Open pit coal mining is a global problem, because mines occupy large areas that completely change the relief, dramatically affect ecosystems, as a result of which they lose most of their functions, and a significant part of the fertile soil degrades and becomes unsuitable for agricultural activities. In the presented work, the initial stage of soil formation was studied, the parameters of the granulometric composition of uneven-aged rocks of Donbas mine dumps, their nutritional regime, and the species composition of soil algae were studied. Samples were taken from three different-aged rock dumps of the mines: ˮSouth-Donbaska -3ˮ (rock storage for 40 years); ˮSouth-Donbaska -1ˮ (storage of rock for 52 years), ˮTrudovska №5 -bis (storage of rock for more than 100 years). The agrochemical parameters of the rock were determined in the samples: pH water , humus, nitrate nitrogen, mobile phosphorus, exchangeable potassium, particle size distribution. The determination of granulometric fractions of 0-20 cm layer of rock dumps of the mines shows, along with the age, a potential increase of the dump of fine fractions and a decrease in the fraction of stones from 83% in the dump of the South-Donbaska mine, and by 30 to 64.7% in the dump of the Trudovska No. 5-bis. The proportion of the clay fraction is not high in all dumps and it does not exceed 1%, but its appearance indicates the initial stage of a soil structure formation. Soil formation begins with the colonization of mineral rocks with soil algae. The species composition of soil algae, the quantitative accounting were determined by microscopy of a freshly selected soil sample and by cultural methods. Algae species were determined by determinants. In the rock dump, the structure of algal groups becomes more similar to, their structure in the background soils of the territory. The dominance of the representatives of Chlorophyta and Cyanophyta in the rock indicates the steppe process of soil formation. The data obtained contribute to the expansion of the ecological and biological understanding of the initial stages of the formation of soil cenoses.

Europe’s forests, particularly in Ukraine, are highly vulnerable to climate change. The maintenance and improvement of forest health are high-priority issues, and various stakeholders have shown an interest in understanding and utilizing ecological interactions between trees and their associated microorganisms. Endophyte microbes can influence the health of trees either by directly interacting with the damaging agents or modulating host responses to infection. In the framework of this work, ten morphotypes of endophytic bacteria from the tissues of unripe acorns of Quercus robur L. were isolated. Based on the results of the sequenced 16S rRNA genes, four species of endophytic bacteria were identified: Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus subtilis, Delftia acidovorans, and Lelliottia amnigena. Determining the activity of pectolytic enzymes showed that the isolates B. subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens could not cause maceration of plant tissues. Screening for these isolates revealed their fungistatic effect against phytopathogenic micromycetes, namely Fusarium tricinctum, Botrytis cinerea, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Inoculation of B. subtilis, B. amyloliquefaciens, and their complex in oak leaves, in contrast to phytopathogenic bacteria, contributed to the complete restoration of the epidermis at the sites of damage. The phytopathogenic bacteria Pectobacterium and Pseudomonas caused a 2.0 and 2.2 times increase in polyphenol concentration in the plants, respectively, while the ratio of antioxidant activity to total phenolic content decreased. Inoculation of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus subtilis isolates into oak leaf tissue were accompanied by a decrease in the total pool of phenolic compounds. The ratio of antioxidant activity to total phenolic content increased. This indicates a qualitative improvement in the overall balance of the oak leaf antioxidant system induced by potential PGPB. Thus, endophytic bacteria of the genus Bacillus isolated from the internal tissues of unripe oak acorns have the ability of growth biocontrol and spread of phytopathogens, indicating their promise for use as biopesticides.

The article considers the existing approaches to the management of environmental risks in agricultural production. It is noted that in order to minimize environmental risks in agrocenoses and improve environmental safety in agroecosystems, it is necessary to assess the consequences of the impact of agricultural activities on agrocenoses. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to summarize the main environmental risks in agrocenoses and determine levers of environmental risks managent to minimize their negative impact in agricultural production and improve the safety of agroecosystems. It is shown that in order to control the consequences of environmental risks, it is important to develop an algorithm for the process of managing environmental risks in agrocenoses throughout the crop cycle. The fundamental principles of this process include studying the main factors of environmental risks for growing crops and developing a list of environmental risks in agrocenoses; identification of the main levers of environmental risk management in agrocenoses, which include recommendations for the use of optimal measures in agricultural production to prevent or minimize environmental risks. The list of main environmental risks in agrocenoses is proposed, which summarizes the sources of their occurrence and the consequences for agrocenosis. The main environmental risks in agrocenoses include climate change, soil degradation, anthropogenic soil pollution, changing of the optimal ratio of land used in agriculture, unsatisfactory phytosanitary condition of crops. The main levers of environmental risk management in agrocenoses are identified and priority measures are given to prevent the negative consequences of the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on agrocenoses. It is noted that the development of new methodological approaches to the management of environmental risks will minimize their impact on agrocenoses and improve the safety of agroecosystems.

Miscanthus × giganteus Greef et Deu. is a perennial herbaceous introduced energy hybrid plant whose biomass is used after processing to a solid or liquid biofuel. The plant is characterized by a relatively low level of absorption of pollutants from the soil by vegetative organs, as its well-developed root system acts as a buffer, helps to stabilize pollutants in the soil and prevents their further spread. Sustainable Miscanthus × giganteus Greef et Deu.(M. × giganteus) growth on contaminated with heavy metals and other хenobiotiсs soil depends on its adaptive performance, including establishment rate, resistance to stressors. The one way to address this issue is the use of plant growth regulators (PGRs), namely Stimpo and Regoplant with micromycete Cylindrocarpon obtusiusculum (Sacc.) U. Braun, whose metabolites are the active substance. The objective of this laboratory study was to evaluate possibility to cultivate Cylindrocarpon obtusiusculum on Chapek’s medium with replacing of hydrocarbon component glucose to chipper one – lactose or starch for further production of Stimpo and Regoplant and testing its growth stimulating activity on M. giganteus. The results showed that the most suitable for the growth and accumulation of biomass of C. obtusiusculum was the Chapek media, which includes starch. The mean growth rate of C. obtusiusculum was in 2.3-fold higher on 8th day of cultivation compared to growth on glucose medium and in 3.3-fold higher than growth on lactose medium. It was found that on the 6th day of growth the concentration of biomass accumulaed by the strain was higher on the medium with a single carbon source – starch with value of2.47 g/l, respectively. On the Chapek medium with glucose and lactose, the biomass concentration was twice as low. Obtained results indicated the possibility of replacing glucose – a valuable carbon sources of Chapek’s medium with starch as a cheaper ingredient for PGRs production. Cultivation of C. obtusiusculum with a change in carbohydrate source did not affect the morphological characteristics and development of spore-bearing cultures. On the medium with starch the growth acceleration and formation of mycelial fungal metabolites was observed, which were used further to obtain of the culture fluid and PGRs Stimpo and Regoplant. Their growth – sti- mulating activity against giant miscanthus was revealed, namely the positive influence on the indicators of Miscanthus establishment and growth rate. The statistical analysis conformed that source of сarbon and type of PGRs effect the length of roots and aerial part of Miscanthus sprouts(Radj2 = 0.91 and Radj2 = 0.87 respectively).

Forests perform essential ecological functions -water protection, sanitation, health, recreation, and aesthetics. The research aimed to substantiate the ecological and economic importance of forest resources in the Kyiv region and analyse their rational use and protection. The article shows that the Kyiv region belongs to the regions with an average level of forest cover -592.8 thousand hectares or 22.2%. The level of forest cover is uneven in the area of the Kyiv Forest zone. It is 44%, and in the area of the Forest-Steppe, it is much lower and decreases from north to south. The use of forest resources in the Kyiv region in 2019 amounted to harvesting liquid wood of 999.5 thousand m 2 , and deforestation was carried out on 75.5 thousand hectares. The region's volume of forestry works and services amounted to 8,9 million dollars, and the wood stock makes 90805,9 thousand m 2 . Emphasis is placed on the importance of protecting the Red Book species of plants and fungi that grow in the forests of the Kyiv region. Examples of harmful economic activity in the areas belonging to the nature reserve fund and large-scale fires in April 2020, which covered more than 3.5 thousand hectares of forests in the region and caused damage to forest fauna and flora. The studied region's positive environmental and economic factors have been admitted by planting trees on an area of 2151 hectares and sowing seeds of forest species on an area of 67 hectares in 2020.