Rare plant species in Zavodska hromada (Myrhorod district, Poltava region, Ukraine)

According to our own observations, literature data and herbarium data, we compiled a list of rare plant species of Zavodska hromada (Myrhorod district, Poltava region, Ukraine) including the information on the findings of them. We have posted plant observations on iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/people/igor_olshanskyi. There are two species that are included in Annex I of the Bern Convention [according to the oflcial translation into Ukrainian: https:// zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/995_032#Text] (Jurinea cyanoides and Salvinia natans), five species that are listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine (2009) (Anacamptis palustris, Astragalus dasyanthus, Dactylorhiza incarnata, Gladiolus tenuis and Salvinia natans) and eight species are rare in Poltava region (Amygdalus nana, Convallaria majalis, Inula helenium, Nymphaea alba, Sanguisorba officinalis, Utricularia vulgaris, Valeriana officinalis, Vinca minor). On the territory of Zavodska hromada, rare plant species are more common in rivers, meadows and swamps in the floodplains of the rivers Sula, Artopolot and Bodakva. Also, they grow on steppe slopes and in forests.

Influence of experimental storage conditions of spores of Floating fern (Salvinia natans (L.) All., Salviniaceae Martinov) on the reproduction of the species

Salvinia natans is a heterospore annual aquatic fern from the Salviniaceae family. Increasing the spores’ viability by storage simulations is the basis for creating fern spore banks. In this aspect, S. natans appears to be an unconventional subject. Between October and August 2019–2020 we conducted an experiment on the storage of S. natans spore production for 4 months in 12 combinations of abiotic factors (lighting water content – temperature) and subsequent sporesgermination during the spring – summer under the same conditions of natural temperature regime, natural light and thepresence of water. The spore production viability was assessed by the time of megasporangia germination and the numberof new individuals in each storage option. We established that the of the S. natans reproduction occurs successfully witha natural combination of abiotic environmental factors – a gradually changing temperature with winter freezing, naturallight, and the presence of sporangia in water. Storage has a beneficial effect during stratification (+ 5 °C, water) and in thecombination of factors “natural temperature – dark – dry”. Early germination and the appearance of the maximum number of new individuals in these three wintering options indicate that S. natans adapts to the seasonal climate with low winter temperatures and warm summers. Dormancy of S. natans spores belongs to the forced type. Dry storage delayed germination of megasporangia for a period of two weeks to a month. The dormancy of S. natans spores belongs to the forcedtype, since the content of sporangia in water in the light and at room temperature showed the possibility of the appearanceof new individuals in October-November.

Copper accumulation by the root and leaf biomass of Salvinia natans (L.) All. (Salviniaceae)

Aquatic plants are often exposed to metal contamination. The study evaluated the bioaccumulation of copper (Cu) ions in aqueous solution by the biomass of leaves and roots of the macrophyte Salvinia natans. Plants of S. natans were submitted to culture solutions with different concentrations of Cu ions, evaluated at intervals of seven days. The leaf and root samples were separately subjected to atomic absorption spectroscopy with flame atomization to assess the concentration of copper accumulated in its biomass. The results demonstrated a pattern of accumulation dependent on the concentration of the metal in the culture medium and the time of exposure of the plants to the contamination. The accumulation was greater in the biomass of the roots when compared to the leaves. Throughout the experiment, toxicity symptoms were observed in the morphology of plants subjected to all copper concentrations, demonstrating the macrophyte's viability for bioindicating the toxicity of this metal in aquatic environments. A high accumulation of copper ions was obtained both in the biomass of the roots and leaves of the plants, confirming their potential bioaccumulator of Cu. The analysis of biomass suggests an important characteristic of metal compartmentalization by the plant, associating the absorption by the roots and the possible transfer to the leaves. In general, our results show that S. natans is an organism with a potential bioindicator and bioaccumulator of Cu and consists of a viable cost-effective option for phytoremediation of aquatic environments contaminated by metals

Autphytososological characteristics of sand terraces of the Dnipro-Karan valley complex (Middle Dnipro)

A study of the state of preservation of a rare component of the flora of the site on the left bank of the middle reaches of the Dnipro River with an area of 19036,5 hectares, which is the object of the Emerald Network UA0000337 «Divychky». It is proposed to create within this national nature park. Vegetation is represented by meadow-swamp, forest-shrub-swamp and forest biotopes. There are four types of localities are dominant: shallow water areas of ancient lakes and coastal shallow waters with aquatic and coastal-aquatic vegetation; flooded segments of terraced and cavity depressions of the pine terrace with a complex of shrub-forest-meadow-swamp vegetation; lowland plain and slightly hilly segments of the pine terrace with medium-rich fresh sod-podzolic soils with oak and oak groves; uplift segments of aeolian origin with dry poorly formed soils and sands with dry forests, pine forests and psammophilous wastelands. Currently, it can be stated that 6 sozophyte species of international, 13 national and 7 regional significance are growing in the territory of the valley complex of sand terraces Dnipro-Karan. Among the protected species of European importance are populations of 6 species: Iris hungarica, Jurinea cyanoides, Ostericum palustre, Salvinia natans, Liparis loeselii, Trapa natans (the three last belong also to the Red Data Book of Ukraine). Moreover, 10 populations of species from the Red Data Book of Ukraine are registered on the mentioned area: Dactylorhiza incarnata, Daphne cneorum, Epipactis helleborine, E. palustris, Lycopodiellainundata,Lilium martagon, Neottianidus-avis, Platanthera bifolia, Pulsatilla pratensis and Stipa borysthenica.Populations of 14 sozophyte species are represented by many localities with a high number of individuals and good indicators of the reproductive process; 6 species represent poorly due to the small number of localities and low number of individuals in populations; for populations of 3 sozophyte species (Liparis loeselii, Lycopodiella inundata, Dryopteris cristata) there is a danger of extinction due to the fact that only a few localities with a small number of individuals were found. The current state of the landscape complex of this area determines the high probability of growth of some species of sozophytes, which makes further research relevant. Виконано дослідження стану збереженості раритетної компоненти флори ділянки на лівому березі середньої течії Дніпра площею 19036,5 га, що є об’єктом Смарагдової мережі UA0000337 «Дівички» та пропонується до створення в цих межах національного природного парку. Рослинність представлена лучно-болотними, лісо-чагарниково-болотними та лісовими угрупованнями. У ландшафтно-генетичному відношенні панівними є чотири типи місцевостей: мілководні акваторії давньостаричних озерець та прибережні мілководдя із водною та прибережно-водною рослинністю; підтоплені сегменти притерасних та западинних знижень борової тераси із комплексом чагарниково-лісо-лучно-болотної рослинності; знижених рівнинних та слабопогорбованих сегментів борової тераси із середньобагатими свіжими дерново-підзолистими ґрунтами із суборами та дібровами; сегменти піднять еолового походження із сухими слабосформованими ґрунтами та пісками із сухими борами, сосновими рідколіссями та псамофільними пустошами. Станом на сьогодні, на даному етапі дослідження флори території долинного комплексу піщаних терас Дніпро-Карань можна стверджувати про зростання тут 6 видів-созофітів міжнародного, 13 загальнодержавного та 7 регіонального значення. Із числа охоронюваних видів загальноєвропейського значення виявлені популяції 6 видів: Irishungarica, Jurineacyanoides, Ostericumpalustre, Salvinianatans, Liparisloeselii, Trapanatans (три останні занесені також до Червоної книги України). Окрім цього, на вказаній території зареєстровано популяції ще 10 видів судинних рослин із Червоної книги України, а саме: Dactylorhiza incarnata,Daphne cneorum, Epipactis helleborine, E. palustris, Lycopodiella inundata, Lilium martagon, Neottianidus-avis, Platanthera bifolia, Pulsatilla pratensisта Stipa borysthenica. Популяції 14 видів-созофітів представлені багатьма локалітетами із високою чисельністю особин та хорошими показниками репродуктивного процесу; 6 видів мають слабку представленість через незначну кількість самих локалітетів та низьку чисельність особин в популяціях; для популяцій 3 созофітів (Liparis loeselii, Lycopodiella inundata, Dryopteris cristata) існує небезпека зникнення у зв’язку із тим, що виявлені лише поодинокі локалітети із незначною чисельністю особин. Зважаючи на сучасний стан та розташування ландшафтного комплексу даної території є досить йомвірним зростання тут ще цілої низки видів-созофітів, що робить актуальним подальше її дослідження.

Forest typological and botanical features of «Mozh river valley» as the object of Emerald Network

Ecological and coenotic properties are given and the environmental importance of natural complexes of the Emerald Network of Ukraine «Mozh river valley» (UA0000299 Mozh river valley) in Kharkiv region is highlighted. The object is located in the valley of the Mozh River — a right-bank tributary of the Siverskyi Donets River (Don River Basin) and covers 12658.48 hectares; moreover this area has hardly undergone changes due to land reclamation measures. In addition, the emerald object includes the reserves of local significance «Mirgorodsky» and «Merefyansky», as well as the wetland «Zaplava r. Mzha». The investigated object currently represents a complex of various identified settlements from Resolution 4 of the Berne Convention (C1.222, C1.224, C1.225, C1.32, C1.33, C2.33, C2.34, D5.2, D6.1, E2.2, E3.4, E5.4, F9.1, F3.247, F3.4, G1.11, G1.36, G1.414, G1.51, G3.4232, G1.A1), which have natural-historical and geomorphological dependance. The main ecological and biotic features, areas and list of main plant species are given for them. In the studied area there are populations of rare species of vascular plants that have different sozological status. Annex I to Resolution 6 of the Bern Convention includes Jurinea cyanoides and Pulsatilla patens, and a number of species have state preservation status in Ukraine (Salvinia natans, Dactylorhisa incarnatа, D. fuchsia, D. majalis, Orchis palustris, Gladiolus tenius, Fritillaria ruthenica, Tulipa quercetorum, Stipa borysthenica, Pulsatilla pratensis) and at the regional level (Polygonum bistorta, Valeriana officinalis, Parnassia palustris, Veratrum lobelianum, Thelypteris palustris, Dryopteris cristata, D. carthusiana, Athyrium filix-femina, Chrysosplenium alternifolium, Comarum palustre, Carex pseudocyperus, Lycopodium clavatum, Orthila secunda, Rubus saxatilis, Dianthus stenocalyx). In case of increasing economic impact, the main conditions for the existence of natural complexes in this area is the necessity to streamline forest use, reduce the impact of a number of invasive tree and shrub species, and minimize the impact of drainage and plowing of floodplains. It is also necessary to regulate the stream of vacationers and reduce the degree of anthropogenic pressure on natural complexes.