Distribution of Solidago canadensis L. (Asteraceae) in the Russian Federation

Developing measures to restrain the spread of the invasive species Solidago canadensis L., leading to a decrease in biodiversity, on the one hand, and exploiting its positive potential, on the other, require information on the scope of its distribution in Russia. The existing map of its dispersal over the Russian Federation reflects its invasive status in the regions of distribution, but not the frequency of its occurrence. The purpose of the study was to construct a map of the secondary range of distribution for S. canadensis within Russia by the beginning of the third decade of the 21st century, reflecting the frequency of its occurrence in the regions.The study of the S. canadensis distribution in Russia was based on an analysis of materials from scientific publications about its occurrence in each of the regions, republics, territories, and districts of Russia. Information on the distribution of this species from the international GBIF database was also used. The map was built using IDRISI Selva 17.0 and vectorized in MapInfo 16.0. S. canadensis has spread quite widely in Russia, growing in the European part, the North Caucasus, the Urals, Western Siberia, and the Far East. In some regions, the species is at the beginning of the invasion process, characterized by a rare frequency of occurrence, but in most of the territory, it has developed thickets, causing a violation of the structure of natural ecosystems. The process of capturing new lands by S. canadensis (in the northern areas of the said regions and Eastern Siberia) continues.The threat posed by this invasive, although not recognized as quarantine, species is so great that, despite its widespread distribution throughout the Russian Federation, as well as its use as raw material for producing pharmaceuticals, one should be concerned with the problem of restraining its dispersal and preventing the loss of indigenous biodiversity.