This study investigates ecological succession within quarry-stockpile complexes across the mining landscapes. Post-extraction use of quarries is often limited due to high restoration costs, technical challenges, and perceived impracticality. However, such sites can become valuable ecological assets, showcasing region-specific zonal flora. Focusing on primary succession, the research highlight shows edaphic conditions of disturbed substrates influence vegetation dynamics and broader landscape transformation. Conducted from 2019 to 2022, the study employed an integrated methodological approach, including route field surveys, aerial photography, observation, comparison, experimentation, statistical analysis, synthesis, and logical modeling to assess the plant community development. Field studies were conducted during the growing season from March to October. We determined the features of the plant cover and dominant plants in the structure of the sand quarry – stockpile complex and developed schemes of succession stages. Zoning based on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) revealed a moderate expansion of highly productive phytocenoses (from 25.5% in 2019 to 27.2% in 2022) alongside a decline in the overall productive vegetation cover from 89.1% to 74.7%. Concurrently, open substrate and sparse vegetation areas expanded from 11.3% to 25.2%. The average similarity coefficient of species composition between study sites increased over time, indicating structural shifts in the plant communities. Notably, the coefficient rose from 0.54 to 0.63 on the hilly loamy-sandy surfaces, and from 0.55 to 0.81 on the rugose overburden ledges. Disturbances caused by the extraction of minerals contributed to the formation of man-made accumulative relief with a predominance of segetal-ruderal species. The findings suggest that, in the absence of active renaturalization, vegetation succession and species differentiation are largely governed by anthropogenic factors and localized ecotopic conditions. This emphasizes the ecological potential of post-mining landscapes and the importance of monitoring for informed conservation and restoration strategies.

Abstract. The relevance of this study lies in the necessity to develop a method for evaluating, selecting, and creating new initial material for sunflower breeding, ensuring the development of varieties and hybrids capable of achieving high levels of productivity under the arid conditions of the Ukrainian Steppe. The objective of this study was developing new efficient methods for evaluating sunflower plants for selection based on high productivity at earlier growth stages, considering drought conditions, and their further integration into breeding programs. Plant selection for productivity was conducted during the bud formation–early flowering stages based on soil moisture consumption per unit of net photosynthetic productivity. In developing and assessing the effectiveness of the method of selecting sunflower at early growth stages, we considered both a selective trait (seed mass per head) and a background trait (the coefficient of soil moisture consumption per unit of net photosynthetic productivity during the bud formation stage in the sunflower plants). The reliability of experimental results was determined using mathematical and statistical methods. The conducted studies established a direct negative correlation between the coefficient of soil moisture consumption per unit of net photosynthetic productivity (m³/g/m² per day) and seed mass per sunflower head. Evaluating the traits in the pre-flowering stage improved the accuracy and objectivity of selecting sunflower samples with high productivity, enabling the early-stage selection and development of early-maturing sunflower genotypes. These genotypes, under drought conditions in the Steppe zone of Ukraine, were capable of forming a seed mass per head ranging 47.2 to 55.9 g, with minimal soil moisture consumption per unit of net photosynthetic productivity of 1.04–1.05 m³/g/m² per day. The conducted research demonstrates the potential and prospects for selecting high-yielding sunflower plants with productivity levels of 2.72–3.20 t/ha based on quantitative indicators of soil moisture consumption per unit of net photosynthetic productivity during the head formation period.

The climate change is a global environmental problem. Its solution requires thereduction of greenhouse gas emissions, especially CO2, as soon as possible. The developmentand implementation of low-carbon technologies can help in achievement this goal. Disturbedlands, which are a source of environmental pollution, can be used to reduce CO2 emissions. Wepropose to introduce technologies for locating solar and wind power plants on disturbed lands,primarily on mining dumps of overburden. The capacity of such solar and wind power plants canreplace thermal power plants, which generate the main volumes of CO2 emissions. Placing onthe mining dumps of overburden of solar power plants has advantages due to the use of southernexposures of the slopes. The wind power plants on the top of mining dumps of overburden takemore opportunities to use of wind speed by attracting additional height. Mining dumps haveemitted carbon dioxide due to the decomposition of limestone and the spontaneous combustion ofcarbon-containing rocks. Counteraction of CO2 emissions by coating the surface with inert materialsthat block the access of moisture and acid solutions to hazardous rocks is proposed. The useof new technologies for the rehabilitation of disturbed lands through the formation of secondaryecosystems creates opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This have avoids additionalCO2 emissions during the operation of machines and mechanisms at the mining–technicaland biological stages of reclamation. Secondary soils able to accumulate carbon in the form oforganic matter up to 11 t / ha for 30–50 years. The study of technogenic soils formation on loess-like loams in the landscape reserves “Vizyrka” (Inguletsky GOK), “Hrushivka” (MarganetskyGOK), “Vershina” (Prosyansky GOK) are have evidenced of this facts. Plant components of ecosystemshave even more opportunities. Secondary vegetation absorbs CO2 from the atmosphereduring photosynthesis, creates the coating of surface of lands disturbed by mining operations.Clover plant group show the greatest ability to accumulate carbon (up to 57 t/ha per year). Theresearch was carried out at the research area of Inguletsky GOK. Our assessment testifies that theintegrated application of the above technologies will reduce emissions in Kryvbas by 95 milliontons of CO2 per year. The work was carried out under the target program of the National Academyof Sciences of Ukraine “Scientific and technical and economic and ecological foundations oflow-carbon development of Ukraine”.

Scientifically substantiated application the elements of technologies with the use of microbiological preparations, macro- and microfertilizers, new growth regulators of plants of organic origin, allows not only to increase grain yields, improve its quality, but also to affect the economic efficiency of spring barley cultivation. Today, biological, growth stimulants are widely used in various types of agricultural crops. They are an effective method of achieving increased productivity, increasing resistance to diseases and pests, which, in turn, makes them attractive to researchers. The introduction of biologically active substances in agricultural practice is impossible without a deep and comprehensive study of their effect on the growth and development of the plant, as it depends on the type of preparation, rate, processing time, varietal characteristics of the crop, and other factors. The aim of our research was to evaluate the effect of biopreparation of phosphorus mobilizing action and foliar fertilization with macro- and microfertilizers on the formation of spring barley productivity at sowing after predecessors of soybean, winter wheat, sunflower, and corn for grain in conditions of unstable soil moisture in Steppe zone. Due to significant fluctuations in weather conditions during the growing season of spring barley, by the bree­ding of ecologically adapted varieties, predecessors and using elements of technology that involve the seed treatment with biopreparations and foliar fertilization in the tillering phase of plants, one can consistently obtain grain yields at 4.32−5.23 t/ha. Improving the nutrient regime of the soil with the use of the preparation Polymyxobacterin based on the growth-stimulating bacterium Paenibacillus polimyxa KB contributed to the improvement of plant nutrition and increased the crop yield of spring barley by 0.17−0.65 t/ha depending on the predecessor. The increase in grain yield of spring barley from the use of foliar fertilizers with macro-and microfertilizers was 0.29−0.41 t/ha. The highest level of grain yield (5.68 and 5.18 t/ha) when sowing spring barley variety Statok after predecessors soybean and sunflower obtained in the trial of inoculation with phosphorus mobilizing preparation Polymyxobacterin and fertilization in the tillering phase with micro-fertilizer Reakom, after grain crops – 5.19 t/ha Polymyxobacterin + CAM 28, N8, after corn for grain – 4.92 t/ha, Polymyxobacterin + Urea, N8. The increase compared to control was 0.83 t/ha, 0.95; 0.83 and 1.25 t/ha respectively, by predecessors. The use of biopreparations based on effective microorganisms should be an integral aspect of modern agriculture, taking into account climate changes. The practical value of using biological preparations for seed inoculation before sowing in combination with foliar fertilization of macro- and microfertilizers in the period of formation of the generative organs is due not only to their efficiency but also the low cost of their use, which is an element of resource-saving technologies and eliminates environmental pollution.

The article demonstrates how the variability of water content in technosols affects the temporal dynamics of terrestrial invertebrates and finds the properties of species response curves to soil water content. The hypothesis that the effects of soil moisture on terrestrial invertebrate populations and communities depend both directly on soil water content and on other environmental factors and spatial and temporal variables was tested. It has been shown that in order to determine the real values of the optimum and tolerance of species, it is necessary to first extract the influence of other factors on their response. The study was conducted at the research center of the Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University (Pokrovsk, Ukraine). To study the spatial and temporal variability of abundance, species richness and species composition of invertebrate communities at the experimental site, animals were collected using Barber traps. The range of moisture available to plants, precipitation, wind speed, air temperature (daily minimum, daily maximum, mean daily temperature), atmospheric humidity, and atmospheric pressure were used as environmental predictors of the invertebrate ecological niche. Two-dimensional geographic coordinates of sampling points were used to create a set of orthogonal spatial variables based on eigenvectors. Each of the vectors represents a paternoster of a certain scale within the sampling area. Similarly, only a one-dimensional series of dates during which sampling was conducted was used to create a set of temporal variables based on eigenvectors. Each of the vectors represents a paternoster of a certain scale within the time period under study. Spatial and temporal variables are used as spatial and temporal predictors of species recall. 257437 invertebrates (Arthropoda and Mollusca) were collected from 6 classes, 13 series, 50 families, and 202 species or parata xonomic units. The distribution of moisture content indicators available to plants, weighted by animal abundance, is polymodal and can be represented as a mixture of three normal distributions. Fractionation of community variability in relation to meteorological data, spatial and temporal predictors, and type of technozem was performed based on two ordination methods (CCA and RDA). The fractionation of community variation based on the CCA-procedure indicates the grea test role of complex factors that result from the interaction of temporal and spatial predictors as well as temporal, spatial and meteorological factors. The results based on the RDA-procedure also indicate a significant role in the interaction of meteorological and temporal factors. These results indicate the need to isolate the role of soil moisture factor interaction with other factors to assess the effect of soil moisture on invertebrate community dynamics.

In 2020, waters and territories of the eastern part of Emerald Network object “Samarskyi Lis – UA0000212” were studied by biology specialists. The main purpose of the research was to identify rare species of plants and animals. We found species of flora and fauna protected by European Red List, Red Data Book of Ukraine, Additions to the Bern Convention and Regional Red Data Book. The list of plant species subjected to special protection contains 42 species, including Allium savranicum, Agropyron dasyanthum, and Jurinea cyanoides. It is noted that in the eastern part of the Emerald Network object “Samarskyi Lis ‒ UA0000212” the presence of other rare plant species is assumed (Senecio borysthenicus (D&c.) Andrz., Agropyron dasyanthum Ledeb, Viola lavrenkoana Klokov., Allium savranicum Besser). This matter requires monitoring in various phenological periods of the year. Concerning entomofauna in the eastern part of the Emerald Network object “Samarskyi Lis – UA0000212” it was found 7 species listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine (2009): Lucanus cervus, Papilio machaon, Iphiclides podalirius, Zerunthia polyxena, Xylocopa valla, Scolіa maculata, Catocala sponsa, as well as 2 species of insects protected by the provisions of the Bern Convention ‒ Lucanus cervus, Lycaena dispar. The ichthyofauna of the eastern part of the Emerald Network object “Samarskyi Lis ‒ UA0000212” includes 4 species that are listed in the Bern Convention: Leucaspius delineatus, Rhodeus amarus, Cobitis taenia, Sykhorn abotter. Analysis of terrestrial vertebrates revealed the presence of 95 species to be protected. There are 5 species of amphibians (three of them are included in the International Red List – Lissotriton vulgaris, Hyla arborea, Bufo bufo), as well as 6 species of reptiles, among which one is protected by IUCN (Emys orbicularis), two species listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine (Coronella austriaca, Vipera renardi). 74 species of birds were found in the study area. Three of them (Coracias garrulus, Ciconia nigra and Buteo rufinus) are listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine. In the eastern part of the Emerald Network object “Samarskyi Lis ‒ UA0000212” there are 10 species of mammals, of which nine are protected by the provisions of the Bern Convention, and two species (Eptesicus serotinus, Nyctalus noctula) are listed in the Red Data Book Of Ukraine. It is proposed to conduct further monitoring studies in the eastern part of the Emerald Network “Samarskyi Lis ‒ UA00002122”

The actuality of the research is determined by the solution of an important problem – the increase of the protein content in the grain of winter wheat on the basis of ecological difference of seeds quality and the conditions in which it was formed. The aim of the research is to establish the influence of plant growing conditions, ecological difference of seeds on yield, variability of protein content in grain and its output in winter wheat varieties of different origins. The research were performed in the Central Forest-Steppe of Ukraine with varieties of soft winter wheat Kubus and Chyhyrynka. Research methods: field experiment (study of the influence of growing conditions on grain protein content and its output, as well as on the level of yielding capacity), laboratory method (determination of protein content), correlation-regression analysis (determination of the relationship between experience factors), statistical method (to confirm significant difference between the investigated variants). According to the hydrothermal coefficient (HTC) the conditions of seed formation on the mother plants of winter wheat are determined: close to optimal, arid and moist. In accordance with the results of the first stage of research, it is determined that the grain yielding capacity was higher in the crops which were formed in the optimal and humid periods (from 4.4 to 4.9 t/ha). The influence of weather conditions of the period of formation and ripening of grain of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on the protein content and protein output was determined. Protein output is significantly higher (from 5.4 to 6.4 t/ha), in varieties whose seed formation occurred in optimal and arid conditions. The protein content in grains was higher (from 13.9 up to 14.0%) in offspring formed in arid conditions. At the second stage of works the dependence is established: sowing by the seeds grown in arid conditions allows receiving the offspring with the high content of protein, and vice versa. This is confirmed by a strong correlation for both winter wheat varieties tested (r = 0.59 for Chyhyrynka variety and r = 0.53 for Kubus variety). It is found that sowing with small seeds, formed in arid condition, significantly increases the protein content in the grain and protein output in the new crop. The influence of ecological difference of seed quality of winter wheat varieties of Ukrainian and foreign selection on the level of yielding capacity, protein content and its output in the grain of the obtained offspring was studied. The ways of leveling weather conditions on the protein content in grain on the basis of sowing of different fractions of seeds by size (mixture, large, middle and small seeds) formed in different growing conditions are established. The improvement of the ways of leveling weather conditions and their influence on the grain protein content on the basis of sowing a small fraction of seeds of winter wheat, formed in the arid growing conditions, with pre-sowing treatment by means of the biological preparations in the future is planned.

Reproduction and conservation of soil fertility, protection against degradation and pollution is traditionally one of the priority tasks of the state agricultural policy. The presence of petroleum products in soils causes violation of ecological balance in the soil system, changes in morphological and physicochemical characteristics of soil horizons, in the ratio between the individual fractions of soil organic matter. Therefore, today more and more attention is paid to the development and implementation of innovative technologies for purification of oil-contaminated soils. Phytoremediation is currently considered to be the most promising method for leaning of polluting in industrialized countries. The material elucidates the results of the study of changes in agrochemical parameters of soil in consequence of oil pollution and arrying out of phytoremediation, determined the dynamics of the degree of purification of oil-contaminated soils, reducing their phytotoxicity by growing bioenergy culture Miscanthus giganteus. The model experiment was conducted in natural conditions of the scientific-research plot of Poltava State Agrarian Academy. Oil was applied to the soil in the following concentrations: 10, 20 and 40 g/kg. Three weeks after the application of oil into the soil, vegetative shoots of Miscanthus giganteus were planted out in the first year of life. The period of oil degradation in the soil lasted 177 days, of which 156 days -the reclamation period with using the bioenergy plant Miscanthus giganteus. It was found that growing Miscanthus giganteus on oil-contaminated soil with the application of 40 g/kg reduced the content of petroleum products by 13% compared to the control variant -without plants. With increasing concentration of oil pollution after phytoremediation of Miscanthus giganteus, the pH of the soil solution and metabolic acidity increases, the amount of absorbed bases decreases, the intensity of respiration increases significantly. The content of organic carbon in the soil was characterized by the following indics: at contamination of 10 g/kg the content of organic carbon reached 4.4%, at pollution of 20 g/kg -6.1%, and at 40 g/kg -7.0%, respectively, the content of organic matter was 8.3%, 11.5% and 13.2%, the content of humus -7.59%, 10.52% and 12.07%. Miscanthus giganteus plants create favorable conditions for the development of microorganisms and increase their activity in consequence of the secretion of nutrients by the roots, improving soil properties. Thus, second-regeneration biofuel plants Miscanthus giganteus can be recommended for phytoremediation of oil-contaminated soils and thus, on the one hand, clean large areas of land, and on the other -to obtain biomass for further energy production, which will be environmentally friendly and economically feasible.

The results of experimental research performed in 2011–2018 with clary sage on the lands of Private Enterprise “Dodola” of Beryslavskyi District in Kherson Region are presented. The soil of the experimental plot is dark chestnut, slightly solonetzic, medium loamy. The content of humus in the arable layer of the soil (0–25 cm) is 2.27%, total nitrogen 0.185%, phosphorus – 0.099%, metabolic potassium – 343 mg/kg. The research scheme included factors and their variants. In particular, the background of nutrition – without fertilizers, N60P30, N60P60, N60P90; depth of the tillage primary (base) – plowing to a depth of 20–22 cm and 28–30 cm; sowing times – the first decade of December, the second and third decades of March, the first decade of April; row spacing – 45 and 70 cm. Establishing of field experiment was performed by method of splitting plots. The level of yielding capacity of clary sage was stable for three years against the background of nutrition N60P90. On average, in the first year it was – 9.51, in the second year – 9.38, in the third year – 9.69 t/ha. The share of factors influencing the formation of productivity of clary sage inflorescences of the third year of use was 30.4% against the background of nutrition, for sowing – 43.9, row width – 5.3 and depth of tillage primary – 2.1% of the total yield. In the fourth year of sowing usage, the yielding capacity of inflorescences decreased sharply: to 0.82–2.16 t/ha on the background of plowing to a depth of 20–22 cm and 0.80–2.16 t/ha on the background of plowing to a depth of 28–30 cm. One of the main reasons can be declared the aging of the assimilation apparatus of plants and the disappearance of plants in the sown area. According to the obtained calculations, the highest indices of conditional net profit(500.0 thousand UAH/ha) and the level of profitability (322.5%) were registered on the variants of the experiment, where plowing was performed to a depth of 20–22 cm, mineral fertilizers N60P90 and clary sage sowing was performed in the first time with a row spacing of 45 cm. The most profitable was the second year of usage of clary sage. During this period, the conditional net profit ranged from 132.0 to 508.3 thousand UAH/ha. To maximize the natural and material potential of farms of various forms of ownership in the southern part of Ukraine it is advisable to grow clary sage, capable of drip irrigation, application of mineral fertilizers N60P90, sowing with a row spacing of 45 cm for 3 years of use to form yielding capacity of inflorescence at level 9.5–15.0 t/ha.