Implementation of tree species strategy during progressive successions

Abstract

On the example of regeneration succession in forests, the features of silvicultural properties of the main forest-forming species growing in oak forests of the Middle Volga region are considered. The conclusion is made about the predominance of pioneer-serial forest communities formed by pioneer species in the study area. The pioneer species, which differ significantly in their silvicultural properties from the so-called «primary forest species», are predominant in modern forests. It is shown that at the later stages of reforestation successions, pioneer-serial forest communities are of great importance, the productivity of which becomes stable. The incomplete nature of progressive successions in the surveyed forests was revealed. To restore primary forests, a set of additional measures is required to facilitate the forests reconstruction and the entire forest fund of the region. The mass destruction of forests influences the processes of forest growing conditions and it is determined as a topical issue for further study. The connection between changes in the main forest species and forest communities and changes in forest growing conditions has been established. It is indicated that deforestation massively destroys the biotic environment and alters environmental processes, being the reason for silvicultural properties change in forest plants and their communities. The development of silvicultural properties is adaptive, in this regard, deforestation, with massive destruction of the biotic environment and a corresponding change in environmental processes, contributes to the devlopment of properties inherent in pioneer-serial forest communities. With the degradation of primary forests, a change in the main forest species and forest communities that make up modern forests is noted. Many silvicultural properties inherent in primary forests are not developed in modern conditions. Instead of primary forests, secondary forests are spread, derivative, with other silvicultural properties and their mdevelopment in the form of a complex characteristic of behavior or life strategy. The properties manifested by forest communities and individual species need to be generalized for further research. We have proposed to combine all the properties of forests into the concept of information potential. The information potential of forests can be used to study the features of the silvicultural properties in a changing natural environment.