Current trends in the dynamics of rare phytocoenoses in Ukraine and modification of the concept of absolute conservation

Abstract

Protection of the diversity of plant communities as a functional basis of the biosphere, and particularly of its rare component, remains one of the priorities among major conservation issues. It is emphasized that the state of the rare plant communities in Ukraine has significantly changed over the last few decades. The main tendencies of the changes in rare phytocoenoses due to human activity are outlined. Three main groups of the consequences of transformation of rare phytocoenoses into derivative groups are as follows: 1 – within the same autochthonous formation; 2 – within other formation of the same vegetation type; 3 – within other formation of the other type of vegetation. For the each group, the key factors of the threats are presented and examples of the changes in the rare communities of the main vegetation types in Ukraine are provided. In the present article, natural changes of rare communities of the forest, steppe, meadow and marsh vegetation are characterized. In this context, authors consider changes in rare plant communities and formation of the altered vegetation due to successions in natural conservation areas under conditions of the continuous regime of strict protection. It is noted that conservation of rare phytocoenotic diversity requires transition to the system of preventive and direct methods as well as various conservation regimes, depending on a vegetation type and communities homeostasis. The authors propose to introduce changes into documents on nature conservation regarding the use of various protection regimes in the areas under strict protection. They should be used as regulatory measures to prevent degradation of natural ecosystems and progressing loss of zonal phytocoenotic diversity.

Keywords

• rare phytocoenosis
• strict protection
• successions
• threats