gesjGEOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABILITYGEOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABILITY2071-93882542-1565Russian Geographical Society10.24057/2071-9388-2022-093gesj-2837Research ArticleRESEARCH PAPERСтатьиBiodiversity Of Bryophyte Of Photic Zones Of Caves In The Kutuk Tract (Southern Ural, Bashkiria)MazinaS. E.

str. Schukinskaya, 40, 123182, Moscow

Miklukho-Maklaya str. 6, 117198, Moscow

Kazakov str. 15,105064, Moscow

conophytum@mail.ruKozlovaE. V.

Miklukho-Maklaya str. 6, 117198, Moscow

FedorovA. S.

Miklukho-Maklaya str. 6, 117198, Moscow

AbdullinS. R.

Vladivostok, Prospekt 100-letiya Vladivostoku 159/1, 690022

Research and technical centre of radiation-chemical safety and hygiene FMBA of Russian Federation; Рeoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University); Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “State University of Land Use Planning”Russian FederationРeoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)Russian FederationFederal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity, Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of SciencesRussian Federation2023070420231617385Copyright © Mazina S.E., Kozlova E.V., Fedorov A.S., Abdullin S.R., 20232023Mazina S.E., Kozlova E.V., Fedorov A.S., Abdullin S.R.Mazina S.E., Kozlova E.V., Fedorov A.S., Abdullin S.R.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.https://ges.rgo.ru/jour/article/view/2837

This article presents results of a study of bryophytes in seven caves of the Kutuk tract of the National Park «Bashkiria» of the Republic of Bashkortostan, including the largest cave in Bashkiria – Kutuk-Sumgan.Fifty-five bryophytes species were found in the studied caves. The dominant species in all caves was Timmia bavarica. The species composition of bryophytes of each cave is unique. Among identified bryophytes species 23, species were found only in one cave, and 11 species in 2 caves. During our survey, we found 31 species in Kutuk-Sumgan Cave, 21 species in Kutuk-2 and Kutuk-3 caves, 19 species in Kutuk-4 caves, 18 species in Vintovaya and Zigzag caves and 14 species in Kutuk-1 cave. Using the Jaccard and Phi-squared similarity indices, we revealed the stability of the bryoflora of the caves in different years and show its changes. Changes in the composition and structure of mosses in the Kutuk tract may be caused by mechanical influences. Benchmark similarity analysis allowed us to determine the influence of entrance morphology and glaciation in the photic zone of the caves on the composition of bryophytes.Using the Kutuk tract caves as an example, it is shown that in the primary analysis of the bryoflora, when selecting a characteristic cave, up to 40% of the total species composition of the caves can be identified in a single cave. The current study of Kutuk tract caves shows that identification of the primere analyses of bioflora permits identification of up to 40% of species composition of an individual cave.Three criteria for selecting a characteristic cave were identified: size of the photic zone and morphology of the entrance, diversity of habitats, and the least degree of disturbance.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.