Recovery of Velykyi Luh through ecological restoration of the Kakhovka Reservoir

Abstract

The relevance of modern environmental issues requires comprehensive approaches to the restoration and preservation of natural ecosystems, specifically through ecological restoration as a tool to eliminate the effects of anthropogenic interventions. The purpose of this study was to survey the territory of the Kakhovka Reservoir using remote sensing and to propose a way to restore the historical territory of the Kakhovka Reservoir of Velykyi Luh. The following research methods were employed: empirical, analysis and systematisation, remote sensing, geographic information systems. The study consisted of two main stages. The first stage included an analysis of the dynamics of the historical territory of Veliky Luh, from the end of the 19th century to the present day. The second stage involved comparing the dynamics of the area’s restoration using 19th-century mapping data and 21st-century satellite imagery. The use of modern technologies, including the analysis of satellite images of the degraded area and three indices of the EO Browser software, such as the differential vegetation index, the normalised differential humidity index, and the differential water index, helped to obtain data on the state of vegetation and water resources in the study area. The analysis of the patterns between these indicators made it possible to determine the close interaction between plant growth rates and their moisture availability. The biomass growth on the territory of the Kakhovka Reservoir was measured from the moment of dewatering to November 2023. The results obtained indicate that it is possible to effectively restore the ecosystem of the Velykyi Luh through ecological restoration. This process involves the selection of optimal biotopes for the restoration of the historic area, which is a crucial step in conserving biodiversity and stabilising the natural environment in the Kakhovka Reservoir. The findings of the study on a new approach to ecological restoration based on high-precision technologies and in-depth analysis of ecosystem dynamics will contribute to the development of scientific approaches to the restoration of natural landscapes and will be an important contribution to modern environmental practice