Flora current state of Rosaceae woody species in mountain xerophytic and steppe vegetation of Ordubad district

Бюллетень науки и практики / Bulletin of Science and Practice

Due to its rich flora, Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic has always attracted interest by being different from other botanical-geographical regions of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus. As a result of the fact that the Autonomous Republic is a typical mountainous country, vegetation is divided into distinct zones. One such zone is the territory of Shahbuz region, which differs from other places due to its vegetation and fertile soil. There are many studies on the composition, structure and dynamics of the vegetation of Shahbuz region. However, little attention has been paid to the characteristics of mountain-xerophyte and steppe vegetation in the region.

The mountainous relief of Nakhchivan MR has caused the vegetation of the region to be divided into easily distinguishable zones. The research conducted by us allows to determine the important features characteristic of the woody species of the Rosaceae family of the mountainxerophyte and steppe zone flora of Ordubad region. In the structure of the mountain-xerophyte and steppe complex, shrubs, especially woody species of the Rosaceae family, occupy an important place.

Material and methodology

Research has been carried out since 2019. The mountain-xerophyte-steppe zone of the flora of the Shahbuz region of Nakhchivan MR was chosen as the study area, and tree species belonging to the Rosaceae family were chosen as the object of study. To clarify the species, we used the books by A. M. Askerov “Flora of Azerbaijan” [5], A. Sh. Ibragimov, M. Z. Piriev, D. Sh. Ganbarov “Trees and shrubs of the Rosaceae family on the territory of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic” [17].

Discussion and conclusions

Rosaceae family is one of the main families spread in the flora of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. In the mountain-xerophytic and steppe vegetation of the flora of the Autonomous Republic, tree species of the Rosaceae family are characterized by 79 species belonging to 12 genera of the family. Thus, as a result of processing the materials of personal field research conducted by us, it was established that in the mountain-xerophytic and steppe zone of the flora of the Ordubad district of the region, 48 species belonging to 11 genera of the Rosaceae family were found. The systematic composition and floristic analysis of tree species of the Rosaceae family, widespread in the mountain xerophytic and steppe vegetation of the study area, are reflected in Table 1 [1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11–14].

Table 1 SYSTEMATIC COMPOSITION AND FLORISTIC ANALYSIS OF WOODY SPECIES

OF THE Rosaceae FAMILY SPREADING IN THE STUDIED AREA

№	Species name	Life forms	Ecological groups	Geographical area classes
1.	Cotoneaster integerrimus	nanophanerophytes	xerophytes	Europe
2.	C. melanocarpus	nanophanerophytes	xerophytes	Palearctic
3.	C. multiflorus	nanophanerophytes	xerophytes	Central Asia
4.	C. suavis	nanophanerophytes	xerophytes	Central Asia
5.	C. saxatilis	nanophanerophytes	xerophytes	Central Asia
6.	Crataegus caucasica	microphanerophytes	xeromesophytes	Atropatan
7.	C. cinovskissi	microphanerophytes	mesophytes	Atropatan
8.	C. monogyna	microphanerophytes	mesoxerophytes	Europe
9.	C. orientalis	microphanerophytes	mesoxerophytes	Eastern Mediterranean
10.	C. pallasii	microphanerophytes	mesoxerophytes	East-Pontic
11.	Louiseania ulmifolia	microphanerophytes	mesoxerophytes	Unknown
12.	Malus orientalis	microphanerophytes	mesophytes	Caucasus
13.	Prunus communis	microphanerophytes	mesophytes	Front Asia
14.	P. divaricata	mesophanerophytes	mesophytes	Eastern Mediterranean
15.	P. fenzliana	microphanerophytes	xerophytes	Front Asia

Бюллетень науки и практики / Bulletin of Science and Practice Т. 10. №7. 2024 № Species name Life forms Ecological groups Geographical area classes 16. P. incana nanophanerophytes xerophytes Iran 17. P. microcarpa nanophanerophytes xerophytes Iran 18. P. nairica nanophanerophytes xerophytes Atropatan 19. Pyracantha coccinea nanophanerophytes mesophytes Eastern Mediterranean 20. Pyrus medvedevii mesophanerophytes xerophytes Atropatan 21. P. oxyprion mesophanerophytes xerophytes Atropatan 22. P. salicifolia mesophanerophytes mesophytes Iran 23. P. georgica mesophanerophytes xerophytes Iberia 24. P. megrica microphanerophytes mesoxerophytes Atropatan 25. Rosa brotherorum nanophanerophytes mesophytes Caucasus 26. R. buschiana nanophanerophytes mesophytes Caucasus 27. R. canina nanophanerophytes mesophytes Western Palearctic 28. R. chomutoviensis nanophanerophytes mesophytes Unknown 29. R. hracziana nanophanerophytes xerophytes Atropatan 30. R. iberica nanophanerophytes xerophytes Asia Minor 31. R. multiflora microphanerophytes mesoxerophytes Eastern Mediterranean 32. R. nisami nanophanerophytes mesophytes Atropatan 33. R. orientalis nanophanerophytes xerophytes Atropatan 34. R. sachokiana nanophanerophytes xerophytes Albania 35. R. sosnovskyana nanophanerophytes mesophytes Caucasus 36. R. tomentosa nanophanerophytes mesophytes Europe 37. R. tschatyrdagı nanophanerophytes xerophytes Unknown 38. R. tuschetica nanophanerophytes xeromesophytes Caucasus 39. Rubus anatolicus nanophanerophytes mesophytes Caucasus 40. R. caesius nanophanerophytes mesophytes Western Palearctic 41. R. ibericus nanophanerophytes mesophytes Caucasus 42. Spiraea crenata nanophanerophytes mesoxerophytes Pontic Sarmatian 43. S. hypericifolia nanophanerophytes mesoxerophytes Pontic Sarmatian 44. Sorbus persica microphanerophytes mesoxerophytes Iran 45. S. luristanica microphanerophytes xeromesophytes Iran 46. S. roopiana microphanerophytes mesophytes Iran 47. S. takhtajanii microphanerophytes xeromesophytes Unknown 48. S. turcica microphanerophytes xerophytes Atropatan

Life forms, as types of adaptation structures, demonstrate on one hand the ways in which different types of plants adapt to the same conditions, and on the other hand, the possibilities of similarity of these ways in unrelated plants belonging to different species, genera and families. Therefore, the classification of life forms cannot be compatible with the usual classification of systematics based on the structure of reproductive organs and reflecting the common origin of plants. The classification of life forms is based on the structure of vegetative organs.

Based on K. Raunkier’s system, an analysis of the life forms of tree species belonging to the Rosaceae family of the mountain-xerophytic and steppe zone of the flora of the Ordubad region was carried out. Although his system was relatively simple, it was nonetheless a perfect system. He argues that to identify forms of life, one must pay attention to three basic nuances. This system is characterized mainly by important morphological features rather than by the appearance of the plant [2, 9, 18].

Taking into account the above, the life forms of the woody species of the mountain-xerophyte and steppe zone of the Shahbuz region flora, which are included in the Rosaceae family, are grouped into 3 subtypes of phanerophytes. Mesophanerophytes are trees up to 8–30 m tall, microphanerophytes are trees and shrubs up to 2–8 m tall, and nanophanerophytes are shrubs less than 2 m tall. Of the woody species of the mountain-xerophyte and steppe zone of the Ordubad region flora, 27 are nanophanerophytes, 16 are microphanerophytes, and 5 are mesophanerophytes (Figure 1) [8, 16].

• ■    nanophanerophytes

• ■    microphanerophytes

• ■    mesophanerophytes

Figure 1. Life forms of woody species belonging to the Rosaceae family of the mountain-xerophyte and steppe zone of Ordubad region flora

Water is important as an ecological factor in spreading plants over wide areas under different climatic conditions, spreading them in different areas and forming different groups. Plants are divided into different ecological groups. Spreading of woody species of the Rosaceae family of Nakhchivan MR by ecological groups was carried out according to Shennikov’s classification system. Mesophytes occupy an intermediate position between hydrophytes and xerophytes in their relation to moisture and their requirements. Mesophytic plants are mainly forest, shrub, subalpine, alpine plants. Xerophytic species are plants that spread mainly in dry areas and have acquired various adaptations to moisture deficiency. This group of plants includes desert, dry steppe, thorn sparse forest, rocky, etc. refers to the plants common in the areas. There are also plants that are mesophytic in origin and lead a relatively xerophytic lifestyle by adapting to their ecological environment. These plants are mesoxerophytic plants. Xeromesophytes occupy an intermediate position between xerophytes and mesoxerophytes. They are mostly found in forest clearings and sparse bush areas, and especially in the north-west and south-west of the mountain slopes [6].

• ■    xeromesophytes

• ■    mesoxerophytes

• ■    xerophytes

• ■    mesophytes

Figure 2. Ecological groups of woody species belonging to the Rosaceae family of the mountainxerophyte and steppe zone of Ordubad region flora

From Figure 2 it is known that in the mountain-xerophytic and steppe regions of the Ordubad region, mesophytes are represented by 17 species, xerophytes — by 18 species, mesoxerophytes — by 9 species, xeromesophytes — by 4 species.

Areal types of species reflect the relationship between the flora of the studied region and the flora of large areas surrounding this region, leading to the study of species' migration routes from a historical point of view. Based on available literature sources and our personal field research, it was determined that the woody species of the Rosaceae family of the mountain-xerophytic and steppe zone of Shahbuz region belong to different areal types and classes, which allows us to determine the migration routes of the species to the area.

Based on zonal and regional principles, the woody species of the family spreading in the studied area were analyzed in 4 types of geographical areas and 15 areal classes [10; 15].

As can be seen from the given diagram, the Xerophilic areal type includes 26 species, the Caucasian areal type-9, the Boreal areal type-6, and the Desert areal type 3 species (Figure 3). The habitat type of 4 species is unknown.

• ■    Xerophilic

• ■    Boreal

• ■    Desert

• ■    Caucasian

• ■    Unknown

Figure 3. Areal types of woody species belonging to the Rosaceae family of the mountainxerophyte and steppe zone of Ordubad region flora

Thus, as a result of the conducted research, the taxonomic composition of 48 woody species of the mountain-xerophytic and steppe zone of the Ordubad region flora included in the Rosaceae family was determined and grouped according to their life form, ecological group and areal classes. The result of the research was considered an important scientific base for studying the flora of the mountain-xerophyte and steppe zone of Ordubad district flora.

Conclusions

• 1.    As a result of the conducted research, it was determined that woody plants belonging to the Rosaceae family are characterized by 48 species belonging to 11 genera in the mountain-xerophytic and steppe areas of Ordubad region, and it was found that Rosa — 14 (29.1%), Prunus — 6 (12, 5%), Crataegus — 5 (10.4%), Pyrus — 5 (10.4%), Sorbus — 5 (10.4%), Cotoneaster — 5 (10.4%), Rubus — 3 (6, 25%), Spiraea — 2 (4.16%), Malus , Louiseania and Pyracantha — 1 species (2.08%) are found.

• 2.    The analysis of life forms shows that the woody species of the mountain-xerophyte and steppe zone of the Ordubad district flora, which are included in the Rosaceae family, are grouped into 3 subtypes of phanerophytes. It was found that mesophanerophytes are represented by 5 (10.5%), microphanerophytes by 16 (33.3%), and nanophanerophytes by 27 (56.2%) species. According to ecological groups, mesophytes are represented by 17 (35.41%), xerophytes 18 (37.5%), mesoxerophytes 9 (18.75%), xeromesophytes 4 (8.33%) species.

• 3.    In the mountain-xerophytic and steppe areas of Ordubad region, there are 26 types of woody plants belonging to the Rosaceae family, Xerophilic areal type-9, Caucasian areal type-9, Boreal areal type — 6, and 3 species of the Desert areal type. The areal type of 4 species is not known.