Problems of Russian dendrology in the XXI century

Abstract

The latest analysis of the state of dendrological studies in Russia was carried out by V. N. Sukachev in 1921 and published in the Proceedings of the All-Russian Forest Conference. Over the past 83 years, many new botanic gardens have been created (in Russia they are over 80), and dendrological studies in many biological institutes and universities have been enlarged. Dendrologists have been faced with new challenges related to the development of eastern regions of Russia and the need for a comprehensive study and conservation of the gene pool of woody plants in nature and culture. The present paper deals with problems that should be addressed in the first place and in the longer term. Particular attention is paid to the introduction of woody plants from different botanical-geographical areas of Eurasia and North America to Russia, and modern notions of the state of the native woody flora of Siberia and the Far East are analyzed in connection with the solution of the global problem of studying and conserving the vegetation biodiversity of Russia. The paper is concluded with a list of the main challenges facing dendrologists which, in the author’s opinion, should be taken into account when planning dendrological studies in various regions of Russia.