Phytosanitary zoning of the european russia on macrolevel in regard to weed species (a study of Kursk oblast)

Abstract

Preliminary knowledge of which weed plant species find the climatic conditions suitable for their growth and development is extremely relevant for making a long-term regional forecast of weed species distribution. Formation of range boundaries of weed species is determined by the main natural limiting factors: the heat factor limiting the distribution of species to the north and the moisture factor limiting their distribution to the south. This idea can be used as a basis for phytosanitary zoning of weed species on the macroscopic level. With the use of ecological-geographical analysis, a list of 116 species of weed plants was compiled; the heat and moisture requirements of these species correspond to the climatic characteristics of the Kursk oblast: their occurrence frequency is described as "frequently”, "often”, "usually”. In addition, for another 17 species there is some deficiency of either heat or moisture in this territory: their occurrence is described as "rare”, "infrequently”, "sporadically”. Verification was carried out with the use of scientific publications, and it has confirmed the reliability of the results. The territory analogous to the Kursk oblast in regard to the climatic factors of heat and moisture was modelled, and a corresponding map was made. The presence of weed species of the Kursk region in the flora of a modeled zone was confirmed using the data of scientific publications. The results can be used as a basis for a long-term regional forecast of weed species distribution not only for the territory of the Kursk region, but also for the territory of the neighboring regions included in the modelled zone.