Introduction

Currently, the issue of preserving biodiversity in our country and in the world as a whole is becoming more and more pressing. Anthropogenic impact and natural disasters lead to large environmental losses. And first of all, this affects the change in the species composition of plant communities and the disappearance of rare plants. In this course work we will talk about the biological features and significance of ephemera and ephemeroids, as well as those ephemeroids that have been subject to anthropogenic impact and are now under protection. Ephemera and ephemeroids are plants whose growing season is 1.5-2 months.

To date, a small number of works have been devoted to the study of Belarusian ephemera, which in turn allows us to conclude that they have not been fully considered. One of the main reasons for choosing this topic is that most ephemera and some ephemeroids are listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus and are protected. To preserve these species, it is necessary to study their biological characteristics, as well as the factors leading to their extinction.

The relevance of the topic of this course work also lies in the fact that the information presented in it and the results obtained in the future can be used in further study of the flora of a particular region of our country or the flora of Belarus in general, as well as for the development of measures aimed at protecting specific populations of endangered plant species.

Ephemera and ephemeroids, being early spring flowers, play an important role in the composition of plant communities. By depositing ash elements in the form of organic substances in their wintering shoots, they help increase soil fertility.

Studying the characteristics of the life activity of ephemerals and ephemeroids will allow us to develop a system of measures to protect them in natural habitats, and knowing the biological significance of ephemerals, it will be possible to more effectively use their beneficial properties for humans.

Thus, object of our study are the ephemera and ephemeroids of the Mozyr Ravines landscape reserve.

Subject research - species diversity of ephemerals and ephemeroids.

Purpose of the work: to study the biological characteristics of ephemerals and ephemeroids of the Mozyr Ravines landscape reserve; obtaining information about the habitats of these species in the reserve.

Research objectives:

1. To study the species composition of ephemerals and ephemeroids on the territory of the Mozyr Ravines landscape reserve.

2. Study the features of the development cycle of ephemeroids using the example of Haller's corydalis.

3. Identify rare and endangered species of ephemerals and ephemeroids in the territory of the Mozyr Ravines landscape reserve.

Literature review

General characteristics of ephemera and ephemeroids

Currently, a group of early flowering plants - ephemerals and ephemeroids - is of great interest for study.

Ephemera are annual herbaceous plants, the development cycle of which is completed in a short time (from 2-6 weeks to 2 months) before the onset of a drier period. They usually grow in deserts and steppes. Basically, ephemerals develop in the autumn-winter-spring period, more often in spring or autumn. These plants die completely in dry weather in the summer. The development of winter ephemerals begins in autumn. The duration of germination, the life span of plants, and their size are determined by meteorological conditions. Thus, due to heavy rainfall, ephemerals can reach a height of 25-30 cm, and some cruciferous plants - 50 cm. A characteristic feature of ephemerals is their unique adaptability to fluctuations in environmental conditions.

According to some classifications, ephemerals and ephemeroids are classified as mesophytes, according to others - to the group of xerophytes. But more often botanists consider them as a separate group of plants.

Typical representatives are spring speedwell (Veronika verna), spring stonefly (Erophila verna).

It should be noted that among the ephemera there are also weeds. During one growing season, they are capable of producing several generations and heavily weeding fields and crops.

A typical representative of this group is the average chickweed (Snellaria media), which has a very weak branched stem lying on the ground or slightly rising. Chickweed is a malicious weed that infests all fields, but it causes particular harm to row crops and vegetable crops. The growing season of this plant is about 40 days. Average chickweed produces 15-25 thousand seeds, which last for 5-8 years in the soil. Seeds germinate well from a depth of up to 3 cm. When the soil is loosened and precipitation falls, chickweed seedlings appear throughout the summer.

Some ephemera are listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus, the collection of which is prohibited and punishable by penalties.

Ephemeroids are perennial herbaceous plants, which are characterized by autumn-winter-spring vegetation. Aboveground shoots die off during the summer period, and the underground part remains in the form of bulbs, tubers, and rhizomes. These include spring guillemot (Ficaria verna), goose lutea (Gagea lutea), forest lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis), Corydalis (Corydalis Halleri), spring bud (Orobus vernus).

Man knows more than 300 thousand plant species. Some of them grow in unsuitable conditions. One of these plants are ephemeroids. To survive in a difficult environment, they had to resort to “tricks” and develop special adaptations. What are ephemeroids? You will find the definition and examples in our article.

What are ephemeroids?

Ephemeroids are perennial herbaceous plants, but this is not their peculiarity. They learned to live where access to water or sunlight is not available all year round, but only in certain seasons. In such conditions, many plants die, because they regularly need these elements to maintain the body.

Ephemera are, in their own way, unique plants. They adapted to difficult conditions thanks to a short growing season. When there is enough light and water, they grow and bloom rapidly. With the onset of an unfavorable season, their ground parts dry out and fall off. The underground parts (tubers, rhizomes, bulbs) remain to grow new shoots next year.

Ephemeroids have very little time to develop. Sometimes plants only have a couple of weeks left. Their underground organs contain many nutrients. They accumulate there to nourish the plant during hibernation.

Ephemeral plants also have similar properties. But, unlike ephemeroids, these are annual plants. In a short growing season, they manage to produce seeds and then die off completely.

Where do they grow?

Ephemeroids are inhabitants of deserts, steppes and semi-deserts. There is always a lack of moisture there, and the hot sun literally burns out all living things. But in spring it often rains, and the light is soft and gentle. At such a time, poppies appear in the steppes, astragalus grow in rocky deserts, and tulips bloom on the sands of Turkmenistan.

From September to November, climatic spring begins in the Atacama Desert. There may be no precipitation there for many years, so it is considered one of the driest places on Earth. But due to the influence of El Niño, some areas are sometimes irrigated by downpours, and lifeless spaces are covered with colorful flowers.

You can also find ephemeroids in ordinary forests. In dense deciduous forests there is enough moisture, but on the contrary, there is not enough light. Ephemeroids grow in oak forests and other groves. They appear when there is no foliage on the trees in order to make the most of solar energy.

Depending on the time of appearance, they are divided into spring and autumn ephemeroids. An example of autumn plants is the colchicum, autumn crocus. Spring ones are: tulips, crocuses, snowdrops, goose onions.

Anemone

Anemone or anemone is an ephemeral plant from the ranunculaceae family. The flower is distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, even covering some areas of the Arctic. About 170 species of anemone are known, most of which are poisonous.

Anemones have neat, large flowers with at least five petals. They come in yellow, red, white, blue and pink. They usually grow in the tundra, on rocky hills and slopes, in steppe meadows and on shady forest edges.

Goose onion

It is also called yellow snowdrop, yellowflower, adder's onion or gooseberry. In April, the plant appears on mountain slopes, steppes and forests. It has yellow flowers with elongated petals and tall narrow leaves.

The height of the goose onion is approximately 30-40 centimeters. It does not grow as single flowers, but in small groups. Boiled it was once eaten, and was also used to treat asthma, ulcers, and wound healing. Yellowflower is found in North Africa and temperate Eurasia, for example in Ukraine, the Far East and Central Asia.

Snowdrops

They are the ones who announce to us the arrival of spring, appearing even before the snow has completely melted. Snowdrop or “milk flower” is common in Southern and Central Europe, Asia Minor, and on the Black Sea coast. About 16 of its species grow in the Caucasus.

Its flower consists of six petals, which are arranged in two circles. Unlike many other plants, it does not reach up towards the sun, but is lowered towards the ground. The snowdrop dies in May. The duration of its flowering depends on the area where it grows, as well as the altitude above sea level. Due to its unpretentiousness, the flower is often grown in garden beds. However, some of its species are listed in the Red Book and are considered endangered.

Current

Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous

Man knows more than 300 thousand plant species. Some of them grow in unsuitable conditions. One of these plants are ephemeroids. To survive in a difficult environment, they had to resort to “tricks” and develop special adaptations. What are ephemeroids? You will find the definition and examples in our article.

What are ephemeroids?

Ephemeroids are perennial herbaceous plants, but this is not their peculiarity. They learned to live where access to water or sunlight is not available all year round, but only in certain seasons. In such conditions, many plants die, because they regularly need these elements to maintain the body.

Ephemera are, in their own way, unique plants. They adapted to difficult conditions thanks to a short growing season. When there is enough light and water, they grow and bloom rapidly. With the onset of an unfavorable season, their ground parts dry out and fall off. The underground parts (tubers, rhizomes, bulbs) remain to grow new shoots next year.

Ephemeroids have very little time to develop. Sometimes plants only have a couple of weeks left. Their underground organs contain many nutrients. They accumulate there to nourish the plant during hibernation.

Ephemeral plants also have similar properties. But, unlike ephemeroids, these are annual plants. In a short time they manage to produce seeds, but they themselves die completely.

Where do they grow?

Ephemeroids are inhabitants of deserts, steppes and semi-deserts. There is always a lack of moisture there, and the hot sun literally burns out all living things. But in spring it often rains, and the light is soft and gentle. At such a time, poppies appear in the steppes, astragalus grow, and tulips bloom on the sands of Turkmenistan.

From September to November, climatic spring begins in the Atacama Desert. There may be no precipitation there for many years, so it is considered one of the driest places on Earth. But due to the influence of El Niño, some areas are sometimes irrigated by downpours, and lifeless spaces are covered with colorful flowers.

You can also find ephemeroids in ordinary forests. In dense deciduous forests there is enough moisture, but on the contrary, there is not enough light. Ephemeroids grow in oak forests and other groves. They appear when there is no foliage on the trees in order to make the most of solar energy.

Depending on the time of appearance, they are divided into spring and autumn ephemeroids. An example of autumn plants is crocus. Spring ones are: tulips, crocuses, snowdrops, goose onions.

Anemone

Anemone or anemone is an ephemeral plant from the ranunculaceae family. The flower is distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, even covering some areas of the Arctic. About 170 species of anemone are known, most of which are poisonous.

Anemones have neat, large flowers with at least five petals. They come in yellow, red, white, blue and pink. They usually grow in the tundra, on rocky hills and slopes, in steppe meadows and on shady forest edges.

Goose onion

It is also called yellow snowdrop, yellowflower, adder's onion or gooseberry. In April, the plant appears on mountain slopes, steppes and forests. It has yellow flowers with elongated petals and tall narrow leaves.

The height of the goose onion is approximately 30-40 centimeters. It does not grow as single flowers, but in small groups. Boiled it was once eaten, and was also used to treat asthma, ulcers, and wound healing. Yellowflower is found in North Africa and temperate Eurasia, for example in Ukraine, the Far East and Central Asia.

Snowdrops

They are the ones who announce to us the arrival of spring, appearing even before the snow has completely melted. Snowdrop or “milk flower” is common in Southern and Central Europe, Asia Minor, and on the Black Sea coast. About 16 of its species grow in the Caucasus.

Its flower consists of six petals, which are arranged in two circles. Unlike many other plants, it does not reach up towards the sun, but is lowered towards the ground. The snowdrop dies in May. The duration of its flowering depends on the area where it grows, as well as the altitude above sea level. Due to its unpretentiousness, the flower is often grown in garden beds. However, some of its species are listed in the Red Book and are considered endangered.

And each type of plant adapted to life in the desert in its own way. Ephemera- annual plants with a very short life cycle. Their life lasts only about a month in May.

Such plants ephemera, like poppy, cereals awaken in early spring and have time to bloom and produce seeds one month before the onset of heat. In the spring, while the top layer of soil is well supplied with water, ephemerals actively absorb it from the soil, but also evaporate a lot.

The leaves of some ephemerals almost lie on the ground, covering it with themselves and preventing the sun from quickly drying it out. In this unusual way, ephemeral plants adapted to life in the desert. By the end of the life cycle, ephemeral plants die off completely, even the roots. In one month of the growing season, they manage to leave behind only seeds to resume life in the next growing season.

But ephemeral plants can be found not only in the desert. Ephemera grow in conditions where growing conditions from spring to summer change sharply for the worse, associated with providing plants not only with water, but also with light. Therefore, even in the broad-leaved forests of central Russia, for example, in oak forests, where there is not enough light in the summer, ephemerals are also found.

In early spring, when most of the leaves on the trees have not yet blossomed, ephemerals quickly grow and have time to produce seeds. As the leaves bloom on the trees, the ephemerals gradually or quickly die off. Ephemera that can be found on the territory of Russia: oak grouse, desert alyssum, spring stonefly, northern breaker, African malcolmia, sickle-shaped hornwort.

In addition to ephemerals, annual plants, there are ephemeroid plants similar to them in nature - perennial plants, in which only the above-ground part dies off with the onset of unfavorable conditions. Usually in nature they grow side by side, and having learned the differences between annual and perennial plants, you can accurately determine which plant it is: ephemeral or ephemeral.

Ephemeroids

Ephemeroids- perennial herbaceous plants with a very short growing season, which occurs during the most favorable period. After this, the life cycle of ephemeral plants begins to stop, and the above-ground part of the plants begins to gradually die off. Due to the nutrients accumulated in the underground part of the ephemeroids, their life is resumed when favorable conditions occur.

Ephemeroids include tuberous, rhizomatous and bulbous. Representatives of ephemeroids - the well-known lumbago (sleep-grass), scilla, scilla, tulips, hyacinths, spring-flowering crocuses, anemones, daffodils, muscari, chionodox, ranunculus, corydalis, hazel grouse, eremurus, as well as such indoor plants as amaryllis, clivia .

In early spring ephemeroids, sprouts and buds of renewal buds are still formed under the snow. During flowering ephemeroids form a bright and colorful carpet of flowers that are clearly visible to pollinating insects. After the fruits have ripened and the seeds have dropped, in early June, with a change in conditions (little water or light), the above-ground organs of the ephemeroids die off. Underground organs with renewal buds and starch reserves are in a state of deep dormancy for about ten months until next spring.

Representatives of autumn ephemeroids are autumn-blooming crocuses and colchicum, or colchicum. They bloom in late autumn, when the leaves from the trees have already fallen off and do not block the light. For an active life, ephemeroids only need a short daylight time in the forest.

All ephemeroids are conditionally divided into groups:

The first group includes ephemeroids, in which the buds of growth and renewal are located above the soil level;

The second group includes ephemeroids, in which the buds of growth and renewal are at soil level and are covered with snow in winter;

The third group includes ephemeroids, in which the buds of growth and renewal are located very deep in the soil. Even with insufficient snow cover and partial freezing of the root part, ephemeroids from this group are quickly restored. Almost all spring bulbous plants belong to this group of ephemeroids.

The most striking example of the adaptability of plants to life is the desert. Here they grow side by side ephemeral plants, and cacti and . And each type of plant adapted to life in the desert in its own way. Ephemera- annual plants with a very short life cycle. Their life lasts only about a month in May.

Such plants ephemera, like poppy, cereals awaken in early spring and have time to bloom and produce seeds one month before the onset of heat. In the spring, while the top layer of soil is well supplied with water, ephemerals actively absorb it from the soil, but also evaporate a lot.

The leaves of some ephemerals almost lie on the ground, covering it with themselves and preventing the sun from quickly drying it out. In this unusual way, ephemeral plants adapted to life in the desert. By the end of the life cycle, ephemeral plants die off completely, even the roots. In one month of the growing season, they manage to leave behind only seeds to resume life in the next growing season.

But ephemeral plants can be found not only in the desert. Ephemera grow in conditions where growing conditions from spring to summer change sharply for the worse, associated with providing plants not only with water, but also with light. Therefore, even in the broad-leaved forests of central Russia, for example, in oak forests, where there is not enough light in the summer, ephemerals are also found.

In early spring, when most of the leaves on the trees have not yet blossomed, ephemerals quickly grow and have time to produce seeds. As the leaves bloom on the trees, the ephemerals gradually or quickly die off. Ephemera that can be found on the territory of Russia: oak grouse, desert alyssum, spring stonefly, northern breaker, African malcolmia, sickle-shaped hornwort.

In addition to ephemerals, annual plants, there are ephemeroid plants similar to them in nature - perennial plants that grow with the onset of unfavorable conditions. Usually in nature they grow side by side, and having learned the differences between annual and perennial plants, you can accurately determine which plant it is: ephemeral or ephemeral.

Ephemeroids

Ephemeroids- perennial herbaceous plants with a very short growing season, which occurs during the most favorable period. After this, the life cycle of ephemeral plants begins to stop, and the above-ground part of the plants begins to gradually die off. Due to the nutrients accumulated in the underground part of the ephemeroids, their life is resumed when favorable conditions occur.

Ephemeroids include tuberous, rhizomatous and bulbous. Representatives of ephemeroids are the well-known snowdrops, lumbago (dream grass), scillas, scillas, tulips, spring-flowering crocuses, daffodils, muscari, chionodoxes, ranunculus, corydalis, hazel grouse, as well as such indoor plants as clivia.

In early spring ephemeroids, sprouts and buds of renewal buds are still formed under the snow. During flowering ephemeroids form a bright and colorful carpet of flowers that are clearly visible to pollinating insects. After the fruits have ripened and the seeds have dropped, in early June, with a change in conditions (little water or light), the above-ground organs of the ephemeroids die off. Underground organs with renewal buds and starch reserves are in a state of deep dormancy for about ten months until next spring.

Representatives of autumn ephemeroids are, or colchicum. They bloom in late autumn, when the leaves from the trees have already fallen off and do not block the light. For an active life, ephemeroids only need a short daylight time in the forest.

All ephemeroids are conditionally divided into groups: