INDICATORS OF THE CONDITION OF NATURAL COMPLEXES UNDER RECREATIONAL LOAD (ON THE EXAMPLE OF CARPATHIAN AND NATIONAL NATURE PARK “SKOLIVSKI BESKYDY”)

Abstract

Several methods of studying the impact of recreational load on the landscape complexes are analyzed. It is shown that the main indicator of the recreational load is the condition of soil and vegetation. The condition and reaction to external influences serve as diagnostic signs of stages of recreational digression. There are five stages of recreational digression, in which various researchers (Kazanskaya et al., 1977; Rysin, 1983; Marfenina et al., 1987; Gensiruk et al., 1987; Prędki, 1999, Shlapak, 2003; Methodical recommendations…, 2003; Rysin L. & Rysin S., 2008) suggest using the following indicators of the state of natural complexes: 1) quantitative and qualitative changes in vegetation in meadows or the presence / absence of forest litter in forest complexes, 2) soil compaction, 3) the width of the trail, the presence of additional or parallel trails, 4) the growth of erosion processes and the microrelief of the trail. For the IV and V stages of recreational digression, it is proposed (Brusak, 2018) to use the indicator "degree of recreational digression" to reflect qualitative changes in the microrelief of trails, which includes trail width, erosion, amount of loose material in general and from 1 m² of the trail. Full-scale studies of tourist routes conducted in Carpathian NNP and Skolivski Beskydy NNP attest to the possibility of using different qualitative and quantitative characteristics of these indicators with a purpose to distinguish different stages of recreational digression. In general, the following time series of changes in the state of components of natural complexes are distinguished: vegetation (meadow) or forest litter (forest) → soils → relief → geological substrate. In the initial stages of recreational degression the forest litter is damaged, crushed and trampled into the upper humus-accumulative horizon. The stocks of forest litter on the trails are more than 1 kg•m⁻², and their water holding capacity is much higher than that of forest litter in the control area. With increasing recreational load, heavily shredded forest litter is washed away by rain and melt water, forming on both sides of the so-called "rollers". As follows forest litter reserves are less than 1 kg•m⁻², or complete absence. A significant reduction in forest litter reserves on trails leads to overcompaction of the upper soil horizons. Their density increases almost twice compared to the control. Erosion processes occur on a highly compacted surface, which causes the removal of a significant amount of loose material from 1 m² of the trail. So, indicators of the state of natural complexes in conditions of recreational activity are quantitative and qualitative changes in vegetation within meadow ecosystems or the presence / absence of forest litter in forest ecosystems, soil compaction, trail width, the presence of additional / parallel trails, depth of erosion cut and the amount of loose material from 1 m² of the trail. Key words: recreational load, stage of recreational digression, tourist routes, forest litter, soil structure density, depth of erosion cut.