Natural and Climate Change and the Ecological Role of Forest Plantations in Khmelnitsky Region

Abstract

The negative effects of urbanization and climate change pose a direct threat to the ecological, economic and social stability in the world. Therefore, in the last decade a lot of attention is paid to the issue of global warming. One of the ways of solving modern environmental problems is forest plantations as they can reduce the temperature of the air and accumulate in their biomass of carbon. The aim of the work is the assessment of carbon sequestration and oxygen production of forest plantations in Khmelnitsky region on an example of forestry Parkhomovskii GP Khmelnytskt Forestry. In the course of study we have analyzed the climatic changes in the Khmelnitsky region for the period 1964‑2015 years, namely, temperature, humidity, rainfall. According to the procedure established by Vorobyov D.V. we have studied forest conditions of woody plants. Using regression analysis using biometric parameters such as height and diameter we have obtained by empirical equations for determining the biomass of wood and crowns the main forest-forming species (ordinary oak, drooping birch, European ash, linden, black alder, Scots pine, and spruce) in an absolutely dry condition. We have also defined the ability of carbon sequestration, oxygen production above indicated arboreal species in forest plantations of Khmelnitsky region on the example of Parkhomovskii forest district, which is typical in the region. The resulting equations allowed us to estimate the volume of carbon absorption and oxygen production of forest plantations for identical forest vegetation growth conditions. We studied the dynamics of carbon dioxide emissions and established environmental role of oak tree as the dominant forest forming species in the region. In conclusion we should note that in Khmelnytsky region temperature increase and decrease in rainfall in recent years are observed, so the forest plantations play an important ecological role in improving the environment. The dominant breed in this region is oak, as it accounts for the largest share in carbon sequestration and the production of oxygen.