GEOGRAPHY OF CONSERVATION EX SITU OF RARE TAXA OF ANCIENT EXOTIC TREES Pinophyta IN UKRAINE

Abstract

In the article was analyzed the representativeness of rare taxa of protected ancient exotic tree species Pinophyta in physiographical zones and mountainous countries of Ukraine. Sixtyone species, one subspecies, and one plant variety of this genus were identified in the nature reserves of Ukraine. Among these, most species were found in forest-steppe zone (32), Mountainous Crimea zone (31), and deciduous forest zone (22) suggesting that these three regions could potentially be most favorable for the introduction and acclimatization of foreign Pinophyta species. In ecologicalstructure of the region, dominant are taxa of the mesophytes ecological group, containing frost and winter resistant tree species. Within the geographic range, predominant are native plant species of circumboreal and Atlantic - Pacific Northwest (total of 27 species), Madrean (12) and Western-Asian (11) floristic zones. All 63 taxa are on the IUCN RedList (LC-42, VU-4, NT-7, EN-9, and CR-1 categories). At the same time, Abies nordmanniana (Steve) Spach. subspес. equi-trojani (Asch. and Sint.) Code and Cull. (R) and Abies pinsapo Boiss. (VU) are on the European Red List. These two species together with Abies numidica (CR) represent the rarest taxa among the century-old exotic Pinophyta trees in Ukraine.