The Great Caucasus alpine belt syntaxonomy. Alpine meadows with restricted distribution

K. О. Korotkov, E. А. Belonovskaya

DOI: https://doi.org/10.31111/vegrus/2001.01.17

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Alpine meadows with prevalence of perennial herbs and grasses and alpine fruticose-lichen heaths are widespread within the Great Caucasus alpine belt, 2400—3200 m above the sea level. The association Hedysaro hedysaroidis—Campanuletum collinae is met in the Western and Central Caucasus. The associations Alopecuro dasyanthi—Asteretum alpini, transitional to scree vegetation, and Nardo stricti—Geranietum gymnocauli, with some features of the alpine carpet-like communities, are common in the Western Caucasus. The last association can be divided into the 2 subassociations, N. —G. festucetosum variae and N.—G. cetrarietosum purpurascentis. The association Polygono vivipari—Kobresietum bellardii is restricted to the Central Caucasus. The association Potentiletum crantzii with the two subassociations P. c. vaccinietosum myrtilli and P. c. kobresietosum simpliciusculae and also the association Alchemillo sericeae—Caricetum umbrosae are common for the Eastern Caucasus. The third east-caucasian association, Astragaletum incerti, is specific for this region; it is met only on the extreme South of the high-mountainous Dagestan. The syntaxonomical differentiation between west- and central-caucasian associations is more distinct. Whereas the eastern ones are less differentiated both from each other and from the neighbouring vegetation type, the alpine carpet-like meadows. This could be explained by means of the hypothesis of continental fusion of syntaxa. All the above-mentioned associations are combined into the novel Caucasian alliance Alchemillo caucasicae—Campanulion tridentatae which is assigned to the European class Juncetea trifidi and the order Caricetalia curvulae.

Key words: alpine belt, syntaxonomy, regional variations, plant communities

Section: Articles

How to cite

Korotkov K. O., Belonovskaya E. A. 2001. The Great Caucasus alpine belt syntaxonomy. Alpine meadows with restricted distribution // Vegetation of Russia. N 1. P. 17–35. https://doi.org/10.31111/vegrus/2001.01.17