CHANGES IN THE COENOTIC STRUCTURE OF HERBACEOUS COMMUNITIES DURING RESTORATION SUCCESSION ON FALLOW LANDS

The features of restoration of plant communities formed in agrogenically transformed territories have been studied. During the period 2006–2023 observed restoration successions in the territory of the Pritagil zone of the Middle Urals in four areas represented by deposits. The research was carried out using direct observations of communities. Based on a set of characteristics of the coenotic structure (number of groups, their ratio in terms of participation in species richness, composition and number of leading groups, dominant groups), it is shown that it is more dynamic and reflects the internal processes of community development within individual successional stages, distinguished taking into account the life form dominants and features of the species structure. Within the studied communities there are 16 phytocenotic groups. In some areas in different years, from 11 to 14 groups are represented. Based on the share of participation in species richness, leading coenotic groups are distinguished with a share of participation of more than 10% and others with a share of participation of less than 10%. The most sig- nificant differences in the cenotic structure are observed among the leading groups. At the initial stages of fallow development, a group of weed species dominates in the communities. During succession, the dominant position is occupied by edge-meadow species. Meadow species act as codominants. Further, in the presence of forest com- munities in the environment, the appearance of a second codominant was noted: a group of edge-forest species. It has been established that of the communities of the four study territories, the phytocenoses of areas A1 (during the study period, the communities are characterized as transitional-cereal and early meadow) and A2 (young meadow) are the most dynamically developing. In the remaining areas (A3 and A5), where mature meadow communities are represented, the coenotic structure is stable. Changes in the coenotic structure of the studied communities co- incide with the stages identified by the life form of dominants and the species structure of communities only par- tially. The cenotic structure is more dynamic and reflects the internal processes of community development within individual successional stages.