Taxus baccata L. and Acer trautvetteri Medw. on the northern macroslope of the Caucasus

The article presents comparative data on the species composition of the vegetation of the middle belt of mountain forests on the northern macroslopes of the Caucasus. The purpose of the study is to compare the species composition of plants according to the components of the phytocenosis in the vertical zone of Taxus baccata and Acer trautvetteri. The object of the study is forest formations with Taxus baccata and Acer trautvetteri at an altitude of about 1100 m above sea level. The vegetation was studied simultaneously for all components of the phytocenosis on circular accounting sites with a radius of 178.5 cm in accordance with Russian Patent № 2852509. The maple forests are represented by mixed-species stands: 59% – Acer rautvetteri Medw., 14% – Fagus orientalis, 11% – Alnus glutinosa, 8% – Ulmus laevis, 6% – Acer platanoides, and 3% – Fraxinus excelsior. In the stands where yew grows, the common hornbeam dominates, accounting for 66% of the total wood stock. The saplings in maple forests consist of 8 species, with a predominance of Acer platanoides, while the saplings in beech forests consist of 3 species, with a predominance of Quercus petraea. The undergrowth in maple forests is more diverse than in beech forests, with 8 species compared to 4 species. The living ground cover consists of 16-20 species. The species diversity coefficient ranges from 0.33 to 0.45. The coincidence of the upper distribution zone of the Taxus baccata with the lower belt of the Acer trautvetteri has been established. At the same time, maple grows mainly on the slopes of northern expositions, and yew under the canopy of stands – mainly on steep, inaccessible slopes of any exposure. The composition of stands, saplings, undergrowth, and living ground cover varies in the compared forest ecosystems. The co-occurrence of Taxus baccata and Acer trautvetteri has been recorded in the Zilakhar tract of the North Ossetian-Alania Republic at an altitude of 1100–1200 m above sea level. The results obtained can be used in the updating of forest plans and forest management regulations.

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