The research paper demonstrates a comprehensive comparative analysis of the state of coniferous plantations in Minsk in areas with a favourable and predominantly unfavourable ecological situation and control trees growing in relatively clean territories. The morphological-anatomical and bilateral (in terms of fluctuating asymmetry) patterns of needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) change were revealed, reflecting the severity of anthropogenic press on the urban environment. The possibility of using the FTIR spectroscopy method combined with chemometric analysis algorithms for the differentiation of needles is shown. Using the method of principal components, the test samples were divided into clusters reflecting the extent of their anthropogenic load.

Extensive use of sporo-pollen analysis is largely conditioned by such specific features of pollen and spores as their very-large-scale production in plants, the ability to preserve in soils, presence of characteristic morphological features enabling to distinguish and identify individual taxa, etc. In Belarus, the method of sporo-pollen analysis has also been implemented while forensic soil examination: it is increasingly applied to solve identification tasks in comparative analysis to establish the belonging of soil layers on physical evidence to the searched area. Its main advantage is that it is a multicomponent analysis allowing to evaluate both the composition of palynoflora and the percentage of several dozen components of sporo-pollen spectra contained in soil samples. Therefore, to determine the belonging of soil layers on physical evidence to the searched area, most informative are data obtained while sporo-pollen analysis, helping forensic experts on the basis of a specific taxonomic composition  of pollen and spores and percentage of spectra components to draw the most valid conclusions. Detection of pollen and spores in studied samples in a quantity sufficient for comparative analysis enables to statistically process data of samples microscopic examination. Statistical processing of results is one of the characteristic features of sporo-pollen analysis as a method that distinguishes it from other methods implemented in multidisciplinary forensic examination of soil.

It is a well-known fact that life form of any plant is determined by its genetic characteristics. However, depending on the conditions of natural habitat, there are certain variations of not only external specific features of the same plants, but also of their anatomic organization. The article provides the results of the cell structure examinations of the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) growing in moss-covered (Pinetum pleurozium) and bracken (Pinetum pleurozium) forests. Ten temporary experimental sites for each type of forest were set according to methods used in forest sciences and forest taxation. Taking into account the structure of annual layers of conifers, the study determined the quantitative parameters of radial growth and the main size indicators of early and late tracheids. It is revealed that the width of an annual layer and the quantity of tracheids in a radial row belong to the most changeable parameters, while tangential dimensions of tracheids belong to the least changeable parameters. In general, the analyses of obtained data from 18 dimensional characteristics showed that moss-covered pine forest is characterized by the greater value of a radial diameter of early tracheids (6 %) and their cavities (3 %), as well as greater cavity areas (3 %); a bracken pine forest, in turn, has a greater width of latewood in an annual layer (16 %) and thickness of a cell wall of late tracheids (10 %). Therefore, it is recommended to measure only these specific parameters to reduce the time spent on conducting researches in future. The cluster analysis confirmed that the morphological and anatomical characteristics are effective indicators to define the forest type.

Attempt to evaluate the potential of using dendrochronological information in combination with methods of multidimensional statistical analysis to establish regional belonging of pine lumber is presented. Calculations of the radial increment parameters were performed using the automated workplace DendroExp (accuracy to 0.01 mm). As a result of the research, 85 generalized standardized tree-ring chronologies were constructed. Standardization was carried out separately for each tree followed by averaging of radial increase index according to the object (i. e., on temporary trial areas) by of a simple 5-year moving average method. Subsequently, a gap of 60 years was considered in received chronologies. The calculated statistical parameters such as synchronization factor, coefficient of sensitivity, etc., confirmed the fact that all the analyzed tree-ring chronologies are representative and therefore can be used in dendroecological researches. To answer the question if there are some groups/regions within the Republic of Belarus that similar in dynamics of radial increase have using cluster analysis at the program Statistica 10.0. As a result eight clusters of homogeneous tree-ring chronologies of pine similar in dynamics of radial growth were allocated. Thus, using proposed cluster analysis algorithm a large array of quantitative dendrochronological data can be analyzed which along with other characteristics of tree-ring chronologies (general trends of graphs, expressed periods of oppression, correlation coefficients and synchronism, etc.); it will allow to solve tasks with a high degree of reliability identifying place of growth of felled pine lumber and confirmation of the declared place of its harvesting.

No abstract