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Abstract
Introduction
A system of indicators, which describe the value and originality of forest natural territorial complexes according to the most important sozological indications in compliance with Ukrainian legislation and signed international agreements on biodiversity conservation, is developed. The integral assessment was carried out by the example of model area.
Materials and methods
The object of the study was forest natural territorial complexes in “Great Forest” woodland located within southern part of Left-bank Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine. 25 subcompartments with oak, aspen and black alder stands of natural origin (seed and vegetative) and planted birch stands of middle-aged and senior-aged classes in dry, fresh and moist maple-linden oakery and wet black alder fertile site types were studied. Floristic, phytocoenotic and biotopic diversities, their conservation status (international, national and regional); condition of rare species populations, measurement characteristics and sanitary states of forest stands; structure of phytocoenoses and their ecotopical and consortium importance (where there are rare fauna species), features of ecological conditions of biotopes (through phytoindication of 12 ecological regimes) were assessed on the investigated plots. The diagnostic system of sozological features of forest natural complexes on the level of subcompartments, which is connected with their conservation and using regimes (traditional forest using, limited forest using, protection regime, and regulated or strict conservation regimes) was developed.
Results
According to the complex of sozological features, five groups of natural territorial complexes were identified within “Great Forest” woodland with total area of 69.7 ha (10 % of total investigated woodland’s area), which have the greatest nature conservation value from international (1.1 %) to local (8.9 %) importance and sozological specific character of their components. Ecotopes with minimal and maximal values of specific ecological factors were identified within the groups of woodland’s natural territorial complexes with local and international sozological status for the purpose of the protection and conservation of their environmental originality. The criticality of rare flora species population status and possibility to enlarge the area of their locality and distribution within the woodland were assessed taking into account the environmental requirements of these species and presence of ecotopes which meet them. Protection regime and measures for biodiversity conservation were defined for each group of natural territorial complexes according to the sozological specific character of their components, assessment of ecotopes’ environment satisfactoriness on the regimes of 12 ecological factors for rare species and plant communities as well as the presence of an anthropogenic disturbance.
Conclusions
The diagnostic system of sozological features of forest natural complexes on the level of subcompartments, which is connected with their conservation and using regimes, was developed. The complex of the procedures on collection and analysis of information about biodiversity condition and trends is proposed. The assessment of forests was carried out for model area. Five groups of natural territorial complexes, which have the nature conservation value from international (1.1 % ) to local (8.9 %) importance and sozological specific character of their components were identified in “Great Forest” woodland according to the complex of sozological features. Their protection regimes were defined and measures for biodiversity conservation were recommended.
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