Rare, relict, range-limited, and problematic plant taxa in the Ukrainian Carpathians and adjacent territories

Study Extent

The study mainly covered the plants occurring in the Ukrainian Carpathians but also involved species and intraspecific taxa represented in other parts of Ukraine, including Crimea. Analyzed herbarium specimens were collected between 1829-2021 and currently are hosted at the LWS herbarium of the State Museum of Natural History of the NAS of Ukraine. The study has been realized during 2023.

Sampling

The specimens of vascular plants deposited at the herbarium LWS were selected using the preliminary created nomenclatural checklist. After that, the photos of their labels were made and data from these photos were databased.

Quality Control

The data were checked manually using MS Excel and then additionally checked using OpenRefine software

Method steps

1. Initially, we created the nomenclatural checklist containing 530 species and infraspecific plant taxa listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, IUCN Red List, mentioned as relict or occurring in Ukraine in the limit of their natural range. After that, this checklist was cross-checked and verified using the POWO and Plants of the World databases and supported by current taxonomy. After that herbarium herbarium specimens of the LWS were selected using this checklist (including valid names and synonyms), and their labels were photo-captured. The data from captured labels were databased, cleaned and then georeferenced using OpenStreetMap. Later the initial database was completed with the data on the distribution of taxa from the problematic and voluminous genera occurring in the Ukrainian Carpathians and the rest of Ukraine. This taxa were not limited to the Ukrainian Carpathians because due to their problematic taxonomy, it is complicated to estimate their range limits and spatial distribution. But they still represent a special interest in biogeographical investigations.

1. Plantae
   rank: kingdom

The dataset is mostly focused on the Ukrainian Carpathians but also contains data from other parts of Ukraine.