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Abstract

The features of territorial differentiation of vegetation in quarry landscapes are crucial for addressing theoretical issues in landscape science and applied problems of restoration ecology. This study aims to establish the phytocenotic diversity of forest communities. The forest vegetation of the quarry landscapes of Central Polissia includes 7 classes, 9 orders, 15 unions, 24 associations, and 2 groups of undetermined rank. Based on phytocenotic diversity, the quarries of Zhytomyr Polissia fall into three distinct zones: northern, central, and southern. The northern zone necessarily includes groupings of the Vaccinio-Piceetea class and excludes Salicetea purpurea. The central zone mainly features derived forests of the Robinietea class (92% of the quarries) and lacks native oak forests (classes Carpino-Fagetea sylvaticae, Quercetea robori-petraeae, and Quercetea pubescentis). The ecotonic boundary between Polissia and the Forest-Steppe creates the highest phytocenotic diversity, which defines the southern zone. The composition and activity of seed diaspora determine how phytocenotic diversity behaves at the class level. This reflects the horizontal influence that neighboring landscapes exert on each other. Since different classes of forest phytocenoses prevail in area across various parts of Central Polissia, their ratio dictates the probability of specific forests occurring in a quarry. Soil and orographic conditions of quarry landscapes manifest themselves at lower classification levels than the class. Future research will focus on the features of their distribution according to these characteristics.

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