Assessment of the modern biodiversity of the dendroflora of the Tsaritsa River valley and ways of its ecological rehabilitation

Abstract

On the territory of the Volgograd region, the main types of soils and vegetation change as they move from the north-west to the south-east. Intrazonal natural complexes are located along the river valleys. The richness, diversity and specificity of the vegetation cover is determined by the geographical position of the valley of the Tsaritsa River, which is located within the Ilovlinsky - Volga hollow - wavy ravine-beam landscape. The features of the location and geosystem of the valley as a whole have determined various variations of the edaphic zonal flora, as well as the presence of floodplain and upland-bayrach forests, meadows, rocky outcrops, sand massifs, etc., indicate the importance of the valley of the Tsaritsa River as an element of the landscape and ecological foundation of the city. In the dry-steppe zone (Volgograd region) with a sharply continental climate, without systematic irrigation, the formation of natural woodlands, forest parks is possible only in river valleys. The purpose of the research is to assess the state of dendroflora in the valley of the Tsaritsa River. The objects of research are plants in the bottom, ravine and floodplain cuts of the valley of the Tsaritsa River. To study the vegetation cover, the following activities were carried out: collection, generalization and analysis of published and received materials, photofixation of objects of vegetation cover research, field research, including environmental monitoring. It was revealed that under the influence of the anthropogenic factor, the studied area was severely degraded, there is a need for environmental rehabilitation. The first step in achieving the restoration of the territory, it is necessary to ensure the preservation of the natural flora. Anti-erosion forest protection plantings should be designed on the upper terraces of the river valley, taking into account the invasive activity of the planted plants. The formation of alders in the riverbed will allow to consolidate the formed relief for a long time, which will lead to the gradual rehabilitation of the hydrological regime and the formation of conditions suitable for the growth of plants typical of floodplain forest communities. Carrying out works on ecological rehabilitation makes it necessary to restore natural communities that are close in composition to the original phytocenoses, therefore, when selecting plants for the formation of tree and shrub communities, it is necessary to take into account ecological, phytocenotic and aesthetic principles.