Research Article |
Corresponding author: NE Koroleva ( flora012011@yandex.ru ) Academic editor: Yuliya V. Bespalaya
© 2020 NE Koroleva, EI Kopeina.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Koroleva NE, Kopeina EI (2020) Rare and endangered vegetation and vascular plants in canyon “Gorodskaya shchel’ (Town Crack)” in southern part of Khibiny Mountains (Murmansk Region, Russia). Arctic Environmental Research 20(1): 17-28. https://doi.org/10.3897/issn2541-8416.2020.20.1.17
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Rare and endangered habitat types and vascular plant species were studied in the canyon associated with slope cirque “Gorodskaya shchel' (Town Crack)" in the southern part of Khibiny Mountains (Murmansk Region). Habitat types are interpreted based on a phytosociological approach (Braun-Blanquet classification). Habitat type “D4.2. Basic mountain flushes and streamsides, with a rich arctic-montane flora" of the Emerald Network (partly coincides with type 3220 “Alpine rivers and the herbaceous vegetation along their banks" of Council Directive 92/43/EEC) includes two associations: Mniobryo–Epilobietum hornemannii
Braun-Blanquet classification, brook banks, Khibiny Mountains, Murmansk Region, rare and endangered habitats, Red Data Book plants, screes
Syntaxonomy and biogeography of valued habitats which are expected to protect rare and endangered flora and fauna are still poorly covered in Russia. The main purpose of this paper is to study the flora and vegetation of such habitats associated with the water courses, stream banks, canyon walls and mountain screes in southern Khibiny Mts near Kirovsk city, Murmansk Region.
In the Habitat Directive for wildlife and nature conservation (
To conserve wild flora and its natural habitats of Europe, the Council of Europe launched the Emerald Network as a network of Areas of Special Conservation Interest in 1989. The list of valued habitat types of the Emerald Network is based on the EUNIS habitat classification (https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/eunis-habitat-classification) includes valued habitat types “D4.2. Basic mountain flushes and streamsides, with a rich arctic-montane flora" and “H2.6 Calcareous and ultra-basic screes of warm exposures". These types in European mountainous habitats host many species with an arctic or glacial relict distribution, many of which are included in regional Red Lists of several countries (
In Russia there was not an accepted system of rare and endangered habitats as a State legal base for habitat conservation. The Red Data Book of the Russian Federation is recognized as the formal State document to protect rare and endangered species of animals, plants and fungi in their natural habitats. In some regions of former USSR and Russian Federation were created The Green Data Books as regional collection of valued and endangered habitats (
It is the case also in Murmansk Region, where the system of rare and endangered habitats of Murmansk Region was formed when modernizing the regional concept of protected areas (
Khibiny (Khibinskye) Mts are situated in the central part of Murmansk Region, NW Russia. These low mountains (the highest altitude is 1200 m) are formed by alkaline intrusion. These are among the richest phosphate deposits in the world. Flat surfaces and steep slopes with well-developed moraines are the main features of these mountains shaped by the last glaciation. A remarkable geographical feature of the Khibiny Mountains is the presence of canyons and gorges, which follow tectonic faults. The springs and rivers run along their bottoms.
Khibiny have a gradient from maritime to continental climate, with moderately cold, snowy winters, and short, cool summers. Meteorological data are available from the Handbook of Climate of USSR (
In the second and third decade of twentieth century, the exploitation of valuable phosphate deposits in the Khibiny started. Near the mountains containing apatite ore mines were built, including concentrating mills, various support units, industrial infrastructure and the Khibinogorsk (since 1934 Kirovsk) town. Now it counts about 26 thousand inhabitants. Mountain slopes near Kirovsk are used by skiers and climbers.
The bulk of the Khibinsky Mountains is protected today as “Khibiny" National Park. The first proposal to establish a protected area here dates back to the 1920s. In 1917, V. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky (1870–1942), an esteemed Russian geographer, proposed to create a nature conservation park “on the model of the American national parks" in Khibinу. In 1931, the Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden was established in the valley of Bol'shoy Vudjavr Lake, the biggest lake in Khibiny, and now the nature protected area of Botanical Garden (1,670 ha). In 2018, National Park “Khibiny" was founded; its area covered the major part of Khibiny, about 78,400 ha. Four small protected areas (botanical nature monument) were organized in southern and central part of Khibiny, which was not covered by the National Park.
Vegetation studied on south exposed slopes of the Aikuaivenchorr Mt. is outside of the territory of the National Park. This place is popular recreation place. Its un-official name is “Gorodskaya schel' (Town Creek)". The landscape includes two associated units: canyon (Fig.
Vegetation was described and classified in July and August 2018, in accordance with Braun-Blanquet method (Westhoff and Maarel van den 1973). The size of sample plots was 4 m2 or in the natural limits of the phytocoenoses. Associations were attributed to higher units in accordance with
Euro+Med PlantBase (http://www.emplantbase.org/home.html) for vascular plants;
Class Montio-Cardaminetea Br.-Bl. et Tx. ex Klika et Hadač 1944
Order Montio-Cardaminetalia Pawłowski et al. 1928
Alliance Mniobryo–Epilobion hornemannii
Association Mniobryo–Epilobietum hornemannii
Class Salicetea herbaceae Br.-Bl. 1948
Order Salicetalia herbaceae Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. et Jenny 1926
Alliance Saxifrago stellaris–Oxyrion digynae Gjaerevoll 1956
Association Oxyrietum digynae Gjaerevoll 1956
Class Thlaspietea rotundifolii Br.-Bl. 1948
Order Androsacetalia alpinae Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. et Jenny 1926.
Alliance – ?
Community type Racomitrium spp.–Ranunculus glacialis
Class Montio–Cardaminetea Br.-Bl. et Tx. ex Klika et Hadač 1944 includes moss-dominated vegetation of brooks and springs of Europe and Greenland (
Alliance Mniobryo–Epilobion hornemannii
Association Mniobryo–Epilobietum hornemannii
Class Salicetea herbaceae Br.-Bl. 1948 comprises snow-bed vegetation in high mountains of Eurasia and moss-dwarf shrubs arctic tundra.
Alliance Saxifrago stellaris–Oxyrion digynae Gjaerevoll 1956 includes herb-rich vegetation on acidic to neutral moist substrata in northern mountains and in arctic tundra.
Association Oxyrietum digynae Gjaerevoll 1956 comprises low herb vegetation with prevailing mesophytic herbs Anthoxanthum alpinum, Arabis alpina, Bartsia alpina, Bistorta vivipara, Epilobium anagallidifolium, E. alsinifolium, E. lactiflorum, Oxyria digyna, Phleum alpinum, Poa alpina, Saxifraga stellaris, Solidago virgaurea subsp. lapponica, Taraxacum croceum, Veronica alpina; in moss layer most common are Pohlia wahlenbergii, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Diplophyllum taxifolium, Aneura pinguis, Trilophozia quinquedentata. Plant communities occur along mountain brooks, on moist rock shelves and in crevices. The association is rather common in Scandinavian Mountains and rare in Murmansk Region, on the north-eastern limit of distribution in Europe.
Class Thlaspietea rotundifolii Br.-Bl. 1948.
Order Androsacetalia alpinae Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. et Jenny 1926.
Class includes vegetation on rocky screes and gravelly alluvia in European mountains and in the Arctic. Order comprises open vegetation of siliceous screes and moraines of Central Europe, the Arctic Ocean islands, Scandinavia and Greenland (
Community type Racomitrium spp.– Ranunculus glacialis comprises spots of chasmophytic plants Ranunculus glacialis, Papaver lapponicum, Juncus trifidus, Saxifraga oppositifolia and mosses Racomitrium spp. and was described on the rocky scree along the denudation hollow on steep cirque slopes. These habitats are affected by strong snow and stones gravitation movement, which help to disperse vegetative parts and seeds downslope. Red Data Book species Ranunculus glacialis is characteristic species in snow-bed habitats on plateau and summits in Scandinavian mountains; meanwhile In Khibiny and Lovoserskye Mountains occurs mainly on rocky screes.
Species of the
Species of Red Data Book of Russia (RDBRu) and Red Data Book of Murmansk Region (RDBMu).
13. Alchemilla alpina L.: 67°37'29"–67°37'13"N, 33°42'11"–33°41'49"E, 380–540 m a. s. l.; in the tundra meadows on the lake and brook shore; plentiful; flowering; 21.07.2016. Single finding in Khibiny, gradually spreading along the brook and path. RDBMu: 3 (NT – Near Threatened).
3. Epilobium alsinifolium Vill.: 67°37'12"N, 33°42'05"E, 470–520 m a. s. l.; on wet fine earth and rocks along rock walls from the bottom to the upper part of canyon; a few locations with about a dozen plants; flowering; 24.07.2018; INEP. RDBMu: 3 (NT – Near Threatened).
4. Epilobium lactiflorum Hausskn. (Fig.
5. Papaver lapponicum (A. Tolm.) Nordh. (Fig.
7. Ranunculus glacialis L. (=Beckwithia glacialis (L.) A. et D. Löve; Oxygraphis vulgare Freyn) (Fig.
11. Woodsia glabella Richardson: 67°37'12"N, 33°42'09"E; 450–520 m a. s. l.; on wet rocks in the middle part of canyon; single individuals; 24.07.2018. RDBMu: 3 (NT – Near Threatened).
Epilobium lactiflorum on the canyon shelf. Photo E. Kopeina. This species from the
Papaver lapponicum on the deluvium debris in the lower part of canyon. Photo E. Kopeina. Lapland poppy is included to the Red Data Books of Russian Federation (
Ranunculus glacialis on gravely slope of cirque above the canyon. Photo E. Kopeina. The glacier buttercup is included to the Red Data Books of Russian Federation (
Species of the list of species which need special attention to their state in the natural environment if the Murmansk Region.
1. Achillea apiculata Orlova: 67°37'16"N, 33°41'25"E; 470 m a. s. l.; in the meadow on spring bank; a few flowering individuals; 24.07.2018; INEP.
2. Cassiope hypnoides (L.) D. Don (=Harrimanella hypnoides (L.) Cov.): 67°37'13"N, 33°41'59"E; 470–540 m a. s. l.; on the moist fine earth and rocks in the lower part of the canyon; numerous tufts; flowering; 24.08.2018.
6. Pyrola norvegica Knab.: 67°37'11"N, 33°42'20"E; 530 m a. s. l.; on wet rock in the upper part of canyon; a few individuals; flowering; 24.07.2018.
8. Saxifraga aizoides L.: 67°37'13"N, 33°41'59"E; 430–460 m a. s. l.; on wet rocks and in the brook in the lower part of canyon; a dozen of plants; flowering; 24.07.2018.
9. Saxifraga oppositifolia L.: 67°37'N, 33°42'E; 600 m a. s. l.; on stony and gravely deluvium on cirque slopes; a few tufts; flowering; 24.08.2018.
10. Silene acaulis (L.) Jacq.: 600 m a. s. l.; on stony and gravely deluvium on cirque slopes; single tuft; flowering; 24.08.2018.
12. Dryas octopetala L.: 67°37'N, 33°42'E, 510–570 m a. s. l.; in the upper part of canyon; plentiful; flowering; 15.06.2018.
14. Lactuca alpina (L.) A. Gray (Cicerbita alpina (L.) Wallr.): 67°37'N, 33°41'E; 380 m a. s. l.; in the subarctic tall herb birch forest; a few individuals; flowering; 17.07.2018.
15. Dianthus superbus L.: 67°37'20N, 33°41'32"E; 400 m a. s. l.; in the subarctic birch forest zone along the path; a few individuals; flowering; 17.07.2018.
16. Gymnadenia conopsea (L.) R. Br.: in the RDBMu-list; 67°37'17"N, 33°42'37"E; 590 m a. s. l.; in the tundra meadows on the slope, a few individuals; flowering; 17.07.2018.
Assessment of valued habitats in a comparable manner is needed for the relevant structure of protected areas network. Cross-reference of units of the EUNIS Habitat Classification and phytosociological definitions of vegetation types provides solid scientific basis for conservation assessment of habitats, their diversity and value. The Braun-Blanquet methodology of vegetation classification (
As we recognized, the vegetation of habitat type “D4.2. Basic mountain flushes and streamsides, with a rich arctic-montane flora" in Khibiny belongs to two associations: Mniobryo–Epilobietum hornemannii and Oxyrietum digynae. Surveys of this vegetation were not numerous (
The alliance Mniobryo–Epilobion hornemannii, with distribution in northern Europe and Greenland, was initially reported as the vegetation in cold oligotrophic springs in alpine and subalpine zone in high mountains of Fennoscandia (
Among constant vascular plants of alliance and association – Montia fontana, Epilobium alsinifolium, E. hornemannii, Saxifraga stellaris, Cerastium cerastoides, among mosses – Pohlia wahlenbergii and Philonotis fontana.
This vegetation in Khibiny is on the north-eastern limit of its European distribution and does not differs essentially in species composition from the cold springs in alpine zone of Fennoscandian mountains due to rather similar major ecological features. But the number of species is small; some species are rarer in Murmansk Region than in Fennoscandia, and are included in the regional
The alliance Saxifrago stellaris–Oxyrion digynae and association Oxyrietum digynae were described by
Vegetation of both alliances in Khibinsky Mountains shares some characteristic species, such as Saxifraga stellaris, Epilobium alsinifolium, Oxyria digyna and Arabis alpina. Low herb communities on moist rocks are rare and also occupy small areas in Khibiny. Due to reduction of permanent snowfields this vegetation seems to be substituted by meadows and grasslands, which are more common and frequent (
Vegetation on screes and rocks of class Thlaspietea rotundifolii was analyzed in a few papers and monographs (
Red Data Book species Ranunculus glacialis was found here on gravely screes and plateau (as in few areas of Khibiny). The glacial buttercup is arctic-alpine plant with contrast ecology: it grows at high altitudes in mountains of Europe – on coarse moraine, rubble and bare rock as well as on freshly soaked and moist, well drained, acidic silicate debris. In Scandinavian Mountains
Plant cover on the rocks of brook in canyon (type D4.2. “Basic mountain flushes and streamsides, with a rich arctic-montane flora") in Khibiny belongs to the association Mniobryo–Epilobietum hornemannii (alliance Mniobryo–Epilobion hornemannii) on the north-eastern limit of the area. Meadow-like vegetation on the rock shelves and along the brook belongs to the association Oxyrietum digynae (alliance Saxifrago stellaris–Oxyrion digynae).
Eluvium of mountain cirque (associated with the canyon, habitat type “H2.6 Calcareous and ultra-basic screes of warm exposures") is occupied by open vegetation of community type Racomitrium spp.– Ranunculus glacialis of the class Thlaspietea rotundifolii. Their syntaxonomy is still not defined on the alliance level.
Species from both regional and federal Red Data Books occur here: two species from the Red Data Book of Russian Federation, four species from the Red Data Book of Murmansk Region and 10 species which need special attention to their state in the natural environment in the Murmansk region.
It is the brooks and streamsides, screes and rocks that harbor a number of Red Data Book species and evaluated habitats, thus increasing their importance for biodiversity conservation. In the southern part of Khibiny these habitats are in danger of destruction as a result of mining and recreation, the upper flow of flushes is affected by pollution from mining. As the area is out of the borders of National Park, it is necessary to establish here the conservation area – botanical nature monument. The published data can be used as a preparation for conservation planning and effective protection measures.
We are very grateful to Tatyana Drugova and Eugene Borovichev for their help in identification of mosses and liverworts and to Irina Tatarenko and Mike Dodd for kind correction of English text and value remarks. The reported study was supported by RFBR, project number 18-05-60142 and State Research Program “Flora of lichens, cyanoprokaryotes, bryophytes and vascular plants of the European Arctic and Subarctic" (No. 0229-2016-0004).