Vegetation syntaxonomy of the Center for restoration and conservation of ecosystems "Kasova Hora"

This article is dealing with the syntaxonomy of vegetation of the Center for Restoration and Conservation of Ecosystems (CRCE) "Kasova Hora" (71 ha), created in 2023 on the part of the Kasova Hora tract that was not included in the Halytskyi National Nature Park. The purpose of the study is to assess the level of vegetation diversity and to establish a syntaxonomical scheme for the area of CRCE "Kasova Hora" as a basis for recommendations on differentiated management and forthcoming monitoring, and for evaluation of the effectiveness of protective efforts. The study was conducted in June 2023. It was found that the vegetation of the studied area is diverse and differentiated according to geomorphological and edapho-hydrological conditions, and land use practices in the past. Jointly, 10 associations and 1 community belong to the 8 alliances, 8 orders, and 7 vegetation classes are noticed here. Meadow-steppe vegetation is represented by the two associations of the alliance Cirsio-Brachypodion pinnati Hadač et Klika in Klika et Hadač 1944. On the gypsum outcrops, the community from the order Stipo pulcherrimae-Festucetalia pallentis Pop 1968 is observed. Thermophilous edges of the alliance Geranion sanguinei Tx. in T. Müller 1962 are represented by the three associations. Mesophitic hay meadows belong to the one association of the Arrhenatherion elatioris Luquet 1926 alliance. Shrub thickets of the Berberidion vulgaris Br.-Bl. ex Tx. 1952 alliance are attributed to the one association. Synanthropic vegetation of the Arction lappae Tx. 1937 and Senecionion fluviatilis Tx. ex Moor 1958 alliances are represented by the two associations. In wet depressions, the one association of the alliance Phragmition communis Koch 1926 is noticed. As a result of the cessation of the traditional management practices, a significant transformation of the vegetation cover is observed, which consists of overgrowth with shrubs and the spread of rhizomatous herbaceous species. In order to preserve and maintain the desired state of the meadow steppes vegetation of the CRCE "Kasova Hora", it is necessary to develop a differentiated regime of protective measures and efforts for different types of plant communities.