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Two SEEMLA partners provide sites in Ukraine. IBC&SB selected marginal sites within the intensively agriculturally used regions of Poltava and Vinnitsa in the eastern and central parts of the country. SALIX uses fallow agricultural sites in the western regions of Volyn and Lviv for biomass production. In contrast to the other Ukrainian sites such sites are available over large areas in both regions. |
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Location of SEEMLA test sites in UkraineEcological conditions – climate
The Ukrainian sites are characterized by continental climate conditions with cold winter months and higher temperatures in summer coupled with the maximum sums of precipitation in the warm season. With the exception of the Vinnitsa region (subhumid conditions) the climatic conditions are generally humid.
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Vinnitsa site in Ukraine (IBC&SB 2): former waste disposal |
Volyn site in Ukraine (SALIX 1): fallow arable lands |
Ecological conditions – soil properties
Signs of contamination were found at Vinnitsa site. This site was formerly used as waste heap for domestic garbage. Waste fragments can still be found at the surface and are mixed into the upper soil horizon. Only few of the investigated soils can be characterized as acidic. These are particularly soils at the Ukrainian SALIX sites developed on pure sands with moderate acidification. The nutritional status of the soils showed that particularly the western Ukrainian sites have partly only very low nutrient contents. They were used for agriculture until the 1990s and it is assumed that no fertilizers were applied in the following years. Many of the Ukrainian case study sites showed clear signs of waterlogging or high groundwater tables. Particularly the sites in western Ukraine were closely associated with peat bogs in depressions.
Soil profile Vinnatsa site (FAO WRB: Haplic Regosol) |
Soil profile Volyn site (FAO WRB: Stagnic Cambisol) |
