Population strategy of Polygala tenuifolia Willd

An aggregate of species features within the area characterizes ecological and phytocoenotic potencies and their manifestation in different situations determines populational strategy. The aim is to study individual characters and establish a type of Polygala tenuifolia populational strategy.P. tenuifolia, this is a perennial polycarpic taproot, caudex-forming, not particulating, sympodially growing herbaceous plant with ortho- and plagi-orthotropic, rosetteless monocyclic, monocarpic generative and rosetteless vegetative shoots. Propagation and self-reproduction of coenopopulations is only by seeds. Plants were studied in Khakasia and Tyva.The ontogenesis of P. tenuifolia is simple and incomplete, individuals of the postgenerative period are absent. In the process of development two stages of morhogenesis, primary shoot and primary bush, alternate successively. The characteristic ontogenetic spectrum of P. tenuifolia is one-peaked, centered, with a small portion of young vegetative plants with a maximum on mature generative А.Ю. Асташенковindividuals and a minor portion of old generative ones. In all studied coenopopulations the ontogenetic spectrum is incomplete with members, one-peaked: in CP 1, 2 and 4 - it is centered (the peak falls on the group of middle-aged generative plants (55%, 56% and 41%, respectively), in CP 3 - left-side (the peak falls on young generative plants (53%). Accumulation of middle-aged generative plants in coenopopulations is connected with extended development of the given ontogenetic group individuals. In CP 3 a portion of young generative plants is somewhat greater than that of mature generative ones, which is of a temporal nature. A small portion of pregenerative individuals and old generative plants is noted in all coenopopulations. Ontogenetic spectra of the studied coenopopulations agree with the characteristic spectrum. The ontogenetic structure of the coenopopulations is normal. The coenopopulations are mature. The index of age (Δ) is within 0.37-0.40, that of efficiency (ω) - 0.83-0.9. The density of individuals in the coenopopulations changes depending on a degree of turfness and substrate rockiness. The density of P. tenuifolia individuals decreases in the coenopopulations with high projective cover.The assessment of the coenopopulations status by a complex of characters showed that the best status was in Khakasia in large turf oat-feather grass steppe (CP1). The worst status was of individuals from small turf wheat grass-sheep's fescue large-stony steppe (CP2).P. tenuifolia individuals exhibit a tolerant type of populational strategy in Khakasia and Tyva.

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