Natural and anthropogenically transformed vegetation complexes of the western coast of Crimea in the vicinity of Saki town

The purpose of the work was to identify the composition and structure of natural and anthropogenically transformed vegetation complexes in the coastal zone near Saki town in order to establish patterns of their distribution and to assess the significance of their conservation. The work is based on the materials of multiple field studies, which were carried out using the route-reconnaissance method, with the involvement of additional information from Internet and literary sources. The systematic structure was studied in accordance with classical approaches to comparative floristic analysis. The nomenclature of taxa corresponds to POWO. The sozological status of species is given according to current nature conservation documents. Four vegetation complexes were distinguished in the surveyed area: psammophytic, halophytic, disturbed steppe and ruderal. The flora includes 159 species from 112 genera of 32 families of higher vascular plants. The leading positions are occupied by the families Asteraceae and Poaceae. The vegetation cover is represented by communities of 15 classes (Cakiletea maritimae, Ammophiletea, Helichryso-Crucianelletea maritimae, Ruppietea maritimae, Juncetea maritimi, Festuco-Puccinellietea, Koelerio-Corynephoretea canescentis, Therosalicornietea, Kalidietea foliati, SedoScleranthetea, Artemisietea vulgaris, Epilobietea angustifolii, Sisymbrietea, Papaveretea rhoeadis, Digitario sanguinalis-Eragrostietea minoris). Ten rare species subject to conservation have been identified. It has been established that the studied territory is characterized by a high level of biological and landscape diversity. The psammophytic vegetation complex has the greatest conservation value.

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