Morphology Features and Seed Productivity of Iris sibirica L. (Iridaceae Juss.) in the Trans-Urals of the Bashkortostan Republic

One of the important and effective areas of modern biological science is the multifaceted study of rare plant species. This study is aimed at studying the biological features of the rare species Iris sibirica L. in the Trans-Urals of the Bashkortostan Republic. The species is listed in the Red Data Books of 39 regions of the Russian Federation. In Bashkortostan, I. sibirica is included in the list of species that require monitoring and special attention to their state in the natural environment. The aim of the work was to study the morphometric parameters and seed productivity of the species in various ecological and phytocenotic conditions in the Bashkir Trans-Urals. The work was carried out in 2020 on a north-south gradient with a length of 250 km, in three areas of the forest-steppe and steppe zones of the Trans-Urals for 8 natural cоenopopulations. The study of morphometry and vitality composition was carried out in natural conditions according to standard methods on 25 medium-sized individuals in the phase of mass flowering and fruiting. Variance, discriminant and cluster analyzes were carried out using the Statistica 6.0 software for 8 samples. As a result of the studies, it was revealed that I. sibirica predominantly grows in various types of communities from damp and solonetzic meadows to sparse forests and prefers habitats with sufficient moisture, meeting with typical meadow or edge species. Analysis of variance showed a statistically significant effect of ecotope conditions on all studied morphometric characteristics of plants (factorization level from 19 to 69%). The maximum values for most of the traits were noted in the cоenopopulation Tubinsky and Popkovskie Lakes with good moisture conditions, weak disturbance, and a low height of the accompanying natural grass stand. Individuals with the minimum size and counting parameters are represented in the cоenopopulations of Niyazgulovo, Elimbetovo and Bakhtigareevo, located in forest and meadow phytocenoses, as well as in rarefied forests. A statistically significant (21-46%) influence of the species habitat ecotope factor on the reproductive traits under study was established. In terms of seed productivity, the maximum values of most parameters were noted in the Popkovskie Lakes CP in the protected areas, where the highest moisture is observed, there is salinity and there is no anthropogenic load. The minimum values of the parameters of seed productivity were noted in the cоenopopulation Elimbetovo, located in a dry sparse birch forest, under conditions of anthropogenic pressure, insufficient moisture and illumination, which negatively affects the reproductive function of the species. To assess the vitality spectrum of c<>eno-populations, a determining complex of characters was identified: the height of the generative shoot and the number of seeds produced per fruit. The analysis showed that five populations are prosperous (Q=0.34-0.50, IQ=1.00-5.75, IVC=0.94-1.15), three are depressive (Q=0.14-0.20, IQ=0.19-0.33, IVC=0.91-0.98). Discriminant analysis revealed that, in all c<>enopopiilations. individuals of I. sibirica differ in morphological structure from each other and each occupy its own territory in the canonical space, only between individual individuals there is a slight overlap in morphostructure. Cluster analysis revealed the divergence of cоenopopulation into groups in terms of phenotypic structure and ecological confinement. The state of the studied local cоenopopulations of I. sibirica was assessed as satisfactory; there is no significant threat of extinction of the species on the territory of the Bashkortostan Republic. The article contains 5 Figures, 4 Tables and 33 References. The authors express their gratitude to A. Pozhidaev for assistance in cultivating plants. The Authors declare no conflict of interest.

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