Syntaxonomy of vegetation of Kalush hexachlorobenzene toxic waste landfill (Ivano-Frankivsk region)

Abstract

The vegetation of a landfill of hexachlorobenzene toxic waste was studied. It is situated in the neighborhood of Kalush (Ivano-Frankivsk region) and has an area of 4.5 ha. As a result of damage to the containers, hazardous waste has contaminated the air, soil and aquifers at the test site and adjacent areas. During the period 2010–2012 measures were taken to recover and remove the mixture of toxic waste and contaminated soil from the landfill. In its place, unpolluted soil was brought to the landfill. Work was carried out to recultivate the territory. Nowadays natural succession of vegetation cover is observed. There is closed herbaceous cover in the western part of the landfill. The total projective herbaceous cover in the central and eastern parts varies from 10% to 60%. Vegetation composition of the landfill contains eight syntaxa of association rank that belong to seven alliances, six orders and five classes. Communities of the Phragmito-Magnocaricetea and Bolboschoenetea maritimi classes (ass. Typhetum laxmanii) grow in areas with excessive humidification. The central and eastern parts of the waste landfill are primarily occupied by halophytic communities of the Puccinellio distanti-Tripolietum vulgare association of the Asteretea tripolium class. Ruderal communities belong to three associations of the Artemisietea vulgaris class. These communities mainly occur in the periphery zone of Kalush landfill. Areas with a moderate moisture regime are occupied by ruderal communities of the Calamagrostietum epigeios association of the Agropyretea repentis class. The total number of vascular herbaceous plant species at the landfill is 119. The dominating groups are meadow, synanthropic and wetland species. The differentiation of vegetation cover is caused by heterogeneity of edaphic and hydrological conditions, also by different activity of succession processes.

Forest cover and watering of the Pripyat River basin

“…They act as the main stabilizing element, the ecological framework of the natural environment, minimizing adverse natural processes and phenomena. The anti-flood value of forests is very high under the condition of a normal climatic situation in the region [4][5][6] . Thus, studies [7] in Transcarpathia, where forest cover varies from 12.5% to 96.1%, showed that the modulus of storm runoff of rivers decreases with an increase in the degree of forest cover.…”

“…The optimal regulation of flood runoff can be traced in watersheds that have 65%-70% of the forest cover [4] .…”

“…According to scientific data obtained, the water-regulating capacity of beech forest under favorable hydrological conditions is 100-130 mm, hairpin forest-50-80 mm [4] .…”

“…After the main cuttings, stabilizing functions are restored in beech forests from 25-30 years of age, in spruce forests from 35-40 years [4] .…”

Cytogenetic anomalies of winter wheat cells, induced by chemical contamination of the territory of Kalush industrial district

“…Most research has focussed on monitoring and identifying the amount of xenobiotic concentration in the soil, water and foodstuffs (Parpan et al, 2016;Febbraio, 2017;Dent & Dmytruk, 2017). The determination of the level of mutagenic danger to organisms of chemical soil contamination within areas of toxic waste warehousing is among the unsolved problems.…”