Features of landscape and forest pathology processes differentiation in the Sheshory Natural Scientific Research Department (“Hutsulshcnyna” National Park)

Abstract

Goal. During fieldwork, the detailed landscape and forest pathology research was carried out at the key site of the Sheshory Natural Scientific Research Department (NSRD) of the Hutsulshchyna National Park. The purpose of these studies was to determine the landscape differentiation of forest pathology processes in the studied area.

Method. The method of landscape field mapping by G. P. Miller and the methodology of research on forest-pathological processes by O. M. Fedirko were used. Arc Map 10 software was used at all stages of the research. The basis of the research was the usage of different cartographic materials, cosmic pictures, plans of plantations, forest-tactical descriptions and forest pathology surveys of the Sheshory NSRD.

Results. As a result of the conducted landscapes and forest pathology researches it has been determined that the largest pathogen of forest pathology processes is the bark beetograph, because it has damaged (37.5%) of the stands, a significant proportion of the stands have been damaged by necrosis (22.6%), armillaria (23.6%), bacteria (15.2%), Heterobasidion annosum (1.02%). Total area of natural territorial complexes (NTCs) with affected forest stands is 207.8 hectares (18.8%) of the total area of forest-covered NTCs. The largest proportion of affected trees belongs to ripe strains, the age of which is 80-100 years (33.4%) and medieval – 40-60 years (32.2%). The overgrown forests, whose age is over 100 years old are affected the least (1%).

Trees, which are concentrated in the tracts of steep slopes of the northwest and north-eastern exposition, the drainage basins of the northwest and north-eastern exposition and edgings, suffered the greatest loss. There is a pattern that dry areas are confined to the junction of the NTCs, in this case, the strike and the simple tract.

After analyzing the landscape and forest pathology situation in the studied territory, it has been found that the greatest variety of pathogens in forest pathology processes has steep slopes of different exposures, since within the same tract there are tree species affected by bark beetle, necrosis and bacteria, which is not characteristic for other types of tracts.

Scientific novelty. On the territory of the Pokutsk Carpathians landscape-logging research was carried out for the first time. A landscape map was made on a key plot at the level of terrain, a line and tracts on a scale of 1:25 000, detailed forest pathology studies were carried out within the key area, the spatial arrangement of the areas of dry stands and their area was determined. The percentage of affected areas to the morphological units of the landscape is determined using the Arc Map 10 software. Dependence of forest pathology phenomena distribution on the landscape structure of the territory has been determined.

Practical significance. Materials of research can be used by employees of the scientific departments, employees of the forest protection department of the Hutsulshchyna National Park, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine in developing recommendations for environmental protection measures in the territory of the Hutsulshchyna National Park and other forest users, the Emergency Department of the Kosiv District Administration, and other structures, concerning nature conservation, recreation and tourism.