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ALPINE PLANT DISTRIBUTION AND THERMIC VEGETATION INDICATOR ON GLORIA SUMMITS IN THE CENTRAL GREATER CAUCASUS

KHATUNA GIGAURI1*, MAIA AKHALKATSI2, OTAR ABDALADZE1 AND GEORGE NAKHUTSRISHVILI2

1Ilia State University, Institute of Ecology, Tbilisi, Georgia

2Ilia State University, Institute of Botany, Tbilisi, Georgia

*Corresponding author: e-mail: khatuna.gigauri.1@iliauni.edu.ge  phone: 0322221585

Abstract

The distribution of plant species within alpine areas is often directly related to climate or climate-influenced ecological factors. Responding to observed changes in plant species, cover and composition on the GLORIA summits in the Central Caucasus, an extensive setup of 1m x 1m permanent plots was established at the treeline-alpine zones and nival ecotone (between 2240 and 3024 m a.s.l.) on the main watershed range of the Central Greater Caucasus nearby the Cross Pass, Kazbegi region, Georgia. Recording was repeated in a representative selection of 64 quadrates in 2008. The local climatic factors - average soil T°C and growing degree days (GDD) did not show significant increasing trends. For detection of climate warming we used two indices: thermic vegetation indicator S and thermophilization indicator D. They were varying along altitudinal and exposition gradients. The thermic vegetation indicator decrease in all monitoring summits. The abundance rank of the dominant and endemic species did not change during monitoring period. 

Key words: Alpine, Thermic vegetation indicator,  Gloria summits, Thermophilization indicator.