Influence of recreation on radial growth of the common pine tree

The article deals with the stages of recreational digression of diff erent biogeocenoses in the Shirokovsky district forestry of the National Park “Buzuluksky Bor” and the peculiarities of radial growth of the common pine as a dominant stand. The aim of the work was to analyze the comparative response of the common pine trees in the zone of active recreation and in undisturbed areas. The presence or absence of undergrowth, understorey, projective cover and dominance of indicator plants were noted. Sub-tree enumeration with averaged data was carried out on temporary sample plots. Using a Flir i7 thermal imager, the presence or absence and localization of stem and root rots of pine from sponges were determined. A decrease in the total projective cover of the living ground cover and the number of forest species was observed, with an increase in the number of cereal species as recreational digression increased. As recreation intensifi es, undergrowth and understorey disappears. It was noted that with increasing stages of digression the monotony of undergrowth species composition appears, the density and height of forest litter decreases, the number of trees infected with rots and infested with stem pests (black pine moustache, pine bark beetles, six-toothed bark beetle, apex bark beetle) increases. Changes in all components of biogeocenosis lead to loss of stability of forest phytocenosis as a whole. Even a simple stay of a large number of people in the forest leads to degradation of plant communities.

recreation, recreational digression, projective cover, radial growth, common pine, thermal imager