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Rare forest species are being studied in the mountainous Adjara

Members of the scientific expedition are working in mountainous Adjara within the framework of the project of the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture "Study of Rare and Relict Forest Species of Georgia and Creation of an Electronic Database".

Specialists specify and describe the locations of rare and endangered forest species of Georgia. Project. The project envisages the creation of an electronic database of 4 relict species: Quercus hartwissiana Steven., Pontus oak (Quercus pontica K.Koch.), Zelkova carpinifolia (Pall.) K.Koch., and Pterocarya pterocarpa (Michx) Kunth.), also conducting molecular-genetic and morphometric studies and ex-situ conservation. Within the framework of the project, it is planned to update the existing information about the research species, creation of georeferenced thematic maps showing distribution in GIS, determination of in-situ seeding areas, conducting morphometric descriptions and molecular-genetic research of the leaves of the two study oak species to clarify their taxonomic status. The project also envisages the creation of a unified electronic database on the 14 species studied so far and the materials of the mentioned 4 species in the Georgian-English languages.

It should be noted that forests in Georgia are distinguished by a variety of plants, there are many endemic, relict species, some of which are in danger of extinction. The conservation of rare and endangered species of wild flora of Georgia da determined by a number of international conventions.

The project is being carried out with the consultation of the Head of the Department of Silviculture, Forest Growth and Genetics, Genome Research Department of the Austrian Forest Research Center (BFW), with the financial support of Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia.