Petrophytic steppes of the Northern Kraka massif (the Southern Urals)

Mountain steppes of the southern Urals are an extrazonal type of relict plant communities of relict origin with a unique floristic composition. This study is the first to describe the communities of the Northern Kraka petrophytous steppes. In the system of ecological and floristic classification these communities are referred to the Koelerio sclerophyllae-Festucetum valesiacae association. They occupy upper slopes and are adjoint to the forest communities of pine and larch. The communities grow on the steep slopes of South exposures with the inclination of up to 400, where lichens of the genus Cladonia are not rare. Various species of petrophytous steppes form the core of coenflora, e.g. xero-mesophytes of Zavolzhsko-Kazakhstan type xerophyte steppes. In the communities of North Kraka are less represented species of herbaceous layer in light-coniferous forests Brachypodio pinnati-Betuletea pendulae. The absence of such species as Elytrigia repens, Fallopia convolvulus may indicate a lesser degree of anthropogenic impact on the communities of Northern Kraka, due to its inaccessibility...