Section: Monitoring of natural and anthropogenically disturbed areas
Ground vegetation is an important indicator of the environment status and perform a number of significant ecosystem functions, including in the process of reforestation. However, the dynamics of the woody vegetation biomass state is of the main attention, while the lower tiers often remain underestimated. The article presents the analysis of changes in the aboveground biomass of ground vegetation in the first years after clear-cutting of a coniferous-deciduous stand (blueberry-green moss type). We found an increase in the average aboveground biomass of ground vegetation on slightly disturbed skidding trails from 155±32 g/m2 to 222±38 g/m2 in the first year after logging and up to 799±159 g/m2 in the third year after logging. Structural changes in the contribution of individual components to the total reserves caused by active overgrowing of the clearing with herbaceous plants (cereals) and a decrease in the share of sciophytes. The number of logging equipment passes does not have a reliable effect on the ground vegetation biomass. However, we revealed the differences in the mass and structure of the ground vegetation in the ruts and intertrack spaces of the hauling routes. The data obtained expand the existing information on the ecological role of lower-tier plants in clearings. It will find application in characterizing the response of the cycle of substances and assessing the restoration of taiga forests after clear-cutting, including under changing climate conditions.
Keywords: middle taiga, biomass, clear-cutting, ground vegetation, mixed coniferous-deciduous stand
Article published in number 4 for 2025 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2025-4-076-082
ISSN 1995-4301
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