Analysis of the current state and prospects of environmental rehabilitation of tree plantations in river valleys
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25726/worldjournals.pro/WEJ.2020.1.2Keywords:
Small rivers, natural and artificial tree plantations, plant communities, populations, ecological rehabilitation, dendrological composition, Robinia, Alnus, Salix, Hippophae, Elaeagnus, Crataegus. Ribes, Ulmus, Acer, Prunus, Rosa, Rhamnus, Populus, Pinus, Malus, Vitis, Aronia, Syringa, Juglans, Pyrus, Spiraea, Halimodendron, Quercus, Euonymus, ParthenocissusAbstract
Small river valleys are an important element of the landscape and environmental framework of the city of Volgograd. Recently, river valleys have undergone a strong anthropogenic transformation. The Sukhaya Mechetka is a right tributary of the Volga River. It originates in the Gorodishchensky District of the Volgograd Region and has a total length of 18.5 km. Currently, the river has no permanent watercourse and is one of the most polluted small rivers of the Volgograd agglomeration. Natural tree plantations in the river valley are almost completely absent.
In an arid climate, small river valleys are the only place where it is possible to form natural forests and artificial plantations of the forest-park type that do not require regular irrigation. Conservation and restoration of floodplain and ravine forests will significantly increase the sanitary, recreational, and aesthetic value of green spaces in the small river valleys in the Volgograd agglomeration.
The purpose of the research is to assess the current state and develop mechanisms for preserving, restoring, and enriching tree plantations in the Sukhaya Mechetka River valley.
The object of research is the forest flora of the Sukhaya Mechetka River valley within the boundaries of the Gorodishchensky District of the Volgograd Region and the Traktorozavodskoy District of Volgograd from the Third Longitudinal Highway to the mouth of the river between the Spartanovka Microdistrict and the GES Settlement.
As a result of the conducted research, it was found that the vegetation cover of the Sukhaya Mechetka River valley is a network of scattered intrazonal highly degraded ravine and floodplain plant communities. Typical ravine forest plantations are found only on the slopes of the valley in the middle reaches of the river. Introduced and invasive plant species predominate in the woodlands of the floodplain.
The lowest anthropogenic load on vegetation within the study area is observed on the right slope of the valley in the middle reaches of the river. In the upper part of the slope, typical sheep fescue – needlegrass associations and ravine plantings have been preserved.
The vegetation cover of the floodplain terrace has undergone a complete anthropogenic transformation. In the upper part, near the Third Longitudinal Highway, the floodplain is in long-term flooding, which resulted in the death of a large forest area containing the elm species Ulmus sp.
Downstream, the Sukhaya Mechetka is represented by a cascade of ponds, between which the river has no channel. The siltation of the soil, rise and high mineralization of groundwater led to the complete domination in the vegetation cover of common reed (Phragmites australis) and Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.).
In the lower reaches of the former suburban areas, a plant community with a specific floral composition has formed, the basis of which is the remains of fruit and berry plantations. As a result of the conducted research, it was found that many introduced species formed stable self-renewing populations, and some of them (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) are potentially invasive and require further observations of their settlement.
The results of the research made it possible to identify a single area in the Sukhaya Mechetka floodplain with a small natural forest of black alder Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. with an area of 0.6 ha. In the alder forest area, the river valley is almost not subject to environmental transformation. The floral composition of tree stands is represented by local native plant species.
It is proposed to begin the reconstruction of floodplain tree plantations with the restoration of alders and willows, which have a pronounced water-regulating and channel-forming function. To restore natural biodiversity in the floodplain part of the river, it is necessary to use local natural species: grey willow Salix cinerea L., almond willow Salix triandra L., white willow Salix alba L., black poplar Populus nigra L., white poplar Populus alba L. and common aspen Populus tremula L. In the lower terraces above the floodplain, it is possible to plant pedunculate oak Quercus robur L., common ash Fraxinus excelsior L., European crab apple Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill, warty-barked spindle tree. Euonymus verrucosus Scop., common buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica L., and blackthorn Prunus spinosa L. On the upper terraces and ravine slopes, it is required to plant Russian hawthorn Crataegus ambigua C.A. Mey. ex A.K. Becker, common hawthorn Crataegus monogyna Jacq., Tatar maple Acer tataricum L., dog rose Rosa canina L., dwarf Russian almond Amygdalus nana L., Iberian spirea Spiraea hypericifolia L., Russian salt tree Halimodendron halodendron Pall., etc.
When carrying out environmental rehabilitation, first of all, it is necessary to ensure the safety of natural plant complexes. The design and construction of anti-erosion forest protection stands on the upper terraces of the river valley should be carried out taking into account the invasive activity of the species used in order to prevent their active introduction into natural ravine communities.
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