Floristic and ecological structure of the landfill vegetation in the Western Forest Steppe of Ukraine

Purpose. To establish the taxonomic and ecological structure of the flora and to make conclusions about the course of natural vegetative reclamation processes of the Western Forest Steppe landfills of Ukraine. Methodology. The analysis and study of the ecological and floristic structure of the landfill flora was carried out in accordance with generally accepted methods: floristic, monitoring, general scientific, mathematical and statistical ones. Findings. It has been established that the flora of the studied landfills (large, medium, small ones) is represented by tree-shrub and herbaceous (mainly ruderal) vegetation. During the reconnaissance and field surveys, 53 species were identified, including 18 species of trees, 8 species of shrubs and 27 species of herbaceous plants. The formation of a natural process of plant improvement at various landfills in the Western Forest Steppe is mainly due to the participation of the Magnoliopsida and Magnoliophyta phylum classes, which make up 84–89 % of plant species. The distribution of landfill vegetation according to the requirements for lighting intensity showed that heliophytes (50–67 %) predominate at all types of landfills. This indicates good illumination of all areas of the studied landfills and a positive light regime. The heterogeneity of vegetation cover and ecological conditions of its development at typical landfills in the Western Forest Steppe is primarily due to negative factors caused by the operation of these technogenically hazardous facilities. Originality. The degree of risk is determined to the ecological system due to the technogenic load of the region under study caused by landscape-transforming factors of landfills, as well as methods for overcoming negative situations using phytomeliorative approaches. The main scientific principles are based on the decommissioning of landfills through the use of phytocoenoses-reclamation, the implementation of which contributes to the improvement of environmental safety. Spatial patterns are established of ecological succession at landfills, which allows predicting the effects of man-made pollution of landfills on biota. Practical value. Understanding the processes of natural phytomelioration depending on edaphic and climatic factors will allow the selection of effective plant species for the stage of reclamation at landfills.