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Scopus Publications

Structure and assessment of the condition of woody species in the beech forests of Dagestan, Russia
Kh. U. Aliev, Z. I. Soltanmuradova, and K. I. Akhmedova
Institute of Applied Ecology
Aim. To identify the structural features and assess the current condition of woody species in the beech forests of Dagestan, Russia.Material and Methods. Research was based on the analysis of data from 69 sampling areas located in various physical-geographical regions of Dagestan. A detailed accounting of individual specimens of all age groups of each species was undertaken in the sampling areas. The total area surveyed was 43,125 m2. In total, 11,446 individuals of different species were involved in the statistical analysis, of which 1,974 form a tree tier, in which each individual is evaluated according to a scale of condition categories.Results. A study of the structure of beech forests showed the participation rate of Fagus orientalis Lipsky to be from 7.5 to 8.5 points. The average age of the upper sub-level of beech in the foothills was 110 years and in the highlands 160 years. For most woody species the age spectrum was sinistral and incomplete. Beech with a full-membered age spectrum were observed in the beech forests of the southwestern sub-region and in the high mountain region. A general trend is observed of deterioration of the condition of individuals in the transition from the upper to the lower sub-level. The average condition of beech individuals within the tree tier is 1.4 points. The condition categories of other species are characterized as being generally closer to 'weakened'.Conclusion. The results obtained regarding the structure and condition of woody species in the beech forests of Dagestan confirm the highly edifying role of beech. The greatest negative impact is exerted by the anthropogenic factor, which is confirmed by the incompleteness of the beech age spectrum and the low participation rate of the old-growth generative group and of the post-generative period.

To the question of the origin of the cultural assortment of Dagestan apricots through assessing the variability of leaf morphological characteristics
D. M. Anatov, Z. M. Аsadulaev, R. M. Osmanov, and K. I. Akhmedova
Institute of Applied Ecology
Aim. The paper presents the results of assessment of the indigenous nature and degree of similarity of apricot cultivars growing in the collection of the Mountain Botanical Garden, Gunib, Dagestan, Russia based on a comparative analysis of the variability of leaf morphological characteristics. Material and Methods. The material assessed consisted of 33 apricot cultivars of various ecological and geographical origins aggregated in the following groups: (a) Dagestan – traditional cultivars; (b) Moscow ‐ selection from the Tsytsin Main Moscow Botanical Garden, Russian Academy of Sciences based on wild forms of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; (c) European and (d) Asian ‐ from Central Asia, Tajikistan, China and Altai. Results. The closeness of Dagestan and European varieties in comparison with Asian and Moscow varieties was shown. Most Dagestan (16 of 19) and European varieties have round‐shaped leaves (leaf shape index 80‐ 100%), while those from Asia and the Moscow Botanical Garden have leaves which are elongated elliptical and oval (60‐80%). Using the method of principal component analysis (PCA), it was established that most cultivars of Dagestan origin have similar leaf shapes and sizes, of which Tlama kurak (wide‐round), Hekobarsh (elongated) were distinguished by leaf shape and Esdelik by leaf size. Conclusion. Based on a discriminant analysis (Squared Mahalanobis Distances), it was found that the indices of indicators of leaf attributes (width/length of leaf lamina; petiole length/length of lamina; apex angle/corner of leaf base) are more reliable criteria for differentiating apricot varieties into ecological and geographical groups than their morphological characteristics.

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