The State of Wild Tulips of the Northern Macroslope of Kyrgyz Ala-too in Relation to the Problem of their Disappearance

Abstract

Kyrgyzstan is very rich in bulbous plants. In general, the group of ephemeroids in Kyrgyzstan is widely represented and belongs to different taxa (families, genera, and species). This article discusses the current state of tulips on the northern macroslope of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too. Strong polymorphism, frequent hybridizations, especially among tulips, as well as a change in the color of flowers during drying of the herbarium, make the scientific identification of individual species quite difficult. This article presents the results of initial research and the annual regime of conservation of the tulip population in the eastern part of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too. According to the data we obtained, tulips are sensitive to the reserved regime. Vegetation monitoring was carried out on test plots, which were established in 2019, as well as on control plots. All trial sites are of the same dimension (10 × 10 m²). For semi-stationary monitoring, five test sites were allocated and they were fenced with chain-link mesh to protect against livestock. To carry out comparative characteristics and identify the stage of demutation of test sites, monitoring of ten control test sites was carried out in adjacent identical territories. The number of wild tulips in the fenced trial plots of 1 year ago is much higher than in the control plots. The protected regime for 1 year had a favorable effect on the vegetation cover of the mid-mountain altitudinal zone. In a short period of time, a demutation stage is observed for the entire floristic composition of the communities. The short-term (1 year) reserve regime had a positive effect on the floristic composition of communities, the projective cover of the herbage, an increase in the abundance of wild tulips, and contributed to the accumulation of steppe felt.