Relict pine forests with Arctostaphylos uva-ursi in the Zhiguli Mountains (the Middle Volga Region)

The pine mountain forest with bearberry is a rare, relict and endangered phytocoenosis in the Middle Volga (Samara Region; Stavropol District). At present, they are distributed in a limited way and only in the area of the Zhigulevsky State Natural Biosphere Reserve named after I.I. Sprygin. On this territory, geobotanical relevés of plots with bearberry were performed. The ecological-phytocenotic and floristic characteristics of the phytocenosis from the position of Braun-Blanquet are given. Ecotopes are located on slopes of different steepness of the western and north-western exposure. The plant community forms several layers. The species composition is not rich. The dominant species are Pinus cretacea Kalen., Arctostaphyllos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng., Carex pediformis C.A. Mey., Polygonatum odoratum (Mill.) Druce, Rhaponticoides ruthenica (Lam.) M.V. Agab. et Greuter, Asperula tinctoria L. Rare species: Arctostaphilos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng., Astragalus zingeri Korsh., Euphorbia zhiguliensis (Prokh.) Prokh., Gypsophila juzepczukii Ikonn., Helianthemum nummularium Mill., Koeleria sclerophylla P.A. Smirn., Pulsatilla patens Mill., Thymus zheguliensis Klokov et Des.-Shost., that are listed in the Red Book of the Samara Region. In recent years, pine forests with bearberry have suffered greatly from fires and are in the stage of degradation. The uniqueness and relict nature of the bearberry phytocenoses in the Zhiguli Mountains requires their preservation.