CHARACTERISTIC OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES OF ALDER FORESTS IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The development of ecosystem services is an innovative type of research that represents a comprehensive approach. It combines economic, ecological and public interests, based on sustainable nature management. This concept, from one side, takes into account the functions and features of ecosystems that are useful for humans, and from the other, explores the possibilities of economical use of them. Therefore, this approach includes studies of the organization, structure and functions of ecosystems, that are directly or indirectly used by humans. Alder forests of Ukraine were characterized, and 3 types of biotopes were identified. According to the National Catalog of Ukraine they belong to the alder swamp forests, Carpathian gray alder and black alder non-swamp forests, and lowland black alder and ash forests. It was found that the area of alder forests in Ukraine comprise 275,8 thousand hectares, or 6% of forest areas in Ukraine. The analysis and assessment of ecosystem services of alder forests in Ukraine was carried out, based on international trends. On the basis of the international classification of ecosystem services Common international classification of ecosystem services (CICES), all services have been divided into three types (resource, regulatory, scientific and educational). The classification scheme of services has a hierarchical structure. It combines 6 classes, 16 groups and 43 ecosystem services provided by this type of vegetation (out of 98 available). Half of them belong to the regulatory group. The characteristic of the contribution provided by the ecosystem services is given. On the basis of literary sources, detailed information concerning the economic evaluation of wood products of the forest, its climate regulatory, phytoremedial, reclamation, recreational and social functions was analyzed. The main threats affecting this type of forest are identified.