Conditions for natural forest regeneration have been identified in Russia

MOSCOW, 12 Dec. Vyatka State University scientists offered recommendations for maintaining the natural regeneration of unique steppe pine forests in the taiga zone. As the university press service noted, the developed methodology will speed up the restoration of steppe and lily of the valley forests and avoid costly artificial restoration of forest cover.
Experts explained that in pine forests (pine forests), over time, spruce and birch begin to actively grow and destroy the ecological niche. These trees reduce the light regime for plants in the herb-shrub layer. Insolation is also insufficient for the natural regeneration of pine, so pine forests are gradually turning into spruce forests.

Scientists from Vyatka State University (VyatSU) have developed a set of measures to preserve the species diversity of steppe pine forests in the taiga zone, the communities of which are included included in the composition of natural monuments of Russia.
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“Our experimental base was the natural monument “Medvedsky Bor” (Nolinsky district of the Kirov region) — relict pine forest on continental sand dunes with karst landforms in the east of the subzone of coniferous-deciduous forests. The dune relief determined the diversity of plant communities in the same type of territory (phytocenoses). The forest represents the whole gamut of types of pine forests (from lichen to sphagnum) surrounded by broad-leaved forests,” said Olga Perestoronina, associate professor of the Department of Biology and Methods of Teaching Biology at Vyatka State University.

She explained that on the territory of the natural monument there are designated three functional zones with a differentiated regime of forestry activities.

The first special protection zone was established to preserve areas of natural communities and monitor the progress of species change. The second is intended for organized tourism and recreation. The third zone serves as an experimental site, and also serves to restore communities of the original type.
«In the zone of regulated forest management, we propose to carry out inter-strip gradual felling for the natural regeneration of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) in order to preserve and maintain steppe pine forests and preserve rare species herb-shrub layer, maintaining the biodiversity of the region,” the specialist noted.

She added that in order to promote natural reforestation, the following measures are necessary: ​​felling of forest plantations, mineralization of the soil surface by mechanical means.

Also, to increase the success of reforestation, it is necessary to preserve the subcanopy as much as possible Pinus sylvestris and in clearings of Maynik-lingonberry, Maynik-Blueberry and forb pine forests, it is possible to use a combined method of reforestation with the creation of partial pine crops.

In the future, the team plans to continue research on the regeneration and state of Pinus sylvestris undergrowth in other territories with inter-strip gradual logging and in apiaries, as well as conduct monitoring studies on the state of coenopopulations of rare species of the herb-shrub layer.