THE NATURAL CHANGES OF THE PLANT COVER OF THE NATIONAL NATURE PARK «DZHARYLHATSKYI»

Abstract

The paper presents results of the studies on natural changes of the vegetation in the National Nature Park «Dzharylhatsky» (Kherson region, Ukraine). The natural changes of the vegetation are represented by consistent and catastrophic succession. Consistent changes include halobductional (overgrowing of solonchaks), hydroobductional (overgrowing of lakes) and psammoobductional (overgrowing of sands), eologic (caused by winds activity), alluviogenic (occur due to the accumulation of sediments) and climatogenic (caused by changes in temperature and water regime) processes. Catastrophic changes in the study area occur due to geomorphogenic factors, namely – under the influence of storms. Significant development of syngenetic and geomorphogenic successions occurs along the coastline of the island Dzharylhach and mainland sites of the National Nature Park «Dzharylhatsky». This is due to the mobility of the substrate. Halophytic and psammophytic phytocoenoses have the largest areas.These are the most dynamic and vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic factors. The paper presents the results of analysis of vegetation changes on the island of Dzharylhach over an 80-year period: due to increased xerophytization and halophytization Lemnetum minoris Soó 1927 and Typhetum angustifoliae Pignatti 1953 communities and phytocoenoses with species from the genus Salix L. disappeared, significantly reduced areas of Schoenoplectetum lacustris Chouard 1924 and Junco maritimi-Cladietum marisci (Br.-Bl. & O. de Bolòs 1957) Géhu & Biondi 1988. Thus, the consequences of climatogenic changes are the degradation and disappearance of several communities.