Environmental sustainability and phytomelioration suitability of woody plants in urban ecosystems

Abstract

The problem of trees selection in urban green spaces is reviewed. Environmental sustainability and phytomelioration ability of the dominant representatives of the most spread woody plants types used in urban landscaping is analyzed. The criteria for assessing the vitality of plants at different levels of biosystem organization are accented; key parameters of adapted species protective processes and destructive parameters of unstable species in stressful growing conditions are highlighted. The use of resistant to anthropogenic pollution species of Salix L. genus as effective phytoremediants of technologically-transformed ecosystems is proposed. Sensitive to environmental contamination Aesculus L. and Pinus L. species are not recommended for planting in urban areas. However, they can be used as informative bioindicators of environmental ecological condition. Middle resistant species of Populus L., Tilia L., Betula L., Acer L. genera are recommended to implementation in urban ecosystems greening of recreation areas – parks and squares. Sustainability of the trees genera analyzed in terms of anthropogenic pressure is increased in the following range: Aesculus L. → Pinus L. → Populus L. → Tilia L. → Betula L. → Acer L. → Salix L.