Application of GIS technologies for accounting plus trees

Abstract

Introduction 
 Nowadays, an important forest genetic resources (FGR) conservation activity is the systematization of information on gene pool conservation units in electronic databases. It should be noted, however, that the existing international databases mainly relate only to units represented by populations (stands), which are visualized as polygons on the map. As the scientists from the Department of New Information Technologies in URIFFM have implemented the website “Geoportal: Forests of Ukraine”, it became technically possible to add information on plus trees to its functionality and combine data on tree locations and their characteristics in a united electronic database.
 The study aimed to improve the organization of information on plus trees, their accounting, survey, and use as improvement units by applying free software (Python, JavaScript) and the PostgreSQL relational database with the PostGIS module.
 Materials and Methods
 In 2021, one of the work stages was to develop software and methodology for forming the Plus Trees database and to provide a user manual. In particular, a data schema was created to store both attribute and geographical information on tree improvement units in Ukraine. In addition, attribute and geographical information of forest inventory are used. The database of plus trees contains basic information from plus tree Passports or selection/inventory data from the reports.
 Results 
 The proposed database consists of several panels. The first panel contains elements for setting coordinates and entering plus tree numbers. The second panel is intended for selecting a species name of trees. The third panel of the data entry form contains mandatory attributes (total height of a plus tree and its diameter at a height of 1.3 m). The fourth panel contains other tree characteristics.
 During the testing of the developed database structure and the working out of the instruction, the information on plus trees in seven regions of Ukraine (Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, and Donetsk) was entered, which is about 25% of the country’s plus tree pool. In addition, the design of the web pages was finalized in parallel with the data entry.
 The developed software can be useful to both scientists and forest managers. Its use will simplify the search for plus trees in forest stands for their inventory, and survey, as well as in cases where it is necessary to collect seeds or cuttings for the seed orchards or progeny tests creation in forest enterprises or at forest seed centers. For scientists, it will provide an opportunity to systematize, analyze, and generalize information, in particular, to improve methodical approaches to the selection of the plus trees.
 Conclusions 
 A data schema was created to store both attribute and geographic information on forest tree species tree improvement units in Ukraine. The schema considers the complex structure of coordinated units and includes the developed algorithms for data verification which will allow the effective use of the proposed database for the plus tree accounting.
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