Vascular Plant Species Research Articles

A comprehensive floristic knowledge of a fragment of Semideciduous Seasonal Forest [Parque Estadual da Serra da Concórdia], Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The "Serra da Concórdia" is part of the Atlantic Forest phytogeographical domain in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro and it has a predominant phytophysiognomy of Semideciduous Seasonal Forest. This region underwent intense habitat loss and fragmentation during the 19th century, due to coffee plantations and later pastures. With the decline of these activities, the areas were abandoned, triggering secondary succession. In 2002, the "Parque Estadual da Serra da Concórdia" was established in this region to preserve the remaining forest fragments. The updated list of vascular plants recorded in this protected area, published in the "Catálogo de Plantas das Unidades de Conservação do Brasil", is presented here, along with information on richness, endemism, and conservation status. The "Parque Estadual da Serra da Concórdia" houses 231 vascular plant species, of which 90% are angiosperms, 10% ferns and lycophytes, and 27% endemic to the Atlantic Forest. Ten species are threatened with extinction, three are categorized as Endangered, and seven as Vulnerable. Although there have been expeditions in the "Parque Estadual da Serra da Concórdia", they have been limited, resulting in a low number of records and the species richness for a protected area. This is notable considering the 2,130 Brazilian native vascular plant species recorded in the semideciduous seasonal forest of Rio de Janeiro. Our data indicates that floristic inventories of Brazilian protected areas could help highlight gaps in flora knowledge and support the proposal of effective conservation actions.

Plant taxonomy: Cooperation, innovation, productivity

Floristic taxonomic research, looking for constant differences between species, is a very time-consuming and slow process. The flora of the Malay Archipelago is estimated to have 45,000 vascular plant species and the Flora Malesiana project that describes them has completed c. 1/3rd in 75 years. Presently, the flora is heavily threatened because of land use and climate change. We have to speed up the flora writing to understand what will be threatened and how to counter the threats. Innovation using Next Generation Sequencing of DNA to find the species in combination with Image Recognition might help to increase speed. Another aspect is cooperation, more international scientists should be involved, also students and citizens via citizen science projects. Citizens can help to gather information (observations and collecting). Once the flora is better known, monitoring of the flora by regular inventories (done by non-scientists in the Netherlands) helps to see which plants are threatened or become plagues and causes can then be investigated. Monitoring will help to change energy consumption (no more fossil energy), agriculture, industry, and living: improve our climate, and save the planet.

Study of chemical (macroelement) composition of plants growing in Kostanay Region

The article presents the results of research conducted on the content of some nutrients (Ca, Mg, C, P, K) in plants of different families on the territory of Amangeldinsky district of Kostanay region. As an object of research, the leading families were chosen: Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Asteraceae and Brassicaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Liliaceae, Apiaceae, Ranunculaceae. From 102 species of higher vascular plants growing on the surveyed territory, 80 species of economically useful ones were studied: medicinal (34), fodder (34), essential oil (6), food (7), 30 ornamental (30) and technical value (6). When studying the composition of chemical elements (macronutrients) of rangeland plants of the study area, it is shown that the maximum value of chemical element was 0.98%. It is indicated that nutrient elements mainly enter the plant through the root system from the soil. Data on the content of Ca, Mg, C, P, K in the root system and above-ground part of the studied plants showing different composition are given. According to the results of the analysis, the average value of the pastures showed that the percentage of calcium 0.98%, potassium 3.28%, carbon 46.27%, magnesium 0.17% and phosphorus 0.15% in the plots.

Sustainable use of economically valuable and conservation of rare plant species in Almaty region

The paper contains the results of the initial cadastral survey and integrated assessment of the components of the flora (plant resources, higher plants and algae) of the Almaty region (2021–2023), which occupies a leading position among the economically developed regions of the country. The reserves of raw materials of 18 plant species demanded by the domestic pharmaceutical industry discovered on the territory of 13 administrative districts are of practical value. Eleven species of medicinal plants can be recommended for industrial harvesting. It is important to note that conservation efforts are required to protect 118 rare species of higher vascular plants and three species of lower plants, such as algae – indicating the vegetation’s current condition in the region. For the first time, the region’s list of rare flora species includes 13 species that have been categorized into IV categories based on the criteria and categories of the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The results obtained will serve as a scientific basis for regular monitoring and forecasting of effective environmental activities that ensure the sustainable use and conservation of plant resources in the region.

Formation of vegetation on 40-year-old overburden dumps in arid regions of Khakassia

The article presents the results of observations on the peculiarities of vegetation formation on 40-year old dumps in arid regions of Khakassia. The dumps of Chernogorsky open-cut mine were created as a result of open-cut coal mining. Five-year studies were carried out on different elements of the dumps mesorelief. It was established that primary succession is characterised by grass type of overgrowing 43 species of vascular plants were identified, among which 91% are native. Endemics group is represented by one species - Thesium repens Ledeb. The leading families are Asteraceae and Poaceae. The plant communities are dominated by grass species Artemisia sieversiana, A. tanacetifolia, Chenopodium aristatum and others, as well as grasses Calamagrostis epigeios, Setaria viridis and others. Among ecological groups, mesophytes are most widely represented (49%), and among geographical groups, species with Eurasian range predominate (39.6%). The analysis of species significance curves showed that during succession the structure becomes more complex with increasing number of species and equalisation of their abundance. The studied communities are at one of the intermediate stages of recovery and differ in composition and structure from zonal communities.

Poisonous and harmful plants of pastures in the Kyzylkum desert (Uzbekistan)

The paper studied poisonous and harmful plants that were distributed in Kyzylkum desert condition (Uzbekistan). The research was conducted over the years 2012-2024. The forage flora of Kyzylkum consists of 908 species of vascular plants belonging to 345 genera and 68 families. During the research, 34 families, 73 poisonous plants belonging to 55 genus and 6 families, 39 harmful plants belonging to 13 genera were identified. The vast majority of poisonous and harmful plants are xerophytes. The analysis of poisonous plants of the studied territory in relation to soil moisture showed that the vast majority of them belong to xerophytes, which confirms the arid nature of the pastoral flora of Kyzylkum. The dominant positions of annual plants in the forage flora of the study area have been revealed, which are an alarming indicator of increasing anthropogenic pressure on pasture vegetation. The colossal role of haze and compound flowers in the pasture vegetation of Central Asia has been established and the expediency of separating them into separate groups according to economic relations has been proved.

Meadow, mire and shrub vegetation in the axial part of the Polar Urals (Russia)

The syntaxonomic diversity of meadows and mires in the 3 sites studied within the axial part of the Polar Urals includes 5 associations and 3 subassociations, which belong to 3 classes of phytosociological classification. 4 associations and 3 subassociations are described for the first time. One association (Carici lachenalii–Harrimanelletum hypnoidis ass. nov.) and 2 subassociations (C.l.–H.h. typicum subass. nov. and C.l.–H.h. phyllodocetosum coer uleae subass. nov.) we assigned to the class Salicetea herbaceae Br.-Bl. 1948. Class Mulgedio–Aconitetea Hadač et Klika in Klika et Hadač 1944 is represented by 3 associations: Hylocomiastro pyrenaici–Luzuletum frigidae ass. nov., Aconito septentrionalis–Salicetum lanatae Sekretareva 2011, including a new subassociation (A.s.–S.l. alchemilletosum obtusae subass. nov.) and Trientalo europaeae–Alnetum fruticosae ass. nov. Class Scheuchzerio palustris–Caricetea fuscae Tx. 1937 is represented by 1 association (Carici rariflorae–Sphagnetum squarrosi ass. nov.). Certain increase in species richness was recorded in syntaxa located in the northern part of the Polar Urals, it is caused by an increase in the diversity of mosses and lichens and the appearance of several arctic and hypoarctic species of vascular plants which were absent in the southern part. Such increase is often observed on the border of subzones or belts, where southern species are still present and some northern species have appeared. Number of distinguished syntaxa was the same in all localities.

ECOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF DOTHIDEOMYCETES IN THE STEPPE ECOSYSTEMS OF THE STEPPE ZONE OF UKRAINE

The article considers the ecological structure of the Dothideomycetes and the peculiarities of its formation in conditions of steppe ecosystems of the steppe zone of Ukraine. The materials of the work were the original mycological collecting carried out within the mycological survey of this territory during 2008-2020, sporadic collections of 2021 and 2023, as well as the materials of the herbarium of the M. G. Kholodny Institute of Botany (KW). Herbarium collection and identification of the samples were performed in accordance with the generally accepted methods of cameral processing of xylotrophic, herbotrophic and coprothrophic micromycetes. As a result of our research, characteristic features of the ecological structure of the investigated mycobiota were established. According to the substrate specificity, among the species of Dothideomycetes found in the steppe communities, herbotrophs (74 species) dominate, xylotrophs (28 species), phyllotrophs (14) and coprophiles (7) are also represented. Phytotrophic species of micromycetes develops on 120 species of vascular plants, with the largest number of micromycetes (65 species) noted on plants of the Asteraceae. By trophic specialization, the vast majority of the considered species belong to saprotrophs (103 species), but there are also representatives of pleomorphic hemibiotrophs (20 species). Some hemibiotrophic species at the saprotrophic stage of the life cycle do not have a strict substrate limitation, just like obligate saprotrophs. Species of fungi are discussed. A comparison of the substrate specificity of the studied species of fungi showed that in arid sandy-steppe and sagebrush-steppe plant communities, a wider distribution of herbosaprotrophic species is observed in comparison with meadow-steppe communities. A comparative analysis of the species composition of Dothideomycetes in steppe and forest communities of the steppe zone revealed 13 general species, among which 10 species were found on different plant substrates. The most significant ecological and biological peculiarities of the investigated mycobiota in the conditions of steppe communities of the steppe zone of Ukraine are the formation of stable consortium relationships with a considerable variety of higher plants, zonal and seasonal change of the habitats as a adaptive mechanism for the settlement of the studied species of fungi. The prospect of further research is the study of changes in the species structure of micromycetes under the conditions of anthropogenic influence in the steppe ecosystems of the steppe zone of Ukraine.

PHYTODIVERSITY OF THE TERRITORY OF THE CHERNIVTSI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY «SHEPIT» BIOBASE AS AN OBJECT OF STUDENTS’ COGNITIVE ACTIVITY

The results of study of grassland habitats of the biobase «Shepit» of Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University are presented. 123 species of vascular plants were found in the studied communities, of them, 58,54 % are pratants, 30,89 % are sylvants, and 10,57 % are synanthropants. 7 species from the Red Data Book of Ukraine (Perelik…, 2021) grow on the territory of the biobase, in particular, Botrychium lunaria (L.) Sw., Colchicum autumnale L., Gymnadenia conopsea (L.) R.Br., Listera ovata (L.) R.Br., Neotinea ustulata (L.) R.M. Bateman, Pridgeon et M.W. Chase, Platanthera bifolia (L.) Rich., Traunsteinera globosa (L.) Rchb. This proves the value of this territory as a cell of rare phytodiversity. Grassland habitats of the «Shepit» biobase on a small area well represent the meadows of the region, in particular hay meadows and pastures Arrhenatheretalia elatioris Tx. 1931 order, which belong to two unions: Arrhenatherion elatioris Luquet 1926 і and Cynosurion cristati Tx. 1947 and correspond to the habitats «Т2.3.1 Low and medium altitude hay meadows» and «Т2.2.1 Low and medium altitude pastures» (2018). Bryoflora of the territory of the base is represented by 29 species from 23 genera, 17 families, 6 orders, 3 classes, 2 divisions. In the systematic spectrum, species of the Bryophyta are predominating. In relation to the type of substrate most bryophytes are epigeous. The identified species are typical as for the Bukovyna Carpathians bryoflora and other natural regions of Ukraine, so the ability to recognize them in nature will be useful to students in their further work. It has been established that the territory of the «Shepit» biobase provides a number of ecosystem services classified into four types: Provisioning Services, Regulating Services, Supporting Services, and Cultural and Social Services. The study area is a model environment for learning methodological approaches to the study of phytodiversity, which promotes information about the flora and habitats of the Carpathians and their sozological value, emphasizes the importance of monitoring studies, and serves to form students’ ecological awareness. The methods mastered by students can be applied in their professional activities. Key words: phytodiversity, vascular plants, bryophytes, grasslands, ecosystem services, «Shepit» biobase.

Salt Lake as a natural monument terrestrial and aquatic biological diversity

The article provides data on biological diversity of plants, animals, and fungi inhabiting Salt Lake Natural Monument and its surroundings (Tyumen Oblast, Russia). The authors used route and sample plot census methods. The natural monument area is situated within the forest steppe ecotone of the West Siberian Plain. Thus species typical for the adjoining boreal and steppe zones are also registered in the biological communities under study. Aquatic ecosystems of the area include two instances opposed from the species diversity and abundance point of view: the poor one of mineralized Salt Lake and the rich one of fresh water Dolgoye Lake. The total of 166 vascular plant species, 110 vertebrate and 95 invertebrate species, as well as 60 fungi species were registered on the territory. Among these, two plant and eight animal species are listed in different Red Data Books. Recreational use of the territory makes the composition and structure of flora and fauna complexes unique, as the species intolerant to anthropogenic load are depressed, and synanthropes are implanted in the assemblages. Biological diversity transformation accelerates due to an increase of the investigated territory aridity.

Checklist of vascular plant species in Huangshui River Basin of Qinghai Province, China.

The Huangshui River Basin is one of the most important water sources in the Qinghai Province and is of great importance for ecological protection measures, agricultural irrigation and tourism. Based on previous studies and fieldwork related to plant species in China, this study presents comprehensive data on vascular plants distributed in the Huangshui River Basin of Qinghai Province.Ethical Compliance: All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.Data Access Statement: Research data supporting this publication are available from the repository at located at https://www.scidb.cn/en/anonymous/QUpuZVEz.Conflict of Interest declaration: The authors declare that they have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organisation or entity with any financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript. The checklist of plants includes ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms, covering three phyla, five classes, 49 orders, 139 families, 709 genera and 2,382 species. It includes numerous Asteraceae, Gramineae, Rosaceae and Fabaceae along with statistical data on the number of species distributed in different regions. The dataset presented in this article provides important background information on vascular plants in the Huangshui River Basin and, therefore, plays a crucial role in the protection and management of plant resources in this region.

Variability and determinants of vascular plant species composition in patches of old managed oak forest stands dispersed within Scots pine monocultures

In the temperate zone of Europe, Scots pine forests are expected to occupy the poorest habitats which are unfavourable for deciduous trees. However, as a result of deforestation of the most fertile habitats and the preference for Pinus sylvestris in silviculture, pine forests have become the dominant feature of the landscape in Central Europe. As a result, the area of optimal habitat for deciduous forest flora has been significantly reduced. Nevertheless, remnant patches of deciduous forest persist as habitat islands within extensive pine forest complexes and may serve as important refugia for meso- and eutrophilic forest species. However, the factors that contribute to the variation in species composition of such habitat islands and their role in maintaining biodiversity remain poorly understood. This paper aims to fill this knowledge gap.The studied deciduous (oak) stands exhibited a diverse vegetation, with species composition influenced by overstorey attributes, oak age, patch location, and the area and circularity of the deciduous forest. Species traits related to environmental variables included mainly preferences for closed or open forests, requirements for soil moisture, reaction, and fertility, and requirements for light conditions. The key message from our research is that oak islands are not simply patches of trees that are different from the surrounding area. Instead, they represent distinct plant communities that have developed to adapt to the prevailing environmental conditions by recruiting species with particular traits. The presence of oak islands within Scots pine monocultures is therefore important for increasing the diversity of the forest complex.The most relevant recommendation from our research for forest management is to maintain as many patches of deciduous tree stands as possible within a single pine forest complex, as even small habitat islands can make a significant contribution to the biodiversity of the forest complex.

THE ALIEN FLORA OF THE NATIONAL NATURE PARK «VYZHNYTSKYI»

List of the alien vascular plant species of the National Nature Park «Vyzhnytskyi» are specified. For the beginning of 2024, it counts 125 species, 101 genera and 38 families. Over last 18 years, this list enriched by 49 alien species. The analysis by taxonomy, life forms, temporal elements, and origin are carried out. Habitat preferences and peculiarities of naturalization are established. Within all alien species, kenophytes of North American origin prevail; within archaeophytes Mediterranean species prevail. According to the degree of naturalization, 90.0% of archaeophytes and 84.1% of kenophytes belong to the group of epoecophytes, confined to anthropogenic habitats. So, natural biotopes of the NPP are resistant to the process of adventitization, alien plants spread mostly in synanthropic habitats, which area is insignificant (2,65 ha). According to the «National Habitat Catalogue of Ukraine» (2018), 103 alien species are occurred in 18 habitats oh the 4th level, 4 habitats are synanthropic. In study area, alien plant species are listed for 7 habitat types from Natura 2000 and 7 habitats from Resolution 4 of the Bern Convention. The most invasiables is a habitat 6510 Lowland hay meadows (Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba officinalis) with 16 alien species, but these species (except of Lupinus polyphyllus and Narcissus poëticus), occur as a single individuals and do not cause changes in a community structure. For the habitat 6430 Hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities of plains and of the montane to alpine levels, 5 alien vascular species are listed, for the habitat 3230 Alpine rivers and their ligneous vegetation with Myricaria germanica – 4 species, for the habitat 3270 Rivers with muddy banks with Chenopodion rubri p.p. and Bidention p.p. vegetation– 2, in forest habitats 91E0, 9110 and 9130 – 1 species each in the herbal layer. Among 125 alien species, 26 belong to the group of high-active invasive plants in Ukraine, 2 of them impact plant cover on stude area significantly: Quercus rubra and Lupinus polyphyllus. Key words: alien plants, National Nature Park «Vyzhnytskyi», Chernivtsi region.

Effect of the rotation frequency in the eucalypt plantations

In the last century, eucalypt plantations are increasing all over the world. Concretely, in the Basque Country (northern Iberian Peninsula), 7% of pine plantations have been recently substituted by eucalypt plantations, where little is known about their ecological impact on soil and plant diversity. However, the most relevant impact is due to forest management, as Eucalyptus globulus Labill. plantations have a short harvesting cycle, 12–15 years rotations. In fact, the species is able to regenerate from stumps; therefore, those plantations are replanted after 3–4 rotations. This type of invasive and frequent management could lead to further adverse effects on the ecosystem. The aim of this study was to characterise and compare the eucalypt plantations newly established (New: never been harvested) with older ones (Old: several times harvested and grown from stumps), having been established for at least 35 years, and to identify the primary factors that could influence the richness and diversity of vascular plant species in those plantations. The results indicated that both plantations exhibited comparable characteristics with respect to deadwood (volume and decay stage) and tree size and density. However, the Old plantations exhibited higher forest heterogeneity, pH, and higher shrub and herb richness and diversity. Overall, generalist and invasive species were found in the New plantations, while in the Old plantations, typical species of the native forests were also observed. The factor that influenced plant diversity was the volume of deadwood. Regarding life forms, higher altitude and proximity to watercourses favoured tree diversity; and lower canopy cover, shrub diversity. In conclusion, the longer the plantation has been established, the greater the number of species that are able to survive and adapt. This is probably due to the fact that management disturbance is specific and not sufficient to remove the already established plants and the soil seed bank.

Study on plant diversity investigation and conservation plan-ning in Yiyang City

<p>Taking the urban plants of Yiyang as the research object, the field investigation of Yiyang plants was carried out by using the method of combining route investigation and quadrat investigation, the current situation of plant diversity level in Yiyang City was analyzed, and the planning content and construction strategy of plant diversity protection in Yiyang City were studied, in order to provide reference for the effective protection of plant diversity in Yiyang City. The results showed that there were 145 families, 481 genera and 955 species of vascular plants in Yiyang urban planning area; there are 232 species of garden plant resources in the central urban area, belonging to 62 families. 105 genera; the overall level of plant diversity in Yiyang City is general. Urban landscaping relies too much on exotic species, and the utilization rate of native plants in urban gardens is low.</p>

A large phylo-floristic study on the present and future assembly of the Wisconsin flora – An area unique in North America

With 1.4 million specimens the Wisconsin State Herbarium (WIS) is one of the largest in the Americas and Wisconsin offers botanists a unique opportunity to study species representing a confluence of global biomes. The state harbors >2640 species of vascular plants which have been sequenced for the two-gene plant DNA barcode to reconstruct a community phylogeny. At the same time >300’000 georeferenced specimens were used with bioclimatic and soil data to produce species distribution models for the flora, then subsequently aggregated to determine current and future patterns of species richness and phylogenetic diversity. Among the many surprising results uncovered are predictions that whereas species richness will increase as c. 850 taxa move into the state, c. 242 species will become extirpated by 2070. These most vulnerable species will not be affected at random. Furthermore, models suggest that Wisconsin’s projected climate will be unsuitable for most species to be able to retain their present distributions; only 65 % will be able to retain more than half of their current distributions. However, the state’s well known unglaciated Driftless Area may be able to serve as an Anthropocene refugium better than anywhere else in the region and should be targeted for increased land conservation.

Biodiversity of the spruce forest of the Tsuman Forestry (Kivertsi National Nature Park "Tsumanska Pushcha", Ukraine)

According to the results of field research during the vegetation period of 2022, 60 species of vascular plants and representatives of 35 taxa of invertebrates during the vegetation period of 2022 were found in the spruce forest of the Tsuman Forestry in the Kivertsi National Nature Park «Tsumanska Pushcha», Volyn Region. Three sites survey in sq. 4, ed. 18 of Tsuman forestry were carried out on 14.05.2022, 28.05.2022, 11.06.2022 and 25.09.2022. The tree layer was represented by Picea abies (L.) Karst. plantation in adding of Quercus robur L., Carpinus betulus L. The shrub layer was poorly developed, represented by singles Corylus avellana L. and Rubus idaeus L. In the grass layer of the test-аrea 16 Dentaria bulbifera L. was common, while in micro-lowering Geum rivale L., Myosoton aquaticum (L.) Moench, Maianthemum bifolium (L.) F.W. Schmidt as well as Galeobdolon luteum Huds. were spread. In test-areas 17–18 Oxalis acetosella L. with constant for this area species Urtica dioica L., Glechoma hederacea L. and Chelidonium majus L. were spread. The research area remoteness both from the town of Tsuman and highways contributed to the plant covering preservation. All types of forest plants were represented by aboriginal flora with typical nemoral (31 species; 51.8% of all plants under research) and boreal (15 species; 25.0%), boreal-nemoral species (5 species; 8.3%). The synanthropic fraction was represented by only 9 species (15.0%), among which 8.3% belonged to apophytes, 3.3% belonged both to archaeophytes and chenophytes. To sum up, this indicates significant preservation of the spontaneous flora. The eudodominant group of invertebrates were representatives of various orders of the class Insecta (41.65 %) from the total number of collected specimens. Dominant (DI ≥ 10.00 %) were Collembola (19.46 %) of the orders Poduromorpha and Symphypleona, sarcoptiform mites Sarcoptiformes (19.06 %), in particular shell mites Oribatida, Araneae. The subdominants (DI 1 – 9.99 %) include Myriapoda such as millipedes and centipedes, Arachnida are represented by harvest spiders Opiliones. Insects of this group include Aphidoidea, Heteroptera, Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Silphidae, Curculionidae, Hymenoptera and Diptera. Recedents (DI ≤ 1,00 %) are earthworms Lumbricidae, crustaceans Malacostraca, in particular woodlices Oniscidea, false scorpions Pseudoscorpiones. Among the insects, that occasionally fell into soil traps were Lepismatidae, Blattellidae, Neuroptera, Cicadellidae, Forficulidae, трипси Thysanoptera, Psocidae, Cerambycidae, Geortupidae, Elateridae, Chrysomelidae, Buprestidae, Raphidioptera, Hystrichopsyllidae from the genus Palaeopsylla and Lepidoptera. The greatest faunal diversity according to the Margalef index (3,74 та 3,72) is characteristic of the illuminated areas of the spruce forest within the dry area and the "window". The highest index of fauna similarity is found in areas of spruce forest with oak admixture and in the spruce forest "window".

The vascular and bryophyte flora of the Nature Monument Vrelo Une

During growing seasons 2018-2019 and in winter 2021, the flora of vascular plants and bryophytes of the Nature Monument Vrelo Une in southern Croatia was studied. The previous floristic data available for this area, covering 9.58 ha, are sparse, and this study recorded 219 taxa of vascular plants from 59 families. The species-richest families are Compositae (10.5%), Fabaceae (8.2%), Poaceae (7.8%), and Lamiaceae (6.4%). Additionally, 64 bryophyte species (14 liverworts and 50 mosses) were recorded. The spectrum of biogeographic elements of vascular plants places the study area in the Euro-Siberian region, at the meeting point of two vegetation sub-zones within the European broadleaf deciduous forests zone – thermophilic, sub-Mediterranean forests of the class Quercetea pubescentis and mesic forests of the class Carpino-Fagetea sylvaticae. The species of the South-eastern European and Illyrian elements give a local distinctiveness to the flora. The biogeographic elements of bryophytes are less sensitive but reflect the same biogeographical pattern. Since most of the researched area is covered by forests and thickets, the largest number of species of vascular plants are associated with these particular habitats, while rocks and aquatic habitats are the most important for bryophyte diversity. In terms of the IUCN categories, four species are classified as near threatened, three as least concern and three as data deficient. Invasive species have not been recorded.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF WEED FLORA IN MAIZE FIELDS IN THE AREA OF NOVI GRAD (REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA, B&H)

<p>Knowledge of the weed flora of a certain area, as well as knowledge of the relationship between cultivated plants and weed plants, is important for successful weed control and the efficient application of agrotechnical measures. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the weed flora in maize fields in the area of Novi Grad, as well as a taxonomic analysis, an analysis of the biological spectrum, a phytogeographical analysis and an analysis of ecological indicators of the maize weed flora. During field research on two maize fields in the area of Donji Rakani village (Novi Grad), a total of 38 species of vascular plants were collected, which were systematized into 35 genera and 16 families. The most abundant in terms of species numbers were the families Compositae (31.58%) and Poaceae (18.42%), as well as the genera <em>Erigeron</em>, <em>Ranunculus </em>and <em>Setaria</em>. Hemicryptophytes (36.84%) and therophytes (31.58%) dominated the biological spectrum. Phytogeographical analysis revealed the dominance of the Eurasian (25.81%) floral element. A total of seven adventive species were recorded. The paper also presents the results of the analysis of ecological indicators for soil moisture, soil reaction, nutrients, light and temperature. The results of our research contribute to a better knowledge of the weed flora in maize fields, which could be useful for creating more efficient weed control measures.</p>

Rare, protected, and understudied vascular plant species of the pinewood complex of the Mozh River valley (Kharkiv Region, Ukraine)

The composition of the biota is dynamic and changes for many reasons, making biodiversity research relevant. Studies of rare species that are most vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures are of particular importance. Although the Mozh River flows through the central part of the Kharkiv Region, its valley remains understudied, especially the pine forests and their rare plants. The results of the current study include data from our field research, revision of the Herbarium of V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (CWU), and literature sources from the second half of the 20th century to the present. This paper contains an annotated list of 35 species of vascular plants. Each species is provided with the data on its geographical range, distribution in Ukraine, population status and its study history in the Kharkiv Region, conservation status, and the state of its population in the studied forests. We found the localities of two species included in Appendix I of the Bern Convention (Salvinia natans (L.) All. and Jurinea cyanoides (L.) Rchb. and six species included in the Red Data Book of Ukraine (Botrychium lunaria (L.) Sw., Pulsatilla pratensis (L.) Mill., Iris pineticola Klok., Neottia nidus-avis (L.) Rich., Neottia ovata (L.) Hartm., Tulipa quercetorum Klok. & Zoz). We also found 19 species rare in the Kharkiv Region (Lycopodium clavatum L., Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth, Ophioglossum vulgatum L., Campanula persicifolia L., Chimaphila umbellata (L.) W.P.C. Barton, Comarum palustre L., Hottonia palustris L., Rubus saxatilis L., Carex pseudocyperus L., etc.). Nine regionally rare plant species have the boreal range type; they occur at the southern limit of their distribution range which indicates the specificity of ecological and climatic conditions formed in the pine forests in the Mozh River valley. In addition, we found five species without conservation status, but they are rare in the region (Caltha palustris L., Catolobus pendulus (L.) Al-Shehbaz, Gratiola officinalis L., Lythrum hyssopifolia L., Rubus polonicus Barr. ex Weston), and, therefore, they are recommended to be included in the next edition of the Official List of the Regionally Rare Plants of the Kharkiv Region. Three species (Buglossoides czernjajevii (Klokov & Des.-Shost.) Czerep., Jacobaea andrzejowskyi (Tzvelev) B.Nord. & Greuter, Sedum album L.) were identified as understudied in the Kharkiv region due to the lack of or insufficient information on their distribution in the study area.