Vlasenko M.V. TAXONOMIC ANALYSIS OF FLORA ON THE SANDS OF THE DON RIVER VALLEY AND CLARIFICATION OF THE LIST OF RARE PLANT SPECIES // Arid Ecosystems. 2025. Vol. 31. № 2 (103). P. 108-117. | PDF

The purpose of this work was to analyze the taxonomic structure of the flora of the Archedin–Don sand massif and to compile a list of rare plant species. The novelty of our research lies in obtaining new data to adjust the schemes of botanical and geographical zoning of the steppe territories in the south of Russia in general and the territory of sand massifs distribution in particular. The floristic list was compiled based on data obtained during route surveys in 2016-2024, and the flora lists for 1990-2024 from the Global Biodiversity Information System (GBIF) of iNaturalist. The current list of plants of the Archedin-Don sand massif includes 677 species from 324 genera and 95 families belonging to 8 classes and 7 departments. The Magnoliophyta department is the most represented, containing 79% of the flora of the territory. The total generic coefficient is 2.09. Amaryllidaceae (11.0), Plantaginaceae (8.25), Cyperaceae (6.8), Juncaceae (6.0), Salicaceae (5.0), Violaceae (5.0) families had the highest generic coefficient. Asteraceae family is leading the list, represented by 103 species (15.2%). Poaceae family occupies the 2^nd place, represented b68 species (10.0%). Cyperaceae (34), Plantaginaceae (33), Caryophyllaceae (32), Fabaceae (31), Lamiaceae (29), Brassicaceae (22), Rosaceae (20), and Amaranthaceae (17) families also have in a large number of taxa. The sandy landscapes of the Archedinsky-Don massif with elements of boreal flora and confined to reservoirs, floodplains areas and areas with atypical water regime are unique in terms of conservation and maintenance of biological diversity in steppe territories. There, 30 species in total turned out to be listed in the Red Data Book of the Volgograd Region (2017), and 12 species are listed in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation (2008). The endangered species are as follows: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L., Lycopodiella inundata (L.) Holub., Lycopodium clavatum L., Climacium dendroides (Hedw.) Web. et Mohr., and Clematis orientalis L. Asteraceae (3 species) and Orchidaceae (4 species) families have the largest number of species from Red Data Books.

The results of our research can be useful in studying the ecology of plant communities and species in them, for restoring and preserving the lost biological diversity of the vegetation cover of sandy ecosystems.

Funding. This work was carried out as part of a state task No. FNFE-2025-0004 “Theoretical Justification and Concept of Adaptive Solutions for the Management of Phytoecological Resources of the Russian Federation Arid Zone Agricultural Landscapes at the River’s Basin Level, Using System-Dynamic Modeling of Soil-Hydrological Processes, Climate Change Effects and Anthropogenic Loads Multifactorial Analysis”.

Keywords: sandy massifs, floristic list, generic coefficient, systematic spectrum, rare species.

DOI: 10.24412/1993-3916-2025-2-108-117

EDN: OHMELB