Morphophysiological estimation of the state of the birch (Betula pendula Roth) growing in the conditions of spoil dump Kedrovsky coal mine

Intensive development of coal deposits in Kuzbass leads to significant disruption of biogeocoenosis. The dumps arising from open min-ing of minerals are specific for environmental condi-tions. In the conditions of Kuzbass dumps, the most suitable for phytomelioration is Betula pendula Roth, due to high seed activity and low demand for soil fertility. The restoration of disturbed lands by plant cover at the present stage is of great im-portance. The paper presents the results of study-ing the intensity of synthetic processes in Betula pendula Roth, growing in the conditions of rock dump and dynamics of seasonal growth of lateral shoots and their elements. The intensity of synthet-ic processes was assessed by the content of car-bohydrate and ascorbic acid in the leaves. The as-sessment of photosynthetic ability of birch leaves was determined by the tubeless method, which al-lows calculating the intensity of the process by the amount of carbohydrates formed in the leaves per gram of their initial content over a certain period of exposure to light. Ascorbic acid refers to secondary metabolites; however, its content reflects the level of synthetic processes in plants. One of easily re-producible and at the same time informative indica-tors of the state of plants are morphometric param-eters of shoots and the assimilation apparatus of woody plants. Such morphometric parameters as lateral shoots growth, the amount, mass and area of the birch leaves were studied. Obtained experi-mental data show that at the lack of nutrients in the conditions of a dump in a birch negative changes of growth and development are observed. At molecu-lar and cellular levels, there was a decrease in the synthesis of primary and secondary metabolites (carbohydrates and ascorbic acid). At the level of shoots there was a decrease in their growth for vegetation, number, area and mass of leaves. Thus, the strategy of growth of birch in unfavorable conditions of the dump is aimed at plastic sub-stances saving.