# The Soils of Natural (In Situ) Coenopopulations of _Taraxacum kok-saghyz_ [PERSON] in Kazakhstan
## 1 Introduction
Measures are needed to revive and broaden the degrading populations of TKS. It is important to conduct comparative studies of soils with actively growing TKS and soils where TKS is absent or does not grow. In the area of TKS's natural growth in the Tien Shan intermountain valleys, it is biologically viable, its coenopopulations are resistant to self-sustaining, the average NR content in the roots of TKS is 21%, and the highest content reaches 41%. The NR content in roots of TKS plant samples is 14.00% in \"Kegen\", 22.19% in \"Tuzkol\", and 29.18% in \"Tekes\" populations. [17; 18]. Based on these present ideas, the higher NR content in the roots of TKS plants under in situ conditions positively correlates with high expression levels of a number of genes directly involved in NR synthesis, indicating that NR production is strictly controlled at the level of transcription [8]. In conditions of introduction (ex situ), however, the NR content in the roots of TKS decreases, for example, up to 7.66% in South Korea [13]. Without human care, TKS becomes non-viable, cannot survive competition with weeds, and will become extinct. Consequently, it is necessary to search for ways to increase the productivity of TKS in introductory conditions [15]. It is assumed that high survivability, high competitive ability relative to other plant species, and the highest NR content in the roots of TKS are achieved by the peculiarities of the natural soil habitat of this endemic plant species. On this subject, it is necessary to arrange a regional assignment of TKS considering the soil and climatic conditions of the intermountain valleys of the Tien Shan and the natural habitat of this endemic and rare species. It is notable that the in situ soil description of _T. kok-saghyz_ populations in the publications of a number of authors [8; 19; 20; 21] is not presented in detail, and at present, it is necessary to more thoroughly study the current state of the natural soil environment of TKS. TKS is a polymorphic species, especially in leaf shape, width, and ability to be cut. However, these forms are very unstable. TKS ecotypes have been identified. These are xeromorphic, hydromorphic, and mesomorphic in between. TKS is a young, progressive endemic species [18]. Numerous species close to TKS from the genus Taraxacum of dandelions, very common weeds in the world, found in a wide variety of conditions, do not have the ability to form rubber in any significant quantities. Consequently, the natural conditions of the areas where TKS currently grows wild in fairly large numbers are the environment that determines the formation of the main biological properties that distinguish TKS from its relatives [19]. The territory that includes the TKS range is approximately 5-8 thousand km\({}^{2}\). However, most of this territory is featured by soil variations and vegetation that exclude the possibility of the existence of TKS. According to previous data, nearly 2000 hectares are covered with natural TKS thickets. The TKS habitat is connected by the intermountain valleys of the Eastern Tien Shan, located in the Kegen District--in the Tekes, Sarjas, Kegen, Karkarin, Cheldysu, and Ashily valleys. The lowest point at which TKS is located is 1850 m above the sea level, and the highest is 2100 m above the sea level [18]. The main factor in the distribution of TKS over its range is soils. TKS is distributed on intrazonal hydrogenous, fertile soils in the form of more or less large thickets that are part of the complex that makes up the dry steppe belt, which includes all the valleys that are the habitat of the rubber plant. All soils under natural TKS cences are saline, with the degree of salinity varying from a fraction of a percent to 5-6%. For the most part, they belong to meadow alkaline solonchaks and partly to dry steppe solonchaks of loamy mechanical composition, up to plump, as well as coarse skeletal ones, located near salty springs.