Seledets V.P., Probatova N.S.
В издании Horizons in Earth Science Research. Vol.3.
Год: 2011 Страницы: 33-67
ABSTRACT. The monsoon zone covers the considerable part of the Russian Far East (RFE): Kamchatka Peninsula, Sakhalin, Kurile Islands, continental coasts and islands of Bering Sea, Sea of Okhotsk, Sea of Japan and the Amur River basin. The problem of the monsoon zone biodiversity is connected with species adaptations, speciation and florogenesis, formation of plant communities, vegetation dynamics, population structure. Our concept of ecological range (ecorange, ER) of plant species (Seledets, Probatova 2007) is aimed at adaptive strategies in RFE monsoon zone, in comparison with Inner Asia. Every species has its own ER, which changes in different parts of the species geographical range. ER is a part of multidimensional ecological space (MES). Grades of ecological factors were estimated by the scales of L.G. Ramensky, modified by us for monsoon zone of RFE. ER of plant species is a complex of coenotic populations (coenopopulations) within the geographic range of the species. We distinguish holoecorange (HER, part of ecological space, where the species is able to exist), and coenoecorange (CER, where the species predominates in plant communities). ER is characterized by dimensions, configuration, orientation in MES, by effectiveness (CER/HER ratio), also by ecological optimum and the center of HER, which coincide in some cases (symmetrical ER) or not (asymmetrical ER). The position of ER in MES indicates the area of the species ecological adaptation. The configuration of ER shows the way of ecological adaptation. HERs show the ability of taxa to occupy a certain part of MES. CER indicates the ability of species to predominate in plant communities. Ecological optimum means the most favorable combination of ecological factors. Center of HER means the most probable ecological optimum if interspecific competition would be absent. CER/HER ratio means the effectiveness of ecological adaptation of species. The disposition of ecological optimum and center of ER shows the trend of ecological adaptation. It was found that properties of ER could be useful as indicators of ecological differentiation of taxa in connection with evolutionary processes. A special attention was paid to ERs in species with various ploidity levels. The trend of ER extension with the increase of ploidity and augmentation of caryological polymorphism in species was revealed. Coenopopulations of species in geographical profiles from the monsoon zone to inland areas show the transformation which affect probably all properties of ER. Continental climate causes “continentalization” of ecological niches.
