Materials and methods: herbarium collections, literature data, field observations.

Nomenclature: POWO 2023.

Results: The order Saxifragales (incl. Crassulales, Grossulariales, Haloragales) is represented in the flora of Ukraine by taxa of four families: Crassulaceae, Grossulariaceae, Haloragaceae, and Saxifragaceae. The most species-rich (considering both native and introduced species) families of the order in Ukraine are Crassulaceae (47 species) and Saxifragaceae (24). The family Crassulaceae is represented by 10 genera: Crassula (incl. Tillaea – 2 species), Echeveria (1), Graptopetalum (1), Hylotelephium (8), Kalanchoë (1), Petrosedum (3), Phedimus (5), Rhodiola (1), Sedum (incl. Macrosepalum – 18), and Sempervivum (incl. Jovibarba – 7 species). There are 6 genera in Ukraine belonding to the family Saxifragaceae: Astilbe (1), Bergenia (1), Chrysosplenium (2), Heuchera (1), Micranthes (2),and Saxifraga (17). Grossulariaceae and Haloragaceae are represented by one genus each: Ribes (incl. Grossularia) – 9 species, and Myriophyllum (3), respectively. The order Solanales includes the families Convolvulaceae (incl. Cuscutaceae) and Solanaceae. The family Convolvulaceae (including Cuscutaceae) is represented by four genera (Calystegia, Convolvulus, Cuscuta, Ipomoea) with 32 species and intraspecific taxa, many of which are weeds, parasitic, and, partly, ornamen­tal plants. The family Solanaceae is represented by 14 genera and 32 species, some of which are cultivated. As compared to the previous version of the checklist (Mosyakin & Fedoronchuk 1999), there were significant changes in the species composition and their nomenclature in the genera Calystegia, Convolvulus, Cuscuta, Physalis, and Solanum. Some taxa underwent changes in their taxonomic rank (e.g., were reduced to subspe­cies or varieties) or were transferred to synonymy; some are new or previ­ously not listed in relevant earlier publications (e.g., Convolvulus calvertii subsp. ruprechtii, Cuscuta planiflora, Ipomoea batatas, Solanum retroflexum). The genus Physalis sensu lato underwent taxonomic and nomenclatural changes and, on the basis of recent molecular phylogenetic studies and subsequent nomenclatural conservaeion, was split into Physalis s. str. and he monotypic genus Alkekengi, with the conserved nomenclatural type Alkekengi officinarum (≡ Physalis alkekengi).

Keywords

annotated list, checklist, distribution, flora, Ukraine, Crassula, Hylotelephium, Petrosedum, Sedum, Sempervivum, Saxifraga, Chrysosplenium, Сalystegia, Convolvulus, Cuscuta, Atropa, Datura, Solanum.

Question: How to apply linearization in vegetation science on the example of using the method of synphytoindication to assess the condi­tions of plant communities existence.

Locations: Carpathians, Shatsk National Nature Park, Slovechansko-Ovruchsky Ridge, Cherkasy-Chyhyryn Geobotanical District, Kyiv Forest Plateau, Central Podilsky Geobotanical District, Dniester Canyon, Krasna River Basin, Mountain Crimea.

Methods: For the analysis, we used generally accepted biometric statistical methods, as well as original author's methods.

Nomenclature: POWO 2023

Results: Linearization is a method of simplifying complex nonlinear relationships to linear forms of a certain type. This is one of the effective approaches to assessing the nonlinear structure, behavior, modeling, and forecasting the development of phytocenoses based on modern mathe­matical approaches and methods. From a methodological point of view, linearity could be interpreted as a projection of a non-linear structure from a multidimensional space onto planes on which lines have a certain shape, length and direction, that is, vectorization. At the same time, there are problems regarding the adequacy of displaying the results and not distorting the essence, which requires checking the results by different methods of calculations and different representativeness of the data, as well as finding limits. The paper gives examples of linearization from various areas of phytocenology. When evaluating the representativeness of the sample of relevés of alliances for phytoindication by different calculation methods, we found that the use of 30 relevés from different associations gives reliable results, and the reliability is high when using 50 relevés. Step-by-step manipulation of average values, in the compara­tive analysis of the syntaxonomic composition at the landscape or regional level, that is, the assessment of β, γ-diversity increases the level of reliability of approximation and visualization. Analysis examples of the complex character of the correlations between the ecological indicators shows that in some cases qualitative changes occur outside the critical limits, at the bifurcation points, which indicates the need to take into account the limiting values when developing prognostic models.

Conclusions: We concluded that the reliability of the results obtained by only one method is not reliable enough, but needs to be checked by another calculation method or evaluation of another sample of data. The given examples testify to the perspective of the linearization approach in geobotanical research.

Keywords

linearization, method, ordination, representativeness of the sample, syn­phytoindication, syntaxa, the mean value, vegetation

Question: What is the species diversity of epigeic bryophytes in the forest ecosystems of the Ukrainian Roztochya?

Locations: Ukrainian Roztochya

Methods: field study in the plots with certain ecological values

Nomenclature: Hodgetts et al. 2020

Results: Differences in their water exchange and productivity have been established depending on locality conditions. A total of 48 species of bryophytes were found in the epigeic communities, of which the largest number (33 species of bryophytes and 2 species of liverworts) is found in the protected area of ancient forests. An increase in the number of xero­morphic ruderal and colonists in forest mesomorphic communities is an indicator of the degree of disruption of forest ecosystems by both natural and anthropogenic factors. More stable conditions of the water regime and higher humidity were determined in bryophytes and in the soil under them in the territory of old beech forests and stands of pine, compared to the areas of stationary recreation. Research results indicate that mosses of forest ecosystems had a fairly high chlorophyll content and low values (1.48–2.17) of Chl a/b ratio, which indicates not only their shade tolerance, but also greater adaptability to a wide range of lighting. For forest dominants of the family Polytrichaceae, the highest indicators of phytomass and photosynthetic productivity were recorded. In ancient forests, the phytomass of these species, depending on locality conditions, reached 337.55–784.57 g/m², the indicators of the content of Chl a+b ranged from 3.82 to 4.61 mg/g of dry matter mass, СhI – 1.27–7.87 g/m². Somewhat lower values of phytomass (584.86–784.57 g/m²) were estab­lished for subdominant species of the genus Plagiomnium, the content of of Chl a+b in which was 3.18–3.73 mg/g of dry matter mass, and СhI – 1.86–2.93 g/m². In the disturbed areas, for small turf synuses of mosses-colonist and thallose-weft synusiae with the participation of liverworts, the above-ground phytomass of assimilating shoots (428.11–726.79 g/m²) and photosynthetic productivity (0.39–0.80 g/m²).

Conclusions: Indicators of primary productivity show that the ability of the bryophyte cover to bind atmospheric carbon has an indicative value for assessing the state and functional features of forest ecosystems and depends on the species composition of bryosinuses, their phytomass indi­cators, and the content of chlorophylls in different locality conditions.

Question: What is the newest element of alien species, of the urban flora?

Locations: Kyiv urban agglomeration (KUA), 13534 км².

Methods: critical analysis of literature, own observations and photo­graphs in nature, information from the iNaturalist database.

Nomenclature: POWO 2023, Mosyakin, 2013.

Results: During the period 2002–2023, there were significant changes in the urban flora of the KUA: it was replenished with 85 alien species from 63 genera and 43 families, these are escaped ornamental or weed plants. The vast majority of them are ergasiophytes – 86%; in addition to 7 xenophytes, 4 presumably native species with a progressive range type, 1 previously unnoticed due to low presence, together about 14%. The source of escaped plants is landscaping, urban and amateur floriculture, introduction centers, etc. The unstable component of the newest element is 79% (ephemerophytes – 33%, colonophytes – 46%). Ergasiophytes-ephemerophytes are in the immigration stage of establishment, the formation of normal populations, the strengthening of presence in the area, and the maintenance of the territory continue.

The changes in the urban flora are reversible, the species and typological state of the newly discovered element is extremely favorable for the introduction of a preventive system of early recognition, timely response and prevention of the negative impact of alien species within the Kyiv urban agglomeration on native species, their communities, biotic diversi­ty and quality of life. There is an urgent need to create a national data­base regarding alien species of plants, which would include operational scientific information, public education and administrative measures.

Conclusions: Precautionary administrative measures should be taken, such as a ban on the import of seeds and planting material of invasive ornamental plants, trade in them, and introduce operational information and education of the population regarding the treatment of alien species of plants.

Keywords

alien plant, ephemerophytes, colonophytes, ergasiophytes, urban flora, framework for prevent actions.

The publication highlights the main results of the scientific activity of Pavlo Mitrofanovich Ustymenko – Ukrainian geobotanist and forest scientist, well known in the Eastern Europe, on the occasion of his 70th anniversary and 40th anniversary of his scientific activity. P.M. Ustymenko was born in 8 February 1953 in Khodzheyli (Xojeli) city (Republic of Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan), studied in 1961–1968 at Oblapy school of Kovel district and in 1968–1970 at Lesya Ukrainka school № 3 in Kovel town of Volyn region of Ukraine. In 1975 he was graduated from the Faculty of Forest science of Ukrainian Agricultural Academy. In 1975–1977 P.M. Ustymenko worked as deputy director at Saky district of Yevpatoriya Forest-Meliorative station (Authonomic Republic of Crimea), in 1978–1979 – as a master of green economy of Minskyi district of Kyiv city. Since 1979 Pavlo Mitrofanovych works at M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (1979–1985 – engineer, 1985–1986 – senior engineer, 1986–1989 – junior research fellow, 1989–1995 – research fellow, 1995–2006 – senior research fellow, 2006–nowadays – leading researcher). His first scientific publications were devoted to the studying of the plant cover of the project­ed National Nature Park «Mezynskyi» in Chernihiv region of Ukraine. The contribution of P.M. Ustymenko to the development of Ukrainian researching of rare species and plant communities is extremely important. P.M. Ustymenko determined and analyzed the phytocoenotaxonomic diversity of the vegetation of natural regions of Ukraine from the point of view of their phytosozological value. The contribution of the scientist to the preparation of the «Green Data Book of Ukraine» (2009), which became not only a fundamental scientific monograph, but also received the status of an official state document in Ukraine, is solid. Despite his versatile scientific interests P.M. Ustymenko mainly focused on the studying of the forest vegetation. The scientist summarized the syntaxo­nomic structure of the forest vegetation of Ukraine, compiled a prodromus of its associations and participated in the development of scientific bases for the selection and the protection of their particularly valuable natural forest complexes. P.M. Ustymenko acted as a leading expert during the study of the plant diversity of the Synevyr National Nature Park with the aim of identifying areas of virgin beech forests and including them in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.