Raw plants under the canopy of spruce forests in the Leningrad region

The article presents data on the species composition and abundance of raw materials growing under the canopy of spruce forests. The object of the study is spruce forests of different forest types in the Leningrad Region. The taxation of tree stands was carried out using the generally accepted method. The share of spruce in the composition of tree stands varies from 51 to 89%. The maximum number of undergrowth in the wood sorrel spruce forest is 1933 specimens/ha, in the bilberry spruce forest – 4241 specimens/ha and in the long-moss spruce forest – 3817 specimens/ha. The number of undergrowth species ranges from 320 to 2977 specimens/ha in the wood sorrel spruce forest, from 910 to 2700 specimens/ha in the bilberry spruce forest and from 430 to 612 specimens/ha in the long-moss spruce forest. The species composition, occurrence and projective cover of plants in the living ground cover were determined on circular survey plots using an original technique. At least 30 survey plots of 10 m² were laid out at each study site. In addition to the grassdwarf shrub and moss-lichen layers, the amount of undergrowth and undergrowth by species, as well as the height structure, were taken into account. The species composition of the living ground cover was compared using the Jaccard coefficient. The largest number of raw material species in the herbage was found under the canopy of wood sorrel spruce – from 24 to 29. The Jaccard coefficient as a whole for wood sorrel spruce forests – long-moss spruce forests is 0.37, i.e. the number of common species in the specified types of spruce forests is 37%. For bilberry spruce forests – long-moss spruce forests, the coefficient of community of species is 0.48. For wood sorrel spruce forests – bilberry spruce forests, the value of the Jaccard coefficient is 0.68. In the composition of the living ground cover under the canopy of spruce forests, plants from all raw material groups are found. Honey plants and medicinal plants predominate, regardless of the forest type. The results obtained can be used to adjust regulatory documentation on forest use and introduced into forestry training programs.

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