Monitoring studies in the Opuk Nature Reserve: conditions and plant communities

   The characteristic of the model profile laid down on Mount Opuk in 1988 from sea level to the northwestern slope, in comparison with the studies of 2023, is presented. The assessment of the ecotope conditions at the description sites was carried out using a specially developed "Pover" program. The realized fragment of the gradient and the optimum point on it were determined for the leading factors-conditions and resource factors: illumination-shading, thermal mode, aridity-humidity (ombre mode), cryoregime, continentality, humidification, variability of humidification, substrate acidity, salt regime (anionic composition), carbonate content, nitrogen content, substrate porosity. It was found that during the period from 1988 to 2023, with a total length of 35 years, the conditions on the gradients of the environmental factors of the edafotope did not change, the climate also did not change as a whole, but small deviations were noted. The changes that have occurred on the gradients forming the realized ecological niche of phytocenoses are reflected in changes in the floral composition, as well as biomorphological and ecological indicators. The floral composition is undergoing changes, and in some areas the transformation covers more than half of the species, especially in areas with high activity of modern exogenous geomorphological processes. The proportion of resident species that controls resources has increased significantly, while the number of plants that prefer disturbed ecotopes has decreased markedly, which indicates the positive impact of the conservation regime. The analysis of the floral composition, biomorphological and ecological characteristics of the phytocenosis demonstrates the need to continue monitoring the processes of transformation of the reserve's ecosystem. The results obtained contribute to a deeper understanding of the changes taking place in plant communities under the influence of various factors, including climate change and anthropogenic impact. Special attention is paid to the importance of long-term observations of the dynamics of natural communities, as well as consideration of effective methods and approaches for studying such changes.

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