Ecological features of sphagnum mosses on the territory of Ukrainian Gorgany

Abstract

The article summarizes current information on the ecological features of sphagnum mosses in the Gorgany massif on the basis of own field research, literature and herbarium data. Gorgany’s territory is of particular interest since it owns a great amount of debris fields (gorgan, grekhot, tsykot). What is more, the area is unique as it is almost impossible to encounter any mountain meadows there typical of other mountain ranges in the Ukrainian Carpathians. This is one of the most forested and the least inhabited area in Ukrainian Carpathians, it is a relatively inaccessible mountain range, thus the research of biota, including sphagnum mosses is highly newsworthy. In total, 23 species of sphagnum are known for the study area. Sphagnum quinquefarium, S. capillifolium, S. girgensohnii, S. russowii, S. squarrosum were found to be the most common species of the genus in the study area. Among the ecogroups of sphagnum mosses, subheliophytes predominate in relation to the light regime (39 %), regarding the hydromorph spectrum the predominance of hygrophytes (76 %) is observed. According to the trophic nature of the medium, the vast majority of sphagnums are olihomesotrophs (30 %), in terms of soil pH 39 % of mosses are acidophiles. Sphagnum is characterized by two main life forms: turf (Tf) and tuft (Tuft), and S. cuspidatum under certain conditions can form a secondary life form, represented by a water colony (Ac). Species S. centrale, S. majus, S. obtusum, S. warnstrofii are the most sensitive to the degree of landscape cultivation. They usually grow in ahemorob groups, and the species S. fallax is the hardiest and can occur in a wide range from ahemerob to euhemerob ecosystems. The topicality of the study of sphagnums is shown, as they are much less common than other species of mosses, because they are confined to a narrow range of habitats. Sphagnum populations and their ecological indicators have great potential for use as indicators of the state of natural ecosystems, as they are sensitive to both climate change and anthropogenic pressure. Due to global changes in the ecosystems of the Carpathian region, drastic changes in humidification conditions, transformation of potential vegetation, destruction of natural habitats, moderate recreational load, there are possible threats to sphagnum moss populations. Therefore, in order to preserve them, it is necessary to study the changes that occur with sphagnum in recent decades.