The first record of Elodea nuttallii (Hydrocharitaceae) in the Lower Dnipro River

Abstract

Six localities of Elodea nuttallii were found in 2020 in the Lower Dnipro River (Kherson Region) within the territory of Nyzhniodniprovskyi National Nature Park. These are the first verified records of this alien aquatic plant (native to North America) in the Steppe Zone of Ukraine. Previously, it has been reported in Ukraine only from the Forest (Kyiv city) and Forest-Steppe (Kyiv, Poltava and Cherkasy administrative regions) zones. Geographic coordinates, depths and substrate are reported for all found localities. Geobotanical data about this species in Ukraine are summarized. It is assumed that Elodea nuttallii as a potentially invasive species in this region may occur not only in the Lower Dnipro River but also in all reservoirs on this river.