SPECIES DIVERSITY AND VITALITY OF TREES AND SHRUBS IN THE PLANTINGS OF VINNYTSIA M. LEONTOVYCH CENTRAL PARK

Abstract

The article under consideration highlights the species diversity and vitality of tree and shrub species in the plantings of Vinnytsia M. Leontovych Central Park. In addition, it examines various phytopathogens and pests that have the potential to reduce their resilience. The research was conducted through route surveys of the sites.
The park known as Vinnytsia Central Park, which derives its name from M. Leontovych, is a park-monument of landscape architecture of national importance. The site is located in the central part of the city, between Soborna Street, Mahistratska Street, and Khmelnytske Highway, and functions as a conventional recreational area for residents and visitors alike. The phytopathological condition of the plantings was monitored by conducting route surveys, which were carried out on three occasions during the growing season. A comprehensive array of analytical techniques was employed, encompassing systematic, botanical-geographical, and biomorphological approaches, to comprehensively examine the species comprising the studied dendroflora. An analysis of the floristic composition of the green spaces in Vinnytsia Central Park revealed the presence of 99 species and forms of tree and shrub plants, belonging to 48 genera and 26 families. The most numerous family-species structures are those of Rosaceae, Pinaceae, Sapindaceae and Salicaceae, while the genus-species spectrum is dominated by Acer, Spiraea, Picea, Salix, Populus and Ulmus.
In the process of landscaping the park, 24 native species are employed, the majority of which belong to the Eurasian flora. Among the 75 species that have been introduced, 15 are of hybrid origin, and the remaining 60 are introductions from Europe, North America, and East Asia. The highest level of diversity is found among low-growing shrubs and broad-leaved tree species, which make up approximately 50% of the total assortment. A study of the vitality of the plantings showed that about 6.1 % of tree species are in the category of severely damaged and are gradually dying off, while the majority of the species used in landscaping maintain a satisfactory condition. Among the pathologies, powdery mildew was found to be the most widespread. The most susceptible to this disease are Sorbus aucuparia L., Tilia cordata, Acer platanoides L., Ulmus pumila L., as well as representatives of the genera Crataegus and Berberis.