Renaturalization of the ecological and hydrological regime of ecosystems of the Drevlianskyi Nature Reserve in the conditions of martial law

Abstract

Conservation and restoration of ecosystems in the Ukrainian Polissia represent one of the priority directions of contemporary environmental research, particularly under conditions of significant hydrological alterations caused by historical land reclamation and ongoing climate change. The aim of this study was to assess the current condition of plant communities within the Loznytsia–Osliv interfluve located in the Drevlianskyi Nature Reserve, to evaluate the influence of hydrological transformations on vegetation, and to propose scientifically justified measures for restoring hydraulic engineering structures in accordance with current environmental legislation. The study combined geobotanical surveys, phytosociological classification based on the Braun-Blanquet approach, and forest inventory methods for assessing the structure and condition of forest stands. A total of 51 plant associations were identified, including 22 associations of conservation importance, recognized as rare habitats protected under both national and international conservation frameworks. The results demonstrated that vegetation distribution and community composition are primarily determined by soil moisture conditions, while forest and wetland ecosystems play a key role in regulating the regional hydrological regime and maintaining ecological stability. The study further revealed that, in addition to recent climate change manifested by decreasing precipitation and prolonged periods of exceptionally high temperatures, the large-scale drainage reclamation implemented during the second half of the twentieth century substantially altered the hydrological balance of wetlands, accelerated groundwater depletion, and promoted the transformation of natural aquatic ecosystems. Based on the obtained results, a renaturalization strategy is proposed that includes the reconstruction of existing hydraulic structures together with the construction of new water-retaining facilities using environmentally friendly natural materials. The effectiveness of these restoration measures should be evaluated through repeated geobotanical surveys and long-term ecological monitoring of vegetation dynamics following hydrological recovery. Successful implementation of the proposed approach would provide a scientific basis for adaptive ecosystem management and ecological restoration of drainage-affected landscapes throughout the Central Polissia region, while contributing to biodiversity conservation and improving the resilience of protected natural ecosystems under future environmental change