Ulmus Pumila Research Articles

Evaluation of Ecological Service Functions of Urban Greening Tree Species in Northern China Based on the Species-Specific Air Purification Index

Urban forests, as an integral part of nature-based solutions (NBS), are significant contributors to improving urban air quality, delivering ecological service functions and environmental benefits to human health and well-being. Suitable urban forest management, including proper species selection, needs to be defined to efficiently reduce air pollutants in cities, with a focus on the removal ability of the main air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, O3, and NO2), the ecological adaptability to O3 and NO2, and allergenic effects. This study ranked 73 urban greening tree species in northern Chinese cities based on their ability to maximize air quality and minimize disservices. This study proposed a novel Species-Specific Air Purification Index (S-API), which is suitable for air quality improvement for tree/shrub species. Urban managers are recommended to select species with an S-API > 1.47—that is, species that have a high removal capacity of PM2.5, PM10, O3, and NO2, are O3- and NO2-tolerant, and are non-allergenic (e.g., Castanea mollissima Blume, Ginkgo biloba L., Hibiscus syriacus L., Ilex chinensis Sims, Juniperus procumbens (Endl.) Iwata et Kusaka, Liriodendron chinense (Hemsl.) Sarg., Morus alba L., Styphnolobium japonicum (L.) Schott, Syringa oblata Lindl., and Ulmus pumila L.). The S-API of urban greening species thus represents a potentially useful metric for air pollutant risk assessment and for selecting appropriate species for urban greening in cities facing serious air pollution challenges.

A novel species of Apiospora from Ulmus pumila in China

Apiospora (Apiosporaceae, Amphisphaeriales) is a common genus distributed on various substrates globally. Members in this genus are usually known as endophytes and saprobes, sometimes phytopathogens. Two new strains of Apiospora were isolated from healthy leaves of Ulmus pumila in Beijing, China. Identifications were conducted based on morphological features and phylogeny of combined sequences of ITS, tef1 and tub2 loci. As a result, Apiospora ulmicola sp. nov. is proposed herein, which is different from its phylogenetically close species, Ap. intestini by much smaller conidia.

Shoot and root dendroanalysis of Ulmus pumila 10 years after outplanting in the Mongolian semi-arid steppe reveals a short-term developmental pattern enhanced by watering

An accurate investigation is needed to determine if the selected location, the tree species, and the applied treatments can support a successful seedling establishment and outplanting performance to ensure the success of large-scale tree-planting initiatives. To shed light on the growth pattern of the trees used in the Green Belt Project plantations in the Mongolian steppe, we analysed the biomass allocation in the stem and roots of Ulmus pumila in terms of ring width, considering different management techniques involving irrigation and fertilisation. We found that the root and shoot ring width of U. pumila followed a bell-shaped curve and reached maximum values after three or four years from seedling outplanting. Moreover, our data confirm that increasing watering regimes may enhance plant growth, especially the root system, while fertilisation did not show a positive effect independently of the fertilisation type (i.e. NPK and compost). Our data allowed us to develop a predictive regression model that could be used with other species and in different environmental conditions to forecast stem and root tree growth and to simulate afforestation performances in different climatic conditions.

Variation in Leaf Functional Traits of Populus laurifolia Ldb and Ulmus pumila L. Across Five Contrasting Urban Sites in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Amid urbanization, studying leaf functional traits of woody plants in urban environments is essential for understanding how urban green spaces function and how they can be effectively managed sustainably. In this study, we investigated the effects of different growing conditions on the morpho-physiological traits of Populus laurifolia and Ulmus pumila across five contrasting urban sites. The leaf area (LA), leaf length (LL), leaf width (LW), leaf biomass (LB), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf chlorophyll concentration, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, leaf water potential at predawn (Ψpd) and midday (Ψmd), leaf performance index (PIabs), and phenotypic plasticity index (PPI) were compared across five contrasting urban sites. The soil chemical and physical properties were also compared between sites. There were significant differences in soil physicochemical characteristics between sites. We found significant effects of site on most of the morpho-physiological traits measured, except for Ψmd. The leaf chlorophyll concentration of P. laurifolia and U. pumila varied significantly between sites. The Ψpd was significantly different between years and sites. In U. pumila, the mean PPI for morphological traits (0.20) was lower than that for physiological traits (0.21). In conclusion, we revealed significant variations in the morpho-physiological traits of P. laurifolia and U. pumila across the five urban sites. Hence, long-term, large-scale studies are recommended to examine how diverse species respond to different urban growing conditions and to include other ecologically important plant traits for a better understanding of urban trees in a changing environment.

Natural grassland restoration exhibits enhanced carbon sequestration and soil improvement potential in northern sandy grasslands of China: An empirical study

Vegetation restoration is an effective measure for restoring degraded ecosystems. Soil carbon mineralization, a crucial indicator for evaluating the effectiveness of vegetation restoration, is essential in soil carbon cycling. However, the response of soil carbon mineralization to different vegetation restoration types remains unclear. In this study, grassland (Leymus chinensis and Stipa bungeana), shrubland (Corethrodendron fruticosum), and forestland (Ulmus pumila) with 20 years of consistent restoration in the Xilingol sandy grassland were selected to determine the effects of vegetation restoration types on soil carbon mineralization. The results showed that the soil cumulative carbon dioxide emissions (CCE) and microbial respiration rate (SMR) in grassland and forestland were significantly higher than those in shrubland, while soil carbon mineralization efficiency (CME) and microbial metabolic quotient (MQ) were significantly lower than those in shrubland. Furthermore, soil organic carbon (SOC) and its fractions were influenced considerably by vegetation restoration types, with grassland exhibiting the highest SOC content. The ratios of soil total effective nutrients (C/N, N/P, and C/P) and the content of active organic carbon (DOC, MBC, EOC, and POC) can effectively reflect the changes in soil carbon mineralization and the stability of SOC pools. The variations in CCE were influenced by litter biomass, macroaggregates organic carbon, mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), while the changes in SMR were affected by aboveground biomass (AGB), soil total nitrogen and phosphorus ratios (N/P), and microaggregate organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon. The changes in CME were affected by AGB, N/P, pH, MAOC, and DOC, while the changes in MQ were influenced by AGB, N/P, DOC, MAOC, and easily oxidizable organic carbon. Given the higher carbon sequestration benefits and soil quality improvement capability of naturally restored grassland, this study suggests that grassland could be considered the primary vegetation restoration type in the Xilingol sandy grassland.

ЛЕСОМЕЛИОРАТИВНЫЙ КАРКАС СЕЛЬСКОХОЗЯЙСТВЕННЫХ ЗЕМЕЛЬ В ИУДИНСКОЙ ПРЕДГОРНОЙ СТЕПИ ХАКАСИИ

The objective of the study is to conduct a forestry-melioration assessment of the field-protective forest strips (FPFS) on an erosion-hazardous group of arable lands and hayfields. The objects of the study were FPFS and herbaceous vegetation in the Iudinskaya foothill steppe of Khakassia. The work used the integral assessment of meliorative indicators of E.S. Pavlovsky and the scale for assessing the sanitary condition of trees. The studies showed that in the southern rows the trees were weakened or healthy, in the central and northern ones – weakened, very weakened or drying out. FPFS had the height and structures necessary for a good melioration function: openwork, openwork-blown; massive protective planting – dense. The preservation of plantings in FPFS was average and amounted to from 55.0 to 70.5 %, in massive protective planting – low (34.7 %). The planting species were optimal in terms of composition: Ulmus pumila L., Betyla pendula Roth, Populus sp. The tree height was noted as maximum in these forest gro¬wing conditions. Fine earth deposits were not found in any of the surveyed forest plantations. Soil sodding was characterized as weak, medium or strong. Grasses dominated in phytocenoses. The total projective cover of the grass stand was 40–90 %. Forestry-melioration assessment of four FPFS was 4 a; one – 5 a. Despite the poor sanitary condition of trees in individual rows, the stands, due to their optimal design, performed their meliorative functions, prevented soil deflation in the fields and created an ecological framework for the agrolandscape on agricultural lands. Ulmus pumila has reached a critical age and reforestation felling must be carried out in its stands.

High resolution remote sensing recognition of elm sparse forest via deep-learning-based semantic segmentation

Elm (Ulmus pumila L.) sparse forest plays an vital role in maintaining local ecological stability and security in the Otingdag Sandy Land area. Prior studies on elm canopy extraction have predominantly relied on manual parameter configuration, resulting in unsatisfactory levels of generalization. To meet the needs of high-precision and rapid recognition of elm sparse forests in large areas, this study proposed a recognition method for elm sparse forest that orients to high spatial resolution remote sensing imageries, using deep-learning-based semantic segmentation techniques. It can automatically learn features that are conducive to segmenting the canopy of elm trees, and retains good generalization ability on the Gaofen-2 imageries obtained in different regions. First, we constructed a dataset specialized for elm canopy semantic segmentation task, and annotated over 130,000 elm canopies based on Gaofen-2 imageries. In addition, we trained 7 deep-learning semantic segmentation model candidates. Among them, MANet showed the best performance, with its F1-score reaching 81.44%. Lastly, we applied edge detection to the elm canopy coverage area, and automatically extract the elm canopy. The proposed method can provide technical support for the investigation and monitoring of elm sparse forests, while facilitates local desertification prevention efforts in the entire Otingdag Sandy Region.

Лесохозяйственные мероприятия в полезащитных лесных полосах Краснодарского края

In the process of growth and development of forest belts, some of their taxation characteristics and design change. Forest reclamation complexes are subject to homeostasis. Changing the design of shelterbelts leads to crop shortages, loss of profits for agricultural organizations, as well as to the deterioration of the ecology of field soils. A way out of this situation can be found in the application of a system of measures, an important part of which is forestry measures. The aim of the research has been to determine the timing and types of forestry measures aimed at improving the agro-ecological efficiency of protective forest reclamation complexes on agricultural lands of the Krasnodar Territory. Data from the 2019 inventory of protective forest plantations and data obtained by the authors in 2015–2021 in the Kushchevskij and Leningradskij Districts of the Krasnodar Territory have been used. According to the data obtained, graphs of the dependence of stock on the age and height have been constructed for some tree species of field protection forest reclamation complexes. It has been established that in the study area the largest number of areas of shelterbelts have a dense structure – 538.5 ha, and 501.7 ha of them are trees of the III age class. A significant increase in the stock of plantations has been noted at the age of: Robinia pseudoacacia L. – 15 years, Fraxinus excelsior L. – 25 years, Gleditsia triacanthos L. – 10 years, Ulmus pumila L. – 35 years. The equations of the regressional dependence of stock on the age and height for the main tree species have been obtained. These equations can be used to predict the timing of forestry measures in order to maintain the openwork design of forest belts recommended for the region under study.

The Growth and Non-Structural Carbohydrate Response Patterns of Siberian Elm (Ulmus pumila) under Salt Stress with Different Intensities and Durations

The Growth and Non-Structural Carbohydrate Response Patterns of Siberian Elm (Ulmus pumila) under Salt Stress with Different Intensities and Durations

Decay level classification of wooden components in Tingbao Yang’s former residence utilizing polarization and fluorescence effects

Decay levels of wooden components in the Yang former residence were classified using polarized light and fluorescence methods. Analysis of the decay cause was conducted based on external conditions and wood species characteristics. The polarization and fluorescence effects revealed that there were varying degrees of decay in larch (Larix potaninii var. australis), spruce (Picea brachytyla), lace-bark pine (Pinus bungeana), Masson pine (Pinus massoniana), Chinese Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga sinensis), Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata), poplar (Populus tomentosa), and elm (Ulmus pumila). The primary factors contributing to decay included the inherent low natural durability of the wood species and adverse external conditions, such as damaged roofs, missing dripping water and tiles causing water leakage, uneven indoor and outdoor ground levels, contemporary tile paving indoors, and inadequate ventilation. This study aims to establish a scientific basis for subsequent conservation strategies.

Identification Leaves of Ulmus pumila L., Tilia cordata Mill. and Acer campestre L. Using Vegetation Indices

The aim of the research was to identify a group of vegetation indices (VIs) for species identification. The objects of research were leaves of Ulmus pumila L., Tilia cordata Mill. and Acer campestre L. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) was carried out under artificial lighting in laboratory conditions using a Cubert UHD-185 hyperspectral camera. A technique was developed for the automated selection of pure spectral profiles from hyperspectral images by setting a double barrier specified by intervals of PSSR and NDVI VIs. A total of 80 VIs was calculated. A statistical analysis of the data was carried out for their representativeness. To determine VIs, the value of which is most dependent on the species characteristics of trees, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and principal component analysis (PCA) methods were used. Research has shown that the PCA method is effective and sufficient to identify the group of VIs characterized by the greatest dispersion in relation to tree species. The PCA carried out for pairs of tree species made it possible to identify a group of vegetation indices, the value of which to the greatest extent depends on species characteristics. These are Carter2, CI2, CRI4, GMI2, mSR2, NDVI2, OSAVI2, SR1, Carter4, Datt2, SR6, Datt, DD, Maccioni, MTC.

Glutathionylation of a glycolytic enzyme promotes cell death and vigor loss during aging of elm seeds.

Seed deterioration during storage is a major problem in agricultural and forestry production and for germplasm conservation. Our previous studies have shown that a mitochondrial outer membrane protein VOLTAGE-DEPENDENT ANION CHANNEL (VDAC) is involved in programmed cell death-like viability loss during the controlled deterioration treatment (CDT) of elm (Ulmus pumila L.) seeds, but its underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that the oxidative modification of GLYCERALDEHYDE-3-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE (GAPDH) is functioned in the gate regulation of VDAC during the CDT of elm seeds. Through biochemical and cytological methods and observations of transgenic material [Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), Nicotiana benthamiana, and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)], we demonstrate that cysteine S-glutathionylated UpGAPDH1 interacts with UpVDAC3 during seed aging, which leads to a mitochondrial permeability transition and aggravation of cell death, as indicated by the leakage of the mitochondrial proapoptotic factor cytochrome c and the emergence of apoptotic nucleus. Physiological assays and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis revealed that GAPDH glutathionylation is mediated by increased glutathione, which might be caused by increases in the concentrations of free metals, especially Zn. Introduction of the Zn-specific chelator TPEN [(N,N,N',N'-Tetrakis (2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine)] significantly delayed seed aging. We conclude that glutathionylated UpGAPDH1 interacts with UpVDAC3 and serves as a proapoptotic protein for VDAC-gating regulation and cell death initiation during seed aging.

Active volatile components of the preferred hosts are potential attractants to Hyphantria cunea adults

The extraordinary adaptability and dispersal abilities have allowed Hyphantria cunea to expand its range, posing a great threat to urban landscapes and natural ecosystems. Searching for safe, efficient, and low-cost control methods may provide new strategies for pest management in H. cunea spread areas. In this study, based on the attraction of insects by preferred hosts, it was found that the response rates of virgin H. cunea female adults to Salix matsudana, Juglans mandshurica and Ulmus pumila were 89.17%, 97.92% and 93.98%, respectively. It was further found that this significant preference was mainly related to the volatiles m-xylene, o-xylene, dodecane and tetradecane found in the three species. Even though all four compounds at 10 μL/mL and 100 μL/mL had significant attractive effects on the virgin H. cunea female adults, m-xylene and dodecane at 100 μL/mL elicited significant EAG responses and tending behaviors by stimulating the olfactory receptor neurons (ORN A) of females, with response rates of 83.13% and 84.17%, while also having significant attractive effects on virgin male adults with rates of 65.74% and 67.51%. Therefore, both m-xylene and dodecane which at concentrations of 100 μL/mL had strong attractions to adults, could be used as the first choice of attractants for both sexes of H. cunea. This has important practical significance in reducing the frequency of H. cunea generations, limiting their population, controlling their spread range, and improving the efficiency of pest management in epidemic areas.

Адвентивный компонент банка семян некоторых лесных сообществ островов реки Волги

The paper presents the results of studying the adventive component of the seed bank of the Oak Mane Island of the Volga River Valley in the vicinity of the city of Saratov. Seeds of 12 species of adventitious plants were registered in the seed bank of the studied forest communities. All identified seeds belong to plant species belonging to one department of Magnoliophyta, 8 families and 12 genera. The Asteraceae family plays a leading role in the taxonomic spectrum of adventitious seed bank species (42%). Mesophytic mesotrophic (63.6%) heliophytic grouping of plants dominates in relation to ecological regimes. Mostly there are species of North American origin (60%). Herbaceous annuals (33% of species) and trees (34%) play a significant role. A significant impact on the composition of seed banks was caused by the unintentional entry of seeds of plants that are “refugees from culture” into this territory. Most adventitious plants, represented by both vegetating individuals and seeds, have penetrated into natural cenoses, and in some cases even partially transformed their structure, which is due to their reproductive potential and ability to compete with representatives of the native flora of natural habitats. In the studied area, foci of the concentration of seeds of drift plants in different communities were revealed, in continuous placement (Acer negundo, Bidens frondosa and Populus alba), disjunctive (Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Echinocystis lobáta, Impatiens glandulifera), sporadic – Ambrosia trifida, Artemisia sieversiana, Crataegus sanguinea, Inula caspica and Ulmus pumila. An increase in the number of adventitious species presented in the seed bank was recorded, but the number of seeds decreased.

Identify a sustainable afforestation pattern for soil carbon sequestration: Considering both soil water‐carbon conversion efficiency and their coupling relationship on the Loess Plateau

AbstractAfforestation is considered to be an important means to improve the ecological environment and mitigate climate change. However, inappropriate vegetation restoration can result in severe soil desiccation and ecosystem degradation in water‐limited regions. Here, we evaluated the effects of six different afforestation patterns on soil moisture content, soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, and especially the conversion efficiency of the two on the Loess Plateau, taking abandoned land (Al) as a control sample, and attempting to recognize a suitable afforestation pattern based on these parameters. The six afforestation patterns considered were two single‐species shrub plantations (Caragana korshinskii, Ck and Hippophae rhamnoides, Hr), two single‐species tree plantations (Robinia pseudoacacia, Rp and Platycladus orientalis, Po), and two mixed‐species plantations (Rp, Po, Pinus tabuliformis, Pt, and Ulmus pumila, Up mixed plantations (MP); Po and Pt with terracing [MP + T]). We found that mixed‐species plantations (MP + T and MP) have less soil moisture depletion than single‐species plantations, Ck had the highest SOC sequestration but also had a significant deep soil moisture deficit. MP + T had less deep soil moisture deficit but also had lower SOC sequestration than MP. MP show a better comprehensive effect when considering both soil organic carbon sequestration and soil water‐carbon conversion efficiency. Therefore, multispecies MP represent a potentially valuable approach to sustainable afforestation patterns for soil carbon sequestration on the Loess Plateau. This afforestation pattern has the potential to be applied in other similar semi‐arid and semihumid regions. Our results provide insight into vegetation restoration in areas with degraded land. In future afforestation activities, planners must alleviate regional water pressure, increase soil carbon sequestration by increasing species richness, and select the best combination of species to optimize the stability and sustainability of the plantation ecosystem.

Retrieval of purification ability of urban forest to SO2 stress based on the coupling of radiative transfer and AO-DELM models

Currently, hyperspectral remote sensing technology used for vegetation monitoring mainly uses empirical and semi-empirical statistical methods to calculate heavy metal content. Combining physical models and machine learning algorithms is an effective method for estimating biochemical vegetation parameters without much ground measurement data. However, a deep extreme learning machine (DELM) has a faster training speed and better generalization ability. By introducing the Aquila Optimizer (AO) algorithm, the training process of the DELM method can be accelerated. This study combined the PROSAIL model, chlorophyll concentration information, and vegetation SO2 purification ability, and comprehensively applied physical and empirical models to analyze the optical characteristics of the urban forest SO2 purification rate and other factors. A coupled model (PROSAIL + AO + DELM) was constructed to simulate urban forests canopy SO2 purification ability and was then applied to remote sensing inversion. These results indicated that the Syringa oblate Lindl. (S. oblate) and Ulmus pumila “Jinye” (U. pumila) had moderate SO2 purification capacities, whereas that of Prunus cerasifera var. atropurpurea Jack. (P. cerasifera) were low. The SO2 purification rate was highly sensitive in the green, red, and red-edge spectral ranges. In the SO2 purification rate estimation model constructed by the subset (Corresponding to Sentinel-2 band), NDI, DI, and RVI indices, the PROSAIL + AO + DELM model had the best performance, with R2, root mean square error (RMSE), and relative percent deviation (RPD) of 0.73, 0.056, 1.61, and 0.68, 0.096, and 1.06 for T2 (low concentration) and T3 (high concentration) treatments, respectively. The PROSAIL + AO + DELM model was extended to multispectral images (Sentinel-2), where the results of the NDI model inversion were the closest to those of field monitoring. These results indicate that the urban forest SO2 purification rate model constructed in this study has the potential to be applied on a large scale. This study addresses the research gap regarding rapid, non-destructive, and low-input evaluation of plant purification capacity and achieves the non-destructive detection of plant purification capacity from point to point and from static to dynamic. This enables efficient, non-destructive, and cost-effective evaluation of air purification levels, and provides a basis for predicting air purification in large regions in later stages.

Влияние гуминового удобрения на рост и развитие гибридов Ulmus pumila L.

In arid regions, forest strips are one of the most important natural resources. The use of modern preparations that improve the growth and development of plants will allow the most complete and effective cultivation of planting material and meet the need for various types of forest products. Squat elm (Ulmus pumila L.) has increased resistance to drought, decorative and protective properties. During the experiment, the authors tested a humic fertilizer-a growth biostimulator “Biofulen torfogel”, which contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, humic and fulvic acids, which provide the plant with all the necessary nutrients during active growth. It was revealed that Biofulen torfogel has a positive effect on seedlings of squat elm, increasing their biometric parameters several times in comparison with the control. Weather conditions in 2020 and 2022 were milder, as a result of which the weight of the root and foliage of the studied plants under the wagging of the drug turned out to be higher than in 2021. It is established that the regulation of the time of soaking seeds in the preparation “Biofulen” allows you to get elm seedlings of various sizes. Additional treatment of leaves with a biostimulator In arid regions, forest strips are one of the most important natural resources. The use of modern preparations that improve the growth and development of plants will allow the most complete and effective cultivation of planting material and meet the need for various types of forest products. Squat elm (Ulmus pumila L.) has increased resistance to drought, decorative and protective properties. During the experiment, the authors tested a humic fertilizer-a growth biostimulator “Biofulen torfogel”, which contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, humic and fulvic acids, which provide the plant with all the necessary nutrients during active growth. It was revealed that Biofulen torfogel has a positive effect on seedlings of squat elm, increasing their biometric parameters several times in comparison with the control. Weather conditions in 2020 and 2022 were milder, as a result of which the weight of the root and foliage of the studied plants under the wagging of the drug turned out to be higher than in 2021. It is established that the regulation of the time of soaking seeds in the preparation “Biofulen” allows you to get elm seedlings of various sizes. Additional treatment of leaves with a biostimulator

Use of evergreen and deciduous plants by nocturnal-roosting birds: A case study in Beijing

With continually increasing urbanization, the land cover in urban areas continues to change, resulting in the loss of biodiversity. Birds are highly sensitive to changes in habitat. Most forest birds perch on plants that provide increased safety to reduce the risk of predation, and small birds may also consider insulation when using roosting plants in winter because of cold weather. Landscaping plants thus shape the nocturnal roosting environment of urban birds, and proper planting is essential for the survival of birds at night. The use of roosting plants by urban birds should therefore be studied to provide a reference for landscaping. In the current study, we observed 1865 nocturnal roosting birds in Beijing from 2021 to 2022, with 23 species of birds from 12 families and 45 species of plants from 22 families recorded. Juniperus chinensis exhibited the highest bird rarity-weighted richness, followed by Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Phyllostachys propinqua, Pinus tabuliformis, and Ulmus pumila. The diameter at breast height, tree height, and crown width of plants used by birds was largest in summer and smallest in winter, and the perch height of birds was the highest in spring and summer and the lowest in winter. Birds used the highest proportion of deciduous plants in summer and the highest proportion of evergreen plants in winter. A significant seasonal difference in the use of evergreen and deciduous plants by small birds was noted, with a preference for deciduous plants in summer and evergreen plants in winter, while this preference was not found in large birds. These findings indicate that evergreen plants provide a vital nocturnal roosting environment for small birds in winter. To provide a better nocturnal roosting habitat for urban birds, we recommend paying attention to the combination of evergreen and deciduous plants when carrying out landscape construction.

THE SPECIES DIVERSITY AND LIFE CONDITIONS OF DENDROFLORA OF THE CLINICAL HOSPITAL OF UKRZALIZNYTSIA JSC, DNIPRO CITY

The role of the landscaping of hospital areas is considered. The purpose of the study is to identify the species composition and assess the life conditions of green spaces of the Clinical Hospital On Railway Transport of the “Healthcare Centre” Branch of Ukrzaliznytsia JSC inDniproCity. To achieve it, the methods of route and visual surveys, analysis and calculations are applied. The range of tree and shrub vegetation is examined and 44 species belonging to 35 genera and 18 families are found. The heterogeneity of dendroflora in terms of species diversity depending on the place of plant growth on the territory of the hospital is established. The rate of coniferous and broadleaved species in green spaces with the distribution of life forms is illustrated. The range of gymnosperms is assessed as insufficient. The most diverse in terms of taxonomic and the most numerous in terms of quantitative composition of the family are determined – Rosaceae and Cupressaceae, respectively. Trees and shrubs are singled out for their decorative properties. Attention is focused on the problem caused by uncontrolled self-reproduction of some tree species: Robinia pseudoacacia, Acer negundo, Acer ptatanoides, Morus alba, Fraxinus lanceolata, Ulmus pumila, Padus racemosa. It is found that the landscaping of the specified area is formed mainly by introduced species. The representatives of North America are dominant. The most common species are found to be Thuja occidentalis, Robinia pseudoacacia, Acer negundo. An analysis of the compatibility of trees and shrubs in relation to moisture is made: mesophytes are identified as the dominant group (40.5% of the total number of plants), xerophytes, xeromesophytes and mesoxerophytes cover 56.7%. The data of measurements of trunk diameters (in the range of 2 to 106 cm) and plant height with justification of its variation, depending on age, are published. The tallest individuals are found among the Populus nigra and P. Simonii species. The life conditions of green spaces are assessed based on the distribution by appropriate categories. The number of healthy specimens is recorded at the level of 63.7%. The rest (36.3%) are represented by the species of varying degrees of weakening and damage. Among them, the lion’s share of plants (23%) belongs to the first category. Recommendations for the optimization of the range of studied dendroflora are given and the perspective of further scientific research is outlined.

Landscaping of settlements in the Aral Sea disaster zone (Kazakhstan)

The role of landscaping in ameliorating the environmental conditions within settlements surrounding the Aral Sea is paramount. The primary natural constraints affecting the proliferation of plant species in the green spaces of Aralsk include low winter temperatures, elevated summer temperatures, meager precipitation, and susceptibility to windstorms. An evaluation of the species composition of tree and shrub vegetation was conducted in landscaped areas belonging to social and cultural facilities, as well on private residential property, within the municipal boundaries of Aralsk. Plantings surveyed encompassed an area of approximately 34,000 m2. 89.5% of the flora is comprised of five predominant taxa: Ulmus pumila, Populus x canadensis, Haloxylon ammodendron, Platycladus orientalis, and Acer negundo. These species demonstrate resilience to both high and low temperatures throughout the growing season, and their availability as planting material in the region further enhances their suitability. Presently, the city incorporates 31 taxa of tree and shrub species in its green spaces. Notably, Ulmus glabra, Catalpa ovata, Platanus orientalis, Hibiscus syriacus, and Prunus padus have been introduced and were not previously observed in the city. Analysis of the age distribution reveals 68.7% of young trees, underscoring ongoing landscaping efforts within the city even amid a shortage of irrigation water.