Post-fire dynamics of vegetation in beech-yew woodland in Piedmonts of Dagestan
Initial stage of post-fire floristic changes in beech woodland in Piedmont Dagestan was studied. The secondary pioneer plant species of beech woodland were found. We support high conservation significance of the woodlands having relic woody species of Taxus baccata and others despite the wildfires are believed to be periodic environmental factor regulating forest ecosystem formation. Species were ranged by occurrence and projective cover. The burned forest area was studied during three seasons (spring, summer and autumn) in 2011-13. The ways of regeneration of the species which had been growing before the fire, and the introduction of various plant forms were estimated. There had been sixteen woody plants growing in the burnt area. 10 species have sprouted, and 6 species regrew from seeds brought on the site both from surrounding and remote woodlands. Sprouting of the trees which had degraded after the fire occurred two to three years later. We found new wooden species of seedlings growing fast Populus tremula, Ulmus glabra, Fraxinus excelsior, Acer campestr. Thus we suggest the alteration of succesion pathway towards the intermediate community without the dominants Fagus orientalis, Acerplatanoides, Carpinus caucasica n Taxus baccata of the intact forest. Taxonomic and biomorphological analysis of demutating post-fire flora of the broadleaved forest was studied. It included 58 species of 46 genus of 32 families. Given the lifespan of the new species of trees as well as the invasion of the Oriental beech from the neighborhoods we suggest that beech-yew forest would regenerate in about 200 years after the fire.