Reach the bottom: plant cover of the former Kakhovka Reservoir, Ukraine

Abstract

On June 6, 2023, the dam of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant was detonated, causing an environmental catastrophe in the Northern Black Sea region. Despite the severe environmental and socio-economic repercussions, the disaster offered a unique opportunity to study vegetation development in the long-flooded area. We visited the area twice, three weeks and 3.5 months after the incident. Our studies found that the number of vascular plants in the area increased nearly seven times from June to October, contradicting initial pessimistic predictions of desertification. Both short-lived and perennial plants were almost equally represented, with many spread by the wind. Moreover, the low prevalence of alien species challenges hypotheses of neophyte overgrowth. We delineated four types of newly formed terrestrial habitats, including willow thickets and marshy habitats, as well as mud and shell-covered areas with sparse vegetation. Remote sensing methods, augmented by machine learning techniques, complemented these findings, providing a detailed habitat map for the entire reservoir bed. Our observations suggest the potential restoration of pre-reservoir vegetation, and may serve as a foundation for ongoing monitoring efforts. This study contributes to the understanding of ecological succession and habitat dynamics in post-catastrophic landscapes, informing future management strategies for such territories.