The age structure of seventeen populations of Adonis volgensis has been investigated in the steppe plant communities of the South-East of Ukraine (Donetsk Region) under various anthropogenic factors, including grazing and fire. Analysis of the ontogenetic spectra has shown that many individuals in the populations are in reproductive condition. It provides a stable position of the species in the plant communities of the studied territories. However, the impact of grazing and steppe fires affected the age structure of A. volgensis by redistribution of the individuals of different age groups in a population. The initial reaction to moderate anthropogenic stress was ageing of the populations due to dead young conspecifics and increased number of old individuals. Intensification of anthropogenic impacts, such as intensive grazing or the joint action of pyrogenic and pasturable factors, leads to increase in the number of young individuals and activation of restoration processes in A. volgensis populations.

Keywords: ontogenetic spectrum, steppe plant communities, grazing, steppe fires, principal component analysis

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