Vegetation of swampy Khmelevsky lakes (Sochi National Park, Krasnodar Territory)

The vegetation of swampy lakes in the Caucasus is considered using the example of Khmelevsky lakes, located on the territory of the Sochi National Park (Krasnodar Territory). On Khmelevsky lakes, different stages of mire formation are observed, from open lakes to mires originated from completely overgrown lakes. Five associations of mire vegetation and one of coastal-aquatic vegetation were identified. The communities of these associations form the following belts on overgrowing lakes: a swampy mineral shore covered with communities of ass. Cariceto rostratae-Sphagnetum jensenii, Cariceto rostratae-Warnstorfietum fluitantis, Junceto-Polytrichetum communae; watered sites occupied by thickets of ground-rooted sedges (ass. Caricetum rostratae) or covered with sedge-sphagnum floating mats formed by communities of ass. Cariceto rostratae-Sphagnetum jensenii or Cariceto rostratae-Sphagnetum flexuosi; open water, in some places with coastal-aquatic communities ass. Eleocharitetum austriacae. For the first time in the Caucasus, communities with the moss cover dominated by Sphagnum jensenii and species of the genus Polytrichum have been described. Based on research materials by V.V. Akatov (1987) and satellite images, the dynamics of stabilization of floating mat on one of the lakes and overgrowing of another lake were traced. A strong negative impact of grazing was noted.