ONTOGENESIS OF GRECIAN JUNIPER (JUNIPERUS EXCELSA M. BIEB) IN SPARSE FORESTS OF THE BLACK SEA COAST OF THE CRIMEA AND THE CAUCASUS

Ontogenetic studies of rare and protected plant species are a necessary basis for their conservation. Grecian juniper (Juniperus excelsa M. Bieb) inhabits in the sparse forests on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea and the Caucasus. The sparse forests are fragments of ancient Eastern Mediterranean vegetation. Objectives of the study: to characterize the sparse forest vegetation with Grecian juniper; to reveal the diversity of its life forms; to explore ontogenesis features of individuals with different vitality. Materials and methods: The research is carried out in 6 locations of juniper sparse forests of the Crimea and the Caucasus. Previously developed methods of geobotanical and population-ontogenetic studies were used. Statistical methods were used for calculations. Results. Ecotopic characteristics and the vegetation cover of six examined juniper sparse forests have been described. 1341 individuals of Grecian juniper were analyzed, crown forms of this species have been distinguished and characterized, diagnoses of ontogenetic states and different levels of vitality were compiled, and results are illustrated with pictures and tables. Conclusions. The studies have shown high effectiveness of previously developed approaches and methods for ontogenesis and vitality analysis of different life form plants. The most important signs are identified for determination of ontogenetic states and vitality of juniper individuals: needle type, trunk diameter, total plant height, shape of crown, branching order, presence and location of generative organs. It is shown that polyvariety of ontogeny is manifested in the formation of individuals with different vitality, in the formation of crowns with different shapes within the same ontogenetic state and different growth forms (a single-trunk and multi-trunk tree), as well as different variants of ontogenesis (complete and incomplete