Geochemical reasons for high vulnerability of northern taiga ecosystems on hard gypsum outcrops

Northern taiga ecosystems on hard gypsum outcrops were studied at the area of Plnega State Reserve in the Arkhangelsk region of Russia. Landscapes on gypsum outcrops are very specific and characterized by a dissected karst topography and predominance of soils formed on hard gypsum. Phytocenoses confined to soils on hard gypsum are oligotrophic and significantly differ from generally known boreal forests. In the northern taiga, these are open woodlands characterized by the prevalence of suppressed pines and larches and the presence of rare arcto-alpine species （e.g. Gypsophylla uralensis subsp, pinegensis） in the lower tiers. It was found that ecosystems on gypsum outcrops are very vulnerable for fires with slow processes of vegetation recovery. Chemical methods of rocks, soils and plants samples investigation include pH （potentiometrically）, humus （T＇urin＇s method）, nitrogen （K＇eldal＇s method） and total content of other 20 macro- and microelements （X-ray fluorescence analysis）. The analysis of hard gypsum and the local geochemical background of the Pinega region （glacial loamy deposits） showed that gypsum rock is enriched only in S, Ca, and Sr： it consists of 99% CaSO4＊2H2O and is non-calcareous according to pH levels and negative result of qualitative reaction with HCl. The contents of Br, Pb and N are close to those of moraine. But most of nutrients have concentrations insufficient for normal plant growth, e.g. K and Mn are found in quantities of 1/400 and less than 1/1000 of their contents in silicate loamy soils of the study area. Distribution of all chemical elements in the profiles of soils formed on gypsum shows that there is no accumulation of any eluvium during soil formation because of total dissolution of disintegrated gypsum material. In this specific soil litter is the main horizon of most of nutrient concentration and, therefore, its role for plants nutrition became more important than in soils on glacial loams. The fires destroying soil litter, which is extremely precious for the whole ecosystem on geochemically pure gypsum, also causes an intensive denudation of organic horizons on slopes of karst landforms.

Geochemical reasons for high vulnerability of northern taiga ecosystems on hard gypsum outcrops