Abstracts

No individual selection of gigantic trees of various poplar species (Populus L.) was carried out earlier in Siberia. Meanwhile, such specimens are met in the flood-plains of rivers. They are of particular importance, since they are easily vegetatively propagated and can preserve natural gigantism in cutting propagation. Found in the downstream flood-plain of the Katun river was a 5-individul group of black poplar (P.nigra L.) 28-30 m high and 96-110 cm across. They are 80-90 years old, with branchy vigorous crown 14-16 m in diameter. The best specimen is 30 m high and 96 cm across. The said gigantic trees are in good condition. Their crown tops are green, with disease-free leaves, and show no signs of drying. Two giants have been found on the Biya river island, opposite the village Stan-Bekhtemir of Altai Territory, namely: laurel-leaved poplar (P.laurifolia Ledeb.) and black poplar. They grow among 45-70-year first-class poplar-forest stand of bonitet. The poplar laurifolia is 110-130 years old, 31.5 m high and 122.3 cm across. The black poplar tree characteristics are: 150 years, 29 m and 200 cm, respectively. The gigantic trees are not a part of woody tier and are the “relicts” of the earlier existing forest range, still fully viable and possessing green crown. There is a great resource of gigantic trees in the Baikal state biospheric reservation (Republic of Buryatia). There, in the river valleys of the northern-macroslope of range Khamar-Daban, one can meet Mongolian poplar (P.suaveolens Fisch.). A few gigantic specimens of Mongolian poplar grow in the downstream flood-plain of the Pereyemna river, being 25-28 m high and more than 1 m across. One of them is 150 years old, 26 m high (broken top) and 154 cm across. Particularly many giants grow in the downstream flood-plain of the Snezhnaya river, near the tourist hostel “Tioply oziora”. They are the “relicts” of the early existing poplar-forest and, at present, are disposed singly or in small groups among coniferous forest of younger age. With group disposition, there are up to 22 individuals per 1 hectare met therein. At a height of 1.3 m their trunks are 314-610 cm round, 110-194 cm across, with crown 11-17 m in diameter. Nowadays, the height of many trees, in view of their age (150 years and older), is relatively small (21-26 m), since their tops are dried and broken. A unique specimen of Mongolian poplar, with very large habitus of trunk and crown, grows in the flood-plain of the above river, not far from the tourist hostel. The giant is approximately 350 years old, with its trunk 610 cm round and 194 cm across at a height of 1.3 m. The trunk is single 21 m lengthwise and has a hollow in its butt. The crown is 17 m in diameter, with its top broken. The tree is still viable and shows high wind-resistance. Gigantic trees are of great scientific and practical value. They present the limit habitus of trunk and age limit to be reached by the said species under natural conditions. At the same time, some of them can be used for introduction and selection work as well as for clone propagation. The unique genotypes, showing violent growth and long life, deserve giving them an official status of nature memorial with the purpose of preserving them in natural state for a long period of time.

Note. Abstracts are published in author's edition

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© 1996-2000, Institute of computational Techologies SB RAS, Novosibirsk
© 1996-2000, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Science, Novosibirsk