Phytodiversity of the Inhulets River floodplain flora (Shyrokivskyi district)

Abstract

The phytodiversity of the floodplain of the Inhulets River in the Shyrokivsky district was studied and the bioecological characteristics of flora species were compiled based on the results of systematic, biological and ecological analyzes. It was found that the flora of the floodplain landscape is represented by 329 species belonging to 69 families. The spectrum of the studied flora is dominated by perennials among biomorphs, heliomorphs – heliophytes, trophomorphs – mesotrophs, hygromorphs – mesophytes, and cenomorphs – ruderals and pratants. In the studied flora, 20 species from the Red List of Dnipro region were recorded, three of which are included in the Red Book of Ukraine: Crocus reticulatus Stev. ex Adam., Ornithogalum bouscheanum (Kunth) Aschers and Tulipa quercetorum Klokov et Zoz. Rare species included in the Red Data Book of Dnipro region were recorded in the woody and shrubby vegetation of the studied area: Viburnum lantana L., Berberis vulgaris L., Rosa maeotica Dubovik. All of this emphasizes the significant conservation value of the studied floodplain. The adventitious flora is represented by 95 species (29.6% of the total flora of the floodplain), among which five species are invasive. The macrophytic vegetation of the Inhulets floodplain is distributed in the coastal shallow waters, which are on average up to 5 meters wide and are represented by intermittent bands of air-water and submerged vegetation. Higher aquatic vegetation is characterized by intermittent-zonal and border types of overgrowth. The results of the study show a fairly high phytodiversity of the floodplain of the Ingulets River – 22.94% of the total number of flora species of the Right Bank Steppe Dnipro region, and is also important for the creation of a cadastre of plant species of Ukraine and for river restoration and management.