Conservation of Meadow Ecosystems of the Central Part of Ukraine as Habitats of the Rare and Endangered Plant Species

26 Jul 2010 Kirovograd, Ukraine, Europe Plants

Anna Kuzemko

The aim of the project is inventory of the habitats of rare and endangered plant species in the meadow communities of the Central part of Ukraine and development of its conservation measures.

Iris sibirica in floodplain of Ros' River (Cherkassy region).

Iris sibirica in floodplain of Ros' River (Cherkassy region).

Modern Ukraine is one of a few countries in Europe with traditional land use of meadows as a pastures and hay lands. However, intensive grazing and hay mowing leads to the transformation of the meadow biotopes and considerable decrease of the biodiversity, especially of rare and endangered species. Traditional method of the nature conservation with the establishing of absolute reserved regime without grazing and mowing cannot solve the problem of the meadow biodiversity conservation because of accumulation of litter and replacement with shrubby and forest communities. Such problems are especially urgent for Central regions of Ukraine with developed farming. Thus, it is necessary to develop the system of ecological management of meadow biotopes which will provide maintain of biodiversity in condition of traditional land use. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the criteria of determination of the meadow communities which are need the conservation with consideration of their role as habitats of rare and endangered species.

The scientific based system of ecological management for meadow communities will allow carrying out the effective conservation of the populations of rare and endangered plant species and rare meadow communities. The data, obtained during the project, particularly the database of rare and endangered plant species of meadows and database of phytosociological relevés with the rare species participation will become the base for future monitoring investigations of the state of its populations and communities. It will be organized a number of seminars for pupils' and students' youth and will be published the informational booklets for educational purpose and for volunteer attraction for monitoring activity.

The collection of rare and endangered meadow plant species gathered during the project will be the resources for restoration of natural habitats of these species. In the future the similar investigation need for other region of Ukraine for developing the effective methods of conservation meadow vegetation as a biotopes e with considerable concentration of rare and endangered plant species and influenced by substantial anthropogenic pressure due to its resort and traditional land use preservation importance at the same time.

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