Articles by Vadim V. Gorshkov

Postfire recovery of species diversity (including a number of species, entropy of species relative coverage (Shannon index of species diversity) was studied in lichen and green moss site types of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forests in the central part of the Kola Peninsula. The results obtained indicate the difference in the dynamics of characteristics of biodiversity of forest components during postfire recovery. The stabilization of separate components of forest community varies in time from 5–15 to 120–140 years after the fire. Characteristics of the dwarf shrub and herb stratum recovered and stabilized 5–15 years after fire, while the complete stabilization of characteristics of moss-lichen cover is observed in community with fire ages of 90–140 years. Species richness of tree stratum recovered 120–140 years after fire. Time of complete stabilization of species richness of the community was estimated 120–140 years after fire. The size of the area over which characteristics of the biodiversity were estimated effected the mean values and, in most cases, the character of variation of studied characteristics. Over an area of 1 x 1 m dynamics of characteristics of species diversity coincide in forests of the studied types. Regardless of forest type within the area of 100 m² species richness recovered 30 years after the fire (i.e. 3–5 times earlier than the establishment of the complete stabilization of the forest structure). That means that floristic composition of the forest remained unchanged from 30 to 210 years after the fire.

• Gorshkov, E-mail: vg@mm.unknown
• Bakkal, E-mail: ib@mm.unknown

Investigations carried out in the Kola peninsula (northern taiga) and in the South-western part of Western Siberia (southern taiga and forest-steppe) revealed identical course of the postfire restoration process of forest litter thickness in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forests. Despite the differences in mean annual temperature (2°C) and other climatic characteristics the recovery time for thickness of forest litter in both regions amounts to 90–100 years after fire in pine forests of lichen site type and 120–140 years – in green moss type; the thickness of forest litter therewith corresponds 3–4 cm and 7–8 cm respectively. That mean that within the natural borders of pine forests, communities of a specific type possess uniform characteristics of restoration. On the basis of empirical data, it appears that the predicted increase of mean annual temperature of earth surface by (2°C) will not bring changes into the character of postfire recovery of forest litter thickness. It was shown that during the period of the recovery, which spans about 90 years after fire in pine forests of lichen and green moss-lichen site types and 140 years in ones of green moss site types, the rate of increasing of carbon store in the forest litter averaged 0.6 t ha^-1 year^-1, 0.1 t ha^-1 year^-1 and 0.2 t ha^-1 year^-1, respectively.

• Gorshkov, E-mail: vg@mm.unknown
• Bakkal, E-mail: ib@mm.unknown
• Stavrova, E-mail: ns@mm.unknown

The research was carried out in unmanaged middle-aged (75–85 years) Northern taiga Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forests in the Kola peninsula. It was established that forests of green moss-lichen and green moss site types are characterised by a predominance (65–70% by stand volume) of moderately and strongly weakened trees. Trees of differing vitality have significant differences in annual increment. Healthy trees had a radial increment (RI) 70–75% greater than that of dying trees, and a basal area increment (BAI) 85–90% greater. The dynamics of the RI and BAI of Scots pine trees for the 70-year period (from 1945 to 2015) is different. The RI of all individuals in the communities studied decreases consistently. The decrease is expressed more strongly in green moss Scots pine forests (80–95% from 1945 to 2015) compared to green moss-lichen forests (60–80%); it manifests itself more in strongly weakened and dying individuals (75–95%) than in healthy and moderately weakened ones (60–80%). Annual basal area increment in green moss Scots pine forests increases by 45–65% from stand establishment until the trees are 25 to 35 years old and subsequently decreases by 50–80% to 70–80 years of age. In green moss-lichen pine forests the BAI of Scots pine remains rather stable in healthy and moderately weakened trees and decreases in strongly weakened and dying individuals by 45% and 75–80%, respectively throughout the studied period.

• Katjutin, Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professora Popova str. 2, 197376, Saint-Petersburg, Russia E-mail: paurussia@binran.ru
• Stavrova, Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professora Popova str. 2, 197376, Saint-Petersburg, Russia E-mail: nstavrova@binran.ru
• Gorshkov, Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professora Popova str. 2, 197376, Saint-Petersburg, Russia; Saint-Petersburg State Forest Technical University, letter U, 5, Institutsky per., 194021, Saint-Petersburg, Russia E-mail: vgorshkov@binran.ru
• Lyanguzov, Saint-Petersburg State University, 7/9 Universitetskaya Emb., 199034, Saint-Petersburg, Russia E-mail: andrewlyanguzov@gmail.com
• Bakkal, Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professora Popova str. 2, 197376, Saint-Petersburg, Russia E-mail: bakkal@binran.ru
• Mikhailov, Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professora Popova str. 2, 197376, Saint-Petersburg, Russia E-mail: smikhailov@binran.ru