The Living Ground Cover of Mountain Tundra in the Northern and Southern Urals During an Invasion of Juniperus sibirica

Abstract

In this work, the authors estimate the species abundance and the characteristics of ground cover (herb-dwarf-shrub and moss-lichen layers) structure in mountain tundra communities. They study mountain tundra communities that have significant differences in the degree of Juniperus sibirica Burgsd cover. Species richness and the abundance of plants were estimated on 40 plots (10x10 m) in mountain tundra communities of the Northern (the Kvarkush ridge) and Southern (the Zigalga and Nurgush ridges) Urals. Study plots were chosen with different degree of J. sibirica coverage, from lack of cover to dominance: the groups were 0%, 30–40% and 80–95%. J. sibirica invasion of mountain tundra communities in the Northern and Southern Urals has led to a decrease in the abundance of herbs and mosses on plots dominated by J. sibirica. The authors could not reveal other changes in the mountain tundra structure caused by the J. sibirica invasion. The α-biodiversity of plants and lichens and the ratio of functional and ecological plant groups do not depend on the degree of J. sibirica cover.