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Volkova Alla Maksimovna. High-mountain epilithic lichens on the main rocks of the Northern Urals: silt RSL OD 61:85-3/99
Introduction
CHAPTER I. History of the study of lichen flora of the Urals. 5-12
CHAPTER II . Natural conditions of the study area
1. Geological structure and relief 13-17
2. Petrographic description of the main rocks 17-21
3. Climate 22-35
4. Soils 26
5. Vegetation 27-28
CHAPTER III. Working method and basic material 29-31
CHAPTER IV. Summary of lichen flora on the main rocks of the Kytlym massif 32 -128
CHAPTER V . Taxonomic and geographical analysis of the lichen flora. Taxonomic characteristics 129 -136
6. Features of lichen flora 136 -139
7. Geographical characteristics 139 -145
CHAPTER VI. The main lichen and moss-lichen groups on dunites, pyroxenites and gabbro 146 -184
Conclusions 185 -186
References 187 -205
Introduction to the work
Relevance of the topic . One of the most important problems of modern botany is the development of the foundations for the rational use and protection of the plant world, the solution of which is impossible without a detailed study of various groups of plants, including lichens. This is especially important in areas where lichens are poorly studied. Lichenological studies of limited (specific flora according to A.I. Tolmachev) territories with clarification of the species composition of the flora and distribution, ecology of species, genesis of the flora and the role of lichen groups in plant communities, especially in those where lichens dominate, are now acquiring significant importance. In the Urals, a mountainous country with a wide variety of ecological conditions, the study of highland lichens is of particular interest, where lichens participate in the early stages of colonization of bare substrate by vegetation. The study of lichen flora and vegetation provides material for developing issues of preserving the gene pool of rare species and protecting unique plant communities. In recent years, due to increasing interest in lichens as sensitive indicators of the state of the environment, the problem of studying lichens has become of great importance for the industrial Urals.
Purpose and objectives of the work . The main goal of this work is to provide a comprehensive description of the lichen component of the vegetation cover of the highlands of the Northern Urals (using the example of the Kytlym massif). The objectives of the work included: I) identifying the species composition of lichens on three main rocks in high mountain zones;
taxonomic and geographical analysis of the lichen flora of the region;
establishing the location and characteristics of the lichen flora on dunites, pyroxenites and gabbros; 4) phytocenological characteristic
teak of the main lichen groups.
Scientific novelty and practical value of the work . The floristic complex of lichens on basic rocks in the high mountain belts of the Northern Urals was studied for the first time (using the example of the Kytlym massif). Information was obtained on the distribution and habitat conditions of 188 species, varieties and forms of lichens. Characteristics and comparison of the flora of lichens on dunites, pyroxenites and gabbro are given, the association of lichens with the substrate is revealed, common and rare species are indicated. Information on the lichen flora of the Urals has been supplemented, new species are given: 168 - for the study area, 95 - for the Northern Urals, 65 - for the Urals, species I - for the USSR. Two species and the first variety of lichens are described - new to science (Volkova, 1966). The understanding of the distribution of many species of lichens in the study area and in the Urals has expanded significantly, which helps to resolve a number of general issues of phytogeography.
The work is of practical importance for detailed studies of the vegetation cover of boreal highlands. The results of the study are used in Volume I of the “Identifier of Lichens of the USSR” and in the compilation of subsequent volumes.
The data obtained can be used in environmental monitoring work to justify measures to protect high-mountain ecosystems.
Geological formation and relief
The Kytlym mountain range is located in the southern part of the Northern Urals and forms a kind of ring - continuous in the north and broken in the south. The northern part of the ring is an arcuate latitudinal ridge, above which individual peaks rise: Konzhakovsky (1570 m), Tylaysky (1470 m), Serebryansky (1302 m) Kamni. To the southwest of this ridge, Kosvinsky Kamen (1520 m) is separated by a small depression. The eastern branch of the ring is Sukhogorsky Kamen (1201 m) with spurs (Fig. 1).
The Kytlym massif can be divided according to the composition of the rocks into two parts: the western dunite-pyroxenite-tylaite and the eastern gabbro (Efimov, Efimova, 1967). Within the massif, several concentric structures are clearly visible, created by both banding and the contours of zones of different petrographic composition
The research was carried out in the southern part of the Kytlym massif, which includes two concentric structures: in the west - Kosvinskaya, in the east - Suhogorskaya (Fig. 2). The structure of Kosvinsky K. has the form of a triangle in plan with rounded corners. The central part is composed of uniform olivine pyroxenites with numerous small and one large, irregularly shaped dunite body - known as the Kosvinsky Shoulder (Fig. 3). Pyroxenites from the west and southwest are bordered by a strip of tylaites, which, in turn, is surrounded by another strip of pyroxenites, containing the meridionally elongated dunite body of Sosnovsky Uval.
The Kosva structure does not form a single whole with the Kytlym massif itself and is separated from it by the Kytlymites. The Kosvinsky K. structure can be considered as a separate intrusion. The Sukhorya concentric structure is oriented with its long axis along the meridian and extends from north to south for more than 20 km. Its periphery in the east, southeast and south is composed of gabbro-norites, most of which are banded olivine gabbros and troctolites. The direction of ridges and spurs within the massif is determined by the direction of parallel textures in hyperbasites and gabbroids. The peaks of the gabbro mountains are rocky and very dry. Their slopes are covered with fine gravel placers and screes. Gabbros are weakly weathered, the resulting fine earth is carried down and tundra is abundant on the mountain slopes (Fig. 4). The slopes of mountains composed of pirocenites and dunites are usually quite steep. On their tops there are often piles of blocks up to 3-6 m high. Areas of fine earth on the top and slopes of the mountains are covered with mountain tundra. The slopes of the high mountains are steep, covered with large block placers, which sometimes descend in the form of separate tongues to the very foot. The dunites in the study area are strongly foliated, broken into packs of thin sheets, which, when destroyed, turn almost into crushed stone (Fig. 5). The weathering products of dunite are characterized by increased water permeability. The fine earth accumulated in the crevices between dunite blocks quickly loses moisture, this explains the somewhat xeromorphic appearance of the flora of dunite rocks (Gorchakoveky, 1975). An indicator of the destructibility of rocks is their fracturing, which determines the shape and size of the units, the rate of destruction of the rock, and, consequently, the rate of entry of clastic material into talus and placers. More fractured rocks are destroyed faster. The rocks we studied form a series of decreasing resistance to weathering: gabbro-pyroxenites - dunites. Petrographic description of the main rocks Data on the petrographic description and chemistry of rocks are given according to the reports of geological parties (Dibner, Dibner and Chernyak, 1948) and studies carried out by geologists in 1955-1959 (Efimov and Ivanova, 1963; Efimov, 1963; Efimov and Efimova, 1967). The rocks of the study area are ultrabasic (dunites and pyroxenites) and basic (gabbro). They are poor in alkalis and undersaturated in silica.
Dunites in fresh fracture are dark green in color. It is a dense rock with no visible grain. In primary outcrops, dunites are always covered with a weathering crust, the color and thickness of which depends on the iron content of olivine: usually dunites have a light yellow crust, which, with increasing iron content, i.e. when dunite transforms into metadunite, it becomes thinner and acquires a brownish or reddish color. Dunites consist of olivine and a small amount of accessory chromite. There is no pyroxene in normal dunite; it appears in the marginal zones of dunite bodies, during the transition to metadunites and pyroxenites.
Pyroxenites are medium- to coarse-grained rocks that are dark or greenish-gray in color when freshly fractured. The color of the weathering crust depends on the amount of olivine: the rock varieties richest in olivine have a red-brown thin relief crust, the depressions of which are composed of olivine, and the protrusions are composed of pyroxene and titanomagnetite. When ore pyroxenites weather, titanomagnetite appears on the crust in the form of porous slag-like growths. The total iron content of pyroxenites varies within very wide limits.
Gabbro (mainly olivine) is noted in the central part of the Sukhory structure. The main minerals of olivine gabbro are basic plagioclase, clinopyroxene, olivine and titanomagnetite. Olivine gabbros are characterized by a variety of structures, textures and compositions. It is difficult to single out any average type - there are all transitions. All varieties of olivine gabbro differ from other basic rocks in the weathering crust - olivine stands out in it in the form of rusty spots.
Banded structures are ubiquitous. In most cases, the banding appears completely straight, less often it forms smooth bends observed within the same block or individual outcrop. Gabbro and pyroxenites differ from dunites in their high content of calcium compounds (Table I). Gabbro also contains a fairly high percentage of aluminum compounds, and pyroxenites contain manganese and iron compounds. In dunites, magnesium compounds are predominant.
Climate
The climate of the Kytlymekiy mountain range is continental with cold windy winters and cool rainy summers. The winter is long and harsh; from the end of October, a continuous snow cover with a thickness of up to 3 m is established on the western and 0.7 m on the eastern slope. Snow remains until the end of May. On the southern slopes of the mountains, the snow cover often compacts and settles, forming dense crusts that persist until mid-to-late July (Dibner, Dibner and Chernyak, 1948). Winter is replaced by a cold, protracted spring with frosts lasting until early June. Summer in the mountains is short, not hot, and rainy. Summer showers lead to floods. On the Lobva and Tylay rivers, the water level rises by 1.5-2 m. The main source of nutrition is melted snow water - up to 57% (Kemmerich, 1961).
The climatic conditions of the highlands differ sharply from those of the surrounding plains, however, it is necessary to use the indicators of the nearest meteorological stations: Verkhnyaya Kosva and Rastyos, located in the deep mountain valleys of the western slope of the Ural ridge, as well as the Karpinsk (Bogoslovsk) weather station, located in the eastern foothills (Directory on climate of the USSR, 1965,1968). All stations are located at the same latitude as the study area within a radius of 30 to 60 km.
The average long-term annual temperature in the highlands is below zero, the average monthly temperatures in January range from -17 to -19, in July - from +14 to +17 (Table 2). Absolute minimum temperatures in winter drop from -52 to -55, summer maximum temperatures reach +35 (Moshkin, Olenev and Shuvalov, 1966). The amount and distribution of precipitation during the year is determined by western cyclones and relief features (Table 3). Precipitation in the study area is about 800 mm (Kuvshinova, 1968). If Table 2, the amount of summer precipitation is significantly greater than winter precipitation (solid precipitation accounts for 20-40% of annual precipitation). In winter and summer, southwestern winds dominate here, carrying large amounts of precipitation. The mountain range around the village of Kytlym is a barrier to air masses coming from the west. Most of the precipitation is retained on the western slope of the mountains; The eastern slopes have poorer precipitation. Snow falls very early in the mountains. In 1962, we observed the first snow on Kosvinsky K. on August 1 (Fig.b). According to the observations of I.K. Bulatova (1978), the formation of stable snow cover on the peaks of the Kyt-Lym Mountains occurs from September 1 to September 30. North and northwest winds are fierce on mountain passes. The mountains are mostly covered with clouds. In the treeless mountain-tundra belt of the massif, heavy winter precipitation almost does not linger, but is carried away by the wind to the underlying zones. From the flat surfaces of saddles and mountain terraces, snow is often completely blown away, leaving stone blocks and soil exposed (Dolgushin, 1940). Snow cover in the mountain tundra belt, despite its low thickness, is highly dense.
The average relative humidity in the mountains of the massif is high (80%) due to frequent dense fogs and low clouds; the amount of precipitation is approximately 100 mm more than in the flat areas of the study area. There are no large rivers within the Kytlym massif, since it is located on a watershed and includes the upper reaches: on one side the river. Kosva with tributaries (Kama basin), and on the other - the Lobva and Kakva rivers with tributaries (Ob basin). Almost all rivers are mountainous; Their regime is not constant and depends on the amount of precipitation.
Information about the soils of the high mountain regions of the Northern Urals is contained in the works of E.N. Ivanova (1947); K.P. Bogatyreva, N.A. Nogina (1962); V.P. Firsova (1970); P.L. Gorchakovsky (1975). The formation of soils in the highlands is closely related to the destruction of stone placers with the accumulation of fine earth, so here one can observe a number of transitions from the very initial stages of soil formation (stone blocks) to well-formed soils of the subalpine and mountain forest belts.
Organic residues accumulated between stone blocks (mainly dead lichens and mosses) form primitive accumulative soil. It consists of a peaty dark-brown mass containing small particles of collapsing rock. On the thin eluvium of rocks under the tundra, mountain-tundra soils have the character of soil-eluvium. The upper horizon of mountain tundra soils is humus-peaty; it contains much more decomposed plant residues than mineral particles. There is no clear division into genetic horizons. The soils are highly acidic.
The meadows of the subalpine belt are characterized by soddy mountain meadow soils. They are characterized by a thickness of up to 40-45 cm, a clear division into genetic horizons. The mechanical composition is medium or heavy loamy, the reaction is slightly acidic (Mikhailova, Mikhailov, 1967).
The soils of low-growing forests in the subalpine belt and forests in the mountain forest belt are soddy mountain forest acidic, clayey or loamy, developing on crushed stone eluvium. They have a uniform profile of brownish-brown color, almost without division into horizons, and are characterized by the absence of signs of podzolization and the accumulation of iron in the upper mineral horizons.
According to its position in the system of botanical-geographical zonation, the Kytlym mountain range belongs to the northern taiga subzone of the boreal-forest zone (Gorchakovsky, 1965). On the slopes of the highest mountains the following vegetation belts can be traced: mountain forest, sub-alpine, mountain-tundra, belt of cold alpine deserts (Gorchakovsky, 1966, 1966a, 1975). We present characteristics of high-mountain vegetation using the example of Kosvinsky Kamen (Gorchakovsky, Nikonova, Famelis, Sharafutdinov, 1977). The mountain forest belt is dominated by coniferous forests of the taiga type: spruce forests, spruce-fir-cedar forests and pine forests. The forests are sparse, and Arctic shrubs predominate in the herb-shrub layer (Famelis, 1977). The mountain-forest belt rises to 850-900 m above sea level. The forest boundary on the southern slope of Kosvinsky Kamen, on average, rises to 961 m above sea level. (Gorchakovsky, Shiyatov, 1970), on Kosvinsky Shoulder up to 761 m above sea level, on Kolpak mountain up to 805 m above sea level, on the 1st - 4th Bugry of the pass hill of the Suhogorsk structure from 828 to 907 m above sea level In the sub-alpine belt, there are small forests of birch-spruce and fir-spruce forbs and cereals in combination with fragments of mountain tundras, cedar sparse small forests of shrub-green vegetation in combination with shrub-lichen mountain tundras, crooked birch forests, blueberry forests in combination with cereal meadows, crooked birch forests with large grasses in combination with tall grass and cereal meadows. Stone placers are numerous in the subgoltsy belt. The belt rises to 1000 m above sea level. In the mountain-tundra belt there are various types of mountain tundras, grass-moss in combination with snow-covered lawns (on flat horizontal surfaces of plateaus, saddles and mountain terraces), shrub-moss (on flat and level surfaces of saddles and mountain terraces of the southern slope ), shrub-lichen and shrub-moss-lichen (on sloping and gentle slopes of northern and western exposures), lichen tundra with a predominance of leafy and bushy lichens (on sloping slopes at high levels near the top). The largest area in the mountain-tundra belt is occupied by primary labile plant communities of crustose, foliose and fruticose lichens on large stone blocks and coarse crushed stone on steep and moderately steep slopes of different exposures. Fragments of formed mountain tundras occupy small areas and are located on slopes with a layer of fine earth among large-block stone placers.
Vegetation
Our research was carried out in the high-mountain belts of the Kytlym mountain range in 1962-64. Using a geological map of the study area, we laid out routes for the most complete identification of lichen flora on dunites, pyroxenites and gabbros; samples were collected on rocks of different composition, at altitudes from 700 to 1520 m above sea level, on slopes of different exposures, in various habitats. In our work, we adopted the following division of habitats: I. on stones, 2. on fine earth up to 2 cm thick, 3. on fine earth up to 5 cm thick.
When describing the lichen vegetation in the studied area, generally accepted methods were used (Ochsner, 1927,1961,1962). Burial areas measuring 20x20 cm were described in the number of 15-35 for each group. The characteristics of the habitat consistently indicated: geographical location, altitude. m., position in the relief - steepness and aspect of the slope, exposure of the stone on which the test site is located, location of the site (on vertical, horizontal or angled surfaces of stones), environment, moisture conditions (visually), rock or fine earth.
In each description, the species composition of lichens and mosses (as well as higher plants, if any) was noted. Particular attention in the work was paid to projective cover, since in lichen groups it is one of the important quantitative indicators. The assessment of projective coverage was carried out using a square frame with a grid stretched every 2 cm (the cell was 4 cm), which ensured the determination of coverage with satisfactory accuracy. The average cover was calculated for each species. Groups were distinguished by dominants and constant characteristic species.
To characterize the phytocenotic role of individual species, we determined their constancy or degree of constancy, assessed, according to generally accepted methods, as the percentage occurrence of a species in a series of descriptions. We used a constancy scale of 10 classes with a class interval of 10%.
The ecological similarity between species in each group was determined by the method of correlations, or constellations, of De Vries (De Vries, 1953), which made it possible to identify (without mathematical proportionality) species in each group that are equally demanding of habitat. encounters of 2 types, in - the number of sites where the 1st species is present, c - the number of sites where the 2nd species is present. The obtained K values were grouped by class, and all the results of data processing by this method are presented in graphical form (see chapter b).
In order to assess the floristic similarity of groups, we calculated the value of the coefficient of commonality of species composition according to Jaocard (Jaocard, 1901): Q.j = - . 100% a + b - c where C is the number of species common to the two groups, a and b are the number of species in the compared groups. Regarding communities of higher plants, there are indications (Norin, 19b5) that if Q is 51%, then the floristic composition is almost identical. There are no such restrictions yet for lichen groups.
In cases where the same group was represented on two different rocks, we used a more rigorous method of assessing the degree of floristic commonality - calculating the upper critical limit for the number of common species in a pairwise comparison of plots, taking into account the total number of species in a given series of descriptions and comparison actual number of common species with theoretically expected
In total, more than 3,000 samples of lichens were collected on rocks of different composition, 223 geobotanical descriptions were made (55 on dunites, 68 on gabbro, 100 on pyroxenites), including 80 species of lichens, 5 species of bryophytes and 7 species of higher plants. A total of 10 groups have been identified.
Features of lichen flora
To clarify general botanical-geographical patterns and for purely floristic purposes, the method that A.N. Oksner (1974) designated as statistical-floristic has recently become widely used. It requires an accurate count of the number of species, genera and families of the flora being studied. These indicators allow us to draw a conclusion about the greater or lesser floristic richness of the compared floras in general, and especially the floras of territories that are similar in their characteristics and area. Comparative floristry was developed by the works of A.I. Tolmachev (1931,1970). Analysis of the systematic structure of floras (the composition and sequence of arrangement of families leading in the number of species in the compared floras) is used in the works of many botanists (Zaki and Schmidt, 1972; Schmidt, 1974).
An interesting analysis of the possibilities of using this method in comparative floristry was made in the recently published book by N.S. Golubkova (1983) “Analysis of the lichen flora of Mongolia.” Using the example of an analysis of the quantitative relationship of various systematic groups of flowering plants in the floras of various floristic regions of the globe, it is shown that, in general, the set of “leading families” turns out to be very stable (Tolmachev, 1970). Obviously, there is a parity that regulates the number of species of certain systematic groups of plants within a vast floristic region. At the same time, the constancy of the systematic structure of floras within natural floristic regions is noted even for territories of different sizes. In addition, it is revealed with sufficient certainty even with a relatively incomplete inventory of regional floras. Some quantitative relationships characterizing the systematic structure of the flora apparently have very deep roots and reflect significant botanical and geographical patterns (Tolmachev, 1970). Quantitative relationships between species of different families naturally change depending on the latitudinal position of the corresponding spaces; they are specific primarily for certain floristic regions and undoubtedly should reflect the inherent features of florogenesis and the connection between it and a complex of natural factors (Golubkova, 1983). A comparative analysis of the systematic structure of boreal (Arctic and forest) lichen floras of the temperate Holarctic was given in the works of Soviet lichenologists (Golubkova et al., 1979; Makarova, 1979, 1979a; Andreev, 1980); Sedelnikova, 1977).
To identify the characteristics of the lichen flora we studied, we used data on the composition of the leading families of lichens (Table 7) in the floras of the Chukotka Peninsula and Mountain Shoria, given by N.S. Golubkova (1983). Fully aware of the disparity of the compared areas in terms of area and natural conditions, we note a certain similarity of lichen floras, due in the 1st case to the abundance of tundra species in the compared floras and alpine lichens in the 2nd case. The three leading families in terms of the number of species in all compared floras are: Leoideaceae, Parmeliaoeae, Cladoniaoeae. The percentage of the total number of species accounted for by these Table 7 Composition of the leading families of lichens in some boreal floras (given according to Golubkova, 1983). Family: Chukotka Peninsula: (Makarova, 1979) : Mountain Shoria: (Sidelnikova, 1977) : High Mountains of the Urals: (Volkova,! I North-EYA4ya) west east: USU±a / families (on the Chukotka Peninsula and in Mountain Shoria about a third of species, in our country - almost half). The poorer the flora is in species, the fewer families contain half of its composition. Accordingly, with increasing geographic latitude (as well as altitude above sea level), the structure of floras undergoes consistent simplification in parallel with the depletion of species composition (Tolmachev, 1970). Our data are consistent with this “general law.” The lichen flora in the high-mountain belts of the Kytlym massif is more moderate compared to the Arctic floras (the Lecideaoeae family is in 3rd place in it). The lichen flora we studied differs from both comparisons in the high position of typical epiliths from the family. Umbilioariaoeae (4th place) and typical xerotic lichens from the family. Aspioiliaoeae (7-8th place). The remaining families occupy almost the same places with the compared lichen floras: fam. Lecanoraoeae u Pertusariaceae (4-5-6), Physoiaceae (6-7-8), Telosohistaoeae (6,9,10). Among the differences in the compared lichen floras we include the absence in our collections of representatives of the family associated with limestones. verruca giaoeae and representatives of forest floras from the family. Caliciaceae.
The Northern Urals are part of the Ural Mountains. Its territories stretch from Kosvinsky and Konzhava Stones to the Telposis massif. On the northern side it is washed by the Shchuger River.
The Northern Urals are a rather remote and forgotten area. One of its peaks is Bear's Corner. There is practically no population here. Impenetrable forests and viscous swamps are growing in the mountains.
In the territories of the Northern Urals there are patches of permafrost and small glaciers.
Despite the harsh climate and difficult living conditions, the Northern Urals are very popular among tourists. The Dyatlov Pass is one of the most famous peaks, which is constantly conquered by extreme sports enthusiasts.
Flora of the Northern Urals
The Northern Urals are a place of formations of taiga forests, subalpine meadows and swamps.
The plains located at the foot of the mountains represent the taiga zone. Coniferous forests grow here, covered with a thick layer of moss. In some taiga areas you can find spruce and birch forests. Fir and rowan trees also grow there. Honeysuckle, wolf's bast and currants grow in the undergrowth. The spruce-fir taiga is famous for its large quantities of blueberries, blueberries, cranberries and cloudberries.
The eastern slopes of the Northern Urals are somewhat different from the western ones. Here, for the most part, pine forests grow, in which birches, cedars and spruces are found. The soil of the eastern bogs is suitable for the growth of polar birch, wild rosemary, heather and sedge. The eastern vegetation is also characterized by the presence of larches, in the undergrowth of which grow juniper, raspberries, alders and currants.
Mountain vegetation consists of low-growing trees - birch and cedar. And the upper boundary of the forests is a birch forest with wild rosemary and blueberries. Behind these forests begin alpine meadows and shrub tundra, in which only mosses and lichens can be found.
The Northern Urals are rich in medicinal plants. The following grow here: chickweed, St. John's wort, wild strawberry, fireweed, swamp cranberry, stony stoneweed, stinging nettle, cinquefoil, common mantle, coltsfoot and others.
Fauna of the Northern Urals
At times the taiga can seem completely devoid of life. But that's not true.
Orcas live in the swamps of the Northern Urals.
In the taiga forests you can hear the sounds made by black grouse and crossbill. You can also often hear the loud cry of the nutcracker here. Tits are one of the main representatives of birds in the Northern Urals. Bullfinches settled on the treetops. And the main forest health workers are woodpeckers.
Large animals in the Northern Urals include brown bears, moose, foxes, lynxes, stoats and reindeer. Also, the conditions of the Urals are suitable for the life of wolverines and wolves.
Sables, martens, weasels, weasels and minks have adapted to the harsh conditions of the Northern Urals. The paws of small predators are somewhat wider than those of the inhabitants of the southern forests. However, the number of some of them has noticeably decreased due to poaching.
Badger and otter are quite rare species in the Northern Urals.
Squirrels and chipmunks live on the treetops. Most often they can be found in abandoned bird hollows and nests.
A large number of rodents live here - the forest vole, the mouse mouse, the little mouse, but the largest rodent in these places is the beaver.
Also, unusual mammals, shrews, live in the shade of tree trunks. They are very similar to mice, they differ only in their muzzle - they have it extended into a trunk.
The Northern Urals are home to a huge number of insects. Beautiful and pleasant butterflies - Eugene's mother-of-pearl, large forest mother-of-pearl, poplar ribbon butterfly, Apollo Phoebus, admiral, blue ribbon, marbled nigella. And not very pleasant, but numerous representatives of insects - the plateweed, the short-tailed stonefly, the homogeneous articular beetle, the antlion, the brilliant ground beetle and others.
Climate in the Northern Urals
The duration and climate of spring depend on the territory. In the north, spring lasts about 2 months, and in the south 1 month. The climate is sharply continental, so the temperature can be low below zero, warm, and even hot when spring abruptly gives way to summer weather.
In summer, the days can be very hot with temperatures up to +30°C, but the heat alternates with cool days, sharply replacing each other.
Autumn in the Northern Urals lasts a little less than 3 months. In September, precipitation begins to fall in the form of rain and snow, and the temperature drops again to -9 degrees.
The Northern Urals have the longest and harshest winters; closer to the south, the climate becomes more favorable. The average duration of this time of year is 7 months. The average temperature is -22 degrees.
Nature is rich and extremely diverse, as you can see by visiting various parts of our huge country or booking tours to other countries. A special group of plants looks curious, which differs from those plants that we are used to seeing every day - lichens. This is both a common species and yet its representatives cannot be called ubiquitous. So, let's figure out where lichens grow.
Where does lichen grow?
Lichens are a group of living organisms that are an association of fungi and algae that live as a single organism. In nature there are at least 26 thousand of their species, among which the following are distinguished:
- epilithic, growing on rocky surfaces;
- epigeic, their habitat is soil (such as);
- epiphytic, covering tree trunks.
Moreover, lichens can be found everywhere in the wild - they grow on every continent, not excluding Antarctica. Surprisingly, even in the barren lands of the Arctic expanses this unique species is found. This is exactly the place where black lichens grow. There are low temperatures, there is practically no water, but such a dark color helps the body quickly absorb the low amounts of solar radiation released. Well, black lichen takes water from snow that melts in the sun. For a long time, lichens remained a mystery to scientists. In truth, there is still no single point of view in the scientific world that lichen is a representative of the kingdom of fungi or the kingdom of plants.
The growing area where fruticose lichens grow is primarily bare rock, trees and soil. Moreover, the lichen feels great in the harsh conditions of the North, in the taiga, highlands, and in the middle of the hot territories of tropical countries. Being an unpretentious crop, lichen settles high in the mountains and on poor lands. At the same time, lichens, over time, destroy the top layer of rocky soil, and when they die, they leave a humus layer on which other plants later develop. By the way, lichens grow extremely slowly; for example, the growth of moss is only 2-3 mm per year.
At the same time, large populated areas, especially those with developed industry, cannot be confidently called the habitat of lichens. The reasons why lichens do not grow in cities are quite clear. The air in cities is polluted, making lichen an unacceptable condition. The fact is that for most representatives of lichens, conditions of high oxygen content in the air are important. But this does not mean that the urban area is completely devoid of lichens. They do not grow in industrial areas, and on the outskirts you can find tree trunks covered with thalli of this biological species.
What lichens grow in Russia?
A wide variety of lichen species grow on the vast territory of the Russian Federation. In spruce forests you can find gray blankets of bearded lichen descending into the branches. When visiting a pine forest, you often find entire colonies in the form of patterned blankets crunching under your feet. 
a land of white, gray and even pink bushy lichens. We mentioned another type of fruticose lichen earlier - this is reindeer moss, better known as “reindeer moss”. In the harsh conditions of the tundra, the deer living there feed on this particular algae-fungus.
Sometimes on stones in almost any region of the country you can find frozen gray-brown foam. It is formed by so-called crustose lichens.
Leafy lichens (for example, xanthoria wallii) are also found in nature, forming a bizarre multi-colored pattern of plates. They cover not only stones, but also tree trunks and branches.
Identification of lichens in rocky areas of the Kalyan ridge
Research (creative) work at Zonal
intellectual youth forum "Step into the future"
(section 2.3 “Biology”)
MKOU "Sittsevskaya Secondary School", 5th grade
Scientific adviser:
Makarova Natalya Mikhailovna,
Biology and chemistry teacher of the highest category
Upper Ufaley - 2012
Contents
I Introduction page 3
II Main part page 4
2.1. The structure of lichens page 5
2.2. Ecological groups of lichens page 10
2.3. Research results page 11
III Conclusion page 12
IV Literature page 13
V Appendices page 14
5.1. Physical map of Nyazepetrovsky district page I
5.2. Confinement of lichens to various substrates page II
5.3. Results of the chemical experiment (table) page III
5.4. Photos of lichens page IV
I Introduction
Lichens are a very interesting and unique group of lower plants.
The peculiar shape of the body of lichens, the presence of special substances unknown in either fungi or algae, metabolic features and a number of other characteristics allow us to consider lichens as an independent group of organisms.
The distribution of lichens in Russia has not yet been sufficiently studied. The lichens of the North of the European part have been most fully studied.
In the Urals, the lichens of the Ilmensky Nature Reserve have been studied in detail. No one has studied the lichens growing on the Kalyan ridge. In this we see the relevance of the topic.
The purpose of this work :
Study of the species composition of lichens growing on the rocks of the Kalyan ridge.
As part of this goal, the following tasks were set:
1. Determine the species composition of lichens and compile a systematic list.
2. Give an ecological description of lichens in the study area.
3. Assess the degree of air pollution.
Research methods :
Analysis of literature on this topic, chemical analysis of samples, collection of herbarium during an expedition to the Kalyan ridge.
The work is of great practical importance, as it is aimed at identifying the habitats of protected lichens in the Chelyabinsk region.
II Main part
The structure of lichens
Lichens are unique organisms consisting of fungi and algae. They are very different in appearance, but among them 3 main morphological types can be identified: 1) crustose or crustose, 2) foliose and 3) bushy lichens (Fig. 1, 1-4)
According to the anatomical structure, their thalli are homeomeric, i.e. with a uniform distribution of fungus and algae throughout the entire thickness of the thallus, and heteromeric, i.e. with a certain differentiation of the thallus (Fig. 2. 1-2)
Lichens most often reproduce vegetatively or by breaking off sections of the thallus, or soredia and isidia. Soredia are tiny complexes consisting of one or a few algal cells entwined with fungal hyphae. (Fig. 3. 1 a, b.) Accumulation of soredia - sorals, breaking through the bark, protrude on the surface or along the edge of the thallus in the form of powdery heaps and edges. Isidia are tiny growths on the surface of the thallus, formed by fungal hyphae and algae cells. (Fig. 3. 2.) These outgrowths easily break off at the base. Like soredia, they consist of both components involved in the construction of the lichen and can give rise to a new thallus. In some lichens, fungi have retained their sporulations (perithecia, apothecia), in which spores are formed. (Fig. 4. 1, 2). If a spore flying out of the bag encounters the corresponding algae, a lichen thallus may form. Sometimes such a meeting is ensured by the presence in the hymenium of the so-called hymenial gonidia, i.e. algae cells in the hymenium itself.
Lichens include marsupial or basidiomycetes. The latter are especially characteristic of lichens of tropical countries. Accurate identification of mushrooms is impossible, because once isolated from the lichen, they do not return to their original appearance. The algae that make up lichens are green or blue-green. Being in the thallus of a lichen, they usually exist in the form of isolated cells and lose their characteristic zoospores or methods of sexual reproduction, reproducing only by division or autospores, but being isolated from the lichen, under appropriate conditions they restore their inherent appearance and methods of reproduction, which is why their identification is possible.
The fungus supplies the algae with water and mineral salts, drawing them in with its hyphae from the substrate, and protects it from drying out and excessive insolation. It is possible that the latter is ensured by the presence of lichen acids deposited on the surface of the bark or deeper. Such relationships, which allow lichens to be content with air, precipitation and dust, provide the opportunity to exist in unfavorable conditions - in the Far North, in deserts, on rocks, etc., which is why they are called pioneers of vegetation. The only condition to which lichens are very sensitive is air purity. Soil lichens are especially richly developed in the tundra and forest-tundra, where they often occupy vast areas and serve as the main food for reindeer (species of the genus Cladonia - the so-called reindeer moss and others.
Some lichens are used in the manufacture of litmus, paints, perfumes, glucose, antibiotic substances, etc. However, their practical use is hampered by the very slow growth of thalli (by several mm per year).
Lichens are divided into 2 classes: ascolicetes (Ascolichenes) and basidiomycetes (Basidiolichenes). The first include, for example, the cortical lichen graphis (Graphis scripta), found on the trunks and branches of young lindens and alders, with apothecia in the form of winding or branched lines reminiscent of oriental writing. Widespread are leafy lichens from the genera Parmelia (Parmelia) and Xanthoria (Xantoria), forming rosettes of grayish color in the first and orange-yellow in the second, and among the bushy ones - various species of the genus Cladonia (Cladonia) and Usnea (Usnea). Basididomycete lichens are found exclusively in the tropics and are relatively little studied.
Ecological groups of lichens
Lichens number 25,000 species and are widespread throughout the globe. The patterns of their geographical distribution have not yet been sufficiently studied. There are species that, in their distribution, are associated not so much with the natural conditions of a certain zone, but with conditions that are repeated in several natural zones. Arctic Nephrona grows in the Far North and is found here. The geographic distribution of lichens is associated with their selective relationship to the substrate, although the latter is not the main reason limiting their distribution.
Based on their association with the substrate, lichens are divided into several ecological groups.
1) Ground (epigean) lichens
Species of this group must withstand strong competition from higher plants, especially herbaceous ones. Therefore, they achieve greater development in places that are unsuitable for higher plants. In our case, these are different types of cladonia: Deer cladonia (C. alpestris). There is also a little-studied group of lichens in our forests.
2) Epiphytic lichens very numerous on tree bark. For example, Parmelia sulcata is found both on old trees and on quartz sandstones.
3) Epilithic lichens settle on stones and cliffs and are represented mainly by scale species: rhizocarpon geographical (calciphobic species), collema scaly, anaptychia beautiful.
A special group consists of peculiar aquatic lichens which spend most of the year underwater. These were not observed on the rocks of the Kalyan ridge (Appendix 4.)
Lichens are very slow growing organisms. The growth of their thallus under favorable conditions varies depending on the species from 1 to 8 mm per year. At the same time, foliose and fruticose lichens grow faster than crustose lichens. The average age of our lichens is from 30 to 80 years.
Due to the slow growth of lichens, a necessary condition for their life is prolonged immobility of the substrate.
Lichens play a significant role in vegetation cover.
The advantages arising from the specific dual nature of lichens allow them to grow in conditions in which other organisms cannot exist. Thus, lichens are the pioneers of overgrowing rocky substrates; by mastering them, they pave the way for other plants.
Research results
During the studied period (summer - autumn 2012), 10 taxa of lichens belonging to 7 genera were identified in rocky areas. Lichens of the genus Cladonia predominate. The Collema squamosus species is protected in the Chelyabinsk region and is included in the Red Book (1. p. 387). In the Chelyabinsk region it was recorded in the Iremel mountain range and the Ilmensky Nature Reserve.
Systematic list
Class Ascolichenes
Genus Verrukcaria Wigg
Verrucaria blackens (v. nigrescens (Ach.) Pers.)
Rod Collema (Collema Web.)
Collema scaly (Collema furfuraceum (Arnold) Du Rietz)
Genus Cladonia (Cladonia Web.)
Cladonia thin (C. tenuis (Flh) Harm)
Fringed Cladonia (C. fimbriata (l.) Fr.)
Cladonia forked (C. furcate (Huds) Schrad.)
Alpine Cladonia (C. alpestris (L.) Rabenh)
Genus Rhizocarpon geographical (Rh.geograhicum (L.) D.C.)
Genus Anaptychia (Anaptychia Koerb.)
Anaptychia beautiful (A.speciosa (Wulf) Mass.)
Nephroma (Ach.)
Arctic nephroma (Nephroma archticum (L.) Toress.)
Genus Parmelia (Parmelia Ach.)
Parmelia sulcata (Tayl.)
