{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.025799966493550007, 'fraction_numerical': 0.009716870497570782, 'mean_word_length': 5.344314558979809, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
The Russian Caucasus Xerophyte Gene Protection

The paper provides a scientific and practical justification of the need to preserve the flora gene pool. International and federal legal documents justifying the need for drawing up and keeping Red Lists are specified along with the Methodical Recommendations for Keeping Red Lists, considering by the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in the preparation of relevant regional publications. The total number of the Russian Caucasus xerophytes is specified – 1,018 vascular plant species (ferns, gymnosperms, angiosperms) belonging to 291 genera and 65 families; a consolidated list of species included in the Red Lists of the Russian Federation and 10 subjects of the Russian Caucasus is given, including 368 species (155 genera and 54 families), 118 of which are protected at the federal level. For the flora of each of the entities considered, the total number of xerophilic species, their representation in federal and regional publications, as well as the percentage of species included in the regional Red Lists are indicated. In the study area, 76 endemic and 17 relict species need protection. Three promising areas have been identified where federal-level SPNRs can be arranged to preserve xerophilic floristic complexes.


Introduction
Xerophytes are a part of biological diversity, a specific group of plants formed as a result of adaptive evolution under the action of one of the most critical environmental factorswater deficiency. This factor caused a spectrum of adaptations, as a result of which, among systematically different groups of species, a great variety of adaptive anatomical and morphological structures and physiological features emerged that allowed them to withstand unfavorable environmental conditions of water deficiency, from almost complete drying and falling into suspended animation to an extremely short vegetation period in ontogenesis. These species currently account for about a quarter of the Russian Caucasus flora, occupying their specific ecological niches, where, along with a lack of water, other environmental factors also acthigh insolation, stony, sandy, clayey, and salty substrates, climatic features, altitude, etc. [1].

The research object and techniques
The research object was the xerophyte species of the Russian Caucasus flora. The paper is based on the field research performed in the territory of the Russian Caucasus in 2009-2019; as a result of the research, as well as an analysis of the herbarium fund and literature sources, an extensive herbarium material has been collected. To draw up an annotated list of the flora studied, the herbarium funds of the Russian Federation and scientific institutions of the North Caucasus have been studied. The flora specifics were determined by typical comprehensive analysis. The scientific and theoretical basis of These recommendations define the criteria by which the animal or plant species are included in the regional Red Lists, one of which is "... narrowly endemic and endemic species that make up the specifics of natural and climatic zones within the administrative territory, as well as naturally rare species inhabiting the range border" (p. 10). In the case of narrow-range species, one can talk about the preservation of the global gene pool within the federal constituent entity. It is believed that the larger the region, the more important it is for nature protection. The exception is some relatively small regions with exceptional biodiversity and an abundance of endemic species, including the Russian Caucasus.
The Russian Caucasus comprises 9 constituent entities of the Russian Federationthe Krasnodar Territory, the Republic of Adygea, the Stavropol Territory, the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, the Kabardino-Balkar Republic, the Republic of North Ossetia -Alania, the Republic of Ingushetia, the Chechen Republic, and the Republic of Dagestan, as well as the southern territories of the Rostov region and the Republic of Kalmykia (Fig. 1).
The flora of the listed entities differing in soil, climatic, and other conditions comprises 65 to 317 xerophilic species, among which there are many rare, relict, endemic, as well as scientifically and economically valuable species subject to strict protection. For the flora of each of the entities under consideration, the total number of xerophilic species, their representation in federal and regional publications, as well as the percentage of species (of the total number of xerophytes in specific areas) included in the regional Red Lists are specified (Table 1). In the study area, 76 endemic and 17 relict species recommended for inclusion in the regional Red List need protection. Three promising areas have been identified where federal-level SPNRs can be arranged to preserve xerophilic floristic complexes, which are shown in Figure 2. CONSTITUENT [1,10] 2. The second promising territory to arrange protected areas is the Cretaceous spurs of the Pastbishchny Khrebet system (Borgustan, Dzhinalsky, Kabardin, Darinsky), as well as Kavminvod laccoliths. To date, there is not a single area with the status of a reserve or botanical reserve there; there is a single complex reserve Kumagorsky (Mineralovodsky district). The laccolithic mountains Beshtau, Byk, Verblyud, Dzhutsa, Zheleznaya, Zmeika, Zolotoy Kurgan, Lysaya, Mashuk, Medovaya, Ostraya, Razvalka, Tupaya, Sheludivaya, Yutsa, Kinzhal, Kukurtly have been declared natural monuments [11]. From the protection efficiency point of view, natural monuments are ineffective; their status should be raised to at least botanical reserves, and in some areas, a protected regime should be introduced. Such promising areas are Mount Beshtau, as well as the Borgustan Ridge from Mount Medvedka to Mount Monakhova Peshchera [12].
Among the endemic species, this area is inhabited by the local endemic of the Dzhinalskiy Ridge -Elytrigia dshinalica and those with wider ranges such as