VASCULAR PLANT DIVERSITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE ALPINE ZONE OF THE CENTRAL GREATER CAUCASUS

Mountain regions are hotspots of biodiversity and contain many endemic vascular species. The alpine vegetation is generally considered to be particularly vulnerable to climate change and can be used as a sensitive “ecological indicator” for climate change effects. We present recent (2001 and 2008) changes in vascular plant composition observed in a monitoring network across GLORIA network summits in the Central Greater Caucasus. During monitoring period average soil temperature, June mean of daily minimum T (°C) and GDD did not significantly increase. The Thermophilization indicator (D) was negative. The observed changes in species richness and cover are not generated only by the changes of these climatic variables.