Authors:
L. P. RYBASHLYKOVA, candidate of agricultural sciences, leading researcher,
Federal scientific center for agro-ecology, integrated land reclamation and protective forestation, Russian Academy of Sciences (97 Universitetskiy Ave., 400062, Volgograd)
S. V. KONEV, head of laboratory,
Caspian Research Institute of Arid Agriculture (Severnyi-8, 416251, Solenoye Zaymische, Chernoyarskyi District, Astrakhan region)
Abstract. In recent years, problems of environmental protection, rational use of natural resources and preservation of ecological balance has assumed particular importance. This is due to the increasing anthropogenic impact on natural ecosystems, which was the cause of the deterioration of forests and overall vegetation of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain. This article presents the results of monitoring of forest phytocenosis coastal area of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain in the changing environmental conditions of the region. Identified and assessed impact of flooding spring hollow water status of forest plantations of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain. Given the distribution of trees by condition categories. Established that the main cause of the current drying up of the forest is overmature age of trees (40–50 years) and adverse hydrological (low level and short periods of spring flooding, waterlogging of soils because of prolonged flooding) and soil and climatic exposure (95 %). The most favorable condition have a willow plant communities, followed by oleaster, elm, the least resistant stand of oak and maple ecosystems. Middle–aged poplar plantations reach a height of 14.5 to 18.7 m with a trunk diameter of 12–20 cm of Ripe willow plantings reach a height of 15–16.5 m with a trunk diameter of 25–40 cm Ripe of ash trees reach a height of 15.2–17.5 m with a trunk diameter of 20–27 see Scientific studies show that the annual update of forests and sanitary cutting contributes to the improvement of Bank protection and water protection functions of forests. Conducted monitoring to study the qualitative and quantitative composition of forest resources, their condition will allow to prepare recommendations for the restoration and preservation of vegetation of the floodplain.
Keywords: monitoring, forest, Volga – Akhtuba floodplain, forest phytocenosis, hydrological regime, biological diversity.
