Species Richness of Higher Aquatic Plants of Floodplain Complexes of the Dnieper River within the City of Kyiv

Abstract

In various water bodies and watercourses of the floodplain biotopes in Kyiv, 60 species of higher aquatic plants have been recorded. Actual floristic complexes within the urban landscape are in good state. This is evidenced by their high similarity with the flora of the city's water objects of the late XIX - early XX cent., as well as with actual macrophytes' flora in the Middle Dnieper basin. The characteristic feature of the considered macrophytes' complexes is relatively high portion of the alien species. 12 species (20% of the total species list) are rare (protected at the international, regional or local level). Transformation of flora and anthropogenic impact resulted in low number of mass species and low cenotic activity of most of them. Only 40% of macrophyte species recorded in the floodplains of the city are cenosis-forming, which indicates a significant transformation of shallow waters, hemerobicity and homogeneity of habitats.