WETLANDS AND PONDS OF UPPER TISZA RIVER (UKRAINIAN CARPATHIANS): PROSPECTS TO GIVE THEM THE STATUS OF RAMSAR SITES

The upper Tisza river basin in the Ukrainian Carpathians is characterized as a most humid region of Ukraine. Therefore, since the glacial period and to the beginning of the last century there existed very favorable conditions for the emergence of swamps and ponds. Nowadays most swamps drained, and the process wetlands and natural water bodies formation is restricted, in particular, by the introduction of anti-flood measures. The vegetation of oligotrophic bogs is in critical condition as through changes in hydrological regime of the territory, warming and complete non-adherence protected areas regime. These natural objects need careful protection. All together, we proposed seven objects to Ramsar status sites: four oligotrophic swamps and one mesotrophic swamp, located in the lower forest belt at altitudes of 650-850 meters above sea level (Gluhania Black and Bagno Zamshatka in Gorgan, Bagno and Sinye Ozero on a volcanic ridge), to Tovar floodplain complex in the lowlands (110 m above sea level) and mountain lakes Hereshaska on Svydovets ridge (1750 m. above sea level). It is established that there is disappearance of certain species of vascular plants and mosses in oligotrophic swamps, strengthening the role of species with broad ecological amplitude. Sinye ozero, the mesotrophic bog is overgrown by shrubs due to falling of ground water level. Similar changes occur in Tovar floodplain complex, which is characterized by the presence of rare plant communities of aquatic vegetation and is important as habitat for waterfowls and plays an important hydrological role for lowland landscapes. The least pronounced changes were observed in the alpine lake Hereshaska. However, alpine lakes are negatively affected by global warming and touristic activities also. Therefore, introduction and full protection of the areas with restriction of touristic activity are a necessary condition to preserve these objects