Plant Viability in an Urbanized Environment

The aim of the study has been to analyze the vitality of woody plants in an urbanized environment to solve the problems of landscaping a large city (using the example of Khabarovsk). The methods of geobotanical, forest inventory, floristic, population analysis and morphometric approach have been used. The formation of plantations in Khabarovsk has gone from a garden-homestead type with a few public gardens and squares to public landscaped spaces. The total area of green spaces is 17,127.9 ha, with the prospect of increasing the landscaping of public use areas by 1435.9 ha by 2030. The use of a limited range of trees species in the past has led to the formation of a modern poplar-elm appearance of the city’s plantations. Mass plantings of poplars and elms in the 1950s and 1960s have created the problem of urgent demolition of old-growth plantations in large volumes at present. There is a reduction in green areas in parks, insufficient care and, as a result, a decrease in the vitality of plants. The composition of the dendroflora of Khabarovsk includes 59 species of trees and 58 species of shrubs and lianas, which is close to the natural biodiversity indicator. The relative vitality of tree plantations has varied at different urban areas from 69 % (weakened forest stand) to 94 % (healthy forest stand). On average, the proportion of healthy trees in the city is 57.6 %, of the tress in satisfactory condition – 34.5 %, in unsatisfactory – 7.9 %. The use of population-based research methods in solving landscaping problems will make it possible to select deciduous and coniferous species adapted to the stresses of urbanization and create environmentally sustainable, aesthetically attractive and economically more profitable plantations. A high diversity of woody plants is observed in parks (89 species) and on boulevards (77 species), a low one – in city squares (9 species) and main thoroughfares in the city (27 species). Landscaping of the motor transport infrastructure is represented by 55 types. The field of the results application: municipal management, as well as planning and development of urban areas.