SOME OBSERVATIONS OF CHANGES IN THE PARAMETERS OF THE UNDERGROWTH IN THE FOREST PARKS OF YEKATERINBURG
The parameters of the undergrowth in 5 forest parks of Yekaterinburg and in 4 green areas near it are analyzed. The undergrowth was evaluated by species composition, density, height, and the number of adventitious species. 44 species have been recorded in the undergrowth, including 29 non-regional species. The density and height of the undergrowth in forest parks is much higher than these in the green zone. It decreases with an increase in the degree of recreational degression. The main dominant in forest parks is the common raspberry Rubus idaeus L. Sodominants are mountain ash Sorbus aucuparia L. and common bird cherry Prunus padus L.With an increase in the degree of recreational degression, the occurrence of Rubus idaeus L. decreases. The species saturation of the undergrowth at a statistically significant level (p<0.05) does not differ within the considered groups of forest types. In terms of the number of species of undergrowth, native species exceed the number of adventive species in the green zone. In forest parks, the number of adventive species is greater than that or equal to the number of native species. In suburban forests, adventitious species have been observed to enter the forest canopy. It was found that the species saturation of the undergrowth depends more on the distance to the source of the introduced seed than on the size of the disturbed soil cover, and, consequently, the degree of recreational degression. The total number of individuals in urban forests is dominated by native species. Currently, non-district trees and shrubs do not form dense thickets and do not disrupt the renewal of forest-forming species. There is no floral similarity between the green zone and the forest parks, which indicates the transformation of the latter by the urban environment.