State of Pseudorchis albida (L.) A. Love & D. Love coenopopulations on the Rybachy Peninsula (Murmansk Region, Russia)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20232773Keywords:
Arctic, climate stress, demographic structure, orchid, tundraAbstract
The research article explores the state of Orchidaceae Pseudorchis albida (L.) A. Love & D. Love species' coenopopulations on the Rybachy Peninsula, located in the north of the Murmansk region (Russia). The species is included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. Morphometric and demographic parameters of P. albida have been studied in two coenopopulations during the 2016 and 2025 field seasons. We assessed the ontogenetic structure, density, recovery index (Ir), and vitality index (IVC) of the coenopopulations, as well as their effective size (CP) and capacity for self-maintenance. Based on monitoring results, the coenopopulation in the eastern part of the Rybachy Peninsula was recorded in 2016 as the largest known in the Murmansk Region, while the remaining surveyed populations were few in number. Between 2016 and 2025, the total area occupied by P. albida coenopopulations decreased by more than sevenfold, accompanied by a 3.4–4-fold reduction in density, a sharp decline in the number of generative individuals, and a marked drop in the recovery index. The plant species is characterized by differences in vegetative and generative individual ratios; the self-maintenance ability is defined as weak and moderate. The studied populations are located outside the "Rybachy and Sredny Peninsulas" nature park boundaries, where there are no special protection measures taken. Hence, with the growing tourist inflow, there is a direct threat to the extinction of P. albida in the area under consideration.
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