Plant biodiversity of the lower tiers of pine forests in Central Siberia

Arctic and northern forest ecosystems are characterized by an almost continuous moss-lichen and grass-shrub cover. The lower layers of vegetation can occupy up to 95% of the total biomass of ecosystems. Making up the forage base of the reindeer, as well as acting as a platform for human economic activities, the ecosystems of the boreal biome become vulnerable. Which is directly related to climate change and anthropogenic pressure. The article assesses the biodiversity of the lower tiers of pine forests by describing the species composition, stocks and occurrence of plants. The studied ecosystems are located in the south of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation in the Turukhansk region of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, on the territory included in the coverage area of the ZOTTO high-altitude mast station. The dominant species in the living ground cover of pine ecosystems are Cladonia stellaris (Opiz), Cladonia rangiferina (L.), Cetraria islandica (L.), Pleurozium schreberi schreberi (Willd.ex Brid.), Hylocomium splendens (Hedom.), Vaccínium myrtíllus (L.) In the pine forests of the SymskoDubchesky forestry district, the phytomass stock in the living ground cover vary from 355 g / m2 in lichen pine forests to 830 g / m2 in green moss pine forests. The mosslichen layer accounts for 78-96% of the total phytomass of the ground cover. Its reserves are comparable to the photosynthesizing phytomass of the tree layer (pine). The data obtained will be used for further ecological and physiological characterization of vegetation dominants.