Fluctuating asymmetry of plants: methods and application

The value of the fluctuating asymmetry shows the relative ineffectiveness of organismic control systems developmental processes. Assessment of the environmental quality is now a very promising approach for the integral characteristic of living organisms. Stability of development is characterized by the level of fluctuating asymmetry in morphological structures. In this monograph the morphogeometric method was applied to assess the FA leaf plate woody plants (birch, oak, linden and maple). Results of the developmental stability monitoring in plant ecosystems were reported on the example of one of the region in Russia.