Trifolium rubens is a Central European forest-steppe plant species reaching its eastern distribution limit in Ukraine and listed in the Red Book of Ukraine (2009).Our study was carried out in 2016–2020 and aimed to analyze the distribution of T. rubens in Ukraine, to identify the composition of phytocoenoses with T. rubens, and to evaluate the current state of its populations in the Zakarpattia region of Ukraine. The distribution of this species was analyzed based on data obtained from the field surveys, literature, online resources, and herbaria. In total, 78 localities of T. rubens were analyzed. Trifolium rubens was found to be distributed in Zakarpattia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, Chernivtsi, and Vinnytsia regions of Ukraine. Two of these regions (Khmelnytskyi and Chernivtsi) were not mentioned before in the Red Book of Ukraine. The presence of T. rubens in Volyn, Zhytomyr, Cherkasy, and Kyiv regions is doubtful and not confirmed by recent data. Most localities of this species are known from Zakarpattia and Lviv regions.Three new localities were found in the Beregovo district of the Zakarpattia region in the foothills of the Volcanic Carpathians. The floristic compositions of the plant communities and ontogenetic structure of T. rubens populations in Beregovo and Mukachevo districts of the Zakarpattia region were investigated. Investigated populations are isolated with a dispersed disposition of plants on large areas. Trifolium rubens occurs here in meadow-steppe and meadow areas, on hillsides, and also participate in mesoxerophilous secondary (semi-natural) shrub communities in anthropogenically transformed areas. Often such populations are situated along pathways, on forest edges and fallow lands, and associated with ecotones of Trifolio-Geranietea sanguinei class. All studied populations were incomplete with the domination of generative shoots.
The article presents the results of a study of coenopopulations of European relict species, regionally rare ornamental spring ephemeroid Isopyrum thalictroides L. in the collection “Rare plants of the flora of Ukraine” and botanical-geographical areas “Altai and Western Siberia” and “Steppes of Ukraine” of M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NBG). The origin of I. thalictroides in the areas of the NBG is different. On the plot “Rare plants of the flora of Ukraine” I. thalictroides is an introduced species, but in the areas “Altai and Western Siberia” and “Steppes of Ukraine” it is ergasiophygophyte. In the areas of NBG I. thalictroides shows a tendency to expand the territory, penetrates into forest (“Altai and Western Siberia”) and meadow-steppe (“Steppes of Ukraine”) cultural phytocoenoses, where it forms spontaneous coenopopulations. The conditions of habitats and sizes of coenopopulations of I. thalictroides differ in the areas of NBG: the largest is in the area “Rare plants of flora of Ukraine” (2.6 × 2.6 m), medium in “Altai and Western Siberia” (sizes of loci 1.3 × 1.3 m, 0.4 × 0.4 m and 0.1 × 0.1 m), the smallest in “Steppes of Ukraine” (0.3 × 0.3 m). Rhythms of growth and development of I. thalictroides in the conditions of Kyiv quite correspond to seasonal fluctuations of temperatures. The earliest flowering of I. thalictroides was observed in the areas of the NBG in the first half of April 2020, the latest in the second half of April in 2021–2022; flowering period in the beginning of fruiting in all areas coincided. Coenotic conditions of I. thalictroides habitats in the composition of artificially formed vegetation in the NBG and in nature differ. In the NBG areas, the species grows together with introduced, native and alien plant species and shows significant ecological and coenotic plasticity. The age spectra of all coenopopulations of I. thalictroides on the NBG areas are left-handed. The total percentage of shoots of the pregenerative period of ontogenesis (juvenile, immature, virginіle) is very high (88.98–93.62 %). The highest values are for virginile shoots (71.78–82.98 %), which may be due to the predominance of vegetative propagation over seed. The spatial distribution of shoots in coenopopulations of I. thalictroides is group, which may be due to a combination of barochoria and vegetative propagation. The number of shoots in coenopopulations of I. thalictroides in different parts of the NBG differs significantly: the largest is in the area “Rare plants of flora of Ukraine” (3562 shoots), medium in “Altai and Western Siberia” (1017 shoots), the smallest in “Steppes of Ukraine” (47 shoots). In contrast, the average density of shoots in all coenopopulations of I. thalictroides is high, uniform and is 522–546 different age shoots per 1 m2. The dependence of the number of flowers and/or fruits оn generative shoots from the height of the shoots was not detected. A study of the growth and development of I. thalictroides in NBG areas has shown that the formation of coenopopulations, both introductory and spontaneous, is an effective and promising method of conservation and protection of this species ex situ.
Distinctive features of ex situ plant populations (outside natural habitats) are manifested during the formation and development of groups of individuals mainly in the process of their introduction and acclimatization. The experience and practice of using terms for ex situ plant populations has been analyzed. Information about artificially created plant groups is generalized. The results of the analysis concerning the definition of the term "ex situ plant population" and its use in relation to introduced plants are presented. The list of definitions for the following terms are given: "initial population", "introductive population", "introductive coenotic population", "introduced population", "cultivated populations", "agro population", "cultural population", "hybrid population", "artificial population", "experimental population", "spontaneous population". It has been stated that modeling, forming and copying methods are used to form ex situ plant populations. It has been noted that ex situ plant populations can be formed and developed independently or artificially formed. The scheme of distribution of ex situ plant populations by the degree of genetic integrity, ability to reproduce, duration of existence, size and stage of development, place and style of formation of the initial population is proposed. It has been established that groups of genetically homogeneous individuals of artificial plant groups that freely cross each other and for a long time reproduce offsprings can be characterized as populations. Such populations are the result of purposeful human activity on the introduction and cultivation of plants, and are largely dependent on anthropic influence. The study of their structure and dynamics is a prerequisite for predicting and evaluating the success of introductions and preventing threats of spontaneous propagation and uncontrolled, unwanted naturalization of plants under new growth conditions.
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