Ekaterinburg Botanic Garden, Russia

Volume 3 Number 9 - December 2002

Fiona R. Dennis

The full name of this garden is The Botanic Garden of the Urals Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg, Russia (SVER). It was established in 1936 and the main years of growth and development were between the years 1939-1944. During these years the SVER was under the administration of Sverdlovsk Municipal Administration. In 1945 SVER was affiliated with the Urals Branch of the Academy of Science of the USSR (now the Russian Academy of Science - RAS)). For 43 years SVER was an independent division of the Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology (1945-1987) as well as a member of the Forest Institute - Urals Branch (1988-1997). In 1998 SVER’s status changed and it became an independent science research institute of RAS.

Main Activities of SVER

Biodiversity conservation dominates the activities of the staff of SVER and is the main thrust of both its research efforts and its practical horticulture. Field research by garden staff has documented the location and evaluated more than 200 populations of rare, endemic and endangered plants of the Urals. Specific biological and ecological characteristics of many of these plants were studied for the first time by the staff of this garden. For some of these species, horticultural techniques were developed for cultivation and propagation and new species were described and listed. The data obtained were used for the development of a ‘Red Data Book of the Central Urals’ and for the Identification of Central Urals flora (1200 species). Fundamental research on interspecies variation of trees (coniferous and other forest species) resulted in the development of the Regulations of Tree Genetic Resource Conservation. This manual serves as a guiding tool for many of the forest gene reserves in Russia (note that in the Urals alone there are more than 300 forest reserves). More than 1,500 unique ecological complexes of the Urals were inventoried and described for this book. This study greatly influenced the granting of protected status in the Sverdlovsk region to 400 natural complexes. A number of reserves and national parks were set up with the help of SVER. The development of a protected area network was put on a serious basis for the first time. SVER developed the regulations for recreation within the protected area network and the programme for its development has been approved and is supported by the Government of Sverdlovsk oblast.

SVER has undertaken a feasibility study for the municipal landscape park Lake Peschanoe and a planning study for the Iseti River Source regional park is in progress.

As a result of numerous field research activities undertaken by SVER, 32 new habitats for rare plant species have been discovered. SVER has prepared inventories for the rare flora of two national parks in the Urals and the protected research areas of seven of the districts of the region. The field research has enabled the evaluation of the present state of the protected research areas and provided recommendations on their sustainable exploitation (17 protected areas on the Chusovoi River, 12 protected areas in the vicinity of Ekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk regions). Similar studies have been undertaken for 16 protected areas in Chelyabinsk, Orenburg and the Republic of Bashkortostan.

Critical study of the taxa to which the Urals’ populations of Dactylorhiza spp. (Orchidaceae) belong has found that the genus is represented by eight species in the region, of which one had never been found in the region before. The data gained opened up fresh opportunities for the systematic classification of the genus and the development of a comprehensive protection strategy for the unique wild populations of Orchidaceae in the region.

SVER has prepared the necessary documentation for the establishment of 12 protected areas in the Central and South Urals and provided 20 experts to investigate and advise on the present state of protected areas and their prospects. Consultancy has also been undertaken on their management. SVER has also prepared material for a map of the Ecology of the ‘Khanty-Mansi National region of Tyumen oblast’.

Summary of current biodiversity activities undertaken by SVER:

location of new habitats of 32 rare and endangered species;
inventorying of rare species in two national parks and a number of nature complexes in 7 administrative districts of the region;
description of nine new Oxytropis spp. and various Festuca spp.;
evaluation of protected areas in the Urals (17 protected areas along the Chusovoi River, 12 protected areas in the vicinity of Ekaterinburg) and in other adjacent regions (16 protected areas in Chelyabinsk and Orenburg regions, and the Republic of Bashkortostan); provision of consultancy on the sustainable use of protected areas;
study on the natural and anthropogenic dynamics of forest ecosystems in the South Urals;
evaluation of coniferous forest degradation in the South Urals - dark coniferous forests occupy only 17% of the forest area, the rest of the area is occupied by leafy forests;
experiments on the introduction into the wild of rare Orchidaceae (11 experimental plantings);
comparative study on the on the genesis and mycorrhiza of Orchidaceae species; symbiotic mycorrhizal associations have been defined and their activity estimated for different species;
study on plant introduction (14 new specimens of rare species collected from original sites in the South Urals);
study on seasonal development rhythms of rare plant species (120 species)
preparation of feasibility studies for the ‘Lake Peschanoe’ municipal landscape park and the ‘Iseti River Source’ national park;
preparation of the ‘Ecology Map of Khanty-Mansi National region of Tyumen region’.

Genetics research is an important thrust of the research team at SVER, including analysis of genetic distance gradients. One study was carried out along the meridian wood cutting area -TransUral-North Tugai’. The research resulted in distinguishing a new sub-species of Scots pine. The information gained opened up new approaches to the problems of population ecology of tree species and interspecific taxonomy, genetics and the selection of pines for future planting.

Research activities at SVER are numerous. In 1998, the following research projects were completed:

study on the introduction of new economic and rare plants of the Urals;
development of relevant protection strategies and introduction techniques for rare and endangered plants;
development of an environmental protection infrastructure in the regions with extreme conditions;
review of ecological aspects of forestry management in the regions exposed to the destructive pressures of industry;
study on the population ecology of common pests in the coniferous and leaf biogeocoenoses subject to anthropogenic pressures in Za Uralye region;
study on the structure, restoration and phenogenetic differentiation of Scots pine populations;
elaboration of the theoretical basis for the artificial restoration of conifer populations;
ecological and economic evaluation of forests in the Urals and research on the sustainable use of forests in the context of natural ecosystem maintenance;
study on phytoproductivity as the major characteristic of forest ecosystem stability in the urals and its evaluation;
study on the structure and functioning of forest ecosystems in the Urals.

Ex situ conservation is also a major role of this garden and SVER maintains a significant conservation collection of rare and endangered plants of the Urals. There are 130 species of the endemic, rare and endangered flora of the Urals in this collection, which are used in a number of public displays. The displays are arranged according to eco-geographic principles and are designed to mimic the natural habitats of the plants.

SVER’s terrestrial orchid collection has already been described above but should again be noted for achievements in the cultivation and propagation of these rare and difficult species. As part of the work that is being done on this collection, 20 active forms of mychorrhiza associated with the Cypripedium spp. has been collected. The laboratory staff for this project, consisting of Dr. Eugene Philippov and Dr. Paul Koulikov, is currently experimenting with in vitro propagation techniques. However, they have only a small domestic refrigerator and ill-equipped laboratory in which to conduct these experiments.

Also mentioned above is the work on the cultivation of a number of steppe endemics from serpentine soils. The plants are now maturing and seed is beginning to be regularly collected from these plants. This will provide possibilities for further propagation and reintroduction of these rare and highly threatened endemics.

There is an extensive protected forest reserve within SVER. The reserve covers 12 hectares in total and largely consists of native pines. Up to the 1960s the forest was heavily affected by man’s activity and as a consequence was badly damaged. Today, the ground cover and shrubs have been fully restored. The reserve is useful for studies on forest communities and the effects of pollution and the increasing industrial development associated with the city.

Education

SVER makes provision for summer biology practicals for schoolchildren. Children have an opportunity for ‘hands-on’ acquaintance with the plant world by volunteering to help in the maintenance of the collection. The summer practicals vary from 15 to 20 days in duration and are held during the summer vacations. Each year SVER receives about 250-300 schoolchildren from two-three middle schools.
University student botany practicals are also undertaken in the garden and there is provision for regular thematic guided tours for undergraduates. These cover the biodiversity of the local wild flora, the rare and endemic plants of the Urals and economic botany, looking at medicinal, ornamental and food plants. There are, on average, 30 such tours a year.

SVER provides consultancy on students’ theses and arranges provision for summer field research (on average, about 12-15 students annually). SVER also undertakes teaching, joint research and development of environmental education methodology and teaching manuals. The Director is currently devising the second, of two programmes. These are targeting university undergraduates and will be undertaken in collaboration with the university’s lecturers. For an overview of the educational activities of SVER carried out in 1998, see above.

SVER is currently developing a database for the Specially Protected Nature Areas (SPNA) in the Sverdlovsk oblast. This database includes more than 400 protected areas and 100 areas that are likely to be granted protected status in the near future. The database will open up new avenues for environmental protection activities throughout the region and will provide the necessary information for the establishment of an efficient information network for all SPNAs in the Urals. It is expected that this will lead to the development of an SPNA land-survey and will assist the efficient management and legislation for the protected areas.

There are regular publications produced by SVER. These include prospectuses, brochures, catalogues, scientific and popular monographs on SVER’s activities, its collection and various environmental protection activities. On average two-three items are produced annually. SVER regularly appears in the local media (about 25 times per year) and either holds or participates in about 8-12 exhibitions each year.

The municipal authorities seek to employ the capacity and expertise of SVER to implement regional environmental protection programmes, such as the development of the protected areas network, for landscape gardening and for environmental protection activities, without any kind of remuneration.

SVER actively collaborates with the Regional Environmental Protection Committee, which is responsible for the administration of national parks and protected areas. The Director is also a member of the Committee for Nature Conservation/Protection of the Urals Department of the RAS. This is a co-ordinating organisation for the system of protected territories and areas.

In the future, SVER would like to tackle the following specific objectives:

Optimise the integrated conservation of local endemic, rare and endangered plant species by:

production of an up-to-date inventory of the protected areas of the Urals region;
preparation and publication of a land-use survey of the protected areas;
develop a database on the protected areas;
develop a seed-bank in SVER;
devise a-re-introduction programme with all proper safeguards.

Welcome to BGCI Russia

Formed in April 1994, BGCI Russia is based in Moscow. BGCI Russia seeks to support wide participation of the associations of the botanical gardens of the countries of the CIS and other states of Eurasia. BGCI Russia promotes and supports the work of botanic gardens in Russia.

Ekaterinburg Botanic Garden, Russia

Main Activities of SVER

Education

Welcome to BGCI Russia

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