It is well known that there is a relationship between the productivity of forest phytocenoses and soil fertility, which is largely determined by the terrain and soil geomorphology. An important element of assessing the productivity of forests is the substantiation of the methodology for modeling the age dynamics of the growth of forest stands, depending on soil and ground conditions. The solution of this methodological problem is possible only if there is data on forest objects, represented by permanent sample plots and data from a detailed soil survey.

Bacterial communities associated with medicinal plants are an essential part of ecosystems. The rhizosphere effect is rather important in the cultivation process. The purpose of the study was to analyze the rhizosphere effect of oregano (Origanum vulgare L.), peppermint (Mentha piperita L.), thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), creeping thyme (Thymus serpillum L.) and sage (Salvia officinalis L.). To estimate the quantity of 16S bacteria ribosomal genes, qPCR assays were used. To compare bacterial communities’ structure of medicinal plants rhizosphere with bulk soil high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA targeting variable regions V3–V4 of bacteria was carried out. The highest bacterial abundance was associated with T. vulgaris L., M. piperita L. and S. officinalis L., and the lowest was associated with the O. vulgare L. rhizosphere. Phylum Actinobacteriota was predominant in all rhizosphere samples. The maximum bacterial α-diversity was found in S. officinalis L. rhizosphere. According to bacterial β-diversity calculated by the Bray–Curtis metric, T. vulgaris L. root zone significantly differed from bulk soil. The rhizosphere effect was positive to the Myxococcota, Bacteroidota, Verrucomicrobiota, Proteobacteria and Gemmatimonadota.

Methodological solutions are proposed for conducting the state forest inventory, based on a statistically based multidimensional classification of forest areas of the Kostroma region according to 32 resource and environmental indicators, with the allocation of six contours of typical forest areas. On the example of a separate forest area, an algorithm for forming a sample set of sample areas with the presence of a quantity of trees in accordance with the «All-Union standards for forest taxation» is shown. To determine the required number of trees on the test areas, it is recommended to use the author's information and reference system of forest taxation standards (IRS FTS, copyright certificate № 2011615418). For the targeted orientation of inventory accounting units that provide representativeness of the sample, it is proposed to use strata, differentiated by types of forest growing conditions, prevailing breeds and age classes. To calculate the required number of sample areas for the individual strata, it is recommended to use the formula of Academician V.S. Nemchinov, which fully meets the requirements of mathematical statistics. On the example of a specific stratum, the entire methodological side of the formation of a representative sample is shown. The reliability of the compliance of the weighted average indicators of the samples in comparison with the indicators of the general sets is confirmed by the Student's t-test at the 95 % confidence level. For automated inventory of forests by means of remote sensing of the Earth and analytical interpretation it is recommended to use aerial photography from the UAV-«Geoscan 101». Photogrammetric processing of the survey materials and creating aerial photos were performed in the software environment-«Agisoft Metashape». As a result of aerial photography, ultra-high-resolution orthophotoplanes (10 cm/pixel) and digital vegetation models (DVM) were obtained. A comparison of the results of interpretation the taxational indicators of stands: stock, average height, average diameter, completeness, and the share of the predominant species in the stand with the actual data obtained on the test areas by means of a continuous enumeration of trees confirmed a fairly high accuracy of the taxation of stands by means of remote sensing of the specified resolution.

The textbook outlines scientific concepts for modern society, their place in the technological modernization of economic sectors. The concepts of the essence of scientific research, their classification and stages of implementation are given. Examples of substantiating the relevance of the research topic, setting goals and research programs, acquiring skills in compiling an analytical review of literary sources, methodological, theoretical and practical nature are shown. At the stage of theoretical research, the issues of statistical analysis of the revealed patterns are considered with proof of the reliability of the results obtained. Examples of the design of scientific reports, publications, dissertations in accordance with the approved standards for the design of scientific documentation are shown.

Calculated statistical indicators of numerical equation coefficients indicate significance of obtained regressions for each TFC (FT). The resulting regression equation allows carrying out calculations for all oak forest TFC (FT) of Voronezh region, in the age range of stands from 10 to 300 years, for completeness – from 0.3 to 1.0, the share of participation of oak in the composition of forest stands from 1 to 10 units. Developed forst typological scales for natural seed oak forests can detect patterns of increase of growth in trophotopes and ecotypes and within ecotypes and trophotopes – by hygrotopes.