ARBUTUS ANDRACHNE L. POPULATION ON MOUNT KOSHKA ON THE SOUTHERN COAST OF CRIMEA

Monitoring the condition of localities (populations) of rare relict species of woody plants is an important component in understanding trends in the sustainability and conservation of biological diversity and forming the necessary basis for searching for conservation of existing rare plant communities. According to the results of the research, the purpose of which was to identify the number and condition of the population, it was found that the plantings of A. andrachne on Mount Koshka and adjacent rocky ledges are relatively stable in comparison with some other localities of the Crimean area, since in recent decades there has been an increase in the number of fruiting plants in the amount of 161 specimens as of spring 2024, despite the insignificant presence of young undergrowth in this territory. The density of plantings is on average 3.22 individuals per 1 hectare. The condition of the plantings is assessed as good, plant loss is observed only on the southwestern dry steep slopes. Despite the fact that the mountain is a popular tourist attraction, the plants are located in hard-to-reach areas on steep, loose slopes, and an ecological trail runs on top of the Koshka Rock, where A. andrachne is absent. Consequently, recreational pressure in the form of trampling of the ground cover has practically no effect on plantings, and the protected status of the object gives optimism in the preservation of this population.