COENOTIC ROLE OF LARIX CAJANDERI (PINACEA E) IN THE NORTHERN TAIGA COMMUNITIES OF NORTHEAST RUSSIA

Specific structural features of the plant cover around Cajander larch trees (in their phytogenic field), a main forest-forming species of no rth-east Russia are considered. The Cajander larch exerts a medium-for ming effect on plants of other layers to a distance up to 1.2 m from i ts stem (at the radius of subcrown space of up to 0.5 m). The extent ( radius) of plant groups around the old tree stumps reaches 1.1 m, thus corresponding to the radius of their subcrown space. Comparison of et a(2) values reflecting the degree of variation of the plant cover with the distance from the stem of living trees and old tree stumps has sh own the differences to be small and unreliable. A conclusion has been drawn about a weak edificatory influence of the Cajander larch in fore st communities at the northern forest limit in north-east Russia.