Gymnadenia conopsea (L.) R.Br. (Orchidacea) in the "Gorgany" Nature Reserve: population monitoring studies and complex characteristics of the habitat

For the first time, for the territory of the nature reserve "Gorgany" on the example of the permanent trial area No. 1, a complex characteristic of a typical post-forest meadow was compiled: based on the results of the ecomorphic analysis of the partial flora, its ecological specificity was revealed;  according to the data of the weight analysis and the indicators of the projective cover, information was obtained about the features of the spatial organization of the vegetation cover; on the basis of phytoindication, the indicators of the ecological regimes of the edaphotope and climatope were calculated; the structure of the cenopopulation of Gymnadenia conopsea (L.) R.Br., was investigated and the degree of compliance of the growing conditions with the tolerance zone of this species was revealed. The phytosozological value of the trial area is due to the presence of seven species from the Red Book of Ukraine: Gymnadenia conopsea, Dactylorhiza majalis (Rchb.) P.F.Hunt Summerh., Platanthera bifolia (L.) Rich., Neottia ovata (L.) Hartm.., Epipactis helleborine (L.) Crantz, Traunsteinera globosa (L.) Rchb., Galanthus nivalis L.. It was found that the spatial organization of the plant cover is heterogeneous, the indicators of the weight analysis fluctuate in a significant range. The studied area corresponds to fresh forest-meadow ecotopes with complete wetting of the root layer of the soil by precipitation and meltwater. The soils are moderately aerated, weakly acidic, quite rich in mineral salts, but with an insignificant content of carbonates and relatively poor in terms of mineral nitrogen. Such conditions of the edaphotope are favorable for the existence of mesophytes, hemihydrocontrastophobes, subacidophiles, heminitrophiles, hemiaerophobes, subombrophytes, hemioceanists, submicrotherms, hemicryophytes. It was established that the indicators of the ecological regimes of the edaphotope and climatotope are, in general, within the tolerance zone of G. conopsea, but for the regimes of lighting, variability of moisture, aeration and acidity, they approach the limit of the ecological amplitude of the species. A positive factor for its existence is the presence of a formed litter layer (450-500 g per 1 m2 of air-dry weight); absence of dense turf (less than 180 g per 1 m2), absence (or insignificant development) of layers of semi-shrubs and mosses. The number of generative individuals has remained relatively stable for several years, although we can talk about a certain tendency to decrease.