Net Primary Production of Forest Vegetal Biomass in Kyiv Region

Net primary production (NPP) is considered by the world scientific community as an important indicator that reflects the features of the condition and peculiarities of the functioning of forest ecosystems. It also allows quan tifying the potential of forests in performing their ecosystem functions. The information basis of the research consists of data from the industrial database of the Ukrainian State Forest Management Planning Association – IA “Ukrderzhlisproekt”. The dataset contains the biometric description of stands in the study region. Also, a system of mathematical models, algorithmic support, and software for quantitative assessment of net primary production are utilized within this research. As a result, the research determines the quantitative values of the total volume and specific intensity of formation of net primary production in the forests of Kyiv region. The total volume of NPP in the forests of the region exceeds 6.5 million tons of dry matter, of which 56% is accounted for by forests dominated by Scots pine. The highest mean values of primary production per unit area are observed in stands composed of tree species belonging to the hardwood broadleaved species group (black locust, hornbeam, European ash, and common oak, 1550–1910 g·m -2 . The highest intensity of organic matter production is observed in the stands of V to VIII age classes. Highly productive stands generate a major part of forest NPP in the study region. Among forest types, the highest intensity of the bioproduction process is observed in fresh hornbeam-oak and fresh hornbeam-oak site types – 1872 g∙m -2 and 1646 g∙m -2 , respectively. The forests subordinated to the State Agency of Forest Resources of Ukraine concentrate the largest volumes of annually formed organic matter. The lowest productivity is typical for forest plant communities under the control of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. The research results will serve as an informational basis applicable to the formation of a strategy for sustainable use of ecosystem functions of the forests in the study region.