Scientists attempt to breed new plants suitable for Arctic conditions
Jointly with experts from other institutions, the scientists planted an untypical garden in the Extreme North, the university said, TASS reports.
«The specialists could not just do the job, they wanted an experiment, and thus besides the species typical for the Extreme North - Siberian spruce, Siberian larch, Siberian mountain ash, hanging birch, etc. - they planted trees and bushes which are absolutely new to these conditions,» the press service quoted Director of the University’s Botanical Garden Viktor Valdaiskikh as saying.
In the Arctic city, the scientists used 200 plants, including Hungarian lilac, common barberry, Canadian rhododendron, chokeberry and many others. In addition to the trees and bushes, they planted irises, daylilies and globeflowers.
«The global warming first of all affects the high latitudes: winters on Yamal are milder, summers - warmer, and the permafrost is degrading,» the scientist said. «We cannot say these changes are favorable for the Extreme North’s nature or infrastructures, but we may use them to add new plants to the list of those used in cities there. This way, we make urban decorations brighter and more expressive.»
The Urals Federal University, the biggest university in the Urals Federal District, has 13 scientific laboratories, run by leading foreign experts.