Topological Differentiation of the Vegetation Cover of the Upper Prypiat Geobotanical District

The article presents the results of a comprehensive geobotanical study of the Upper Pripyat geobotanical district, a key natural area of the northwestern part of the Ukrainian Polissia. The district is characterised by a significant diversity of natural landscapes, including pine and oakpine forests, eutrophic and oligotrophic mires, floodplain and mainland meadows, as well as lake complexes. Based on more than 200 geobotanical relevés conducted between 2006 and 2024 using the Braun-Blanquet method, a synphytoindication assessment of the vegetation cover was performed.The study revealed the topological differentiation of vegetation in the district, identified typical and diagnostic syntaxa, and analyzed the influence of climate change and anthropogenic factors on the dynamics of plant communities. The most extreme environmental conditions are characteristic of mire and meadow communities (Scheuchzerion palustris, Sphagnion medii, Agrostion vinealis) and pine, hornbeam, and floodplain willow forests (Cladonio-Pinetum, Carpinion, Salicion cinereae). A clear relationship between vegetation patterns and geomorphology – alluvial plains, sandy hills, and moraine outliers – was established. Further mapping will refine the boundaries of geobotanical units and justify the designation of a separate district. The results provide an important basis for biodiversity conservation, wetland protection, and regional adaptation to contemporary climate challenges.