Subtaiga forest meadows from Ob-Irtish watershed
An article is devoted to floristic composition, ecology and morphology of two new associations of forest meadows from subtaiga subzone of northern part of Novosibirsk and Omsk regions: Geranio bifoii-Brachypodietum pinnati и Anthrisco sylvestris- Alopecuretum pratensis. These meadows belong to order Carici macrourae- Crepidetalia sibiricae, and alliance Crepidion sibiricae and by origin connected with small-leaved deciduous forests from order Calamagrostio epigeii-Betuletalia pendulae and class Brachypodio pinnati-Betuletea. By this way they are significantly differ from Altai-Sayan low-mountain meadows, originated from small-leaved deciduous forests from order Carici macrourae-Pinetalia sylvestris. This difference in genesis together with differences in floristic composition are enough to describe forest meadows from Ob river left bank subtaiga as new associations. Communities of Geranio bifoii- Brachypodietum pinnati association occurs quite often in small depressions and on forest edges. Association Anthrisco sylvestris-Alopecuretum pratensis is very local and described only from upper part of Tara river valley. Communities of association situated at forest edges and also in open areas together with other meadow types. Both associations are of an anthropogenic origin. It supported by big group of Molinio-Arrhenatheretea class species together with forest species in all communities. Typical meadow-steppe species which are common in forest-steppe zone (Phlomoides tuberosa, Origanum vulgare, Artemisia latifolia etc.) are rare or absent here. But presence of order Molinietalia species is rather common for both associations and reflects high moisture of habitats. Under anthropogenic pressure forest species eliminated from floristic composition and communities transformed into true meadows from Arrhenatheretalia order. Natural meadows are practically absent in subtaiga. Forest meadows in subtaiga of Ob-Irtish watershed are specific on association level and could be used for the determination of zonal boundaries.