The structure of populations and the factors of threats to rare plant species of international red lists in the Ukrainian Carpathians

Juvenile individuals eliminate under the canopy of fir-trees. Germination capacity of larch seeds is low (15-20%). The viability of the population is predetermined by low competitiveness of Picea abies. The population is of great scientific importance for the investigation of the history of forest development. Besides it has practical value as a seed plot. Rock slides, the development of spontaneous successions and forest fires cause threat for the larch population. Lately foresters have been transplanting saplings of Pinus cembra. In our opinion, in prospect it will cause negative changes in the structure of phytocoenosis. Locality Manyavsky Skyt occupies 356 ha (N 48039'33,44"; E 4023'33,34"; 507-573 m a.s.l.) and is situated in Bohorodchany region (Ivano-Frankivsk). The total area is occupied by pure stand of larch as well as by the larch trees with Picea abies, Fagus sylvatica and Abies alba (approximately 12 hectares). To support the population, constant anthropogenic interference is required. Natural seed reproduction occurs only after thinning of tree layer and selective felling of young grows of Picea abies, Fagus sylvatica and Abies alba. The forest plantation is of great importance as a monument of Forestry of Ukraine. Besides, it has practical value as a seed plot.

On purpose to discover Armeria pocutica there was committed field research around Topilche village (Verkhovyna region, Ivano-Frankivsk) where species was found and described by B. Pawlowski. The research on the territory along the Chorny Cheremosh river valley with similar ecological, hydrological and soil parameters was carried out too. Clearings, hay-lands and pastures on both slopes of the Chorny Cheremosh valley on the route from Valylo farm site to the Dzembronia river were studied. On the whole, the territory from river bank to elevation 760 m was examined. In some cases searches were conducted up to the altitude 780-800 m. Nevertheless the Armeria pocutica was not found. Thus, we can make the conclusion that if the population of A. pocutica really disappeared it happened due to:

• usage of chemical fertilizers on hay-lands, plowing or hay-land recultivation in 19601980;

• spontaneous reforestation of clearings (local people deny this fact)

• catastrophic flood which happened in June 1969 when banks were washed and meadows were buried in silt, rocks etc.;

• mass construction works (this version is the most plausible if you compare maps of 1930-s and contemporary maps you can see that nowadays built-up area is much wider and massive).

If the population of A. pocutica still exists, it could be missed due to:

• inaccuracy or mistakes in B. Pawlowski notices (looks unlikely);

• population is in stagnation, there is not any generative stem or there are only few of stems (it is hard to recognize species without them).

Conclusions

The conducted investigation determined the priority and indicating significance of the group and individual characteristics of viability of small populations. The most important characteristics are their genetic variability, effective and total number, the area of habitats, quantity dynamics (in particular, flowering individuals), effectiveness of seed and vegetative propagation etc.

Quantitative characteristics, vectors and amplitude of changes of these parameters serve as the top priority indicating characteristics of the state and prospects of small population development. Whereas the most important characteristics of vitality and viability of large populations are: density, age structure, seed efficiency, vegetative mobility, phytomass stock and vitality structure.

The majority of viable and stable small populations have the structure of normal full member populations. The maximum quantity of adult individuals is within virginal - generative age groups. Whereas the indicators of low viability and stability are incompleteness of age spectra, in particular, unavailability or crucially low percentage rate of generative individuals, frequent breaks in generative individuals flowering and flashes of flowering. Considerable part of generative individuals in the structure of small populations is a significant index of their high viability, and the steady number of flowering individuals in long-term dynamics is the indicator of population stability in general.

Stochastic changes of natural environment and the influence of anthropogenic factors do cause reduction of the part of generative individuals in the structure of populations and increasing the role of vegetative way of self-support.

It has been determined that the level of intra- and interpopulation variability positively and proportionally correlates with the adaptability of species. The species with high intra- and interpopulation variability (Heracleum carpaticum) have the highest adaptive capabilities. The species with high interpopulation and simultaneously low intrapopulation variability are especially endangered (Achillea schurii). Small populations of these species are especially vulnerable to the external negative influence and endogenic stochasticities.

The availability and localization of positive individuals-neighbours in the coenosis should be taken into account while providing the measures as to the repatriation of the populations, support or renovation of their viability. The factor of interference between the species is of great importance to the viability of Heracleum carpaticum populations.

The existence of small populations is being mostly endangered by overgrazing, picking plants for making herbariums, stochastic endogenic genetic and demographic interpopulation changes and variable unexpected natural disturbance in coenoses.

The majority of the populations of rare species have a low adaptive capability to the negative anthropogenic impact. Under the moderate or short-term loading their adaptation mostly consists in the transition to the lower levels of vitality. Prolonged anthropogenic impact (more than 2-4 years) results in the elimination of some part of individuals and reducing the density of populations. The intermediate link of anthropogenic adaptations for the majority of small populations is their capacity to sharp activation of the processes of seed propagation which has vital practical importance. However, the mentioned adaptive reaction is not prolonged, and mostly lasts for one year; henceforth it is accompanied by decrease of the individuals' vitality. The slightest changes have been revealed for the species with high vegetative mobility.

Among the investigated species the populations of Heracleum carpaticum, Silene zawadskii, and Achillea schurii need urgent protection. Considerable part of the studied populations has crucial total or effective quantity. Endogenous factors of threat, in particular, demographic and genetic stochasity are also mostly caused by this fact. The factors of direct anthropogenic impact - grazing, trampling, picking plants or indirect impact caused by the disturbance of the integrity of the ecosystems components and fixed interrelations between species increase the threat to the viability of the populations.

Overgrazing is the main anthropogenic threat to the populations of Heracleum carpaticum. As H. carpaticum belongs to the fodder herbs and is willingly eaten by cattle and sheep in the pastures (Mt. Chyvchyn, Mt. Pip Ivan Marmaros'ky), in most cases its density is very low and makes less than one individual per 100 м2, while the total number of individuals is 200-300, among which only 20-40 individuals are actually reproductive.

The majority of generative individuals is damaged (primarily inflorescences) by farm animals. These circumstances cause the threat to the existence of populations in consequence of low seed productivity, and in the result, they predetermine little effectiveness of seed propagation, which is the main way of self-support of this species.

Stenotopic of Silene zawadskii and Achillea schurii predetermine their rareness. The populations experience the threat of stochastic ecological and coenotic changes during primary and secondary successions and unexpected endogenic (genetic and demographic) changes as a result of low quantity of individuals and small area of habitats. One more factor of threat is man's impact, in particular, gathering of medicinal plants, which causes the disturbance in rocky coenoses.

Small populations of Silene zawadskii and Achillea schurii on Mt. Mokryniv Kamin' are endangered because of the influence of negative endogenic (genetic and demographic) and exogenic (weathering of rocks, silvatization etc.) stochastic changes. The tendency to the reducing the quantity of individuals and vitality of the populations on Mt. Mokryniv Kamin' and Mt. Velyky Kamin' has been determined. It is caused by the overgrowing of these local reserves with forest and bushes as a result of conservancy.

Silene dubia is an explerent, the eco-phytocoenotic optimum of which covers grassland and partly eroded plots within forest belt and open rocky communities at high altitude. Owing to the intensification of management activity in the Carpathians during the past century the number of populations of the species within its area has been increased at the expense of developing numerous newly formed inter-forest meadows and pastures, and also sides of mountain roads and tracks. In high altitude rocky coenoses, which experienced insignificant anthropogenic transformations, the processes of colonization of new habitats are unnoticeable. The species is out of threat in the larger part of the Ukrainian Carpathians territory. Only the populations in the north-western part (the Beskydy), where they occur separately, need protection.

It is necessary to organize an efficient protection of ecosystems in which the habitats of rare species, in particular, small populations of endangered species are concentrated. The majority of them can be protected only on condition that phytocoenosis and biotopes will be preserved as integral systems. Interrelationships between the species and, in particular, between the plant species in high altitude communities are fixed and close. In case of disturbance, the so-called effect of "hole in stocking" when the loss of even one component of the system imbalances the interrelationships and results in the elimination of the other components.

For the purpose to protect nature diversity of the Ukrainian Carpathians, it is necessary to create an integrated special-purpose programme of preservation and renovation of biodiversity which will stipulate:

• Inventory (mapping, description, database creation) of the rare species populations;

• Development of the principles of individual approach to the preservation and renovation of certain populations;

• Joining new plots which have rare populations and phytocoenoses to the protected areas;

• Following the regimes of protection in the preserved areas and effectual control;

• Regulation of visiting the preserved areas;

• Working out an acting mechanism as to the adhering to the recommendations stated in the conclusions of independent professional ecologic inspections while planning and implementation of recreation objects and conducting sport actions;

• Development and implementation of the programmes of ecological information, education and training;

• Granting Heracleum carpaticum the status of a protected object and/with entering/listing it into the Red Book of Ukraine.

It is necessary to enlarge extant nature protected areas and to create the new ones, in particular, at the high altitude of the Chornohora and the Svydovets massifs. The status of the protected objects should be granted to the massifs of Mt. Rebra, Mt. Berbeneska, Mt. Munchul, and Mt. Pip Ivan. The ground for the protection of these massifs is concentration of small populations of the rare species which are under the threat of vanishing [3].

In spite of nature protected status of the area, the unique communities having a lot of rare species located in the massif of the Svydovets in the north-western part of Mt. Dragobrat and Mt. Komyn (1650-1700 meters above the sea level), the area is being used for pasturing. The species listed in the Red Book of Ukraine and the Carpathians endemics such as: Saussurea alpina, Achillea schurii, Minuartia zarencznyi (Zapal.) Klok. are grown on small area (0.5 hectare). The small area and permanent pasturing predetermines its high vulnerability. It is necessary to establish an effective protection regime in this massif.

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