Research of the plant component of the mountain ecosystems in the Bazar-Korgon district (the Kyrgyz Republic)

Abstract

The aim of the study. To study the current status of the mountain ecosystems of the South-Western Tien Shan using for the ecological assessment the vegetation composition and cover of the Bazar-Korgon district in the Jalal-Abad region.

Location and time of the study. The object of the study was vegetation as the main component of the mountain ecosystems of the Bazar-Korgon district, located in the south-central part of the Jalal-Abad region.

Methods. The research methods employed were as following: itinerary (identification of species composition of vascular flora); stationary (laying of key sites, fulfillment of geobotanical descriptions); laboratory (herbarization and identification of plants, processing of material). After the vegetation description, eight sites were chozen as the key study sites. A standardized geobotanical plot (a square area of 10x10 m was established for studying herbaceous communities (meadow-steppe cenoses). Key plots were located in the center of the main ecosystems and homogeneous plant communities as the most exposed to anthropogenic influence (overgrazing). At these plots the following characteristics of the plant communities were obtained: their dominants and co-dominants, total projective grass cover, total projective grass cover, and total projective cover of the herbage, total table of floristic composition of the grassland with indication of species abundance according to the Drude scale, phenological phase of plant development and life form.

Results. Floristic diversity of the mountain ecosystems of plant communities of the mountain ecosystems of the Bazar-Korgon district in the Jalal-Abad region was inventoried. The vegetation was classified according to according to ecotypes, basic bio - and ectomorphs. The systematic list of plants was compiled in association with the main types. The species composition of phytocenoses included 127 species of higher plants, belonging to 98 genera and 35 families. The sustainability of vegetation is provided by such biomorphs as perennial herbaceous plants (75 species, 59%). According to the adaptation modes to climatic factors (low air temperature), the hemikryptophytes (72 species, 57%) were the most numerous. Mesophytic (55 species, 43%) predominated in the forest and meadow ecosystems due to high moisture content there.  Meadow-steppe ecotypes were dominant, contributing 35.

Conclusions. The conducted research inventoried for the first time the current composition of the plant communities of the Bazar-Korgon district, assessing their current condition as well. The obtained results can be used for solving problems of preserving the mountain ecosystems of the South-West Tien-Shan and promoting sustainable agriculture in the Kyrgyz Republic.