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Typification of Plant Populations on the Basis of Their Ontogenetic Spectra

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Contemporary Problems of Ecology Aims and scope

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Abstract

Knowledge of the age structure of plant populations is required to assess their current state and forecast their population dynamics and the dynamics of related phytocoenosis components, since the environment load differs for different age groups. The age-based plant ontogenesis periodization scheme proposed by T.A. Rabotnov and A.A. Uranov distinguishes about a dozen main ontogenetic states. Accordingly, each population sample represents an ordered series of frequencies of these states (the so-called ontogenetic spectrum). However, roles of some ontogenetic states in the classification of coenopopulations are interpreted ambiguously, while attempts to estimate profiles of ontogenetic spectra encounter statistical problems. It is proposed to standardize approaches to the typification of the age structure and indices of plant coenopopulations by reducing the ontogenetic spectrum to a standard scale of ontogenetic periods: pregenerative, generative, and postgenerative. In view of this, the following aspects are examined: classical coenopopulation types (invasive, regressive, invasive–regressive, and normal), different variants of normal coenopopulations, indices reflecting the age structure, and potential irregularity of the period scale.

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Notes

  1. In fact, the three-period development scale represents an ontogenesis periodization scheme proposed by Rabotnov (1950); the only methodological difference is that the pregenerative, generative, and postgenerative periods are identified by merging together the respective ontogenetic states distinguished according to Uranov (1975).

  2. The most frequently used ranges of ontogenetic states in spectra of normal populations are from juvenile to senile (Zaugolnova, 1994a, p. 20, 1995).

  3. It must be noted that Zaugolnova and Smirnova (1988) refer to basic spectra, while Zaugolnova (1994a,b) refers to characteristic spectra; however, questions as to the discrepancy remain.

  4. Seedlings (p) are usually not included in the classification of an ontogenetic spectrum, since their abundance is determined by all species in a given phytocoenosis and is subject to significant year-to-year and interpopulation fluctuations (Rabotnov, 1950, p. 44).

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank G.O. Osmanova, Department of Ecology, Institute of Natural Sciences and Pharmacy, Mari State University, for discussing the issues addressed in this paper and her useful comments.

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The work was supported by a federal scientific theme of the IOG RAS.

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  1. Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991, Moscow, Russia

    L. A. Zhivotovsky

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Correspondence to L. A. Zhivotovsky.

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Translated by L. Emeliyanov

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Zhivotovsky, L.A. Typification of Plant Populations on the Basis of Their Ontogenetic Spectra. Contemp. Probl. Ecol. 16, 265–273 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1995425523030137

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