Bio - ecological substantiation of shrubs application for plantations on slope lands

Introduction. In connection with the increase in the area of degraded territories and the decrease in biodiversity of bio geo - cenose, studies on bio - ecological assessment of introduced shrub species, which can perform forest ameliorative function, are becoming urgent. The purpose of the research. To carry out selection of shrubs according to bioecological criteria for flow - regulating plantations. Materials and methods. The register of taxonomic diversity of shrubs for the purposes of forest amelioration was compiled using an information database. Shrubs were evaluated according to a group of bioecological traits using generally accepted methods. Results. Under the conditions of introduction they are distributed by height into: tall (or small trees) - species of Crataegus, Amelanchier (3,0-5,0 m), Viburnum (2,5-3,0 m), Caraganaarborescens (3,4 m); medium shrubs - Aroniamelanocarpa (1,5-2,5 m), Cotoneaster lucidus, C. tomentosus (1.5-2.0 m), Spiraea species (0.8-1.5 m), Amorpha species (1.2-1.5 m), Caraganafrutex (1.5-2.5 m), Coluteaarborescens (up to 1.3 m), Berberis species (1.4-2.5 m), Ligustrum vulgare (1.5-2.0 m). Low - growing shrubs - Amygdalus nana (up to 0.5-0.7 m), Mahonia species. The response of biorhythms in the development of woody plants taking into account climatic parameters of the region was established. The schemes of species combination for plantation establishment on slope lands of Volgograd region are proposed. Resume. The article analyzes the experience of plant introduction on the basis of the arboretum of the Nizhnevolzhskaya station for selection of tree species. Shrubs - reproducers of I and II generations from 17 genera were evaluated according to the group of bioecological traits. Longevity of shrubs in rainfed conditions amounted from 30 to 40 years. The species were ranked according to their prospects for introduction into artificial plantations in areas subject to degradation. Suggestions for practical application and direction of future research. Data on the ecological tolerance of the shrub gene pool in the genotype - environment system allows us to predict the ecological, economic and reclamation efficiency of creating agroforestry plantations, which meets the requirements of rational use of dendrological collections.