ALIEN PLANT SPECIES OF THE MASHUK MOUNTAIN

Abstract

The preservation of biological diversity is impossible without the preservation of natural vegetation. Changes in physical and geographical conditions, succession of phytocenoses, lead to transformation of growing conditions and loss of ecological niches by species. Simultaneously with these processes, the number of alien species increases. Their expansion is facilitated by violations of habitats with natural vegetation cover. Surveys of the slopes of mount Mashuk revealed the distribution of 30 alien species of tree flora from 17 families. Half of them overcame the restrictions of reproduction, but could not pass the barrier associated with the spread of diasporas: Acer negundo, Aesculus hippocastanum, Catalpa speciosa, Celtis occidenatalis, Colutea orientalis, Gleditsia triacanthos, Hedera helix, Juglans regia, Lonicera tatarica, Mahonia repens, Malus domestica, Prunus armeniaca, Robinia viscosa, Spiraea vanhoutei, Vitis vinifera. Nine species — Acer pseudoplatanus, Amorpha fruticosa, Laburnum anagyroides, Morus alba, Morus nigra, Prunus mahaleb, Robinia pseudoacacia, Rubus ibericus and Vinca minor — settle and naturalize in disturbed, seminatural, and natural habitats. Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Platycladus orientalis, Syringa vulgaris are phytoceno-sotransformers, and Clematis vitalba is a biogeocenosotransformer.