North-Eastern Ukraine Research Articles

URBAN PLANNING IN UKRAINE FROM THE 19TH TO THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY: INTEGRATION OF SCIENCE AND STATE MANAGEMENT

The research is dedicated to analyzing the process of urbanization, particularly the formation and development of cities in northeastern Ukraine at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th cen. Special attention is given to the city of Kharkiv and the activities of its mayor, Oleksandr Kostiantynovych Pohorelko (1848–1912). The importance of urban studies as a key direction of humanities research that determines the development of the nation, community, and state is justified. The main tasks faced by the city during that period, such as the municipalization of the economy and the expansion of the city’s rights to private property objects, are highlighted. The role of scientists and researchers, including D.I. Bahalii and M.F. Sumtsov, in promoting the modernization of the city through active participation in municipal authorities is discussed. As a result of the research, significant contributions of O.K. Pohorelko and his colleagues to the development and improvement of Kharkiv at the end of the 19th cen. are identified. The conclusions of the research emphasize the importance of combining scientific potential and civic activism for the implementation of infrastructure development projects in the city.

First record of trilobites (Arthropoda) from Carboniferous deposits of the Dnipro-Donets Depression, north-eastern Ukraine

A small trilobite faunule consisting of Weberides mucronatus (M’Coy, 1844) and Waribole sp. is described from Serpukhovian (Upper Mississippian) strata of the Sribne-Krasnograd Zone in the Dnipro-Donets Depression (north-eastern Ukraine). Weberides mucronatus has previously been recorded from Serpukhovian levels in the Donets Basin and in the Lviv Palaeozoic Trough in Ukraine, whereas species of Waribole are here recorded from Carboniferous deposits of Ukraine for the first time. This genus is typical of faunal assemblages of the Mississippian-aged Kulm facies, formed under relatively deep-water marine conditions and widely distributed across western and central Europe.

New Spider Species of Cnephalocotes and Peponocranium (Aranei, Linyphiidae) from the North-East of Ukraine

Two species of the genera Cnephalocotes Simon, 1884 and Peponocranium Simon, 1884: Cnephalocotes similis sp. n. and Peponocranium fallax sp. n. (Linyphiidae) from the north-eastern Ukraine are described and illustrated.

Spiders (Araneae) of the oak forests of Kharkiv Region (Northeastern Ukraine)

Spiders (Araneae) of the oak forests of Kharkiv Region (Northeastern Ukraine)

Hiding behaviour of bats in sandstone mines of North-Eastern Ukraine

Winter counting of bats in hibernacula is one of the main methods of estimating their population trends in Europe. However, it is not always possible for humans to identify and count all bats in the maze of big karstic caves or abandoned mines. Previously we notice a significant fluctuation in the numbers of bat species and individuals in sandstone mines located in the Kharkiv region (NE Ukraine), and hypothesized that a significant undercount happened due to the hiding of bats in deep crevices of sandstone. Here using a camera trap placed inside a mine (September 17-19, 2017) we tested this hypothesis. Firstly we identified significant levels of bat flight activity where no roosting bats had been observed through conventional visual survey methods. The proportion of identified bats (Myotis group and Plecotus auritus) on footage was similar to that obtained by usual winter counts. Finally, we filmed and documented cases of crawling bats inside the deep crevices in the wall depths. We ventured to make an extrapolation of bat numbers in a mine on the basis of autumn-spring mist-netting data, and our evidence that they do hide in crevices. Our observations clearly demonstrate that hiding bat behaviour in mines might result in an underestimation of the real number of hibernating bats in sand-stone mines.

The Ukrainian migration crisis of 2022-2023: dynamics, scale and consequences

The article examines the migration crisis of 2022-2023 caused by the sharp escalation of the military conflict in Ukraine at the end of February 2022. There are two stages in the development of the Ukrainian migration crisis. At the first of them, which included the end of February - beginning of April 2022, fighting was conducted both on the territory of eastern and southern, as well as northern and northeastern Ukraine, which posed a threat to the security of the population of a number of large cities and urban agglomerations, including Kiev. Therefore, the emigration of the population outside Ukraine, as well as its movement within the country at the first stage of the migration crisis reached its peak. The main recipient of Ukrainian refugees at this stage were the EU countries, which was due to the geography of hostilities and difficulties with leaving for Russian territory. At the second stage, which began in April 2022, the fighting moved to the territory of the southeastern regions of Ukraine, which led to a partial return of the population to their former places of residence in the north of the country, including Kiev, and a shift in the main direction of emigration towards Russia. The materials of the periodical press, migration and demographic statistics, as well as documents of the UNHCR for Refugees were used as sources.

Remotely visible impacts on air quality after a year-round full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine

A full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine caused large devastation, including significant pressure on the environment. Numerous missile strikes on industrial facilities, wildfires near the front-line, use of military equipment, and other accidents and various processes resulting from the war have impacted air quality. In this paper, we aim to assess changes in air pollution following a year-long period of the war based on the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) content derived from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) data. The general air quality changes were often uncertain for much of the territory due to meteorological influence on favorable conditions for air pollution accumulation or dispersion. The most crucial changes were observed during the first months of the war, showing a decrease in NO2 levels in major cities, NO2 increase close to the borders, including eastern and northeastern Ukraine, and elevated CO content over wildfires near the front-line. The impact of the war on cities varied depending on their distance from the front-line, the availability of critical infrastructure, and “occupied – non-occupied” status. The essential role of remote sensing is discussed as for assessing over a long period as well as for detecting short-term releases of air pollutants, which can be important for identifying accidental events.

Identification of species of the genus Sylvaemus of northeastern Ukraine by metric characters

The reliable identification of representatives of the genus Sylvaemus is compli-cated by the huge coincidence of external and metrical characters, as well as by the fact that in most of their range, mice are in conditions of sympatry or even syntopy Moreover, identification is complicated by opposite clinal variability in size and geographic variability in fur colouration. The species are also similar in karyotypes, so their reliable identification is usually possible only based on biochemical or molecular analysis. The craniological collection of small mam-mals of O. V. Zorya and collection specimens of the Museum of Nature of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University were studied. In total, 436 speci-mens of three species of the genus Sylvaemus were analysed: Sylvaemus ura-lensis, Sylvaemus sylvaticus, and Sylvaemus tauricus. Analysed were 14 odon-tometric and 23 craniological characters. Among the metric characters, three odontometrical—width of first upper molar (WM1), length of second lower molar (LM2), length of lower molar row (LM123)—and seven craniometrical characters—length of first upper molar (LM1), length of foramen incisivum (LFI), length of upper molar row (LUM), width of choana (WCH), height of skull including bulla tympanica (HBCB), length of lower molar row (LLM), length of mandible (LM)—made the greatest contribution to the differentiation of mice of the genus Sylvaemus. Width of first upper molar (WM1), length of first lower molar (LM1), length of second lower molar (LM2), length of brain-case (LBC), least interorbital constriction (LIOC), width of braincase (WBC), distance between incisor and M3 (LIM3), length of upper molar row (LUM), condylobasal length of skull (CBL), palatal length (LPP), greatest length of skull (GLS), and length of lower molar row (LLM) are the least variable metric char-acters. Scatterplots linking LLM/CBL, LUM/CBL, and LUM/GLS appeared to be the most suitable for differentiating the specimens, with minimal overlap of species in the morphospace. In north-eastern Ukraine, the best distribution of mice of the genus Sylvaemus was obtained as a result of the analysis based on both odontometrical and craniological characters, when the correctness of the classification was 100%.

Іхнофосилії з відкладів бучацької світи (лютецький ярус, еоцен) Луганщини та їхнє палеогеографічне значення

Eleven Fodinichnia, Pascichnia, and Domichnia ichnotaxa (Apectoichnus longissimus (Kelly et Bromley, 1984), cf.Conichnus isp., Gastrochaenolites isp., Gnathichnus isp., Macaronichnus segregatis Clifton et Thompson, 1978,Ophiomorpha nodosa Lundgren, 1891,Palaeophycus isp., cf.Rosselia isp.,Skolithos linearis (Haldeman, 1840),Spongeliomorpha isp., and Thalassinoides isp.) were identified from seven sections of shallow marine sediments of the Buchak Formation (Lutetian, middle Eocene) located in Luhansk Oblast, eastern Ukraine. Traces of bioerosion on the contact surface between the Upper Cretaceous marls and the Buchak Formation indicate the development of the Trypanites Ichnofacies in conditions of high water activity with almost absent sedimentation. Most of the sediments of the Buchak Formation in the study area was formed in the conditions of the Skolithos Ichnofacies, namely in littoral environments with significant water activity, to resist which organisms were forced to build burrow systems. Some time intervals were also characterized by a decrease in the activity of the water, during which the sands of the littoral and probably sublittoral zones were colonized by the trace-makers of Macaronichnus segregatis burrows. In places of mass accumulation of wood, the Teredolites Ichnofacies is recognized, which is characterized by the development of teredenid bivalves specializing in feeding on wood. The contact surface of the Buchak and Kyiv formations is a firmground with the Glossifungites Ichnofacies developed on its surface and under it, which was already functioning during the accumulation of Kyiv Formation sediments. This ichnofacies was characterized by high water activity and the presence of organisms capable of bioturbating relatively dense substrates. The origin of massifs and blocks of quartzite-like sandstones among the sands of the Buchak Formation of Luhansk Oblast and many other sections of eastern and north-eastern Ukraine is not fully understood, but their hydrothermal genesis is most likely. The obtained data are of great importance for the reconstruction of the depositional environment of the middle Eocene sediments in eastern Ukraine.

Creation of the National Nature Park “Skhidnyi Steppe” as a means of preserving natural ecosystems in Northeastern Ukraine

The remnants of natural steppes in Northeastern Ukraine are represented in small areas, interconnected by riverbeds or large, extensive ravines and gullies. The presence of a large number of plant and animal species listed in the Red Book of Ukraine is the basis for granting of national protection status to these territories. The total territory of the prospective National Nature Park (NNP) “Skhidnyi Steppe” includes three clusters: Vovchanskyi, Burlutskyi and Kupyansko-Shevchenkivskyi, its total area is 22272.0 hectares. The future park covers the existing reserves "Vovchansky" and "Siverskodonetsky", the regional landscape park "Velykoburluk Steppe" (4 segments), and several reserves of a small area. In addition to the steppe areas, it is planned to include forests and meadow areas. The flora and fauna of the territory to be protected are of high conservation value: 25 species of vascular plants are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine; 63 species are listed in the Red List of Kharkiv region; 17 species of chalk outcrops and chalk steppes are relics; 49 animal species are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine; 100 animal species are listed in Annexes 2 and 3 of the Berne Convention, 27 bird species are included in the lists of Bonn Convention; 33 animal species are in the List of rare species and species requiring protection in the Kharkiv Region. In addition, the proposed park hosts groups of 11 formations included in the Green Book of Ukraine and 16 habitats in need of protection under the Berne Convention. The purpose of the establishment of the National Nature Park “Skhidnyi Steppe” is the protection of unique natural areas in Northeastern Ukraine, namely, the last remnants of steppe and meadow ecosystems and forests in steppe gullies, which are an integral part of the gully steppe macrocomplex. The primary task of the future national park is to protect the grasslands. The next step is the restoration of pasture ecosystems as habitats for rare and endangered steppe species. This paper describes the planned NNP as of early 2022; it does not reflect changes caused by the hostilities that began in February 2022 and continue in the northern part to date.

A Soundscape Assessment of the Oak Forests in the National Park “Homilshanski Lisy” (Northeastern Ukraine)

Abstract We investigated the properties of the sounds recorded on the territory of the National Park “Homilshanski Lisy” (Kharkiv region, Ukraine). Recordings were made at five points (in mature, middle-aged, and young oak forests, overgrown clear-cut and aspen forests). Data collection was carried out using on-site positioning of AudioMoth autonomous recorders, located on trees at a height of 1.5 m. The recording was made from April 11 to July 10, 2020, for 3 h in the morning and evening with a 5-min duration followed by a 10-min pause (24 recordings per day). Six acoustic indices (AIs) were calculated: Acoustic complexity index (ACI), acoustic diversity index (ADI), acoustic evenness index (AEI), bioacoustic index (BI), normalized difference soundscape index (NDSI), and acoustic entropy index (H). For the analysis, we used the Friedman test as well as a nonparametric analysis of the variance of the distance matrix and Tukey’s test. The results of the analysis showed the statistical significance of the influence of forest type, date and time of recording, as well as the effect of their pairwise interactions on all six acoustic indices, both in the morning and evening. For three indices – ACI, BI, and NDSI – the highest average values were noted in a mature oak forest and the lowest was in overgrown clear-cuts. We performed a PCA to reduce the number of variables and obtain insight into the variable relevance. The cumulative percentage of variance, explained by the first three principal components, is 84.5%. The first principal component is associated with H, BI, AEI, and ADI. The second and third principal components are associated with NDSI and ACI. The obtained results correspond to the results of quantitative bird counts carried out earlier in this area.

Spider Diversity in the Fragmented Forest-Steppe Landscape of Northeastern Ukraine: Temporal Changes under the Impact of Human Activity

Semi-natural forests and dry grasslands are highly fragmented and influenced by human activity. Despite the small area, they serve as the refuge for habitat-specific species and enhance agrolandscape biodiversity. We studied spiders in Velykoburlutskyi Steppe Regional Landscape Park (northeastern Ukraine) for 10 years and found 224 species of 26 families; of these, 27 are rare and require protection. The araneofauna of small forests in gullies is poorer than that of the large oakeries and hosts fewer sylvatic species; the dry grassland fauna is rich, has typical steppe traits, and varies depending on topography and grazing history. The ungrazed gully hosted 125 spider species. The richest assemblages (97 species) were at the bottom, and they were similar to those of meadows and forest edges. The most typical steppe assemblages were formed on the ungrazed slope (77 species). The human-induced disturbance had a negative effect on spiders: we found only 63 species at the grazed bottom and 62 on the slope. After abrupt grazing cessation, four spider species appeared and occurred constantly at the bottom, while no species left this habitat. Grazing on the slopes declined gradually, and spider assemblages did not change significantly after the final cessation; moreover, they enriched on the abandoned slope (75 species). The presence of rare species and a variety of spider assemblages confirm the conservation value of the study site and the need to maintain its mosaic pattern.

Chemical and Thermal Fractionation of Hg in Unpolluted Soils from North-Eastern Ukraine

Chemical and Thermal Fractionation of Hg in Unpolluted Soils from North-Eastern Ukraine

A further northward expansion of the invasive land snails Monacha cartusiana and M. Fruticola (Stylommatophora: Hygromiidae) in Eastern Europe

Land snails of the genus Monacha are shown to have expanded widely northward in Eastern Europe during the last decade. Previously their ranges there were limited to Southern Ukraine, Caucasus and several isolated colonies in Western Ukraine. Our new reports cover all parts of Ukraine, as well as some regions of southern Belarus and western Russia. We have sampled 5 large colonies of M. cartusiana in Kyiv region (Central Ukraine) and one in Kharkiv city (northeastern Ukraine), as well as two colonies of M. fruticola in Kyiv city. We also report 72 new records of the subgenus Monacha (M. cf. cartusiana) in Eastern Europe, based mostly on the photographs from citizen science databases (iNaturalist, UkrBIN). The distribution of M. cartusiana around Kyiv city has shown an especially rapid and wide expansion; we report on 36 colonies, some of which are very abundant and cover several tens of hectares each, while the oldest known record of Monacha in this region is only from 2017. Origin, expansion and perspectives of the Monacha species in Eastern Europe are discussed.

RHOPALOCERA FAUNA OF NATIONAL NATURE PARK “GETMANSKYI”

The study of regional fauna and ecological features of separate species belong to the priority directions of zoological research, which fully applies to Lepidoptera of northeastern Ukraine. Despite sufficiently complete studies of butterflies, compared to other groups of insects, the species composition of Lepidoptera fauna of separate Ukraine regions remains studied rather fragmentarily. This also applies to the territory of NNPG, where the species composition of these insects has been studied unevenly, selectively and sporadically. The results of diurnal butterflies on the territory of National Nature Park “Getmanskyi” are presented. The list includes 62 species of butterflies that were registered and indicated in literary sources.

To the ecology and biology of closely related species of thrushes of the genus Turdus in different landscapes of northeastern Ukraine

Systematic observations of the avifauna of the Pine park in in the city Lohvytsia, the outskirts of the village Potoky and in the «Vakalivshchyna» tract allow to conclude that song thrushes and blackbirds are quite numerous birds, due to the large number of biotopes suitable for their nesting. 37 cases of nesting of Turdus merula and 30 cases of Turdus philomelos were noted. The nesting density of the song thrush in the Pine park of Lokhvytsia is set at 0,36 pairs/km2. In the vicinity of the village The flow rate was 0,96 pairs/km2, in the Vakalivshchyna tract it was 2,5 pairs/km2. For the blackbird, the nesting density in Pine park was 0,36 pairs/km2, the vicinity of the village Potoky – 0,46 pairs/km2 and in oak tracts – 1,5 pairs/km2. In various landscapes of northeastern Ukraine, the nesting period of songbirds and blackbirds extends from April to June. In the Poltava region, the singing thrush arrives days earlier than in the Sumy region. We tend to believe that this is related to the adaptation of the species to the environment in the conditions of urban tree plantations. In different landscapes of the north-east of Ukraine, the construction of nests by Turdus philomelos begins in the first ten days of April (04.01−10.04) at the daytime temperature of +8.5±1.5 °C. Turdus merula builds nests in the first ten days of April (01.04−10.04) in various landscapes of the north-east of Ukraine at an average daily temperature of +5.0±1.0 °С. When different species of blackbirds live together (in the same conditions), species-specific features are most clearly manifested in the distribution of nests by species of trees and bushes, the nature of the location of nests and the height of their placement. The list of species of trees and bushes on which nests of Turdus philomelos and Turdus merula are placed includes 8 plant species. Turdus philomelos prefers nesting sites for Acer negundo (66.6%) in the vicinity of the village Potoky, Ulmus minor (55.5%) and Acer negundo (44.5%) in the Pine Park, Quercus robur (50%) and Ulmus minor (50%) in the Vakalivshchyna tract. Both types of blackbirds are characterized by individual variability in the choice of nest locations. This is most clearly manifested in the atypical location of the nests in the artificial nests (without the top cover and front wall).

First data on bacteria associated with bat ectoparasites collected in Kharkiv oblast, Northeastern Ukraine

BackgroundBats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) serve as natural reservoirs for many zoonotic pathogens worldwide, including vector-borne pathogens. However, bat-associated parasitic arthropods and their microbiota are thus far not thoroughly described in many regions across the globe, nor is their role in the spillover of pathogens to other vertebrate species well understood. Basic epidemiological research is needed to disentangle the complex ecological interactions among bats, their specific ectoparasites and microorganisms they harbor. Some countries, such as Ukraine, are particularly data-deficient in this respect as the ectoparasitic fauna is poorly documented there and has never been screened for the presence of medically important microorganisms. Therefore, the aims of this study were to provide first data on this topic.MethodsA total of 239 arthropod specimens were collected from bats. They belonged to several major groups of external parasites, including soft ticks, fleas, and nycteribiid flies from six chiropteran species in Northeastern Ukraine. The ectoparasites were individually screened for the presence of DNA of Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma/Ehrlichia spp., Bartonella spp., Borrelia spp., and Babesia spp. with conventional PCRs. Positive samples were amplified at several loci, sequenced for species identification, and subjected to phylogenetic analysis.ResultsRickettsia DNA was detected exclusively in specimens of the soft tick, Carios vespertilionis (7 out of 43 or 16.3%). Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed high similarity to sequences from Rickettsia parkeri and several other Rickettsia species. Bacteria from the family Anaplasmataceae were detected in all groups of the ectoparasites (51%, 122/239 samples), belonging to the genera Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Wolbachia. The detection of Bartonella spp. was successful only in fleas (Nycteridopsylla eusarca) and bat flies (Nycteribia koleantii, N. pedicularia), representing 12.1% (29/239) of the collected ectoparasites. No DNA of Babesia or Borrelia species was identified in the samples.ConclusionsWe report for the first time in Ukraine the molecular detection of several bacterial agents in bat ectoparasites collected from six species of bats. The data presented extend the knowledge on the distribution of ectoparasite species in bats and their involvement in potentially circulating agents pathogenic for humans and vertebrate animals.Graphical

Inadvertent Radiation Exposures in Combat Zones: Risk of Contamination and Radiobiologic Consequences.

On February 24, 2022, Russia began a military invasion of Ukraine. Missile and air strikes were reported throughout the country, shortly followed by a large ground invasion from multiple directions. Four major theaters developed: the Kyiv offensive, the Northeastern Ukraine offensive, the Eastern Ukraine offensive, and the Southern Ukraine offensive, with continued missile and air strikes far into Western Ukraine. Advancing Russian military units launched an attack and captured the Chernobyl nuclear station. Russian troops dug trenches into the area commonly known as the "Red Forest," violating the established radiation safety measures and threatening security within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. The placement of military units in such close proximity to the station also sparked concerns of possible damage occurring to the containment vessel constructed around the station's wrecked fourth reactor. There are 15 operating nuclear reactors in Ukraine. Each is vulnerable to an attack or sabotage that could precipitate a malfunction and possible release of radioactive isotopes. In this short commentary, we will discuss radiobiologic data obtained after the analysis of historical nuclear power plant (NPP) accidents and emphasize new challenges for nuclear security when NPPs are found and are possible targets within a conflict zone.

Сільськогосподарські практики в малих містах Північно-Східної України

The article is dedicated to a poorly studied topic in ethnology: agricultural practices in small towns. For a number of reasons attention is paid to settlements of northeastern Ukraine, namely Chernihiv and Sumy regions. The phenomenon of household activities of people residing in urban areas in their ordinary everyday lives as well as in the realities of war is described in a new way, basing on historiography, various sources, and especially on field heuristics. The study of the research subject and the fulfilling of the objectives are carried out in the chronological framework of today, but the work also contains many retrospectives and historical parallels. The research has shown that agricultural practices typical for small towns residents – agriculture and animal husbandry – are historically acquired experiences. It has been proved on the example of one town that architectural and spatial landscape with its distinctive buildings and household objects is the typical feature of human activity. At the same time, a careful analysis of individual agricultural practices and animal husbandry managed by citizens allowed us to understand a number of issues which have not been considered before. In particular, the dominant industries in urban households were identified. It is determined that current agricultural practices are used not only for subsistence but also for commercial purposes, with special attention being paid to urban agriculture. The forms of its existence in recent decades are described. In addition, the models of individual agriculture and animal husbandry are characterized. As a result of studying various aspects of townspeople farming in wartime, the new facts have been revealed and introduced for the first time. The author has come to rather interesting conclusions, which project the way to further urban studies.

Вплив куниці лісової (Martes martes) на гніздування птахів у штучних гніздівлях північного сходу України

Passerines are the most threatened by predators during the nesting period. According to the results of visual observa-tions conducted during 2019−2021 in forests of north-eastern Ukraine, a high proportion of bird nests destructed by the pine marten (Martes martes) in artificial nest boxes was revealed. The impact of the predator was assessed ac-cording to the following signs: the front wall of the nest box fell off, the bird’s nest was destroyed and torn, traces of claws on the front wall of the nest box, fragments of feathers and bones of the bird found nearby. In the pine forest of the Hetmansky National Nature Park near Kamenka village, the share of destroyed by the pine marten nests increased during 2019−2021 from 15.6% to 36.0% and 45.2%, respectively. In a forest of the Homilshansky Lisy National Nature Park near Zadonetske village, the largest share of nests ruined by the forest marten was 51.1% in 2020 and 33.3% in 2021. Cases of predation predominated in net boxes with nests of Parus major in the third dec-ade of May (21.05−31.05)—15.9% (n = 47) in the Homilshansky Lisy National Nature Park; F. albicollis in the first decade of June (01.06−10.06)—19.1% (n = 43) in the Hetmansky National Nature Park near Kamenka village. In general, the results indicate an increase in the destruction of nests in nest boxes by the pine marten in the first dec-ade of June (01.06−10.06) and in the first or second decade of July (01.07−20.07) for most bird species, including Parus major, Ficedula albicollis, Phoenicurus phoenicurus, Ficedula hypoleuca, and Erithacus rubecula. At the end of the third decade of February and during March, an inspection of nest boxes showed that a large number of adults of Parus major spend the night in the nest boxes. At the same time, in 2021, their share was 15% (n = 100), of which 10% became victims to the forest marten in the Homilshansky Lisy National Nature Park near Zadonetske village. In the territory of Hetmansky National Nature Park near Kamenka village, in 2020, Parus major was also the main victim of the pine marten, with a share of 5.0% (n = 120). Among the adult birds in the nest boxes that did not form breeding pairs or of which, eventually, the male or female died, the inspection of nest boxes also revealed cases of predation by the pine marten.