New syntaxa of coniferous (Abies sibirica, Pinus sibirica, Picea obovata) forests from the Altai-Sayanian mountain region and the classification system concept of the Urals-Siberian dark coniferous boreal forests

N. B. Ermakov

DOI: https://doi.org/10.31111/vegrus/2025.51.80

Full article

Annotation

Classification of dark coniferous boreal forests of the Western Sayan and North-Eastern Altai Mountains was performed using data set of 115 relevés arranged along altitudinal gradient (360–2100 m). Eleven new associations are described after clustering (Ward method, Euclidian distance) and floristic analysis. All syntaxa are included in the class Vaccinio-Piceetea Br.-Bl. in Br. Bl. et al. 1939 and Urals-Siberian order Piceo obovatae-Pinetalia sibiricae ord. nov. The original diagnoses of new syntaxa in English are provided according to the Recommendation 7D (ICPN, Theurillat et al., 2021).

New associations.

Cruciato glabrae–Abietetum sibiricae ass. nov. Holotypus – rel. 1, Table 1. Coordinates, degrees (Crd) 52.96844N, 91.21466E. Date (D): 01.09.2002. Plot size (S) — 200 m². Author (A) — N. Ermakov. Diagnostic species (DS) — Actaea cimicifuga, Calamagrostis pavlovii, Cruciata glabra subsp. krylovii, Spiraea chamaedryfolia.

Caragano arborescentis–Abietetum sibiricae ass. nov. Holotypus — rel. 8, Table 1. Crd — 52.712N, 91.42294E. D — 28.07.2003. S — 200 m². A — N. Ermakov. DS — Actaea cimicifuga, Calamagrostis pavlovii, Caragana arborescens, C. frutex, Schizachne callosa, Viola mauritii.

Sambuco sibiricae–Abietetum sibiricae ass. nov. Holotypus — rel. 16, Table 1. Crd — 52.59497N, 92.17334E. D — 02.08.2003. S — 200 m². A — N. Ermakov. DS — Carex iljinii, Polytrichum commune, Sambucus sibirica.

Vaccinio myrtilli–Abietetum sibiricae ass. nov. Holotypus — rel. 7, Table 1. Crd — 52.51636N, 92.04325E. D — 30.08.2002. S — 200 m². A — N. Ermakov. DS — Abies sibirica, Pinus sibirica, Polytrichum commune, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Vaccinium myrtillus (dom.), V. vitis-idaea (dom.).

Allio microdictyi–Abietetum sibiricae ass. nov. Holotypus — rel. 32, Table 1 in Ermakov, 2013, p. 85. A — N. Ermakov. DS — Anthoxanthum nipponicum, Lycopodium annotinum, Polytrichum commune, Vaccinium myrtillus.

Hylocomio splendentis–Abietetum sibiricae ass. nov. Holotypus — rel. 50, Table 1. Crd — 52.63364N, 93.42842E. D — 11.08.2004. S — 200 m². A – N. Ermakov. DS — Abies sibirica, Alnus alnobetula subsp. fruticosa, Calamagrostis obtusata, Dryopteris expansa, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Oxalis acetosella, Picea obovata, Pinus sibirica, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus.

Bergenio crassifoliae–Abietetum sibiricea ass. nov. Holotypus — rel. 6, Table 2. Crd — 52.54589N, 92.06109E. D — 18.08.1989. S — 100 m². A — N. Ermakov. DS — Bergenia crassifolia (dom.), Calamagrostis purpurea, Circaea alpina, Prunus padus, Ribes nigrum.

Bergenio crassifoliae–Pinetum sibiricae ass. nov. Holotypus — rel. 18, Table 2. Crd — 52.81203N, 93.26834E. D — 29.08.2002. S — 100 m². A — N. Ermakov. DS — Alnus alnobetula subsp. fruticosa, Bergenia crassifolia (dom.), Rhododendron dauricum, Sphagnum girgensohnii.

Bistorto officinalis–Abietetum sibiricae ass. nov. Holotypus — rel. 40, Table 2. Crd — 51.96397N, 88.28219E. D — 12.08.2004. S — 100 m². A — N. Ermakov. DS — Bistorta officinalis, Carex iljinii, Cirsium helenioides, Pedicularis incarnata, Poa sibirica.

Rhododendro aurei–Abietetum sibiricae ass. nov. Holotypus — rel. 48, Table 2. Crd — 51.92186N, 88.04606E. D — 27.07.1989. S — 100 m². A — G. Kamalutdinov. DS — Cladonia amaurocraea, Doronicum altaicum, Empetrum nigrum, Juniperus sibirica, Rhododendron aureum, Sibbaldia procumbens.

Rhapontico carthamoidis–Pinetum sibiricae ass. nov. Holotypus — rel. 16, Table 1 in Makunina et al., 2019, p. 58. A — N. Ermakov. DS — Alchemilla vulgaris s. l., Crepis lyrata, Cruciata glabra subsp. krylovii, Lilium martagon var. pilosiusculum, Rhaponticum carthamoides.

Betulo glandulosae–Abietetum sibiricae Makunina, Zhirova et Sakhnevich ex Ermakov ass. nov. Holotypus — rel. 3, Table 1 in Makunina et al., 2019, p. 58. DS — Antennaria dioica, Carex stenocarpa, Betula glandulosa, Juniperus sibirica, Larix sibirica, Salix glauca.

Schulzio crinitae–Abietetum sibiricae ass. nov. Holotypus — rel. 54, Table 2. Crd — 52.16986N, 87.54761E. D — 21.07.1989. S — 100 m². A — G. Kamalutdinov. DS — Betula glandulosa, Gentiana grandiflora, Salix glauca, Schulzia crinita, Swertia obtusa, Viola altaica.

New suballiances.

Spiraeo chamaedryfoliae–Abietenion sibiricae suball. nov. Holotypus — Cruciato glabrae–Abietetum sibiricae ass. nov. (described in this paper). DS: Caragana arborescens, Actaea cimicifuga, Calamagrostis pavlovii, Circaea alpina, Cruciata glabra subsp. krylovii, Sambucus sibirica, Spiraea chamaedryfolia. Habitat (H): steep and gentle slopes in the lower part (500–900 m) of forest belt in the Altai and Sayan.

Geranio albiflori–Abietenion sibiricae suball. nov. Holotypus — Saussureo latifoliae–Abietetum sibiricae Ermakov 2013 (Ermakov, 2013, p. 84). DS: Allium microdictyon, Crepis lyrata, Cirsium helenioides, Euphorbia pilosa, Geranium albiflorum, Ranunculus grandifolius, Saussurea latifolia, Solidago dahurica, Trollius asiaticus, Veratrum lobelianum, Viola biflora. H: western, southern and eastern well-dranded slopes in the higher part of forest belt in the Altai and Sayan.

Aconito rubicundi–Abietenion sibiricae suball. nov. Holotypus — Onocleo struthiopteridis–Abietetum sibiricae Anenkhonov et Chytrý 1998 corr. (Anenkhonov, Chytrý, 1998, p. 47). DS: Angelica archangelica, Cardamine macrophylla, Equisetum hyemale, Mitella nuda, Paris verticillata, Vicia venosa. H: mountain slopes and river valleys in the Baikal region.

Rubo arctici–Abietenion sibiricae suball. nov. Holotypus — Rubo arctici–Abietetum sibiricae Ermakov et Makhatkov 2011 (Ermakov, Makhatkov, 2011, p. 33). DS: Comarum palustre, Equisetum arvense, Rubus arcticus, Thalictrum flavum, Veronica longifolia. H: extra-zonal northern boreal forests in river valleys in the West Siberian plain.

Carici iljinii–Abietenion sibiricae suball. nov. Holotypus — Vaccinio myrtilli–Abietetum sibiricae ass. nov. (described in this paper). DS: Carex iljinii, Sphagnum capillifolium, S. girgensohnii. H: steep slopes in the upper part of forest belt (1200–1600 m) in the Altai and Sayan.

Violo biflorae–Abietenion sibiricae suball. nov. Holotypus — Athyrio distentifolii–Abietetum sibiricae Ermakov 1995 (Ermakov, 1995, p. 89). DS: Allium microdictyon, Athyrium distentifolium, Ranunculus grandifolius, Saussurea latifolia, Solidago dahurica, Veratrum lobelianum, Viola biflora. H: moderalely steep slopes with humid well-drained soils aaltitudes of 1400–1900 m.

Betulo glandulosae–Abietenion sibiricae suball. nov. Holotypus — Betulo glandulosae–Abietetum sibiricae Makunina, Zhirova et Sakhnevich ex Ermakov ass. nov (validated in this paper). DS: Betula glandulosa (dom.), Juniperus sibirica, Salix glauca, Empetrum nigrum, Festuca ovina, Gentiana grandiflora, Schulzia crinita, Cetraria islandica, Cladonia amaurocraea, C. stellaris. H: northern slopes with cold humid soils at altitudes of 1700–2100 m.

New alliances.

Bergenio crassifoliae–Abietion sibiricae all. nov. Holotypus — Bergenio crassifoliae–Pinetum sibiricae ass. nov. (described in this paper). DS: Bergenia crassifolia (dom.), Rhododendron dauricum, Ribes nigrum. H: screes and open bedrocks with poorly developed soil at altitudes 350–1080 m.

Anthoxantho nipponici–Abietion sibiricae all. nov. Holotypus — Betulo gladulosae–Abietetum sibiricae Makunina, Zhirova et Sakhnevich ex Ermakov ass. nov. (validated in this paper). DS: Anthoxanthum nipponicum, Aquilegia glandulosa, Bistorta officinalis, Carex aterrima, Doronicum altaicum, Luzula sibirica, Omalotheca norvegica, Pedicularis incarnata, Rumex alpestris, Viola altaica. H: northern well-drained slopes in subalpine belt (1400–2100 m) in mountains of Southern Siberia.

Headings of the Tables 1, 2 with ecological and phytocoenotic characteristics of relevés. Row 1 (Ассоциация) — association name. Row 2 — Altitude, m. Row 3 — Aspect (°). Row 4 — Inclination (°). Row 5 — Cover of tree layer, %. Row 6 — Cover of shrub layer, %. Row 7 — Cover of herb layer, %. Row 8 — Cover of moss layer, %. Row 9 — Field relevé nr. Row 10 — Relevé nr. in Table.

Key words: classification, Braun-Blanquet, Vaccinio-Piceetea, dark coniferous forests, Siberia, Urals

Section: Articles

How to cite

Ermakov N. B. 2025. New syntaxa of coniferous (Abies sibirica, Pinus sibirica, Picea obovata) forests from the Altai-Sayanian mountain region and the classification system concept of the Urals-Siberian dark coniferous boreal forests // Vegetation of Russia. 51: 80–111. https://doi.org/10.31111/vegrus/2025.51.80

Received March 26 2025. Signed for printing October 10 2025

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