THE STUDY OF THE COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE OF THE COMMUNITIES OF THE “CORE” AREA OF THE “KOLOGRIVSKY FOREST” NATURE RESERVE BEFORE THE WINDTHROW OF 2021

N. V. Ivanova

 

Institute of Mathematical Problems of Biology, Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics, Russian Academy of Sciences

Professor Vitkevich st. 1, Pushchino, 142290 Moscow Region, Russian Federation

 

E-mail: natalya.dryomys@gmail.com

Received: 12.08.2026

Revised: 07.09.2026

Accepted: 15.09.2026

The study of biodiversity in old-growth forests is a current challenge in forest ecology. The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess the diversity of the vegetation cover in the old-growth southern taiga forests of the Kologrivsky Forest Nature Reserve (Kostroma Region). A total of 52 vegetation relevés of 100 m² were conducted in 2012 and 2013. All vascular plants and their abundance according to the Braun-Blanquet cover-abundance scale were recorded in herb, shrub, and tree layers. Ward’s cluster analysis with Hellinger distance was performed for grouping of relevés. Then, for each group, we assessed alpha, beta, and gamma diversity. Alpha diversity was assessed using the species richness index and randomisation tests. Beta diversity was assessed using the Jaccard distance. To analyse gamma diversity, we calculated Hill indices and plotted cumulative diversity curves. Species indicator values were calculated for each group. Functional diversity was assessed based on the diversity of ecological-coenotic groups (ECG).

Three groups of communities were classified as a result of the analysis: (1) semi-open linden (Tilia cordata) stands with undergrowth of maple (Acer platanoides) and linden and rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) with a nemoral herb layer; (2) spruce-linden stands with undergrowth of maple, spruce (Picea abies), and linden with a nemoral-boreal herb layer; (3) semi-open spruce stands with linden with undergrowth of spruce and rowan with a boreal herb layer. These community groups did not differ in terms of alpha, beta, and gamma diversity. Differences between the groups were found in the functional diversity of the herbaceous layer and the composition and abundance of the tree layer and the understory. We compared our results with data from stand monitoring at permanent sample plots. Our study confirms the findings regarding the natural decline of old-growth spruce stands and the increase in the proportion of linden trees in the stands. Furthermore, our results contradict previous findings regarding an increase in the abundance of boreal species in the Kologriv Forest.

Keywords: old-growth forests, Kostroma region, biodiversity, Hill numbers, ecological-coenotic groups

 

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