| FishBase | Complete | Literature | Reference | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Families | Species | Families | |||
| Marine | 134 | 55 | No | |||
| Freshwater | 134 | 32 | No | |||
| Total | 247 | 73 | No | |||
| Conservation | One-tenth of Ukraine was contaminated by radiation following the Chernobyl nuclear-reactor accident in 1986. Industrial pollution is particularly bad in the southeast where rivers often are contaminated. Some deforestation has been occurring, and there are problems of excessive fertilization in the Odes’ka Zatoka. The following information is to be sought: - Status of knowledge of the freshwater fauna; - Existence of conservation plans; - Information on major aquatic habitats or sites within the country; - Current major threats to species; - Future potential threats to species; - Contact(s) for further information. |
| Geography and Climate |
Almost the entire country of Ukraine consists of vast, flat plains (steppes), with elevations generally below 300 meters. Part of the Carpathian Mountains is located in the extreme west of the country, and the Kryms’ki Hory are on the southern coast of the Crimea.
The climate of Ukraine is temperate continental, with a subtropical Mediterranean climate in the southern parts of the Crimea. The average monthly temperature in winter ranges from -8° to 2°C , while summer temperatures average 17° to 25°C. Precipitation generally decreases from north to south; it is greatest in the Carpathians, where it exceeds more than 1,500 millimetres per year, and least in the coastal lowlands of the Black Sea, where it averages less than 300 millimetres per year. Ref. Microsoft, 1996 |
| Hydrography |
Most major rivers flow south to the Black Sea; they include the Dneiper in central Ukraine, the Southern Bug and Dnestr in the west, the Donets in the east, and the Danube in the far south. The Western Bug, however, flows north through the western part of the country and joins the Vistula, which empties into the Baltic Sea. Ref. Microsoft, 1996 |