Ephemera

Ephemera- an ecological group of herbaceous annual plants with a very short growing season (some complete their full development cycle in just a few weeks).

These are usually very small plants of deserts and semi-deserts or steppes. They develop intensively, bloom and bear fruit during the wet period (spring or autumn) and die off completely during the summer drought.

Some ephemeral plants found in Russia: Spring stonewort ( Erophila verna), Oak Krupka ( Draba nemorosa), Cornea crescent ( Ceratocephala falcata), Prolomnik northern ( Androsace septentrionalis), Malcolmia africanica ( Malcolmia africana), desert alyssum ( Alyssum desertorum).

There are also perennial plants similar to ephemerals - ephemeroids, in which only the above-ground part dies.

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See what “Ephemerals” are in other dictionaries:

Ephemera- (from the Greek ephemeros one-day, transient), annual plants with a very short (2-6 months) life cycle, ending with the formation of seeds 3-4 weeks after the start of the growing season. Ephemera include, for example, some plants... ... Ecological dictionary

Annual herbaceous plants, the entire development of which usually occurs in a very short time (several weeks), usually in early spring. Characteristic of steppes, semi-deserts and deserts (for example, dimorphic quinoa) ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (ephemerae), annual herbaceous plants that complete a full development cycle in a very short and usually wet period (from 2 6 weeks to 5 6 months). Preims are developing. early spring (February May), using the time before the onset of drought. T.n. winter crops... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary

Annual herbaceous plants, the entire development of which usually occurs in a very short time (several weeks), usually in early spring. Characteristic of steppes, semi-deserts and deserts (for example, dimorphic quinoa). * * * EPHEMERA EPHEMERA, annual... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

- (gr. ephemeras one-day, transient) annual plants with a very short growing season (for example, semolina, field violet); are especially common in deserts and semi-deserts cf. ephemeroids). New dictionary of foreign words. by EdwART… Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

A group of annual herbaceous plants that complete a full development cycle in a very short period. These are plants of autumn-winter-spring growing season, lasting from 1.5-2 months (spinoflora aspinocarpta, dimorphic quinoa, etc.) to 6-8... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Annual herbaceous plants, all development of which usually occurs in a very short period of time (several weeks), usually in early spring. Characteristic of steppes, semi-deserts and deserts (for example, dimorphic quinoa) ... Natural science. encyclopedic Dictionary

ephemera- annual plants with a very short, usually spring, life cycle, e.g. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis) ... Anatomy and morphology of plants

EPHEMERA- (from the Greek ephemeras one-day, short-lived), annual plants with a very short development cycle (several weeks). They are confined to deserts, semi-deserts and dry steppes, where they grow during humid periods, which are also characterized by mild... ... Agricultural Encyclopedic Dictionary

EPHEMERA- annual plants with a short, usually spring period of development... Dictionary of botanical terms

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 ephemerals 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 clearweed (Ficaria verna), gooseberry (Gagea lutea), forest lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis), Haller's corydalis (Corydalis Halleri), spring bud (Orobus vernus).

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 aboveground 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 aboveground 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:

EPHEMEROIDS EPHEMEROIDS

(ephemeroida), perennial herbaceous plants, which are characterized by autumn-winter-spring vegetation. They bloom in early spring. In summer, above-ground shoots die off completely, leaving only underground storage organs with buds - bulbs, tubers, rhizomes. Typical for arid regions where they rest during periods of drought (species of tulip, sedge, bluegrass bulbous), as well as for forest-steppes and broad-leaved areas. forests where they use a wet and light period before the leaves bloom on the trees (Siberian scilla, species of corydalis, buttercup anemone).

.(Source: “Biological Encyclopedic Dictionary.” Editor-in-chief M. S. Gilyarov; Editorial Board: A. A. Babaev, G. G. Vinberg, G. A. Zavarzin and others - 2nd ed., corrected - M.: Sov. Encyclopedia, 1986.)

Perennial herbaceous plants that have the ability to suspend life processes during periods of drought (summer) and begin growth and development at favorable times, i.e. They are characterized by autumn-winter-spring vegetation. These are mainly bulbous plants. So, in spring numerous types of tulips and goose onions bloom. In summer, the aboveground part dies off completely and no traces of the plant are visible, and the bulbs rest in the ground. Some bulbous ephemeroids (e.g. colchicum, saffron) bloom in autumn.

.(Source: “Biology. Modern illustrated encyclopedia.” Chief editor A. P. Gorkin; M.: Rosman, 2006.)

See what "EPHEMEROIDS" are in other dictionaries:

Ephemeroids- (from the Greek ephemeros one-day, transient and eidos form, type), perennial plants that flower and vegetate for a short time (for example, in the spring wet period), managing to accumulate in underground organs (bulbs, tubers, ... ... Ecological dictionary

Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Perennial herbaceous plants, the above-ground organs of which develop from autumn to spring and die in the summer, while the underground organs (bulbs, tubers) persist for several years. Characteristic of steppes, semi-deserts and deserts (types of tulip, sedge, bluegrass), and... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

They should not be confused with Ephemera, a group of annual plants. Ephemeroids are an ecological group of perennial herbaceous plants with a very short growing season, occurring at the most favorable time of year. Growing season... ... Wikipedia

ephemeroids- efemeroidai statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Trumpai vegetuojantys daugiamečiai augalai, daugiausia paplitę sausringose ​​srityse (pusdykumėse, dykumose). atitikmenys: engl. ephemeroids vok. Ephemeroiden, f rus. ephemeroids... Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

A group of perennial herbaceous plants characterized by autumn-winter-spring vegetation. During the dry part of the year they are in a dormant state in the form of seeds or bulbs, tubers, and rhizomes. Duration of the growing season of E. arid... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Perennial herbaceous plants, the aboveground organs of which develop from autumn to spring and die in the summer, while the underground organs (bulbs, tubers) remain for several years. years. Characteristic of steppes, semi-deserts and deserts (types of tulip, sedge, bluegrass), as well as... ... Natural science. encyclopedic Dictionary

- (gr. ephemeras diurnal + eidos species) perennial plants with a very short growing season; most of the year remain in the form of tubers, bulbs or rhizomes cf. ephemera). New dictionary of foreign words. by EdwART, 2009 … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

ephemeroids- perennial plants with a short, usually spring, period of active development, often geophytes, for example. Siberian scilla (Scilla sibirica) ... Anatomy and morphology of plants

ephemeroids- ephemeral oids, ov, units. h. oid, and ... Russian spelling dictionary

Ephemeroids are perennial herbaceous plants, which, like ephemerals, are characterized by a very short growing season.[...]

EPHEMEROIDS [from gr. ephemeros - one-day, short-lived and eidos - species] - perennial (as opposed to ephemerals) herbaceous plants with a short (2-8 months) period of autumn-winter-spring growing season (tulip, sedge inflated, bulbous bluegrass, anemone, scilla).[ ...]

Ephemeroids (from the Greek - one-day and form, type) are perennial herbaceous plants, which are characterized by autumn-spring vegetation. In summer, above-ground shoots die off completely, leaving only underground storage organs with buds (bulbs, tubers, rhizomes). They are especially characteristic of arid regions, where they rest during periods of drought (bluegrass, tulip, sedge, scilla, etc.), but are also found in forest-steppes and deciduous forests.[...]

EPHEMEROIDS - perennial plants with a very short growing season. They spend most of the year in a dormant state. A typical example of E. is the well-known snowdrops in our forests.[...]

Ephemera and ephemeroids predominate where from spring to summer there is a sharp change in growing conditions associated with the provision of plants with water or light. An example is the lush development of plants such as bluegrass and sedge in some areas of Central Asia in early spring, when moisture and temperature conditions are favorable for their life. In aspect, such communities at this time resemble meadows. But as soon as a drought with a high temperature sets in, all that remains of the ephemerals are the seeds that have managed to fall to the surface of the soil, while the ephemeroids retain only underground organs that remain dormant until the onset of favorable conditions for their growing season. What previously resembled a meadow takes on the appearance of a desert.[...]

For early spring ephemeroids, the so-called “snowdrops,” heating of the leaves provides the opportunity for fairly intense photosynthesis on sunny but still cold spring days. For cold habitats or habitats associated with seasonal temperature fluctuations, an increase in plant temperature is ecologically very important, since physiological processes thereby become, to a certain extent, independent of the surrounding thermal background. [...]

In spring, ephemerals and ephemeroids develop widely, which predominate in the grass stand in sandy deserts. The most common shrubs here are juzgun, cherkes, sand acacia, white saxaul, etc. In clayey gypsum deserts, wormwood, boyalych, tamarix, etc. predominate, and the soil surface is often covered with algae and lichens. The latter form the basis of vegetation in clay takyr desert areas. In general, the vegetation cover is very sparse.[...]

On sandy deserts, the grass stand is dominated by ephemerals and ephemeroids. The most widespread are sandy sedge (Carex phusodes), bulbous bluegrass (Poa bulbosa var. vivipara), annual brome (Bromus tectorum, etc.), from the bulbous family - goose onion (Gagea reticulata); umbrella (Ferula foltida), etc. [...]

This perennial herbaceous plant develops in the spring a dense basal rosette of leaves, among which the outer ones are spring leaves, soft, thin and narrow, almost linear, quickly die off, and the inner ones are summer leaves, fleshy, almost succulent, wide, rounded spear-shaped, initially more smaller than spring ones, continue the growing season for quite a long time.[...]

One of the most characteristic features of oak forests in general and complex oak forests in particular is the presence in the grass cover of a group of early flowering herbaceous species - oak forest ephemeroids. These include a significant group of bulbous and corm plants that bloom in oak forests before the oak unfolds its leaves: scillas, corydalis, anemones, gossamer and toothworts. In early spring, these plants form decorative flower carpets in oak forests.[...]

Brown semi-desert loamy soils are dominated by wormwood, fescue-wormwood, wormwood-biyurgun and biyurgun-kokpek associations with a significant admixture of ephemerals and ephemeroids.[...]

In the zone it is very thinned out. Projective coverage does not exceed 30-40% (in some places 20-30%). The soils were formed under fescue-wormwood associations with an admixture of ephemerals and ephemeroids. When the grass stand is thinned, lichens and blue-green algae develop on the soil surface.[...]

In the central part of the zone (in the subzone of chestnut soils) wormwood-fescue steppes predominate, and in the southern part (in the subzone of light chestnut soils) - fescue-wormwood steppes, with a significant admixture of ephemerals and ephemeroids (poa bulbous, tulips, irises, etc. .). On chestnut solonetzic soils in the grass stand there are various types of wormwood (white, black, Austrian), as well as chamomile, prutnyak and kermek. Lichens and algae appear on the surface.[...]

Synusia of annual plants and lichens, and partly ephemeroids, are absent or very weakly expressed. Subshrubs are almost completely absent.[...]

The seasonal dynamics of desert phytocenoses is clearly expressed. Phenological changes in communities are easily observed visually, expressed in changes in aspects: from bright yellow and lilac flowering in the spring, to pale naked indifference in summer and autumn.[...]

It is characterized by a certain species composition and the ecological and biological unity of its species. In the wormwood-hodgepodge desert, synusias of summer-autumn shrubs (wormwood, hodgepodge), early spring ephemerals and ephemeroids are distinguished.[...]

Chernozems were formed under herbaceous vegetation, which was dominated by perennial grasses. Currently, most of the black soil steppes are plowed and natural vegetation is destroyed. In the composition of natural vegetation, from north to south, forbs decrease and the content of spring ephemerals and ephemeroids increases.[...]

The vegetation cover is characterized by the dominance of wormwood-feather grass steppes. Among the turfgrasses, Stipa sareptana, St. lessingiana, Festuca valesiaca. The obligatory co-dominants are semi-shrub desert-steppe wormwood (Artemisia gracilescens). Artemisia pauciflora, Art. are common on solonetzes. schrenkiana. Spring plants, ephemeroids and ephemera play a more active role here than in dry steppes.[...]

The vegetation of gray soils is defined as subtropical steppes, or low-grass semi-savannas (L. E. Rodin). This vegetation arose during the process of increasing climate aridity since the Pliocene in connection with the uplift of the mountain systems of Central and Central Asia. Its composition is dominated by cereals, with giant umbelliferous plants (ferula) being very typical. During the period of spring moisture, ephemerals and ephemeroids grow rapidly - bluegrass, tulips, poppies, etc. According to the change of the wet and short-term spring phase to the dry and long summer phase, the vegetation changes sharply. In spring, bright and lush, but short-term associations of ephemerals are characteristic, in summer - associations of xerophytes that are stable throughout the hot period.[...]

In evergreen plants, in addition to the restoration of turgor (if it has been lost), a very good sign of the beginning of the growing season should be considered the clearly visible acquisition of wild rosemary, lingonberry leaves and juniper, pine, and spruce needles of a dark color typical for summer. In forests, the beginning of spring weeping in birch and maple is the first sign of the beginning of the growing season. The same informative feature is the unfolding of the first leaves of spring ephemeroids.[...]

The importance of individual environmental factors in the complex action of the environment is unequal. Therefore, among the latter, leading (main) environmental factors and secondary (accompanying) ones are distinguished. The leading factors are those that are necessary for the life of the body. Different species usually require different driving factors, even if the organisms live in the same place. At the same time, it should be noted that at different periods of the development of the organism there is a change in leading factors, which is especially typical for plants. So, for example, for ephemeroids during the flowering period the leading factor is light, and during the period of seed formation - the abundance of moisture and minerals.[...]

According to R. Whittaker, in the steppes the dominant life form of plants is hemicryptophytes (perennial grasses) - 63% of the total flora; followed by therophytes (annual grasses) - 14%, chamephytes - 12%, etc. Phanerophytes (trees) make up 1% of the total number of plants. Plants of the steppe zone are characterized by the following ecological features: narrow-leaved xerophytic turf grasses (feather grass, fescue, bluegrass, fescue, etc.) are widespread, the root systems of which form branched bunches that go to a considerable depth; the presence of ephemerals and ephemeroids (irises, cereals, forget-me-nots, buttercups, tulips, crocuses, etc.); There are also succulents.[...]

To the south, meadow steppes were characterized by forb-feather grass and fescue-feather grass associations. Xerophytic plants took a relatively greater part in their grass cover, the main background of which in the forb-feather grass steppes was narrow-leaved feather grass, fescue, thin legged grass, steppe oats, drooping sage, Volga adonis, bluebells, sedge, steppe plantain, spurge, mountain clover, etc. In the type-chakovo-feather grass steppes, low-stemmed feather grass, tyrsa, fescue, wheatgrass, and sedges predominated. Moisture deficiency contributed to the development of ephemerals and ephemeroids in these steppes - mortuk, bulbous bluegrass, tulips, alyssum, wormwood with a degree of projective cover of 40-60%.[...]

One of the adaptations of plants to life in arid areas is a shortened life cycle. Among the parpolystaceae, there is a group of ephemerals - annual herbaceous plants that survive the dry period in the form of seeds, and after sufficient rainfall they germinate, quickly bloom, produce seeds and then die. They go through the entire development cycle in 5-8 weeks. In arid climates, perennial plants - ephemeroids - also strive to complete the growing season in the shortest possible time.[...]

Air humidity determines the frequency of active life of organisms, the seasonal dynamics of life cycles, and affects the duration of development, fertility and mortality. For example, plant species such as spring speedwell, sand forget-me-not, desert alyssum, etc., using spring moisture, manage to germinate in a very short time (12-30 days), develop generative shoots, bloom, form fruits and seeds. These annual plants are called ephemerals (from the Greek “ephemeres” - fleeting, one-day). Ephemera, in turn, are divided into spring and autumn. The above plants are spring ephemerals. Certain species of perennial plants, called ephemeroids or geoephemeroids, also show clear adaptation to the seasonal rhythm of humidity. Under unfavorable humidity conditions, they can delay their development until it becomes optimal or, like ephemerals, go through its entire cycle in an extremely short period of early spring. This includes typical plants of the southern steppes - steppe hyacinth, poultry plants, tulips, etc. [...]

Over the growing season, not only the appearance of communities changes, but also (more significantly) the quantitative relationships between species, the impact of individual species and the community as a whole on the environment, and the productivity of the community. Depending on the composition of the plant community, the quantitative ratios of its components change more or less noticeably during the growing season. The changes in the quantitative ratio of plant species in herbaceous communities and in the herbaceous layers of forest communities are especially large. In some of them, the dominant plants change during the growing season. This is especially noticeable in such communities, which include species with a short growing season, confined to spring: either annual - ephemerals, or perennial - ephemeroids. [...]

Melastomes can also be found on sea coasts, on coral reefs, and in mangrove swamps. Many plants of this family are found in arid conditions - in dry and sunny places, on salt marshes, in savannas, on rocks. Some species grow in volcanic craters, on old lava flows, and near hot springs. On the dry plateaus of the interior regions of Brazil, the campos are abundant in low, heavily pubescent, rigid-leaved shrubs or dwarf shrubs, often having an orycoid appearance, or herbs with small scale-like leaves, often imbricated on the stems. Among the plants of the African savannas, the species of the genus Dissotis, which numbers about 140 species in tropical and South Africa, are especially remarkable. They are mainly herbaceous plants, but also shrubs or shrubs, usually hairy, with purple or violet flowers. Some species of dnasotis are ephemerals, small annual plants that manage to go through the entire development cycle in the wet season before the onset of the dry season. Other species are ephemeroids. During the dry period, the above-ground organs of the ephemeroids completely die off, only the tubers or rhizomes equipped with buds remain alive.