ANNOTATION “Forest pathological state and conservation measures of tugai forests in Kazakhstan part of the Ile River basin” the dissertation thesis for the degree of PhD on the specialty 6D080700 - Forest resources and Silviculture of Yuliya Sergeyevna Borissova

1. Relevance of the research title. Modern tugai forests in Kazakhstan consist of trees, shrubs and grass communities, which grow in flood plains of such southern rivers as Syrdarya, Chu, Ile, Karatal, Lepsy, Aksu and Charyn. Their total area is about 400 thousand hectares, forest cover area of which is about 150 thousand hectares. Areas of these unique forest formations are constantly decreasing because of the regulation of river flows, water withdrawals for irrigation, often repeated fires, unsystematic felling, developments of pests and diseases foci and unregulated year- round cattle grazing. These anthropogenic factors of direct (deforestation, wastage, fires) and indirect (regulation of river runoff) influence over the last four decades have significantly changed not only the size of the tugai species composition, but also forest conditions in the river floodplains. The natural dynamics of tugai ecosystems has been severely disrupted. Reducing the area of tugai forests leads to the loss of valuable, rare and relict species of plants and animals, the whole complex of unique biocoenoses, which has a great value as a genetic fund. In addition, water protection, water regulating, and bank protection and melioration role of the tugai forests is reducing. As the result of this certain types of economic activity cease completely. In these conditions the meaning of scientific research for the integrated study of the state of tugai forests and the development of measures of their conservation are increasing. 2. The purpose and tasks of the research The purpose of the research is to study the forest pathological state of tugai forests, growing on the floodplain of the Ile River in Kazakhstan. The tasks of the research: - carrying out a pathological survey of tugai forests in the Ile river basin; - identification of pest and disease species of the main tree species in the tugai forests; - assessment of the current forest pathological state of the tugai forests in the Ile river basin; - proposal for conservation measures for tugai forests. 3. Objects of the research are the tugai forests of the in the Ile river basin. 4. The subject of the research are insects - pests, as well as causative agents of tugai forest diseases, which have a great influence on their forest pathological state. 5. Methods of the research. For determination the forest pathological state of the tugai forests the forest pathological survey, including the reconnaissance and detailed inspection were conducted. To conduct a reconnaissance survey in the research area, the routing method was used in the territories of Kurty, Bakanas, Shelek State Enterprises for the Forest and Wildlife Protection (hereinafter SE) and in the Charyn State National Nature Park (hereinafter SNNP) in the territory of the Charyn Ash Forest. On the routes in accordance with the Sanitary Rules of Kazakhstan forests, the forest pathological state of the stands was determined. The degree of damage to the tree crowns by leaf-eating insects was determined by eye, in percentage terms, on average for the entire damaged area (slight damage - up to 25%, medium - up to 50%, strong - up to 75% and full - more than 75%), indicating species of pests and diseases. The characteristic external signs of the lesion (fruit bodies of the fungus and characteristic types of rot, tumors, necrosis, cancerous and other wounds, drying windows and others) determined the presence of diseases. For a more precise definition of the forest pathological state of tugai forests, we conducted a detailed forest pathological survey. For this purpose, 10 test plots (hereinafter TP) were laid on the territory of the mentioned SE and Charyn SNNP: 2 in Kurty, Bakanas and Shelek SE and 4 in Charyn SNPP. The size of the test plot was 0.1 ha (20x50 m). The total number of TP was 10. On each TP, the forest pathological state of the stands was determined according to the tree status category with the subsequent calculation of the average category of the state. The studies were conducted in 2013-2015. In 2013 there were observed areas of the upstream of the Ili River in Kurty and Bakanas SFE and along the lower basin of the Ili River in Shelek SFE. In Kurty and Bakanas SFE we selected areas with a predominance of Populus diversifolia Schrenk. In Shelek SFE studies were conducted in areas with a predominance of Populus pruinosa Schrenk. Also, studies were carried out in 2013 on the right bank of the Charyn River (Charyn SNNP), in the areas with Fraxinus sogdiana Bunge. In 2014, scientific works were carried out on the left bank of the Charyn River, where Elaeagnus angustifolia L. and Populus diversifolia grow. Also on TS, samples of pests and diseases were collected during the vegetation periods of 2013 and 2014. To establish the extent of disease in the tugai forests, we collected samples of damaged plant parts: leaves, branches, fruits and wood, according to the methods of Skvortsov. The collected samples were placed in specially prepared newspapers, placed under a press and dried at room temperature. Fruit bodies of collected pungent fungi were dried in drying cabinets. To determine the species composition of insects in different types of tugai forests of the Ile River basin, the description of taxation characteristics was made on the laid test plots and selected 20 main species of tugai forest trees. For each selected tree, window traps were installed. Collection of insects (Insecta Linnaeus, 1758, Hexapoda Blainville, 1816, Pterygota Lang, 1888) from the traps was carried out during the growing seasons of 2013 and 2014. We placed the collected insects in marked plastic bags and fixed in a solution of ethyl alcohol. The distribution of insects in order was carried out in accordance with the modern taxonomy of insects, as well as the Integrated Taxonomic Information System, in the laboratory of the Department of Entomology and Forest Protection, the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Science at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague. Among the identified species, we selected pests. Determination of plant diseases was carried out on the determinants in the laboratory of Mycology and Algology of the “Institute of Botany and Phytointroduction” in Almaty. We described each identified species of plant diseases. The degree of tree defectiveness was determined based on the tree status categories in the felling rules of the Republic of Kazakhstan. For this purpose, the number of visible damage and defects was counted on the laid test plots. According to the calculations, the average degree of tree defectiveness was determined. The tree defectiveness was determined according to the scale of the categories of state of trees, given in the sanitary rules. Based on the conducted research, the measures for the tugai forests conservation were proposed. 6. Scientific novelty. Comprehensive assessment of the current forest pathological state of the tugai forests in the Ile river basin was carried out. The prevailing representatives of pests and diseases of the main tree species of the tugai forests in the Ile river basin were established. Measures for the tugai forests conservation were proposed. 7. Following positions are put for the defending: 1. The results of the assessment of the current forest pathological state of the tugai forests in the Ile river basin. 2. The main species of pests of the tugai forests in the Ile river basin. 3. The causative agents of the main species of diseases of the tugai forests in the Ile river basin. 4. Measures for the conservation of the tugai forests in the Ile river basin. 8. Scientific results of the research According to the results of the reconnaissance forest pathological survey, the state of tugai forests is defined as satisfactory. The existing pests and diseases do not significantly harm the tugai forests. According to the detailed forest pathological survey, the trees of almost all the studied species on the territory of tugai forests are weakened. The average age class of trees is 5, 6 classes. The stands belong to the mature age group, but there are also overgrown stands. Tree lesions are observed everywhere by leaf-eating and stem pests and various diseases. Gradual drying of plantings occurs due to biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic factors. The biggest number of insects was found on the trees of Populus diversifolia Schrenk, 1842 – 19 969 specimens. The variety of insects here consists of 12 orders. The smallest number of insects was found on Populus pruinosa Schrenk, 1845 – 4 011 specimens, although their diversity also consists of 12 orders. The number of insects found on Fraxinus sogdiana Bunge, 1854 is 18 913 specimens, and on Elaeagnus angustifolia Linnaeus, 1753 is 7 736 specimens, which have the average values, and the variety of insects consists of 10 orders in F. sogdiana and 11 orders in E .angustifolia. Thus there are a wide variety of insects are in the tugai forests. Mycetochara flavipes Fabricius, 1792 (Alleculinae Laporte, 1840; Tenebrionidae Latreille, 1802) is a new genus and species for the fauna of Kazakhstan. The average degree of the tugai forest defectiveness is 29%, which indicates the need for an integrated protection system in these forests. However, the tugai forests grow in the floodplain zone, where the treatment with chemical preparations (insecticides) is prohibited. Therefore, in this region we recommend to use biological preparations, and also to apply biological methods of forest protection. For the conservation of the tugai forests, it is proposed to carry out preventive, forest protective measures, as well as forest pathological monitoring, since the cost of its conducting is 9 times less than the treatment of pest outbreaks. 9. Practical significance of the results. The results of this research will make possible to conduct a system of forest pathological monitoring in Kazakhstan forests, which will be useful for State Enterprises for Forests and Wildlife Protection and Specially Protected Natural Areas to monitor the development of pests and diseases foci and to take timely measures to eliminate them. The proposed measures were implemented in the Charyn State National Natural Park, where the scientific department applies the forest pathological monitoring in the territory of the Charyn Ash Forest. In addition, Kurty and Bakanas State Enterprises for the Forest and Wildlife Protection accepted the conclusions and recommendations of the research. The author uses the results of the research in lectures and seminars at the Forest Resources and Game Management Department of the Forest, Land Resources and Phytosanitary Faculty at KazNAU. 10. Personal contribution of the author is following: - the choice of tasks, ways and methods for their solution, formulations and substantiations of scientific provisions; - the carrying out the forest pathological survey of tugai forests in the Ile river basin; - the collection of pests and diseases samples of the main trees in the tugai forests; - the cameral processing of collected samples of pests and diseases of the main trees of tugai forests; - the conducting the comprehensive assessment of the forest pathological state of the tugai forests; - the proposal measures for the tugai forests conservation. 11. Approbation of the thesis results. The materials of the thesis were reported and discussed at the meeting of the Educational and Methodological Commission of the “Forest, land resources and fruit and vegetable growing” faculty at the Kazakh National Agrarian University (2015); at the Meeting of the Department of Entomology and Forest Protection of the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague (Czech Republic, 2015). Main provisions of the PhD thesis were reported and presented at the international conferences: “Development of Green Economy and Conservation of Biological Diversity”, 8-10 October 2013, Shuchinsk; “Zoo Days”, 6-7 February 2014, Ostrava, the Czech Republic; “Current Status of Biodiversity of the State Nature National Park of Charyn and Neighboring territories”, devoted to the 10-th anniversary of the Charyn SNNP, 19-20 September 2014, Almaty; VII Congress on Plant Protection: Integrated Plant Protection – a Knowledge-Based Step towards Sustainable Agriculture, Forestry and Landscape Architecture, 24-28 November 2014, Zlatibor, Serbia; International Scientific Forum on “Rehabilitation and Restoration Degraded Forests”, 8-12 June 2015, Astana and “The Europe and the Turkic World: Science, Engineering and Technology”, 15-17 June 2016, Side, Turkey. 12. Publications According to the PhD thesis materials the author has published 12 articles, including 5 articles in scientific publications recommended by the Committee for Control in Education and Science of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 6 articles in the materials of International scientific and practical conferences and 1 article in the journals included in Thomson Reuters database. 13. Scope and structure of the dissertation The dissertation consists of 115 pages, including the Introduction, 5 Sections, Conclusion and Annexes. It contains 8 tables and 38 figures. The list of references includes 135 items.