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The study aims to comprehensively assess the negative impacts of various activities carried out by visitors to natural areas, including forest parks, on ecosystems. The research methodology included an analysis of forest park ecosystems Gotova-Dangel and Logara forest parks, monitoring ecosystem changes, which provided objective data on the impact of human activity. The study developed recommendations aimed at minimising the negative effects of these activities on the environment. The main results of the study demonstrated that walking leads to soil compaction, which in turn hurts water circulation and aeration of soil layers. This phenomenon can also cause damage to rare species of plants and trees that are vulnerable to changes in their natural environment. In addition, cycling causes soil erosion, which leads to the destruction of vegetation, which in turn negatively affects the environmental sustainability of the region. This can create conditions for the degradation of natural ecosystems and a decrease in biodiversity. Camping causes pollution of the area, including dumping garbage and other waste, which leads to a decrease in the number of animals living in forest environments, with serious consequences for the ecological balance and conservation of wildlife. The findings highlight the need to introduce clearly defined trails for pedestrian traffic, create specialised bicycle routes, and develop environmentally responsible camping practices. This will significantly reduce the negative impact on the forest ecosystem. The research is relevant for the conservation of biodiversity as well as for maintaining the ecological balance in forest parks, which is critical for the sustainable development of natural resources and the preservation of the environment for future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relevance of the study is determined by the need to preserve natural values, which are considered the heritage of all mankind, namely the primaeval forests and old-growth beech forests of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage. The aim of the research was to study the state and structure of the beech primaeval forest in the national nature park "Zacharovanyi Krai". For the study, a permanent sample plot of 1 ha (100×100 m) was laid down in the prevailing forest type - moist pure beech forest. This plot is located in the optimal forest-growing conditions for European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) within the Vyhorlat-Hutyn volcanic ridge of the Ukrainian Carpathians. It was found that the beech forest stand on the plot is pure in composition and complex in form, characterised by different development phases (age groups by diameter): the first layer stand belongs to the mature age group (senile), the second layer - to the middle-aged group, and the third - to the pole (virginal). It was determined that 95% of the primaeval forest stock is the stock of the first layer, while the share of commercial trees of the first layer is 89% (66% of the total volume of stem wood of trees on the permanent sample plot). The main types of damage in the site are caused by abiotic factors. As a result of such damage, 43 m3‧ha-1 of deadwood was recorded, characterised by all 5 stages of decomposition. Under the canopy of the stand, 10,375 pcs‧ha-1 of undergrowth was recorded, of which the share of beech is 88%. Beech undergrowth is weakly differentiated by age groups: it was recorded only in the group of 7-year-olds and older and well-differentiated by height groups. By age group, undergrowth belongs to the juvenile-immature age state. The herbaceous cover is typical for nemoral forests. The presence of stationary research plots in the National Nature Park "Zakharovanyy Kray" makes it possible to constantly monitor the trends of natural development of the ecosystem - the beech primaeval forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity conservation is one of the fundamental prerequisites for sustainable environmental development. This research aims to study the diversity of fungi in the Carpathian Mountains and their distribution across major biotopes, analyze the results of anthropogenic influence, and develop practical adaptation strategies. The study employed general scientific methods of cognition, including systematic analysis and synthesis, specification, deduction, generalization, abstraction, and formalization. This article critically synthesizes the species composition of fungi in the Ukrainian Carpathians, investigates the distribution of fungal species within their ranges, and assesses the current coverage of this topic in scientific literature. The research aimed to establish a system of regularities and peculiarities of the research object, such as the impact of climate change and anthropogenic pressure on fungal diversity in the Ukrainian Carpathians. The formalization method was employed to formulate priority vectors for stabilizing and optimizing mycocoenoses in the Ukrainian Carpathians and to document the research results for active practical implementation in the region's environmental optimization process. A system of preventive measures is proposed as part of the strategy for adapting the environment to anthropogenic-climatic dynamics. Key measures for optimizing the ecological situation in the field of mycology in the region have been developed. The practical significance of the obtained results lies in their potential use for studying the dynamics of fungal diversity in the Ukrainian Carpathians during periods of global climate change. This research also contributes to developing adaptation strategies at regional and national levels and forming a comprehensive approach to biodiversity preservation in protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uniqueness of the Carpathian Mountain Forest ecosystems, a large part of which belongs to nature conservation areas, attracts a significant number of visitors annually. Intensive tourist flow on popular hiking trails leads to recreational digression, topsoil compaction, development of erosion processes and deterioration of forests. The research aims to determine the impact of recreation as an external mechanical impact on soil compaction by determining the soil penetration resistance under the canopy of predominant spruce stands. For this purpose, soil penetration resistance was measured with a penetrometer along two hiking trails within the root layer of the soil at four measuring sites at different distances from the hiking trail. In general, under the canopy of a forest stand, the soil cover is not homogeneous and the obtained penetration resistance values are characterised by considerable variability. It was revealed that for the “Zelene village – Uhorski skeli rocks” hiking trail in the areas close to the path (up to 20 m) there is a significant increase in soil penetration resistance compared to remote areas: at a depth of 10 cm itdoubles, at a depth of 20 cm – by 20-40%, but with further deepening, the penetration resistance level off. At the same time, for the more popular “To Mount Pip Ivan Chornohirskyi” hiking trail, in the area adjacent to the trailbed, the penetration resistance reaches 19.6 kg·cm-2 in the upper 10 cm layer, and at a depth of 30 cm, it peaks at 37.8 kg·cm-2 (over 3 MPa), which affects the root spatial distribution of spruce forests. Intensive erosion processes due to soil compaction with an increase in soil penetration resistance above 60 kg·cm-2 (~6 MPa) are observed on the trailbed. The practical significance of the results obtained, and the established patterns is to complement existing methods for assessing the degree of recreational digression in mountainous conditions and can be the basis for designing measures to regulate tourist flows and restore affected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The result of the increased anthropogenic global influence has become a planetary phenomenon of fragmentation of natural landscapes. One of the relatively preserved natural systems of landscape diversity is national park «Slobozhanskiy» in the Kharkiv region. The article analyzes the retrospective prerequisites for the formation of not simple relationship in the system «man - nature» after the settlement of Sloboda Ukraine in the XVII century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]