Bryophytes of the Khosta’ Taxus and Buxus Forest (Western Caucasus, Russia)

Abstract

The bryoflora of Khosta' Taxus and Buxus forest (strictly protected area, a part of Caucasian State Reserve) is described. This is the only strictly protected area in coastal zone of Black Sea in Russia. 28 species of liverworts and 100 mosses were revealed. Among them are many species, which were never found in Russian Caucasus far from the Black Sea, e. g. Leptodon smithii, Eurhynchium flotovianum, Kindbergia praelonga, Plasteurhynchium striatulum, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Scorpiurium circinatum, Oxyrrhynchium schleicheri, O. pumilum, Rhynchostegiella teneriffae. An overview of vegetation is given, along with the circumscri ption of characteristic bryophyte groups of the most widespread habitat types. Ðåçþìå Îïèñàíà áðèîôëîðà Õîñòèíñêîé òèñî-ñàìøèòîâîé ðîùè, çàïîâåäíîãî ó÷àñòêà Êàâêàçñêîãî ãîñóäàðñòâåííîãî çàïîâåäíèêà è åäèíñòâåííîé çàïîâåäíîé òåððèòîðèè Ðîññèè, íàõîäÿùåéñÿ íà ×åðíîìîðñêîì ïîáåðåaeüå Êàâêàçà.  åå ñîñòàâå âûÿâëåíî 28 âèäîâ ïå÷åíî÷íèêîâ è 100 âèäîâ ìõîâ. Ñðåäè íèõ ìíîãî ðåäêèõ âèäîâ, ñòðîãî ïðèóðî÷åííûõ ê ïðè÷åðíîìîðñêîé çîíå, â ò. ÷. Leptodon smithii, Eurhynchium flotovianum, Kindbergia praelonga, Plasteurhynchium striatulum, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Scorpiurium circinatum, Oxyrrhynchium schleicheri, O. pumilum, Rhynchostegiella teneriffae. Òàêaeå äàí îáùèé î÷åðê ðàñòèòåëüíîñòè ðîùè, ñ óêàçàíèåì òèïè÷íûõ âèäîâ ìîõîîáðàçíûõ äëÿ íàèáîëåå ðàñïðîñòðàíåííûõ áèîòîïîâ. Khosta' Taxus & Buxus Forest (KTBF) is a separate branch of Caucasian State Nature Reserve, protected since 1930. This area is not connected with the main territory of the reserve, which is situated mostly in Middle and Upper mountain belts of Caucasus. Contrary to this, KTBF is in the coastal area of the Black Sea, ranging from 40 to 520 m elev. Its southern part is ca. 2 km from the coast, and the whole area is 1.8 km from West to East, and 2.5 km from South to North, occupying 301.3 hectare (43°30'N-39°52'E). The territory of KTBF includes the narrow canyon of Khosta River, a rather strong current of 10-20 m wide, and southern slope of Bolshoi Akhun Mountain. The area of the KTBF is underlaid by limestones, having quite a number of cliffs and rock outcrops, and small rocks are scattered throughout the forest. Soils are mostly humus carbonate and brown weakly podzolic clayish ones, and typically cover limestones only by 35-50 cm (Lazuk, 1960). Climate is wet temperate, called sometimes as wet subtropical (cf. Gulisashvili, 1964).

Bryophyte flora of the projected Utrish Nature Reserve (North-West Caucasus, Russia)

“…Altogether 119 mosses and 9 hepatics have been found in Utrish area, that is similar to territories of about the same size and level of exploration situated in about 150200 km to the SE along the coast of Black Sea: Gagra (Ignatov & Ignatova, 1989) and Khosta (Ignatov & al., 2002).…”

“…A number of bryologists worked in the area later, but more or less complete local floras were revealed only in a few places in the Russian part of Caucasus: Teberda Reserve (Ignatova & al., 1990), Caucasian Reserve Ignatov & al., 2002); Ossetian Reserve (Abramova & Komzha, 2000); Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (Kharzinov & al., 2004). Information about other parts of Caucasus is scattered in numerous publications and difficult to overview.…”

Species of Dicranum (Dicranaceae, Bryophyta) with fragile leaves in Russia

“…Dicranum viride occurs in the broad-leaved forest zone of European Russia and it was also reported from Caucasus Ignatov & al., 2002). It is rare in most areas, becoming more frequent in foothills of the Ural Mts.…”

Hepatics of the Caucasian State Reserve (western Caucasus, Russia)

“…In 2002, Akatova, Ignatov and Ignatova collected bryophytes, including hepatics, in this area. As result, 28 species of liverworts were recorded previously for this territory (Ignatov et al, 2002).…”

“…are occupied by subalpine, alpine and subnival vegetation. A more detailed description of climate, relief and vegetation is presented in and Ignatov et al (2002).…”