Home – Home – Jornals – Contemporary Problems of Ecology 2021 number 2

The central part of the Kuril archipelago, and in particularly Urup Island, remains insufficiently studied due to poor accessibility of this practically uninhabited island and severe nature. Floristic subdivision of the southern part of the Kuril archipelago (Russian Far East) remains controversial. In 2019 we carried out floristic studies on Urup to collect additional data on the island flora to clarify its position in floristic subdivision. Moreover, several short botanical excursions on Iturup were made. The paper represents new data on distribution, habitats and population status of 28 native vascular plant species. Myriophyllum ussuriense was first discovered in the Sakhalin Region and proposed for inclusion in the regional list of rare species and regional Red Data Book. Four species ( Corallorhiza trifida , Pedicularis adunca , Salix arctica , Salix chamissonis ) were first revealed in the southern Kuril Islands. Besides, we found 8 species ( Carex livida , Eleocharis margaritacea , Epipactis papillosa , Juncus articulatus , J. decipiens , Neottia puberula , Poa austrokurilensis , Utricularia minor ) that are new for Urup. Moreover, we confirmed occurrence of Isoëtes asiatica , Hydrangea petiolaris , Rhynchospora alba , Salix fuscescens , previously known from Urup only according to literature. Our findings confirm that Urup belongs in the floristic subdivision of the Kuril archipelago to a transitional zone between the northern and southern Kuril Islands, where distribution areas of East-Asian and Boreal species overlap. New information on the distribution, habitats and population status of 14 threatened plant species protected in Russia and the Sahkalin Region is provided. Further study of the flora of the Kuril Islands and monitoring of rare and threatened vascular plant species are required.