Phytocenological structure and biological reserves of Helichrysum aurantiacum Boiss. & A. Huet in Gazakh-Tovuz economic region (Azerbaijan)

The article presents the phytocenological and bioecological analyzes of Helichrysum aurantiacum Boiss. et Huet., an endemic species of the Asteraceae family and assessments in plant coenopopulations of the plant. The studies were carried out in 3 districts of Gazakh-Tovuz Economic Region of Azerbaijan. Ten natural populations where H. aurantiacum species are distributed were selected. In the selected populations, the integral characteristics of the demographic structure of the plant, age and efficiency indices were studied. The formations and associations were determined, the project cover of the areas was calculated, and the abundance was determined. In the H. aurantiacum species, the highest indicator is observed in the generative development stages (225-243 individuals were counted in the g1-g3 period). The efficiency coefficient of H. aurantiacum species in mature populations was ω=0.52-0.76. The high value of the efficiency coefficient in CP 7, 6 and 10 is related to the high number dynamics of plants belonging to the juvenile and immature phases before the generative development phases, and the small number of individuals belonging to the aging (s, ss) phases. The resource potential of the plant was determined and the biological reserve in the districts was 1241.1 centners, and the annual supply was 498.6 centners. This allows the supply of H. aurantiacum species in Tovuz, Agstafa and Gazakh districts located in the north-east of the Lesser Caucasus.