Russian Journal of Ecosystem Ecology

The article is written in memory of Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor Olga Vsevolodovna Smirnova (10.09.1939–12.30.2024), who was the editor-in-chief of the journal «Russian Journal of Ecosystem Ecology». The article describes her path in science and teaching activities. At the beginning of her research activity (1960s), she studied the population biology of forest herbs. Together with A.A. Uranov and a team of his students and collaborators, she contributed to the development of theoretical ideas about the structure and dynamics of plant populations. In the 1970–1980s, she expanded the scope of plant investigation and obtained a large amount of systematized data on the ecological strategies of several dozen herb species growing in broad-leaved forests. She published her monograph in 1987, describing methods and results of studying plant population strategies, becoming a pioneer on this subject in the Russian-language literature. At the same period, under the guidance or with the active participation of O.V. Smirnova, annual expeditions were conducted to study the population organization of various synusia in the communities of broad-leaved forests and mixed coniferous-broad-leaved forests. The scientific interests of the team gradually shifted to the population life of tree species, which are key species in forest ecosystems and impact the spatial structure of forest vegetation and soils, then, in turn, to the relationships of tree species populations with heterotroph populations of different taxonomic groups and trophic levels. During the expeditions, the research was not only descriptive, but sometimes also experimental: the structure of tree species populations was regulated in order to increase the structural and taxonomic diversity of forests. Comprehensive studies created a basis for reinforcing and developing theoretical concepts of world population biology and ecology, describing the structural and functional organization and self-regulation of ecosystems. Those were ideas about the mosaic-cyclic dynamics of ecosystems, key species of biota and the role of their population life, complementarity in interspecific relationships and its impact on biological diversity, as well as large-scale centuries-old anthropogenic transformation of ecosystems, which suppresses all the processes listed. Developing these concepts, O.V. Smirnova attached great importance to the mathematical modelling of populations, ecosystems and the processes they are involved in. She often initiated collaboration between population biologists and other field ecologists and mathematicians. In the 1990s and subsequently, the geography of plant-population and complex biogeocenotic studies covered all climatic zones where forests can be found, throughout the European part of Russia and various regions of the Asian part. Among the publications released based on the results of the conducted studies, the most famous was the 2-volume collective monograph «Eastern European Forests: History in the Holocene and the Present» (2004). When writing it, O.V. Smirnova was the editor-in-chief and inspired work of 49 authors from 19 scientific organizations. In the 2000s, as a sufficient theoretical result of her long-term work, O.V. Smirnova substantiated diagnostic criteria for assessing the successional status of forest ecosystems. She continued population and biogeocenotic studies until the last years of her life. She also always sought to disseminate among other researchers the concepts and methods that she used, for this she was actively involved in pedagogical work. In particular, in the 1990s and 2000s, O.V. Smirnova headed the master’s degree educational programme «Biogeocenology and Forest Ecology» at Pushchino State University, delivered the lecture courses «Biogeocenology» and «Historical Ecology» there and, by invitation, at other universities in Russia. Besides, she supervised numerous qualifying works of master’s degree students and post-graduate students, several applicants for the academic degree of Doctor in Biological Sciences. In addition to conducting scientific field research, O.V. Smirnova participated in expeditions with nature conservation aimsin the 1990s-2010s, using her knowledge and experience to justify the establishment of specially protected natural areas. Another practical application of the scientific concepts she developed was the repeatedly published practical recommendations for forest users. In the last years of her life, O.V. Smirnova was actively involved in popularizing the scientific views that she had been developing for a long time; for this purpose, she gave a course of lectures called “Ecology for Everyone”. O.V. Smirnova’s scientific heritage includes more than 300 publications, e.g. 28 monographs and 243 articles in peer-reviewed journals. One can read her works on her personal page in the Istina information system (https://istina.msu.ru/workers/7762639/).

Marmots weren’t part of the ecosystems of Bryansk regions for a long time, because they disappeared under the pressure of the plow and uncontrolled hunting. In this area, the first colony of marmot was noticed in 2013 on the gentle slopes of the southern exposure. The aim of the work is to estimate the role of Marmota bobak activity for intraforest steppe meadows in the east of the Bryansk region. Route survey showed that plants communities transformed under their activity. Based on geobotanical relevés and statistical analysis, two groups of vegetation were identified in the study area: short-grass and tall-grass meadows. Tall-grass meadows are characterized by low biodiversity indices, because highly competitive grasses dominate the community (Bromus inermis, Calamagrostis epigeios, Elytrigia repens etc.). Small-grass meadows are associated with marmot settlements and are sustained by animal activity. Due to the grazing of dominant grasses, less competitive species can occupy more advantageous positions in the grass stand. The activity of marmots allows plant species of different ecological-coenotic groups to coexist in the meadows. To maintain structural and species diversity of the vegetation cover of intraforest meadows, the following features of marmots’ behaviour are important: formation of burrows with fresh throwings, which are characterized by an exposed substrate necessary for seed and vegetative propagation of plants; creation and maintenance of pasture or forage areas near the burrows. The above determines the development of vegetation patches (micro-groupings) in meadows and their spatial redistribution in communities.

The vegetation of the Prisursky Nature Reserve has been insufficiently studied. The reserve's location at the border of nemoral and taiga community types, along with significant topographical heterogeneity, creates various combinations of these communities. The aim of this study is to identify the relationship between the patterns of forest vegetation distribution and the landscape structure. The research was conducted in the Alatyrsky section of the Prisursky State Nature Reserve (Chuvashia). A geobotanical profile measuring 5.5 km was established in the basin of the River Lyulya, extending from the watershed to the floodplain. Within this profile, the additional 9 shorter profiles were built. A total of 314 geobotanical descriptions were used for analysis, conducted according to the Braun-Blanquet methodology on plots of 100, 25 and 2.5 m². To characterise the phytocenoses, the ratio of the main ecological-cenotic groups of species was analysed. The ecological space of the ecotopes was assessed using the scoring ecological scales developed by D.N. Tsiganov. Plant community types for phytocenosis characterisation were identified according to the principles of dominant classification. Forest catenae of two levels were described: the first-order catena (in the basin of the River Lyulya) and second-order catenae (its tributaries). Six types of ecotopes were identified in the first-order catena, with background and additional communities described for each. A comparative analysis of the species composition and the ratio of ecological-cenotic groups of the plant cover in the two levels of catenae was conducted. The internal heterogeneity of plant communities, related to topographical irregularities, is an inherent characteristic that should be considered when describing the plant cover of areas with complex landscape structures. Moving from the upper to the lower parts of the first-order catena, there is an increasing participation of boreal species with a decreasing role of nemoral species; in the floodplain ecotope, the proportion of nemoral species rises again. The distribution of plant cover in catenae of different scales occurs in a similar manner.