The role, place in the spatial structure and functioning of shrub ecosystems as well as causes of underestimation of their importance in the development of dominant-coenotical classification of vegetation are considered. It is noted that the syntaxonomic rank of the shrub ecosystems is raised in the process of development of eco-floristic classification. The current version of EuroVegCheklist includes 10 classes, and some orders and alliances are considered in other classes. In the EUNIS classification of habitats, the shrubs are assigned to a specific type (F), which includes 11 positions of the second hierarchical level and 41 – of the third one, but some shrub habitats are assigned to other types. Based on a critical analysis of the European vegetation and habitats classification, the changes to the classification scheme of the Ukrainian biotopes are proposed. The new version of this scheme includes 7 positions of the second level. This scheme is designed to 4-5 hierarchical levels and is a basis for assessing biodiversity of the Ukrainian biotopes and their identification in relation to the European classifications.

Keywords: classification, biotope, syntaxonomy, vegetation, shrub, Ukraine

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