resources that is currently suffering from a heavy anthropogenic impact. This elaboration is possible based on the profound knowledge in the field of ecology and biology of species, regulations and their geographical spread, as well as stock movement. The research is aimed at the elicitation of environmental, biological and production parameters of V. myrtillus in the south taiga forest ecosystem in the Kirov Region. Object of the research. Vaccinium myrtillus L. (bilberry) is the principal wild growing berry plant found in the forests of the Kirov Region as well as in other regions of the Russian Federation. Methods. Field observations were carried out on the sampling areas and index plots using a range of geobotanical, cenopopulational, ecological, phytocenotic and statistical methods. Results. The research findings revealed that bilberry is a dominating or co-dominating species of the plant and shrub storey of the phytocenoses under study. The plant grows mainly on semi-shadow soils (5 point by Ellenberg scale), middling humid, moderately acid and acid soils (4 point by Ellenberg scale), poor in nutrients. The species under study is extreme acidophile and urbanophobe. The climatic tolerance index of bilberry cenopopulation is 0.58, the soil tolerance index is 0.45, light tolerance index is 0.89. It has been discovered that vegetative partial plants prevail within the structure of most cenopopulations under study. The yield capacity of bilberry varies from 3.3±0.4 g/m2 to 44.2±3.9 g/m2 depending on phytocenosis type and meteorological conditions of the vegetation season. Over a period of time covering 1964-2014 the Kotelnichsky area in the Kirov Region the productivity area of bilberry reduced by 57 %, which resulted in reduction in the biological reserve of berries.