Resource potential of floodplain meadows in Arkhangelsk region

The article presents the analysis of the resource potential of floodplain meadows from various administrative regions of Arkhangelsk region. Studies are based on the data from 197 geobotanical descriptions of 100 m2 trial plots. We have established a range of ecological conditions for the formation of floodplain meadows along ecological gradient scales. The result is presented as an indirect ordination using the method of non-metric scaling. The moistening of soils is a leading factor in the formation of floodplain meadows in comparison with the richness of soils and pasture digression. In total, we detected 251 species of vascular plants from 48 families and 139 genera. Meadow species of plants have different indices of phytocenotic significance (for all species of the general floral list and for individual regions). The foxtail meadow is the absolute leader for all areas. The taxonomic floristic analysis showed the coincidence of only two families in the spectra of the general floral list and the flora of the entire region. All types of plants are divided into categories: medicinal, decorative, tanning, dyeing, technical, cultivated, honey, food, forage, weed and poisonous species. We have identified areas with a massive spread of poisonous species (Kholmogorskii, Primorskii districts) with weeds of small-stalked herbs (Verkhnetoemskii, Krasnoborskii, Pinezhskii districts), and with coarse-grained species (Pinezhskii, Primorskii districts). Grass stands of highest quality are located in Plesetskiy region.