Gully-ravine systems as unique habitats sustaining rare species of plants, fungi, and myxomycetes

A comprehensive study of the gully-ravine system and buffer zone at the V. P. Engelhardt Astronomical Observatory of Kazan Federal University has revealed a rich biodiversity, including 94 vascular plant species, 17 mosses, 4 liverworts, 99 basidiomycete macrofungi, and 73 myxomycetes, with a significant presence of rare species. The habitats supporting these rare ferns and mosses exhibit distinct biotic and abiotic conditions compared to adjacent woodlands, characterized by higher air humidity (62-74%), reduced light availability, and cooler temperatures (2-3°C). Ordination analysis linked the distribution of rare plants to remnants of old-growth zonal spruce-broadleaf forest communities. Additionally, specific indicator species of fungi and myxomycetes were identified, demonstrating their host specificity for certain deadwood types.

Fardeeva, M. B., Potapov, K. O., Sadykov, R. E., & Shafigullina, N. R. (2025). Gully-ravine systems as unique habitats sustaining rare species of plants, fungi, and myxomycetes. Известия Российской Академии Наук. Серия Биологическая / Biology Bulletin, (6), 690. https://doi.org/10.7868/s3034536725060083