Ecological and Geographical Analysis of Endemic Vascular Plants in Siberia and Problems of Their Conservation Ex Situ

Abstract The composition and ecological–geographical features of the rarest endemic species of vascular plants of Siberia are considered, including 50 species known so far only from their classical location (so-called stenoendemics). Their share is about 1% of the flora of vascular plants of Siberia. For the first time, according to floristic zoning, the composition of the chorological groups of the stenoendemics of Siberia has been established. The zones of concentration of their ranges are determined. The largest number of species studied (23) is concentrated in the Altai–Siberian ecoregion. A significant number of stenoendemic species is also represented in the Baikal–Siberian (10) and West Siberian (8) regions. It has been quantitatively proven that the most favorable conditions for the existence of stenoendemics are in Southern Siberia. The mountain systems of Altai and Sayan provide the most diverse spectra of habitats for the successful implementation of microevolutionary processes, as well as the level of isolation sufficient to isolate new species. For the determination of the environmental conditions conducive to the speciation processes, the grouping of the studied species according to their belonging to floristic complexes is carried out. More than a third of the studied species of the Altai–Siberian ecoregion (9 out of 23) are confined to the high-mountain floristic complex. Stenoendemics of the forest floristic complex are concentrated in the Altai–Siberian and West Siberian ecoregions and form a grouping comparable in value to the high-mountain floristic complex types. In the Baikal–Siberian, species of the steppe floristic complex predominate, which is due to the diversity of the steppe areas and their insular character. It has been established that the level of state protection of the studied species is unacceptably low, since none of them are listed in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation. To assess the degree of study and the prospects for further research on endemic species, a methodology for their ranking by quantitative indicators has been developed and tested. The recommendations presented in the article should be the basis for the consideration of questions regarding the inclusion of the studied endemic species of vascular plants of Siberia into the lists of rare and endangered plants of the Russian Federation.