A comparative environmental assessment using bioindicator plants in conditions of anthropogenic impact of Saransk and Insar

The paper studies the reaction of pendent white birch ( Betula verrucosa ) as the main urban culture used in urban greening at different levels of anthropogenic impact. Annual studies indicate that there is no sustainable trend to reduce man-made emissions in the region. Greening of large industrial centers is of great environmental importance. According to morphometric and some reproductive parameters, the birch has an adaptive response to environmental conditions. The studies have shown that habitat conditions directly affect the morphometric and reproductive characteristics of plants. To a greater extent, in conditions of anthropogenic impact increase, the reaction of biomorphological parameters of the pendent white birch is manifested. When using the method of fluctuating asymmetry, its integral indicators showed the reaction of plants to the increase in anthropogenic impact in the city. The germination and germination energy of birch seeds collected from different study sites are indicative in this respect. The variable coefficient on the size of fruits and seedlings revealed, as a rule, a very high variability (20-40%), which explains the high plasticity of plants to living conditions even at the early stages of their development.