Grid mapping of Vladimir Region flora, Russia: distribution of species reveals distribution of plant communities

Grid maps of vegetation classes based upon distribution data of diagnostic species were compiled for Vladimir Region, Russia. Unexpectedly, most of the сlasses have clear spatial patterns within the Region, although either zonal or subzonal borders are absent here. Presence of plant communities of a certain class within the grid is confirmed by various numbers of diagnostic species for each class, ranging from 1 species for Lemnetea to 15 species for Alnetea glutinosae. Some classes have the same distribution as a dominant species (for example, Nardus stricta and Calluno-Ulicetea, Alnus glutinosa and Alnetea glutinosae). Distribution of diagnostic species clearly shows the spatial patterns of enlarged species pools that are characteristic for various habitats.