Population biomorphological studies of Delphinium dictyocarpum DC. in Dzhungarskiy Alatau

This article presents the data of population-biomorphological studies of the larkspur (Delphinium dictyocarpum DC.) in the Dzhungarskiy Alatau. Purpose of the research isto study the distribution, phytocenotic confinement, biomorphology and structure of Delphinium dictyocarpum populations. The studies were carried out on the territory of the Dzhungarskiy Alatau ridge in 2015–2017. The structure of cenopopulations (CP) was studied in 2 plant communities (descriptions 1, 2). To study the density and ontogenetic structure of cenopopulations in communities transects were laid, divided into areas of 1 m2 in size. The type of cenopopulations was determined according to two classifications of B.A. Yurtseva (1987, 1988) and L.A. Zhukova (2013). When studying the biomorphology and structure of cenopopulations, we used the principles and methods adopted in modern plant population biology developed by L.A. Zhukova (2012) and “Program and methodology...” (1986). The study revealed that Delphinium dictyocarpum in the Dzhungarskiy Alatau grows at an altitude of 1600 to 3200 m above sea level, occupying the upper third or the summit of the high mountains. On the slopes the species is found along the outcrops of rocks and on stony-gravelly areas in the composition of shrub-forb-livebeet, cereal-forb meadows. The species composition of live bunch communities is represented by 125 species of vascular plants from 95 genera and 37 families. The height of the above-ground organs of Delphinium dictyocarpum ranged from 115 to 250 cm.