State of the Flora of the Pinus Sylvestris L. Formation After the 2010 Forest Fire in the Lipetsk Region in the Central Black Soil Region of Russia

Abstract

In 2010, forest fi res destroyed 625.6 thousand hectares of forest area and soils under forest plantations in the Russian Federation. According to meteorologists, the summer of 2010 was marked by temperature maximums above 40 °C. There was no precipitation for a long time, the groundwater level dropped, and the grass cover dried up. These climatic conditions had a negative impact on the species diversity of the forest fl ora and contributed to the forest fi re. Among the forest-forming species, the valuable coniferous species, Pinus sylvestris, was damaged. The purpose of the study is to analyse the dynamics of the fl ora of the background and pyrogenic Pinus sylvestris formations in the Lipetsk Region for the period from 2011 to 2023. Materials and methods. From 2011 to 2023, 40 accounting sites were established and described annually. The abundance count was carried out according to O. Drude. Results and discussion. New information on the state of the fl ora of the Pinus sylvestris formation with coordinates of pyrogenic (N 52°30´37.3´´; E 38°57´28.7´´) and background (N 52°30´39.2´´; E 38°57´30.3´´) plots was obtained. The results of the study of fl ora for the 13-year period after the forest fi re of 2010 in the Lipetsk Region, located in the middle part of European Russia, are presented. Conclusions. The phases of fl oristic succession in plant groups during the formation of a pyrogenic formation have been identifi ed: 1 – pioneer group (2010-2013); 2 – simple grouping (2014-2018); 3 – complex grouping (2019-2023).