Scientists at Moscow State University have identified 82 of the most toxic species of vascular plants and 55 poisonous species of the genus Aconitum in Russia, the Meteovesti portal writes.
The largest number of dangerous plants grows in the plain steppe biomes (a set of ecosystems of one natural and climatic zone). Desert biome and mountain biome follow. In addition, an analysis was made between the number of growing plant species and the climate of a particular region.
The study of poisonous plants (and, in general, all poisonous organisms) is significant both from the point of view of prevention and treatment of poisoning, and from the point of view of understanding the evolution of living nature, since toxicity is one of the main mechanisms in the struggle for existence. And another interest of scientists and practitioners in poisonous organisms lies in the fact that many of them are important sources of natural biologically active substances.
About 400 species of poisonous plants with varying degrees of toxicity grow on the territory of Russia. Their study began in the 1930s. The current study by experts from Moscow State University has become relevant in light of the changing climate. In addition to compiling an updated list of the most poisonous plants in the regions of the country, Moscow State University scientists analyzed the relationship between the number of such plants in a certain area and climatic indicators. The maximum dependence of the total number of poisonous plants on the average annual air temperature was found: the higher it is, the more dangerous plants are in a given area. Moisture did not affect the number of species in the biome. Nevertheless, some poisonous plants (wild rosemary, horsetails, etc.) are found in humid places, regardless of the average annual air temperature in them.
According to the degree of toxicity, plants are divided into unconditionally and conventionally poisonous. The latter are toxic only in certain habitats or in a particular season. For example, some have toxic fruits, while others increase the amount of toxins in the underground organs in winter.
Plants are certainly considered poisonous if toxicity is constantly expressed. The authors of a scientific article published in the journal "Arid Ecosystems" chose from 400 species 82 definitely poisonous, belonging to 34 families.
Poisonous species of the genus Aconite are mainly found only in the Far East, so they were counted separately. Moreover, their species diversity, as biologists discovered, is determined not by climatic conditions (in comparison with vascular plants), but by the remoteness from the center of diversity of the genus - the Manchu forests.
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Without going into the details of the scientific article, it is interesting to highlight the following fact. The greatest variety of undoubtedly poisonous species grows in the plain steppes: 70% of all species of poisonous plants in Russia live in the Black Sea-Ciscaucasian and Trans-Volga-Kulundinsky biomes (Trans-Volga is a territory located between the Volga, Ural, Northern Uval and Caspian lowlands. Kulundinsky biome is located in the east south of Western Siberia). In the mountains of Crimea, the Caucasus, Altai, Sayan, Primorye and Sakhalin - up to 65%, on the territory of the flat desert, in the Caspian biome - 60% of the species considered by biologists. The smallest variety of poisonous plant species occurs in the tundra.