MEADOW VEGETATION OF THE SEIM RIVER VALLEY WITHIN THE TERRITORY OF THE BURYNA URBAN TERRITORIAL COMMUNITY, KONOTOP DISTRICT, SUMY REGION

Abstract

As a result of human economic activity, most of the natural habitats of the Seim River valley within the territory of the Buryn city territorial community of Konotop district, Sumy region, have been destroyed. In this regard, there was a need to study the current state of meadow vegetation in this region. Part of the channel and the left bank of the Seim River is located on the territory of Buryn town community, which is characterized by a developed floodplain with meadow and marsh communities, oxbows, and floodplain terraces. During the research conducted in 2007–2022, it was found that meadow vegetation communities were completely destroyed in large areas, and the remaining ones underwent significant changes in the direction of impoverishment of population, species and coenotic biodiversity. It was found that the meadow vegetation of the Seim River valley within the territory of the Buryn city territorial community is represented by the following classes of formations: true, steppe, marshy and peaty meadows. It was found that the largest areas in the research area are occupied by real meadows and their composition includes the formations – Festuceta pratensis, Alopecureta pratensis, Calamagrostideta epigeios, Agrostideta albae, Festuceta rubrae, Phleeta pratensis, Anthoxantete odorati and Poeta pratensis. Steppe meadows are found in the middle section of the floodplain and are represented by two formations – Agrostideta syreistschikovii and Poeta angustifoliae. On the lower areas of the relief, small marshy meadows are not often found and are mostly represented by groups of formations – Glicerieta maximae, Cariceta acutae, Agrostideta stoloniferae. Peat meadows are represented by only one formation Deschampsieta caespitosae. 4 species of the plants brought to the Red Book of Ukraine and 3 – in the Red List of Plant Species, which are regionally rare, uncommon and disappearing and subject to special protection in the Sumy region.