The paper presents the results on resistance of Aesculus hippocastanum Linnaeus, 1753 trees to Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimić, 1986 (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae) impact under conditions of a modern urban environment on the example of Dnipro city as the largest industrial city in Ukraine. Field experiments were conducted in all park areas of the city, which allowed covering the full gradient of the existing urban environment and considered the different degrees of the tree settlement by the invasive insect species. The research of the impact of C. ohridella caterpillars’ vital activity on the photosynthetic apparatus state was carried out by applying a chlorophyll fluorescence induction technique. Diagnosis of photosynthetic dysfunction of fresh Ae. hippocastanum leaves was conducted using a portable “Floratest” fluorometer manufactured in Ukraine. Interpretation of the obtained Kautsky curves showed that significant changes in their critical parameters associated with the degree of leaf damage by C. ohridella caterpillars were not detected. The influence of tree growth site conditions on the following 4 main indicators of chlorophyll fluorescence induction was established: the initial value of fluorescence induction after irradiation; the value of “plateau” fluorescence induction; the maximum value of fluorescence induction; the stationary value of fluorescence induction after light adaptation of the plant leaf. It was found that the efficiency coefficients of photochemical processes in Ae. hippocastanum trees growing in low terrain levels differed significantly, which can probably be interpreted as their response to the specific characteristics of the urban environment.

Purpose. Determination of the relationships between the concentrations of Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd in the atmospheric air and in the assimilative organs of the false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) trees the most common species in the system of landscaping of industrial cities. The objectives of the study included finding out the peculiarities of the spatial distribution of metal pollutants in green spaces of Robinia pseudoacacia in Dnipro city. Methodology. The study was conducted in the system of green spaces of the industrial city of Dnipro, in the atmospheric air of which pollutants dominate, whose source is emissions from metallurgy, energy and motor transport. To carry out the experiment, the method of atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to determine the concentrations of heavy metals. The trend of technogenic emissions into the atmosphere was estimated by statistical methods. The spatial distribution of accumulation of essential and toxic metals in the Robinia plantations of the industrial city was built on the basis of the obtained experimental data. Findings. Among the studied pollutants, the maximum concentration in the assimilation organs was found for Zn, whose range was 1530 mgkg-1. Almost the same level of accumulation was reached for Cu and for Pb: 3.917.2 and 8.610.8 mgkg-1, respectively. The presence of Cd, which is not an essential element, has been established, which allows considering Robinia plantations as a potential depositor of Cu and Cd in conditions of polyelemental pollution of industrial cities. Originality. It was established that Robinia plantations as an element of the green infrastructure of industrial cities are characterized by the maximum effect of Cu (among other heavy metals) translocation and are effective potential depositors of Pb when its normative values in the atmospheric air are exceeded.. Practical value. On the basis of the obtained experimental data, the spatial distribution of accumulation of metals as pollutants in Robinia plantations was constructed, which can be considered in the plane of optimization of the state of atmospheric air in the city. The cartographic materials that can be used by the subjects of environmental monitoring and green construction of industrial cities were obtained.

Climatic changes in the environment are becoming more noticeable each year. Nonetheless, trends in the reaction of radial growth of forest trees to climate change should be studied in different climatic regions due to significant local variability in climatic conditions which are specific for any particular area. We conducted a correlation analysis of the relationship between the parameters of radial increment of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and meteorological factors of the environment in forest areas located in thenorthern steppe zone of Ukraine. We performed surveys in plantations of black locust, growing in hill slope and interfluve areas and also in sandy terrace plots of Scots pine. Over the period of intense vegetatative growth, black locust requires moisture 50% higher than the norm, and Scots pine 43% higher than the norm. It was determined that maximum increment for the studied plants occurred under the influence of a combination of factors involving reduction of the air temperature by 2.6–2.7 °С below the norm for black locust and by 2.3–2.5 °С for Scots pine. During the period of lower vegetative activity, Scots pine demonstrated lower sensitivity compared to black locust. This paper provides a statistical characteristic of the radial increment of trees in the conditions of changes in meteorological factors which limit their growth. The article provides data on multiple correlation of radial increment of the tree stands in relation to growth locations; demonstrates correlation dependency of radial increment of the studied trees on the precipitation and mean monthly temperatures over different time periods and during particular months. Radial increment of Scots pine exhibited most positive correlation with the total of precipitations throughout the period. For the stands of black locust, correlation coefficients were higher and distinguished by both positive and negative values. In the current increment of this species, a negative correlation relation was observed with the total precipitation in July, August and September, and positive correlation with the remaining months of the year. By contrast, radial increment of black locust and Scots pine positively correlated with air temperature during all time periods and particular months.

The formation of a comprehensive forest management strategy in Ukraine should in accordance with the criteria that create the preconditions for achieving parity of environmental, economic and social aspects of sustainable development. In the country, the establishment of compliance of the forest management system with certain international requirements should be realized through the implementation of the Helsinki Criteria for Sustainable Forest Development. The purpose of the work was analyzed the state of forests and the actual indicators of economic activity of forestry enterprises operating in the Steppe Zone of Ukraine according to of the Helsinki Criteria. The source data were the materials of sectoral reporting and state statistical information.The article shows the distribution of the forest area within administrative Dnipropetrovsk region by forest users. The distribution of the area of forest subordinated to the State Agency of Forest Resources of Ukraine by functional categories is analyzed. The structure of nature reserve fund of objects and territories of the forest fund was estimated. The provision of forestry with labor resources is indicated.The areas covered with forest vegetation by dominant forest-forming species with distribution by age group was given.The total forest phytomass and its trend for forestry enterprise which subordinated to the State Agency of Forest Resources of Ukraine in Dnipropetrovsk region was calculated. The distribution of the total phytomass by structural components of plantations – wood and bark of trunks, wood and bark of branches, leaves, roots and subtent are given. The dynamics of the average values of the total stock of trunk wood for stand forest, the density of phytomass and the deposited carbon in the forest phytomass are described. The effect of biotic factors on forest plantations had been assessed – the species composition of pests and phytopathogenes and the area of their foci had been established. The list of the main forestry measures connected with timber harvesting was given.The species composition and distribution of area covered vegetation by forest-forming species and age groups in forests of the protective functional categories which prevent soil erosion was characterized.

Наведено результати математичного моделювання компонентів фітомаси стовбурів робінієвих деревостанів у степовій зоні України за компонентами фітомаси стовбурів та їх залежність від основних таксаційних характеристик деревостану. Дослідження проведено на 20 тимчасових пробних площах у робінієвих деревостанах Дніпропетровської області, підпорядкованих Державному агентству лісових ресурсів України. Сформовано робочий масив даних, який характеризує компоненти фітомаси стовбура для оцінювання біотичної продуктивності штучних робінієвих деревостанів. Для виявлення характеру розподілу досліджуваних параметрів та забезпечення адекватності математичних моделей проведено статистичний аналіз дослідних даних та кореляційний аналіз. В отриманих математичних моделях спостерігається обернений зв'язок серед досліджуваних компонентів фітомаси стовбура із середнім діаметром насадження. Відносна повнота насадження є статистично значущою при введені її в рівняння поряд з середнім діаметром та середньою висотою деревостанів. Розраховано конверсійний коефіцієнт (відношення фітомаси стовбура у корі до загального запасу стовбурів у корі), значення якого знаходяться в діапазоні 0,37–1,12. Наведено фрагменти нормативних таблиць оцінювання компонентів фітомаси стовбурів штучних деревостанів робінії несправжньоакації з відносною повнотою 0,9.

The aim of the research was to study the features of the accumulation of heavy metals elements group by assimilation apparatus of coniferous and deciduous woody plants. We registered low bioaccumulative coefficients of Black locust regards chromium, antimony, and tin. We also determined that the Robinia leaves could accumulate Sb and Sn while in small concentrations and the Crimean pine needles could accumulate Sb and As in in the lowest concentration. The Mangan fraction that translocated to the was high for both tree species and more higher concentration was fixed in the Crimean pine. The average content of Lead was 209.11 kg·ha-1 for Crimean pine in all age groups, while for the Black locust is was only 15.52 kg·ha-1 that was by 13.5 times less. We determined large concentrations of Zinc in the Robinia leaves that was gradually decreasing with tree age. We revealed small contamination of Zinc in the Crimean pine with peak values of accumulation in the second age group of this species. We did not fix the definite trend of redistribution and accumulation of copper towards the tree species and age. For the Black locust the minimum content in green mass was determined for Cr and Sn. In general, the leaves fraction of the aboveground phytomass per unit area is able to accumulate the inorganic contaminants, which is ranged from 1.46 to 2134.35 kg·ha-1 for the Crimean pine and from 4.42 to 441.08 for the Black locust.