Plant Diversity of Mountain and Foothill Regions: Interrelationships Between Ecological Groups, Altitudinal Zones, and Economic Significance

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the ecological structure of the flora distributed across the mountainous, foothill, adyr (hilly), and plain territories of Andijan Region, as well as the interrelationships between plant ecological groups, altitudinal zonation patterns, and their economic significance. By applying the method of classifying plants into ecological groups, the degree of species adaptation to key environmental factors—such as moisture, temperature, light, soil composition, and salinity—was assessed. The research findings indicate that the flora of Andijan Region represents an ecologically complex and highly adaptive system, with mesophyte, xerophyte, mesoxerophyte, and xeromesophyte groups predominating. Mesophytic species are mainly distributed in river valleys, irrigated lands, and foothill zones, where they play a significant role from an economic perspective. In contrast, xerophytic and mesoxerophytic species prevail in arid adyr and low-mountain areas and are primarily characterized by their fodder, meliorative, and technical importance. The analysis of altitudinal zones demonstrates that gradient-based changes in environmental factors determine the ecological group affiliation of plant species, which in turn shapes their potential utilization in economic activities. Furthermore, the study revealed that out of 653 recorded plant species, 450 possess various forms of economic and biological value. The obtained results are of considerable importance for developing scientifically grounded conclusions aimed at biodiversity conservation, rational use of natural resources, and sustainable ecosystem management.