Protected species in grassland habitats of Ukraine
Authors:   M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Chusova O.O. , Shyriaieva D.V. ,   M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Budzhak V.V. ,   4Institute For Evolutionary Ecology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 37 Lebedeva Str., Kyiv 03143, Ukraine, Chorney I.I. ,   Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, 11 Fedkovych Str., Chernivtsi 58012, Ukraine, Dziuba T.P. ,   M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Iemelianova S.M. ,   M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kucher O.O. ,   M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Moysiyenko I.I. ,   Kherson State University, 14 Shevchenko Str., Ivano-Frankivsk 76018, Ukraine, Tokariuk A.I. ,   Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, 11 Fedkovych Str., Chernivtsi 58012, Ukraine, Vasheniak Iu.A. ,   Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 753/5 Kamenice, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic, Vynokurov D.S. ,   M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Boyko M.F. ,   Kherson State University, 14 Shevchenko Str., Ivano-Frankivsk 76018, Ukraine, Khodosovtsev O.Ye. ,   Kherson State University, 14 Shevchenko Str., Ivano-Frankivsk 76018, Ukraine, Kuzemko Kuzemko A.A. ,   M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
Published: November 2022

Based on the analysis of more than 17,000 vegetation plots (relevés), the participation of 261 protected species (254 vascular plants, six lichens, and one bryophyte) in 30 EUNIS grassland habitat types was revealed. Vegetation plots were assigned to the habitat types using the EUNIS-ESy expert system with further verification. We consider as protected species those listed in the current edition of the Red Data Book of Ukraine, Resolution 6 of the Bern Convention, Annexes II and IV of the Habitat Directive, and the IUCN Red List (only categories VU, EN, CR). The participation of protected species was studied according to the following three criteria: (1) the total number of protected species in the plots assigned to a certain habitat type, (2) the number of plots in which at least one protected species is present, and (3) the mean number of protected species per plots within each habitat type. True steppes (R1B) and meadow steppes (R1A) differed with a significant predominance of the total number of protected species. Arctic alpine calcareous grassland (R44) and Continental dry rocky steppic grassland and dwarf scrub on chalk outcrops (R15) had the largest proportion of plots with protected species and the highest mean numbers of protected species per relevé. Saline habitats, in particular Temperate inland salt marsh (R63) and Semi desert salt pan (R64), were characterized by the smallest number of plots with protected species. Among all species, Gymnadenia conopsea, Stipa capillata, Colchicum autumnale and Gladiolus imbricatus occurred in the largest number of studied habitat types. Based on the results of the analysis, appropriate ways of optimizing the protection of grassland habitats and protected species are proposed.