DYNAMICS OF COENOPOPULATIONS AND DISTRIBUTION ASCLEPIAS SYRIACA L. IN VARIOUS HABITATS OF AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES AND ADJACENT LANDS IN CENTRAL RUSSIA

Abstract

Abstract Asclepias syriaca L. is species-introduced with high potential as a source of biofuel, an important fodder crop for beekeeping, a possible source of biologically active substances. However, the species has a high invasive activity and may pose a threat to the biodiversity of natural plant communities. And also pose an economic threat to agroecosystems as a segetal species. In agricultural landscapes of central Russia in various habitats the dynamics and state of coenopopulation of the introduced in the crop species A. syriaca, which has a high potential invasive hazard at this moment, was studied. Research was conducted in 2012, 2018 and 2019 in the Belgorod region near the village Kulma, Novooskolskiy urban district. To assess the dynamics of the distribution A. syriaca in 2012 a polygon was formed for stationary observations on an area of about 5000 ha called Stationary “Kulma”. Modular coenopopulations growing in various habitats were identified within this stationary. In the process of research in the conditions of agrophytocenoses and adjacent lands of the South of the Central Russian upland there is a tendency to increase the area of populations of the introduced but invasive species of A syriaca in a wide range of habitats. The fact of species-introduced A syriaca into zonal types of steppe vegetation with a tendency to increase its share in phytocenoses with possible further displacement of native species by it is established. In the conditions of habitats adjacent to agrophytocenoses, A. syriaca forms stable full-fledged populations with high seed productivity and high aboveground phytomass, which are most productive in the ecotone conditions of bayrach forests, forest belts and fallow lands. The species has a high ability to introduce agrophytocenoses to cultivated land, this makes it an extremely dangerous component of segetal communities in the Central Chernozem region, capable of causing significant economic damage. It is necessary to monitor population A syriaca in all regions and develop measures to prevent its widespread distribution in agrophytocenoses.