CLASSIFICATION OF STEPPE VEGETATION OF THE NATIONAL NATURE PARK «KARMELIUKOVE PODILLІA» (VINNITSIA AREA, UKRAINE)

Abstract

The classification of steppe and forest-edge vegetation of the Karmeliukove Podillya National Nature Park was carried out based on 224 geobotanical descriptions collected in 2006–2017, using the method of J. Brown-Blanquet and with the involvement of specialized software. The floristic richness of the identified groups, the features of their ecological differentiation and distribution within the national nature park were analyzed. The proposed classification scheme includes 4 associations, 3 unions, 3 orders and 2 classes. Forest-edge vegetation, the most common in the park along with forest, is represented by the Trifolio medii-Agrimonietum eupatoriae association. However, in the Karmeliukove Podillya National Park, such groups do not always border the forest: in the absence of proper management of steppe coenoses, autogenic reserve-genic succession of their replacement by tree-shrub vegetation is launched. Among the steppe vegetation itself (Class Festuco-Brometea), the most widespread within the park are the groups of feather grass-grass steppes, which represent the groups of the Festuco valesiacae-Stipetum capillatae association. It is to the feather grass-grass steppes that the localities of the endemic species Carlina onopordifolia Besser ex DC, listed in the Red Book of Ukraine and Resolution 6 of the Bern Convention, are confined. The groups of xerophytic pastures and old fallows, which are represented by the Salvio pratensis-Poёtum angustifoliae association, are insignificantly distributed within the park. Only one locality within the park (the "Vyshenka"area) is represented by the Scabioso ochroleucae-Brachypodietum pinnati association, which represents the groups of meadow steppes of the Central European type typical of the Cirsio-Brachypodion pinnati union. The territory of the Karmeliukove Podillia National Park is the eastern border of the continuous distribution of the Cirsio-Brachypodion pinnati alliance, which are characterized by specific ecological conditions of formation and varying degrees of anthropogenic impact. The conducted ordination and ecological analysis demonstrated a clear differentiation of syntaxons by factors such as humidity, acidity, carbonate and nitrogen content, soil salinity, and climatic indicators. With the help of phytoindication assessment using Ya.P. Didukh's ecological scales, the features of the ecological differentiation of syntaxons were determined. It was shown that a significant part of the steppe groups of the park are at different stages of autogenic succession due to the lack of proper conservation management, which leads to a gradual reduction in the area of open steppes. The high conservation value of the studied phytocenoses, which include numerous species from the Red Book of Ukraine and belong to protected European habitat types, was established. The results obtained can be used to improve the biodiversity protection system of the national park, develop effective measures for managing steppe ecosystems, and implement the requirements of European environmental legislation.