Taxonomic structure of the dendroflora of the Forest Experimental Station of the Timiryazev Academy

Green spaces play a crucial role in the ecological framework of cities, creating a favorable environment for the population through diverse sanitary-hygienic, aesthetic, and recreational functions provided by the plant cover. The overall character of the woody and shrub flora in urban areas is reflected in its taxonomic structure. While studies exist on the dendroflora of Moscow and its specific areas, contemporary research focusing on the woody flora of large forest tracts within the city is scarce. The aim of this study was to synthesize data on the current species composition and analyze the taxonomic structure of the dendroflora of the Forest Experimental Station of the Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. The actual floristic list of trees and shrubs was compiled using materials from the inventory of forest stands on permanent sample plots spanning the period from 2000 to 2025, as well as data from route surveys conducted during the growing seasons of 2019-2025. Data exports from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the iNaturalist platform were also utilized to synthesize information on the modern dendroflora. The research revealed that the dendroflora comprises 106 species belonging to 50 genera and 19 families. The leading families by number of species are: Rosaceae Juss. (26 species); Sapindaceae Juss. (12 species); Salicaceae Mirb. (10 species); Pinaceae Lindl. (9 species); and Caprifoliaceae Juss. (8 species). The significant impact of anthropogenic factors and the resulting transformation of the dendroflora are evidenced by the clear predominance of alien species (69%) over native ones (31%). In the distribution of species by life forms within the native dendroflora, trees account for 52%, and shrubs for 48% of the total number of species. In the alien dendroflora, the proportion of trees is slightly higher (59%), with shrubs constituting 41% of the species.