BIOLOGY INSTITUTE

BIOLOGY INSTITUTE, a stand­alone structural unit of the Ufa Federal Research Centre, of the Russian Academy of Sciences (UFRC RAS). Located in Ufa. Established in 1951. Main activities: study of plants, their resources, vegetation communities and soils for the purpose of biological diversity maintenance, protection and rational use of natural  resources;  analysis  of  adaptive reactions and the process of formation of plant  resistance  to  environmental  condi­ tions, mechanisms of realisation of onto­ genetical programs in natural conditions; study   of   microorganism­producers   and biotechnologies  for  production  of  biolo­ gically active substances and ferments, de­ velopment  of  agents  for  medicine  and agriculture. The scientists of the Institute have  identified  structural  concepts  and functioning principles of controlling gene networks; studied the systems of wheat reproduction in “vitro” conditions, demon­ strated  for  the  first  time  the  role  of phytohormones in the quick growth response of the plants. More than 300 rare plant species  were found in the flora of the South Urals; there are 57 relics and 46 endemics among them. They have deve­ loped classification of forest and meadow vegetation of the region, agro­technologies of soil fertility recovery and principles of rational use of land resources, principles and methods of forests recovery in tech­ nogenic landscapes; developed and imple­ mented poly­functional biological agents Leonoil, Azolen, Bacispecin and others, methods of industrial waste damps re­ clamation, etc. The herbarium fund counts more than 100 thousand leaves. As proposed by the B.I., the Biosphere Reserve Bashkir Ural under UNESCO protection, 4 nature parks and 12 nature reserves for medical herb preservation were established in the Republic, and more than 60 sites were recognized as natural landmarks.