The dissertation addresses the issues of assessing the meliorative properties of mountain forest ecosystems and determining the impact of tourism on the protective features of forest stands serving for recreation within the Carpathian National Nature Park. Moreover, the recreational characteristics of the Carpathian NNP forests and the suitability of individual stands for recreational activities were analyzed.
By analyzing the Carpathian NNP's forest fund, it has been found that most of the forests are represented by Norway spruce, which occupies about 79% of the territory. The most valuable natural forests and primeval forests are about 2,4 thousand hectares.
In this dissertation, the protective properties of Carpathian forest stands, along with the formation of natural mountain forests and forest dynamics, are analyzed based on studies conducted by Ukrainian and foreign scientists. Ukrainian and foreign practices in planning tourism activities are considered, with an analysis of the possible consequences of excessive recreational pressure on forest ecosystems.
The dissertation revealed the root spatial distribution of Norway spruce in active recreation conditions. In addition to the correlation between edaphic factors and the root distribution in the soil profile, orographic factors (terrain characteristics) and the structure of the stand itself, have a significant effect on root development.
Additionally, the dissertation study examines the impact of recreational use on the compaction processes of mountain soils. A statistically significant difference was found between soil penetration resistance and distances from the trailbed of tourist trails deep into the forest habitat.
Soil penetration resistance in mountainous conditions is extremely heterogeneous. The lowest amounts of fine and coarse roots were observed in soil layers with a penetration resistance exceeding 20 kg·cm-2. Therefore, after 20 cm depth, a similar increase in penetration resistance was observed in less disturbed areas, which is also linked to a decrease in root abundance in deeper soil layers.
The distribution, structure, and fractional composition of forest litter were analyzed under the canopy of spruce forests in the Carpathian NNP. A statistically significant difference in the amount of accumulated forest litter was observed between stands adjacent to tourist trails affected by recreational activity and those located far from the trails. The lowest litter volumes were measured under the canopy of forest stands that are directly adjacent to the trails.
Besides the effect of tourist activities on the amount of forest litter, positive correlations have been found between litter thickness and increasing altitude. Analysis of the forest floor components revealed no influence of forest beech admixture (up to 20% of the stand composition) on the distribution of litter fractions.
This research examined the moisture retention capacity of forest litter in mountainous areas. Depending on the studied forest stands, the maximum amount of moisture absorbed by the forest floor varies from 42,3 t·ha-1 to 187,3 t·ha-1 , which is 1,5 times the volume of its dry mass. The thick layer of forest litter not only prevents surface runoff but also absorbs a substantial amount of moisture, therefore preventing erosion processes.
Based on the results of a comprehensive assessment of the recreational potential of the stands, the peak number of visitors was estimated at 498670 people per year, considering the protected area as a restricted territory. However, the actual number of visitors who could possibly enter the ecosystems of the Carpathian NNP during the year is much lower, since the calculation of the number of visitors didn't take into account the current number of tourist trails and their carrying capacity, along with the areas disturbed by recreational use (e.g., «To Mount Hoverla» trail). The recreational potential of the whole park was assessed, and the usability of individual stands along tourist trails for short-term recreation was determined.
The recreational potential of the Carpathian NNP was assessed as «high» (61%) using the Gülez Method. This assessment is based on the lower boundary of the category, thus a change in the assessment of even 1 criterion using this methodology can significantly affect the final result.
A comprehensive analysis of the recreational characteristics of the stands at the tourist trail level was performed. According to the evaluation criterion, 75 % of the studied stands belong to the 2nd class of recreational value, which indicates the average recreational potential of these areas and their suitability for short-term recreational use.
