Assessment of the population status of the relict species Lomelosia austroaltaica (Bobrov) Sojak in the flora of the Kazakstan Altai

Abstract

The article discusses the population parameters of a rare relict species Lomelosia austroaltaica in the territory of the Kalba Upland in the Kazakhstan Altai. It has been established that the population is located in the Eastern Kalba on the Medvedka Mountain (Koktau Mountains) as part of the feather grass-lomelosia phytocenosis. The total area occupied by phytocenosis with the participation of Lomelosia austroaltaica, is 2.5 hectares. Vegetation cover is poorly formed, represented by 30 species of flowering plants. The structure and appearance of the phytocenosis are determined by the dominants Stipa capillata- cop2, S. pennata - cop1. In ecological terms, the species composition of the higher vascular plants of the surveyed phytocenosis is formed by xeropetrophytes - 20 species (66.7 %), xeromesophytes - 7 species (23.3 %), mesophytes - 3 species (10 %). The total projective cover is 44.4 %, the proportion of Lomelosia austroaltaica in the phytobiota is 22.2 %, i. e. according to its coenotic features, the species is an assectator. Individuals are scattered and unevenly distributed over the area, their height ranges from 28 to 48 cm (33.6 ± 7.4.6), forming loose sods 47.9 ± 5.2 cm in diameter from 46.3 ± 7.2 cm vegetative and 51.3 ± 10.5 cm generative shoots. A direct dependence of seed productivity on the number of formed heads on a generative shoot was revealed. Mass flowering of individuals was recorded in the second decade of June, the period of seed ripening is late August - early September. The population is normal, incomplete, the age spectrum is left-sided. The ratio of young and adult fractions (pl + j + im) : (v + g) = 11.8 : 7.8 indicates a stable state of the population at the present stage. Mainly seeds maintain the number of individuals. The species needs state protection.