Since July 20th to September 15th of 2010, field phytoecology works have been underway at the Central Caucasus Chain (Khazbegi Region) within the framework of the project financed by Volkswagenstiftung, “Analysis of Multiple Connections Between Environmental and Social Processes Taking Place in Mountainous Regions of Georgia: Interdisciplinary Study for Support of Sustainable Soil Cultivation, Landscape Development and Improvement of Life Quality”. Funding for the project, which is to be realized in 2010-2013 is provided by “Volkswagenstiftung”.
The following professors, PhD and MA students from the Institute of Ecology of the Ilia State University are involved in the expedition: Prof G. Nakhutsrishvili, Prof O. Abdaladze, Prof M. Akhalkatsi, Prof K. Batsatsashvili, PhD students N. Togonidze, and N. Tepnadze, MA students T. Bragvadze and T. Chokhelidze, as well as Professor Annette Otte from the Justus-Liebig-University in Giessen.
The projects aims to promote the development of sustainable soil cultivation and phyto-landscapes as well as improvement of standard of life for the public. Research tasks are as follows: 1. Draw up plants maps in the research territories; 2. assess changes in phytodiversity starting from 1960; 3. establish links between the phytodiversity and the environment as well as phytodiversity and social changes; 4. reveal connection between the flora and “seed bank” in the soil; 5. study the change indicators of soil cultivation in the past; 6. assess phytodiversity changes in relation to landscape development.
In order to get familiar with work methods Prof. M. Akhalkatsi and PhD students N. Togonidze and N. Tepnadze visited Giessen University on June 8-22, 2010.
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