The Red Data Book of Vologda Region. Volume 2 – Plants and Fungi

The Red Data Book of Vologda Region. Volume 2 Plants and Fungi -project is carried out by the Vologda State Pedagogical University within the cooperation agreement with the Finnish Environment Institute. The project includes flora diversity research and proposals for conservation of endangered species.

The plants of the region have been under study since mid 19th century. The systematic and comprehensive research started in 1960’s. In the years to follow, the floristic research carried out by the Departments of Botany at the Vologda State Pedagogic University and the University of St. Petersburg became more regular and intense. During this period a comprehensive herbarium was collected, which has been used as database for the Red Data Book of Vologda. Additionally the plant collections of the Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Moscow State University, The Darwin Strict Nature Reserve, the State Museum of History, Architecture and Arts of Vologda, the Museum Association of Cherepovets have been used.

The Flora List by Orlova (1993) listed 1022 vascular plant species belonging to 439 genera of 107 families. Data on the species and systematic diversity of mosses, fungi (lichen included) and algae is very preliminary, because bryo-, myco-, lichen and algae biota have not yet been studied sufficiently in the region. Earlier research shows that due to intense human activity in the region almost a third of all vascular plants have declined in some degree. Similarly, there is a great number of non-vascular plant species rated as rare.

In 2001-2003, the project includes further inventory of herbaria, production of flora inventory texts, definition of the Red List categories of species, the required conservation measures and locality mapping. By preliminary estimate, the Red Data Book will enlist over 200 species of vascular and spore-bearing plants, 30 lichen, 30 higher fungi, 30 mosses and 3 algae species.

During the inventory of the Vologda State Pedagogic University herbarium accompanied by the field studies in 2001-2002, almost one hundred vascular plant species, new to Vologda Region flora, were detected. Most of these species are not indigenous, but adventives imported from other areas.

Field trips were conducted in summer 2002 to nine districts of Vologda Region (Vytegra, Babayevo, Belozero, Kyrillov, Vozhegda, Syamzhen, Totma, Veliky Ustyug and Ust-Kubinsk). A new herbarium of 2500 samples was collected. A number of specimen of rare vascular plant species were collected in the habitats earlier known only from literature. Species composition of mosses and fungi were discovered by the experts from the Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (St. Petersburg) They collected a huge material consisting of 250 mosses and 500 fungi specimen. Over 170 species descriptions and 100 color drawings of vascular plants have been produced by now for the Red Data Book. Field research data is being analyzed currently.

Tatjana A. Suslova
Vologda State Pedagogical University

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