NATURAL FORAGE LANDS OF EASTERN PODILLYA OF UKRAINE: ORIENTATION OF DYNAMIC PROCESSES AND OPTIMIZATION IN MODERN ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS

Abstract

The article presents an analysis of the state of natural forage lands of the Eastern Podillya of Ukraine. The analysis of the geobotanical survey of the natural forage lands of the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine proved that they are in an unsatisfactory state due to high anthropogenic load and need to be restored. The main sources of stress on natural ecosystems, including forage lands, are highlighted – industry, motor vehicle, sewage and household waste, as well as agricultural production, which are characterized by an excessive influx of toxic elements into the environment. Optimization of natural forage lands is an integral part of the concept of balanced development and national programs on the quality of the environment as a mandatory element of state policy. To optimize the restoration of contaminated natural forage lands, it is quite important to assess the risks from the adverse effects of heavy metals, to carry out an ecological assessment of this process, which can be the basis for large-scale measures to restore contaminated lands. Among a large number of toxic elements, heavy metals occupy a prominent place. In particular, there is an increased intake of lead, cadmium, zinc, and copper. It was found that in the conditions of dry land lowland meadows, normal dry lands are the safest and most suitable for providing herbivores with plant biodiversity. It has been proven that the accumulation of toxic substances in soils leads to their degradation, which is accompanied by a toxic effect on plants, causing a decrease in their reproductive quality. A significant man-made load of motor vehicles on the soils of the roadside space, which is accompanied by their contamination with heavy metals, was revealed. Based on the results of the research, a theoretical generalization was made and a solution to the current scientific and practical task was proposed regarding the assessment of the intensity of pollution of the natural lands of Vinnytsia region by heavy metals in the conditions of various man-made loads Installed it was found that the exceedance of the maximum concentration limit in the soils in the studied territories of local pollution of dry lowland meadows of Vinnytsia region was found only for cadmium by 1,01 times in the territories dry lands of excessive moisture adjacent to the railway connection.