Syntaxonomy and ecology of the swamp sphagnum pine forest in the Southern Nechernozemye of Russia

The article characterizes the phytocoenotic diversity and ecological features of the swamp sphagnum pine forests of the Southern Nechernozemye of Russia on the basis of author's geobotanical materials from different years and discusses the issues of their syntaxonomy. These communities correspond to the widespread in Europe ass. Vaccinio uliginosi–Pinetum sylvestris de Kleist 1929. Based on an array of 108 relevés, including 89 unpublished, 5 variants were established as part of 2 subassociations. Based on a comparative floristic analysis for the discussed association and subassociations, regional combinations of diagnostic species were compiled. Floristic features are characterized and statistically significant differences in the ecological regimes of syntaxa habitats are demonstrated. In accordance with the results of DCA-ordination, the factors of light, substrate moisture, reaction, and richness in mineral nitrogen make a significant contribution to the differentiation of syntaxa at the level of subassociation and variant.