Alpine plant distribution and thermic vegetation indicator on Gloria summits in the central greater Caucasus. | [Pakistan Journal of Botany • 2016]

Author(s):

1. Khatuna Gigauri: Ilia State University, Institute of Ecology, Tbilisi, Georgia

2. Maia Akhalkatsi: Ilia State University, Institute of Botany, Tbilisi, Georgia

3. Otar Abdaladze: Ilia State University, Institute of Ecology, Tbilisi, Georgia

4. George Nakhutsrishvili: Ilia State University, Institute of Botany, Tbilisi, Georgia

Abstract:

The distribution of plant species within alpine areas is often directly related to climate or climate-influenced ecological factors. Responding to observed changes in plant species, cover and composition on the GLORIA summits in the Central Caucasus, an extensive setup of 1m x 1m permanent plots was established at the treeline-alpine zones and nival ecotone (between 2240 and 3024 m a.s.l.) on the main watershed range of the Central Greater Caucasus nearby the Cross Pass, Kazbegi region, Georgia. Recording was repeated in a representative selection of 64 quadrates in 2008. The local climatic factors - average soil T°C and growing degree days (GDD) did not show significant increasing trends. For detection of climate warming we used two indices: thermic vegetation indicator S and thermophilization indicator D. They were varying along altitudinal and exposition gradients. The thermic vegetation indicator decrease in all monitoring summits. The abundance rank of the dominant and endemic species did not change during monitoring period.

Page(s): 1893-1902

DOI: DOI not available

Published: Journal: Pakistan Journal of Botany, Volume: 48, Issue: 5, Year: 2016

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