This dissertation focuses on the study of eco-functional role of phytocoenoses of connecting territories of the Vinnytsia region ecological network. As a result, a working classification scheme of these connecting territories were developed as well as carried out systematic, biomorphological and ecocoenotic, population-ontogenetic analyzes of species diversity of the Southern Bug, Dnister, Lyadiv, and Nemiisk ecological corridors. The distribution of 580 species of higher vascular plants have been indentified, with these species belonging to 292 genera and 77 families. The largest number among the studied species belong to the following families: Asteraceae (12%), Brassicaceae (12), Poaceae (8.8), Fabaceae (6.7), Ranunculaceae (6.4) Caryophyllaceae (5.7), Rosaceae (4.5), Lamiaceae (2.2), Violaceae (2.1), Chenopodiaceae and Cyperaceae (1.9%). For the Holarctic zone, these families account for more than half of the species. These 11 leading families account for 61% of all genera and 63.1% of all species. By the spectrum of leading families of flora of connecting territories of the ecological network of Vinnytsia region is a typical transitional forest-steppe flora in which no typical sub-Mediterranean families dominate, nor – boreal, which is typical for forest – steppe flora in general.
The research results show that in the spectrum of biomorphs the general habitus is dominated by herbaceous plants (51%). By the location of the buds of the renewal relative to the soil substrate - hemicryptophytes and tetophytes. By tolerance to illumination conditions, the heliophytes are dominant in the cenoses – 38.3%; while in the ecological-cenotic spectrum, the sinanthropic and rayon species of dominate instead. In the spectrum of hydromorphs, the leading place is occupied by representatives of the xeremosophyte group whose fraction is 37.1%. The ecological structure of the phyto-diversity of the studied territories are characterized as a transient from kseromesophytian to mesoksenophytian groups.
This indicates to the increase in the anthropogenic influence and attribution of the studied territories to the forest-steppe. Geographical structure of the habitat is represented by the holarctic, mediterranean and cosmopolitan species. The synanthropic fraction of flora (262 species) was analysed for the degree of naturalization, the time and way of introduction. Based on the analysis the following indices were obtained: synanthropisation (IS), apophytysiation (IAp), anthropisation (IAn), archeophytisation (IAr), ksenophytisation (IKn). The indices values for the studied territories indicate that the apophytisation processes dominate over the adventisation.
Additionally, we established distribution of 31 rare vascular plant species and analysed by population-ontogenetic structure the state of the following model species: Pulsatilla pratensis (L.) Mill., Epipactis palustris (L.) Crantz, Lilium martagon L. and Astragalus albidus Waldst et Kit. We determined that all studied model species are characterized by the left-skewed distribution. Such skewness of the spectrum suggests the dominance of the generative individuals as a result of anthropogenic influence. Based on the graph theory, I determined the connectedness level of environmental corridors. The indices of connectedness confirmed our anticipation that the network of eco-corridors connecting the objects of the protected ecological zones is not sufficiently developed. In order to promote balanced development of boundary territories of Vinnytsia region ecological network, in this work we suggest principles of structural and functional optimization of these territories. We propose the following optimization actions: a) development of management methods that promote integrity and proper functioning of the eco-network of the Vinnytsia region; b) further improvement of already existing policies in order to restore natural biodiversity in the connective territories of the eco-network, which were degraded due to economic activity; c) development of preventive measures against propagation of synanthropic species aiming at balanced development of the connective territories.
