Experience of introduction of coniferous plants in the conditions of dry steppe
In the Volgograd region, the only native representative of coniferous woody plants is J. sabina L., the existence of a population of one representative of coniferous plants indicates the homogeneity of the dendroflora, which can lead to the destruction of the ecosystem as a whole. Plant introduction as a tool on the way to achieving dendroflora biodiversity is the most practical and promising method in the conditions of the dry steppe. The aim of the study was to conduct a bioecological assessment of the life condition of coniferous woody plants, as well as to determine the degree of introduction resistance in the conditions of the dry steppe. Six introduced woody plants were evaluated in the dendrocollections of the Federal Research Center of Agroecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences: Juniperus virginianaL., J. communis L., J. sabina L., Thuja occidentalis L, Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Milb) Franco. The timing of the onset and duration of the main phenological phases were determined by the method of phenological observations of HBS. With the deviation of the average annual air temperature above the norm by 1.05 ° C and the annual precipitation of 75% of the norm, the duration of the vegetation period was 58 days for J. sabina L., 41 days for J. communis L., 55 days for Pseudotsuga menziesii (Milb) Franco, 56 days for J. virgiana L., 71 days for T. occidentalis L., and 68 days for P. orientalis (L.) Franco. As part of the ecological and biological assessment, such indicators as winter hardiness, drought resistance, the nature of dusting and seed-bearing were studied. Separately, the seed material was examined by the method of determining the mass of 1000 seeds. There was also an assessment of decorativeness, which determined the specifics of the use of a particular type for landscaping purposes. As a result of the conducted studies, the values of the acclimatization number for each species were calculated, according to which the degree of introduction resistance in the conditions of the dry steppe was determined. In the course of the work done, practical recommendations are given for planting coniferous trees and shrubs for landscaping purposes.