The aim of the study was to investigate volatile compounds from the aerial parts of Viola canina L. of the family Violaceae grown wild in Northern Kazakhstan for the first time. Viola canina is a common and widespread species of the temperate northern hemisphere. The oil from the aerial parts of V. canina, was obtained by hydrodistillation and investigated by gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry. The main component of V. canina essential oil was phytol (55.2%). The obtained results showed differences in the composition of already studied Viola essential oils, such as essential oil of V. odorata L., V. etrusca Erben, V. tricolor L., V. arvensis Murr., V. tianshanica Maxim., V. serpens Wall. and V. hamiltoniana D. Don. There is a certain similarity with the composition of the essential oil of V. arvensis where phytol was also found as one of the main component (11.4%).

Data reflecting the current state of Turanga forests in the South-East of Kazakhstan (within the Almaty region) is presented based on the analysis of forest management (as of 01.01.2020) and field surveys by authors in the period 2015-2020. It was found that stunted, understocked stands, which are mainly mature and over-mature in terms of age composition dominate. By the species composition of the stand is prevailed by pure plantings or with a slight admixture of Elaeagnus oxycarpa. Natural regeneration in the form of creeping-rooted specimens was observed only in some small areas, which characterizes the plantings as unstable. Rare, relict and endemic species of trees and shrubs are noted in the composition of the flora of the Turanga forests, their phytocoenotic indexes and practical significance are evaluated. Turanga woodlands need special protection, because these forests have a great environment-forming, soil-fixing, and reclamation value, i.e., they generally stabilize the ecological situation in the floodplains of rivers in arid regions. The main factors of anthropogenic impact on the Turanga forests of the region are shown: changes of the hydrological regime in the Ili River valley, recreation (increasing the road and path network, trampling the soil, setting up campfires), as well as grazing. Proposals are made to improve the protection of these relict forests and an analysis of ways to preserve individual floral elements based on clonal micropropagation methods is given.

Global warming and increasing anthropogenic pressure pose a severe threat to coastal vegetation, especially in arid climates. Such climates are typical of Central Asia, which places the region among those most vulnerable to climate change. In Kazakhstan, one of the territories that are subject to desertification is the Ile-Balkhash region. This is due to the changing hydrological regime in the floodplain of the Ili River and the growing anthropogenic pressure including unsystematic cattle grazing and fires. There are fears that Lake Balkhash may substantially decrease in area or even dry out. The Ili River Delta is severely degraded due to water uptake along the rivers of the Ile-Balkhash basin. Desertification has been the most pronounced in the southwestern part of the delta (the Ili-Topar interfluve), as well as along the Ili channel, in its estuary, and middle parts (

No abstract

No abstract