Alien species in the urban flora of Ivano-Frankivsk: taxonomic composition, life forms, and ecological groups
TL;DR
Ecological grouping demonstrated the dominance of heliophytes, xeromesophytes, and mesotrophs, consistent with the adaptation of alien species to urban environmental conditions, and establishes a basis for biodiversity monitoring, conservation planning, and ecological management of urban ecosystems.
Abstract
This study provides a comprehensive ecological assessment of the alien plant component of the urban flora of Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. A checklist of alien species was compiled and analysed by family and genus, with species further categorised as casual, naturalised, or invasive following international terminology in invasion biology (sensu Pyšek et al., 2004).The alien fraction comprises 202 species belonging to 143 genera and 48 families, with Asteraceae (21.8%), Brassicaceae (10.0%), and Poaceae (8.4%) being the most represented families. The genera Amaranthus and Vicia exhibited the highest species richness. Growth-form analysis revealed a predominance of annual herbaceous plants, while Raunkiær’s life-form classification indicated a prevalence of therophytes and hemicryptophytes.Ecological grouping demonstrated the dominance of heliophytes, xeromesophytes, and mesotrophs, consistent with the adaptation of alien species to urban environmental conditions. These findings provide a structural and ecological characterisation of the alien flora of Ivano-Frankivsk and establish a basis for biodiversity monitoring, conservation planning, and ecological management of urban ecosystems.