SCIENTIFIC SUBSTANTIATION FOR CREATION OF THE NATURE PROTECTED AREAS
Scientific substantiation for creation of “Starytsi Bugu”botan ical reserve of the national importance
The territory which is proposed for creation of “Starytsi Bugu” botanical reserve of the national importance is located on the north and northeast of Sosnivka town, Sokal district, Lviv region. It covers the floodplain of the Western Bug river and a part of its terrace. Area of the projected reserve is about 1200 hectares.
According to the physico-geographicall division of Ukraine, the territory belongs to the European plain landscape country, broad-leaved forests zone, Western-Ukrainian land, Male Polissia region. According to the geobotanical division it is situated within Central Province of the broad-leaved forests, South Polish-Western Podillia subprovince of the broad-leaved forests, meadows, meadow steppes and eutrophic bogs, as well as Male Polissia district of hornbeam-oak and pine forests, floodplain meadows and eutrophic bogs. The relief of the investigated territory is plain, with an average height of 200-230 meters above sea level.
It is planned to create a reserve in order to protect different types of vegetation, which are represented on the small area because of the heterogeneity of environmental conditions. In particular, it concerns Subatlantic communities of boggy vegetation which are unique for the territory of Ukraine and halophytic communities rare for the western region of Ukraine.
The broad boggy valley of the river with different types of soils and ecotypes, promotes the formation of great biodiversity both floral and cenotic. Vegetation of the valley territory proposed for conservation, is represented by aquatic, riverside, boggy, meadow, forest and shrubby plants. Eutrophic communities predominate among aquatic coenosis. They are prevalent on both peaty (Stratiotetum aloides, Nupharo lutei-Nymphaeetum albae, Potametum natantis), and sand-silty, or even weekly salted substratum (Potametum crispi, Batrachietum circinati, Eleocharitetum acicularis). Two revealed associations (Ranunculetum aquatilis, Potameto-Zannichellietum palustris) are rare for Lviv region and are known only from a few localities. Riverside and boggy vegetation is represented by Typhetum angustifoliae, Acoretum calami, Sagittario-Sparganietum emersi, Glycerietum maximae communities etc. Also the localities of some rare boggy communities on the territory of Ukraine, with participation of Juncus bulbosus L. and Hydrocotyle vulgaris L., which belong to Littorelion uniflorae Koch 1926 and Rhynchosporion albae Koch 1926 unions are revealed. Since these communities are located on the eastern limit of their distribution in Ukraine, they are under-proportion without many diagnostic species.
Some species which are endangered and included into the Red Data Book of Ukraine such as Juncus bulbosus, Hydrocotyle vulgaris, Utricularia minor L. and those which are in the Red List of aquatic macrophytes of Ukraine, in particular Vatrachium aquatile (L.) Dumort,. Wolffia arrhiza (L.) Horkel ex Wimmer, Potamogeton compressus L., Potamogeton heterophyllus L., Potamogeton friesii Rupr., Potamogeton acutifolius Link, Hottonia palustris L., Nuphar lutea (L.) Smith. Potamogeton trichoides Cham. et Schlecht were detected on the investigated territory. Also some rare communities of Nuphareta luteae formation, included to the Green Data Book of Ukraine, occur.
Some adjacent areas should be also included to the territory of reserve such as meadows and wetlands extending to the forest boundary (on both sides of the channel) namely to the place of the Rata river falling into the Western Bug river in the north, and will be limited by the Peresyka river in the south. Organization of the reserve will provide the protection of rare and common aquatic communities of boggy, meadow and shrubby vegetation, as well as various types of lowland landscapes. Taking into consideration all the things said above, we recommend to create a botanical reserve of the national importance, since partial protection regime will ensure an optimal balance between the protection and the use of biological resources of the territory. Also some economic activities should be strictly regulated on the territory of reserve.
Scientific substantiation for creation of “Skomorokhy” landscape reserve of the national importance
The territory which is proposed for creation of “Skomorokhy” landscape reserve of the national importance is located on the west of Skomorohy village, Sokal district, Lviv region. It is represented by the broadened channel of the Western Bug river with the floodplain territory. Area of the projected reserve is about 200 hectares.
According to the physico-geographicall division, the territory belongs to the European plain landscape country, broad-leaved forests zone, Western-Ukrainian land, Volynske Opillia region. According to the geobotanical division, it is situated within Central Province of the broad-leaved forests, South Polish-Western Podillia subprovince of the broad-leaved forests, meadows, meadow steppes and eutrophic bogs, as well as Liubinsko-Volynskyi district of hornbeam-oak and oak forests and steppe meadows. The relief of the investigated area is slightly wavy, with an average heights of 240-250 meters above sea level.
It is planned to create the reserve in order to protect communities of aquatic and boggy vegetation, which are typical for the northern regions of Ukraine. There is a great threat of their impoverishment because of the breach of hydrological regime and sewage pollution. Also an excessive development of monodominant communities of air-aquatic vegetation leads to the application of measures for biodiversity conservation. Some lowland types of Polissia landscapes will be also represented in the reserve.
Numerous branches of the river, its slow drift, wide boggy valley and the lack of straight channel, promote the formation of great biodiversity both floral and coenotic. Boggy, riverside and aquatic vegetation is represented on the investigated territory. Typical eutrophic communities of aquatic vegetation, including the most common such as Potametum perfoliati, Nupharo lutei-Nymphaeetum albae, Najadetum marinae are prevalent. Riverside and boggy vegetation communities are represented by Equisetetum limosi, Typhetum angustifoliae, Acoretum calami, Sparganietum erecti cenoses et al. Some species which are endangered and included to the Red List of aquatic macrophytes of Ukraine such as Callitriche stagnalis Scop., Nuphar lutea (L.) Smith., Potamogeton trichoides Cham. et Schlecht grow on the investigated territory. Also some rare communities of Nuphareta luteae formation, included to the Green Data Book of Ukraine, occur.
The main factor of the anthropogenic influence is the water pollution by the sewage.
Some adjacent areas should be also included to the territory of reserve such as wetlands that extend to Sokal-Skomorokhy road in the east, to Zabushia-Ulvyvok road in the west, as well as to the forest boundary near Teliazh village in the south and to the dam, which is located in the northern part of Skomorokhy village in the north. Organization of such a reserve will provide the protection of the natural diversity of aquatic vegetation of the Western Bug river with its rich fauna and numerous associations of boggy vegetation. Taking into consideration all the things said above, we recommend to create a landscape reserve of national importance, since partial protection regime will ensure an optimal balance between the protection and the use of biological resources of the territory.
Scientific substantiation for creation of “Hirnykivski bolota (bogs)” complex reserve of the local importance
The territory which is proposed for creation of “Hirnykivski bolota (bogs)” complex reserve of the local importance is situated on the north west of Hirnyk village, Sokal district, Lviv region. The territory belongs to the Solokiia river basin and is situated in the boggy valley of one of its tributaries. It includes boggy affected areas of the mine № 4, which have been formed as a result of soil settlings in the places of coal mining. The territory will be considered as a model for the study of the secondary bogging processes and the formation of a unique natural-anthropogenic complex. Area of the projected reserve is about 100 hectares.
According to the physico-geographicall devision, the territory belongs to the European plain landscape country, broad-leaved forests zone, Western-Ukrainian land and Male Polissia region. According to the geobotanical devision, it is situated within the Central Province of the broad-leaved forests, South Polish-Western Podillia subprovince of the broad-leaved forests, meadows, meadow steppes and eutrophic bogs, as well as Small Polissia district of hornbeam-oak and pine forests, floodplain meadows and eutrophic bogs. The relief of the investigated area is plain, with the prevalent height of about 200 meters above sea level.
It is planned to create a reserve on the territory which is considered as a model for representation of the secondary succession dynamic processes because of the soil settlings. This problem is of great importance taking into consideration the area of coal mining lands.
By the construction of the mine, the territory has been afforested. Damp boggy willow or alder forests and shrubs were prevalent on the territory, while pine forests were common on the elevated areas. Damp boggy meadows were less presented. Today air-aquatic coenosis of Phragmito-Magno-Caricetea class, mainly Phragmitetum communis, Typhetum angustifoliae communities develop instead of the meadow communities of Molinio-Arrhenatheretea class as a result of coal mining, soil settlings and a high level of natural bogging of the territory. Freely floating vegetation communities of Lemnetea class (Lemno-Hydrocharitetum morsus-ranae, Lemnetum trisulcae, Lemnetum minoris) are formed rarely. Sometimes, the overgrowth process is mosaic because of the small depth of the newly-created basins. Communities which are typical for the territory and considered to be as indicators of the active bogging processes form at this stage. Also two rare species of water mosses are detected on the territory: Ricciocarpus natans (L.) Сorda та Riccia fluitans L. In the future it is forecasted the formation of eutrophic sedge bogs. Since successions of such type take place rather quickly, it is necessary to provide them with monitoring in order to define their tempos and specificity.
During the organization of new reserve, the territory which is located on the north of Hirnyk village should be also included into it. It will be extended to the forest boundary in the north, as well as will be limited by the summer colonies in the west and by the railway line in the south.
It is proposed to give a reserve status to the object, because just a partial protection regime is able to facilitate monitoring of rare species populations state.