Ecological-Cenotic Population Characteristics of Hedera Helix L. (Araliaceae) on the Territory of Slovechansko-Ovruchsky Ridge

Abstract

Monitoring of the population dynamics has great theoretical and practical importance. The greatest interest is the population of rare species or those on the verge of its distribution area. Rare species diagnose well integrated complex environmental characteristics. They serve as a sensitive instrument for monitoring state of the environment. The Hedera helix area includes the territory of the Western Europe and south-western part of Eastern Europe. Ivy is considered as relict plant species. Smyk G. K. explains the disjunct of the area with the detrimental effect of massive deforestation of deciduous forests in the 20 years of the last century. New findings of the Hedera helix presence on the territory of Polissya set the question about hypothetical relict status of the species.
We analyzed the habitat environment of the species, the flora and vegetation on the territory of the Slovechansko-Ovruchsky ridge. We chose this region as a model because there is the highest diversity of ecosystems and discovery of the new species. Here the landscape and species diversity are higher than in any other Polissya territory. The research material is standard geobotanical descriptions. The study lasted from 2004 to 2018. We used synphytoindication method to evaluate the environment. We determined anthropogenic influence on the level of hemery (anthropotolerance) of plants using the Didukh-Khomyak scale. We used the Simargl 1.12 software to calculate synphytoindication habitat.
Our studies have shown that habitat species has narrow range of environmental factors indicators. Hedera helix is located on the territory of the Slovechansk-Ovruch ridge under stenotypic conditions (3% phytoindycation scale overlap). Hedera helix is found in ecosystems with an autotrophic unit in the form of the association Stellario holosteae-Carpinetum betuli (class Carpino-Fagetea). However, along with these habitats there are territories that have similar environmental conditions that are not occupied by Hedera helix. Finding an answer to this question requires more in-depth research.