Yura N. Sudakov

Far-Eastern State University, Vladivostok, Russia.

In the planning is a national park, located between the junction of three administrative territories of Primorsky Krai. The administrative territories are Chuguevsky, Kavalerovsky and Olgunsky. The territory of the potential natural park is also lays between two rivers, Antonovka and Pavlovka. These rivers appear to be water sources for Ussury river. A mountain chain is also within this region. The two mountains, Ararat(1385,4m) and Antonovka(1385,9m) make up the larger part of this region.

According to the legislation #511, beginning on 15.10.98., passed by the gubernator of Primorsky Krai, the natural park Ussuriusky Ararat was predestined for protection and for the artificial regeneration of Panax ginseng.

The purpose of our research is to test the suitability of establishing the nature-preserving complex. The most important purpose would be the protection and artificial regeneration of Panax ginseng.

During the period of field research(1996-98) on this territory, we documented, according to the general methods, more than 150 detail geobotanical descriptions. Within sixteen of these places, wild Panax ginseng was found growing. Analyzing the results, we made a conclusion that there are places with relatively high density of Panax ginseng. Sometimes we found groups of the plants, consisting of 20 to 30 individuals.

Panax ginseng likes to grow in the woods that make approximately 70 percent of shade. Shadow places positively affect the growth of Panax ginseng. Often, Panax ginseng is simultaneously associated with other plant communities. Panax ginseng seems to flourish with some tree species such as Pinus koraiensis, Acer mono, Quercus mongolica, and Tilia taquetii. Bush layer is represented by species such as Corylus mandshuric, Acer barbinerve, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Philadelphus tenuifolius, and lianas, Schisandra chinensis, Vitis amurensis, Actinidia kolomikta.

A grass layer covers 40 to 60 percent of the ground at places with good growth of Panax ginseng. Right next to Panax ginseng it was likely to find very small plant species that belong to the lover grass layer, like Oxalis acetosella, Carex ussuriensis, Galium dahurica and Maianthemum intermedium.

Panax ginseng grows on moderate altitudes with different exposures to the sun and slopes, varying from 27-30 degrees to flat surfaces. One of the limiting factors for ginseng is content of water in soils where plants grow. Moreover soils have a good drainage, and usually rocks, with different size and shape, rising above the ground. Some Panax ginseng species were found growing in cracks between rocks.

More detailed analysis showed the association rate of different high vascular plants to Panax ginseng. Going through 150 geobotanical descriptions of plant societies, we found that Panax ginseng has high association rate with four species, they are Chloranthus japonicus, Tilia amurensis, Poligonatum involucratum and Dioscorea nipponica.

Besides Panax ginseng, on the territory of the potential park, you can find other rare high vascular plants that are placed in the Red Book of Rare Species of Russian Federation, for example relicts such as Taxus cuspidata. Furthermore, there are unique plant associations that also need protection and preservation.

An establishment of the nature-preserving complex Ussuriusky Ararat will garantee not only preservation of wild Panax ginseng population, but furthermore will give the future valuable and rare medicinal raw material. This will also contribute to the preservation of biodiversity in the region.