Forest Pathology Condition of Forest Stand Geographical Park of Prof. B. M. Kozo-Polyansky Botanical Garden, Voronezh State University

Abstract

For the ecology of the big city it is very important to have such a significant woodland, as, for example, natural and artificial plantings of Prof. BM Kozo-Polyansky Botanical Garden, Voronezh State University. The article briefly characterizes the botanical garden, its origins and the present conditions. The main goal of the definition of forest pathology and health status of all the stand has been put on one of the key areas of the botanical garden referred to as "Northern ravine oak wood." In conducting research we use standard methods of forest inventory and forest pathology examination with appropriate post-processing. The detailed data on the composition, taxation rates and conditions of the studied plants are given. Complete loss of the composition of exotic species planted in 30-x – 70-ies of the last century is revealed and we determine an accelerated death of English oak and European white birch, which is actively being replaced by Norway maple and Scotch elm. Comparative analyzes of forestpathological characteristics of the main forest-forming species of this area is made, and conclusions about the lack of competitiveness of such artificially planted exotic species as the horse chestnut, bitternut walnut and European larch in natural groves stands is drawn. A list of found external characteristics of each species diseases in the surveyed forest stand is given. On English oak leading pathological features are: shrinkage of the skeletal branches and inboard hollows. On the Norway maple there are also a lot of dead skeletal branches, and a lot of trees with pathological forms of the barrel. The main conclusion of the work lies in the fact that the stock data on shrunken and especially drying trees testify to the strong weakening of the stand. Conducting sanitary measures in the form of selective sanitary cutting is required for its recovery.