Problems of biotic and landscape diversity conservation in the Ukrainian Carpathians highlands

Introduction. The highlands of the Ukrainian Carpathians belong to the territories with the highest concentration of rare species and coenotic diversity in Ukraine. Due to highland ecosystem transformation, a large number of populations and communities of rare species are under the threat of degradation and elimination. Climate change. At present, effective growth and development of plants begins 2–3 weeks earlier compared to the 1980–90s. Sharp seasonal distribution of precipitation causes negative changes in the highland water-body hydrology regime affecting freshwater populations of plankton crustaceans and amphibians. Demutative successions. During the first 10–20 years of the succession its influence on the structure and vitality of the majority of rare species populations is mostly positive, but 30–40 year-long demutations usually cause negative dynamics. Overgro­wing results in the simplification of spatial structure and fragmentation, as well as decreasing of population density, disappearing of rare species from the community structure. Active protection measures should be locally implemented in protected territories: traditional type of grazing, mowing, and shrub or tree cutting in the cases of protection of extremely rare phytocoenoses and populations. Anthropogenic impact. Intensive recreation pressure causes digressive changes in numerous communities, which are located along the popular tourist paths to the glacial lakes, mountain summits etc. Unfortunately, the systematic violation of the protection regime in the highland zone of the Ukrainian Carpathians is obvious nowadays. Gathering medicinal and ornamental species poses a serious threat. Uncontrolled increase in the number of recreants in the highland areas for the last 5 years has destroyed its aquatic ecosystems more than in the previous 30–40 years. Usage of vehicles for recreation purposes (4×4, quads and motorcycles) refers to significant destructive factors for highland ecosystems. Protection measures. Population conservation and revival of communities is usually possible under the condition of moderate and short-term anthropogenic pressure. The visiting regime of the most popular highland sites must be put under control immediately, while mass ascensions must be completely forbidden.

Physiological-biotechnological aspects of drought resistance of narrow-leaved lavender (Lavandula angustifolia mill.)

National Nature Park “Pyryatynsky” is a valuable reserve of flora and vegetation of the Left-Bank Dnipro. The extensive hydrological network of the Udai River and the wide representation within this nature reserve of floodplain reservoirs are the reason for the high diversity of plant communities of higher aquatic vegetation. In this article we classified the communities of order Callitricho-Batrachietalia in National nature park "Pyryatynskyi" and identify the features of their syntaxonomic and ecological differentiation. Fragmentary and non-comlete information about this type of vegetation are existed in literature, however, without geobotanical releves and detailed characteristics of the structure of phytoceonoses, synecology and synchorology. All obtained results based on original field data. In total, 22 geobotanical releves were performed during the period 2010–2017. The description of communities was carried out within their natural boundaries. Treatment of fitosociological data was performed with the JUICE software package. The nomenclature of syntaxons was consistent with the International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature (ICFN).The order of Callitricho-Batrachietalia on the territory of NPP "Pyriatynsky" is represented by alliance Batrachion aquatilis Gehu 1961 and 4 associations (Batrachietum aquatilis Gehu 1961, Potameto perfoliati–Batrachietum circinati Sauer 1937, Hottonietum palustris Sauer 1947, Veronico beccabungae–Callitrichetum stagnalis (Oberdorfer 1957) Th. Müller 1962). This is first prodrome of order Callitricho-Batrachietalia for territory of National Nature Park “Pyryatynskyi”. The communities of this syntaxon occupy small areas and have a limited distribution in the region. Most of them are rare and vulnerable to changes in environmental conditions. Monitoring of their structure, chorology and dynamics is an important task to maintain and preserve the species and coenotic diversity of NPP "Pyryatynsky".

Vegetation of Callitricho-Batrachietalia passarge 1978 in National nature park «Pyryatynskyi»

National Nature Park “Pyryatynsky” is a valuable reserve of flora and vegetation of the Left-Bank Dnipro. The extensive hydrological network of the Udai River and the wide representation within this nature reserve of floodplain reservoirs are the reason for the high diversity of plant communities of higher aquatic vegetation. In this article we classified the communities of order Callitricho-Batrachietalia in National nature park "Pyryatynskyi" and identify the features of their syntaxonomic and ecological differentiation. Fragmentary and non-comlete information about this type of vegetation are existed in literature, however, without geobotanical releves and detailed characteristics of the structure of phytoceonoses, synecology and synchorology. All obtained results based on original field data. In total, 22 geobotanical releves were performed during the period 2010–2017. The description of communities was carried out within their natural boundaries. Treatment of fitosociological data was performed with the JUICE software package. The nomenclature of syntaxons was consistent with the International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature (ICFN).The order of Callitricho-Batrachietalia on the territory of NPP "Pyriatynsky" is represented by alliance Batrachion aquatilis Gehu 1961 and 4 associations (Batrachietum aquatilis Gehu 1961, Potameto perfoliati–Batrachietum circinati Sauer 1937, Hottonietum palustris Sauer 1947, Veronico beccabungae–Callitrichetum stagnalis (Oberdorfer 1957) Th. Müller 1962). This is first prodrome of order Callitricho-Batrachietalia for territory of National Nature Park “Pyryatynskyi”. The communities of this syntaxon occupy small areas and have a limited distribution in the region. Most of them are rare and vulnerable to changes in environmental conditions. Monitoring of their structure, chorology and dynamics is an important task to maintain and preserve the species and coenotic diversity of NPP "Pyryatynsky".

Influence of Zostera marina L. and Z. noltei Hornem. (Zosterales: Liliopsida) on the composition, species richness and coenotic diversity of the phytobenthos of the Azov Sea

The influence of marine higher plants Zostera marina and Z. noltei on the composition, species richness and coenotic diversity of the phytobenthos of sandy and silty soils of the Taman Bay in the Azov Sea at the depths from 0.5 to 3 m has been investigated. It is shown that 1) macrophytobenthic communities with a high degree of Z. noltei and Z. marina dominance (DD), both at very small and relatively large sites, are characterized by lower species richness than the communities with low DD; 2) that being said, for the majority of co-occurring species it is possible to grow in coenoses with any DD; 3) accordingly, about the same number of species can grow at the small community sites with low DD and at the larger sites with high DD; 4) DD has little to no influence on the species diversification of coenoses. However, both the growth of Zostera marina and Z. noltei and the decrease in their participation can lead to considerable drop in occurrence of some macroalgae species or to disappearance of those species from a community.

REGIONAL FEATURES OF THE ALTITUDINAL GRADIENTS IN NORTHERN TRANSBAIKALIA VEGETATION COVER

According to the the biome concept, the idea of the orobiome and its significance in the evaluation of the biodiversity for mountain territories are disclosed. Altitudinal gradients of vegetation with certain altitudinal limits of development are the basis for analysing the floristic and coenotic diversity of the orobiome and the ecological and geographical patterns of its spatial organization at the regional level. Based on the example from Kodar-Kalar orobiome, an altitudinal composition of the vegetation of the Northern Transbaikalia has been identified using thematic maps. The statistical evaluation of the altitudinal distribution of 4 vegetation belts (the upper tundra belt, the tundra belt, the sub-tundra belt and the mountain taiga belt) has been made. The regional features of the altitude position of the basic vegetation types forming the belts have been determined for the orobiome. They are reflected in three geographical variants. Orographic conditions and the history of the territory development have been discussed in the analysis of regional features of altitudinal spectra difference.

Extrazonal steppes of forest belt on eastern macroslope of the Urals

Extrazonal steppes of forest belt on eastern macroslope of the Middle and South Urals have small coenotic diversity. The most part of studied communities are petrophytic steppes on outcrops, which determine regional features of plant cover and provide habitats to rare, endemic and relict plant species. Petrophytic steppes correspond to order Helictotricho- Stipetalia, meadow steppes and xeric meadows, shrub thickets correspond to order Brachypodietalia pinnati (class Festuco-Brometea).

Alpine vegetation of the Ivanovskiy, Prokhodnoy and Rossypnoy Ridges (Western Altai)

The mountain systems are characterized by diverse ecological conditions (climate, geomorphological, soil, etc.). The wide spectrum of environmental conditions entails a rich diversity of plant communities growing on the small territory and determines the different flora and vegetation geneses. The uniqueness of floristic and coenotic diversities of the high-mountain vegetation of the south of Western Altai (Ivanovskiy, Prokhodnoi, and Rossypnoi Ranges) are associated with the effect of two climate-forcing factors such as the westerly humid air mass and dry warm airflow from the inner Kazakhstan regions. The paper summarizes the data on coenotic diversity (Zibzeev, 2010, 2012) and gives a syntaxonomic analysis of the high-mountain vege­tation in the Ivanovskii, Prokhodnoi, and Rossypnoi Ranges (Western Altai, Kazakhstan). The classification of plant communities was carried out using the Braun-Blanquet approach (Westhoff, van der Maarel, 1973). The relevés records were stored in the TURBOVEG database and classified by ­TWINSPAN (Hill 1979).