Vitaliy Turych Project Report: Forest Ecosystems of the Ukrainian Part of the UNESCO Transboundary Biosphere Reserve "West Polesie" under the Global Environmental Changes Svitiaz, 2016 Content List of tables 3 List of figures 3 Summary 4 Introduction 5 Study area 5 Methods 7 Analysis 7 Results 21 Appendix 23 References 26 2 List of tables Table 1 Differentiation of pinewood plantations within different functional zones of the BR “Shatskyi” Table 2 The amount of precipitations per year on the BR “Shatskyi” territory Table 3 Climatic values of vegetation season of the Scotch pine per year on the BR “Shatskyi” territory Table 4 Radial amount of growth of model trees the Scotch pine List of figures Figure 1 Functional zonation of the "Shatskyi" Biosphere Reserve Figure 2 A percentage distribution of the Kraft classes within the test site 1 (core zone) and test site 6 (buffer zone) Figure 3 A percentage distribution of the Kraft classes within the test site 2 (core zone) and test site 5 (buffer zone) Figure 4 Current and average amount of growth by volume the model tree of the test site 4 Figure 5 The amount of growth the model #13 (201 year old) and it correlation with the sum of active temperatures and precipitations Figure 6 The amount of growth the model #6 (147 year old) and it correlation with the sum of active temperatures and precipitations Figure 7 The amount of growth the model #10 (81 year old) and it correlation with the sum of active temperatures and precipitations Figure 8 The amount of growth the model #1 (61 year old) and it correlation with the sum of active temperatures and precipitations Appendix Photos Cover photo: humid pine-oak subpinery Al3OSP – the most prevalent stand of the BR “Shatskyi” 3 Summary Vegetation cover of the Biosphere Reserve “Shatskyi” (BR) - Ukrainian part of the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (TBR) West Polesie - has undergone a significant human impact in the second half of the XX century. Here within 1960-1980 years the drainage, reclamation of wetland complexes was performed, which also influenced on the forest ecosystems. Conducting drainage reclamation and cutting down the forests caused significant changes in the conditions of forest habitat, changes of phytocoenotic features of vegetation affected the structure ecosystems of the whole territory. Creation in 1983 of National Park was the second factor of changes in the biota structure. Reducing the human impact and implementation of the preservation regime also accompanied by specific changes in the species composition of forest plant communities, their spatial and phytocoenotic structure as well as transformation of forest ecosystems as a whole. This necessitated further address the problem of preservation of protected areas through active conservation or application of specialized regimes of protection. One more factor of transformation the natural ecosystems is human pressure (recreational use, forestry management). In BR are many recreational facilities. During summer, about two thousand people, daily, visit the BR territory. They attend forests for walking, gathering mushrooms and berries. Also, in transit zone is located State Forestry Enterprise, which performs intensive forestry. Global warming occurs due to increasing the anthropogenic greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO2). Climate change is also having a significant impact on the ecosystem of the reserve. In the Ukrainian part of the TBR the predominant area is covered by forest ecosystems, about 52, 5 % of the territory. Among forests dominated Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) (occupying 62% of the forest area). Among them, the largest area is covered by forests blueberries (49%), smaller - green moss pine forests (12%), even smaller - moss pine forests (1-2%). About 8% of the forest formations belong to marshy pine forests. Oak-pine forests occur rarely, they occupy about 2% of forested areas. Alder forests cover about 20% of the forest's area. Their small areas marked throughout the reserve, but there are also significant areas of dense forests. Birch forests with Betula pendula, occupying about 16% of forested area, are found on in place of indigenous pine and oak-pine forests. The pine forests were chosen for investigations as the predominant forest's type within the BR territory. Keywords: forest ecosystems, global changes of natural environment, preservation, the Biosphere Reserve “Shatskyi”. 4 Introduction There are two types of global changes of the natural environment: regular and cumulative [35]. Regular changes characterizing by direct influence on a global level. These include industrial and consumer emissions of ozone-depleting and greenhouse gases, changes in vegetation. Cumulative changes influence the natural environment through accumulation the local changes all over the world, namely, soil depletion, toxic pollution, diminution of biodiversity and forests etc. Forest ecosystems decelerate and level the negative influence of the natural environment as well as regulate the climate in our planet. They absorb more carbon dioxide and carbon deposited as well as reduces the greenhouse effect. Forests play an important role in the water cycle and prevent the erosion. Forest soils filtrate water, which flow from the fields and industrial areas and cleaning them from many contaminants. Forests have a high level of biodiversity, providing a large number of ecosystem services. According to different estimations, during the last 200 years, the total area of all forests in our planet decreased approximately two times. Today, forests cover about 31% of total land of the Earth (WWF). Also, in accordance to WWF - 15% of all emissions of greenhouse gases are caused by decreasing of forests. For saving the forest ecosystems and, by that, achieving the targets of Paris agreement (2015), which was accepted in the frame of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992), it’s necessary to study the present state of forests, estimate the past and future threats as well as to develop the recommendations for sustainable management by forest ecosystems of BR “Shatskyi”. Also, it will be important to preserve the ecosystems of the Western Polesie in general. Study area The territory of BR “Shatskyi” is located on the Main European Watershed basins of the Black and Baltic Seas in West Polesie within the Upper Prypyat Region. Its uniqueness lies in the combination of forests, lakes, wetlands and meadow ecosystems with the presence of fragments of transformed dune formations. Latitude and longitude: from 51° 40' 03" N to 51° 22' 42" N and from 23°36' 26" E to 24° 08' 34" E. Absolute height is from 160,7 to 182,6 above sea level. The Ukrainian part of the TBR differs by the presence of a large complex of lakes; here are 23 lakes, including one of the largest lakes in the Ukraine - Svitiaz Lake. Within the TBR a great diversity of flora and fauna is observed as well as a large number of rare plants and animal species listed in the Red Book of Ukraine (2009). Climate - temperate continental with mild winters and relatively warm and humid summers. The average annual temperature is about + 8 ºC and average annual precipitations level is 500 mm. During some year’s rainfall may vary significantly from the average values of the Western region, because of the invasion of marine and polar masses as well as local microclimate features such as lowland character of territory and a large number of lakes. In 2002, the Shatsk National Nature Park has been designated for inclusion to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves as Biosphere Reserve "Shatskyi". In 2012, the BR "Shatskyi", as 5 the Ukrainian part, has been entered the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve West Polesie (TBR), which also consists of such Biosphere Reserves as West Polesie (Poland) and Pribuzhskoye Polesie (Belarus). According to Article 3 of the Statutory Framework Of The World Network Of Biosphere Reserves, the main functions of BR are the following: conservation - contribute to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation; development - foster economic and human development which is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable; logistic support - support for demonstration projects, environmental education and training, research and monitoring related to local, regional, national and global issues of conservation and sustainable development. The BR territory is divided into functional zones. While the reserve was created, its territory was already populated. The most valuable and undisturbed environmental systems have been identified as the core of the Biosphere Reserve. Areas that are adjacent to settlements and without the intensive use of natural resources were referred to buffer zone. The transit zone includes settlements, the objects of communal facilities and lands of other landowners and land users as well as the land, on which the economic activity is carried out in compliance with the general requirements for the protection of the environment. The above-mentioned functional zonation was promoting the development of traditional economic activities (agricultural production, forestry, construction of rural and village infrastructure, food processing industry etc.). Figure 1 Functional zonation of the "Shatskyi" Biosphere Reserve 6 Methods The study will be based on field observations of forests using the descriptive forest methods; determination of parameters the forest stands; botanic methods for analysing changes in the floristic composition of forest communities