2025 Ecosystem Transformation 8 (1), 108-122

Woody flora of the Northern city cemetery of the Rostov-on-Don city, Russia

Kozlovsky B.L.  , Dmitriev P.A., Kuropyatnikov M.V., Fedorinova O.I.

The woody flora of the Northern city cemetery of Rostov-on-Don comprises 18 native and 64 alien species of woody plants. The species of North American (36%) and European (22%) origin dominate, followed by East Asian and Chinese species (13%), as well as Eurasian species (11%). Taxa of other origin are represented by single species. In total, 21 alien species disperse spontaneously throughout the cemetery territory by means of seeds, mainly by anemo-, ornitho-, and anthropochory. The most abundant and frequently met alien species, which settled on the cemetery territory spontaneously, are Acer negundo, Acer negundo, A. platanoides, Ailanthus altissima, Celtis occidentalis, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Juglans regia, Malus domestica, Morus alba, Prunus armeniaca, P. cerasifera, P. mahaleb, and Ulmus pumila. The reproduction of woody species in the cemetery is facilitated by the presence of specific crevice habitats. We suppose that over time the species composition of woody plants will become unified throughout the cemetery. Such species as A. negundo, A. altissima, C. occidentalis, F. pennsylvania, and U. pumila will probably dominate in emerging vegetation.

B. L. Kozlovsky
Southern Federal University
Bolshaya Sadovaya St. 105/42, Rostov-on-Don, 344000 Russia

blk@sfedu.ru

P. A. Dmitriev
Southern Federal University
Bolshaya Sadovaya St. 105/42, Rostov-on-Don, 344000 Russia


M. V. Kuropyatnikov
Southern Federal University
Bolshaya Sadovaya St. 105/42, Rostov-on-Don, 344000 Russia


O. I. Fedorinova
Southern Federal University
Bolshaya Sadovaya St. 105/42, Rostov-on-Don, 344000 Russia

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