Web site: http://botany.univer.kharkov.ua

Botany department exists in the university since the first days of its foundation (1804). The department was founded as a Department of natural history and botany, the first head of the department became Francis Alexandrovich Delavin’. From 1829 to 1859 the department was headed by Vasiliy Matveevich Chernyaev, who started creation of unique herbarium collection. At different years the department was led by scientists with different research interests, every of them made considerable input into botanical science development: Tzenkovskiy L.S., Reinhardt L.V., Arnoldi V.M., Korshikov A.A., Shkorbatov L.A., Matvienko A.M., Prokudin Yu.N. Concentration of valuable materials collected by V.M. Chernyaev, M.S. Turchaninov, S.S. Schegolev, G.F. Shyryaev, A.M. Krasnov etc. founded the base for creation of unique world known Herbarium (CWU), which currently comprises national value of Ukraine. Since 1988 the department is headed by professor, doctor of biological sciences, honored educator of Ukraine Dogadina T.V.

Kharkov botanists established about 100 new genera and described more than 1000 new for science species of vascular plants from the territory of Ukraine; laid the foundations of nature conservation activities in Ukraine and Russia (V.A. Taliev, A.M. Krasnov), formed the first in Ukraine algological school. In after-war years the department prepared more than 700 professional botanists; formed the only in Ukraine gramineous herbarim; the educators of the department published (personally and in co-authorship) 30 monographs: floral identification keys, scientific and educational publications.

The main directions of research of the department are floristics, taxonomy, ecology, geography of algae, lichens, higher plants, bioindication, algotechnology, developing methods for biological waste water purification, investigation of flora and vegetation in view of the problem of biodiversity preservation, studying the current state and development of regional ecological network. The topics of investigations include floristic and ontogenetic research at reserve territories of left bank Ukraine; structural and functional organization of phytocenoses as the indicator of state and sustainability of environment; investigations of taxonomic, cenotic and ecomorphological structure of water and land plant communities of left bank of Ukraine.

For the last 5 years the staff and postgraduate students of the department published more than 30 papers in specialized journals and about 70 theses of reports at scientific conferences. Students actively participate in research work. On the basis of the department there were carried out the XI Congress of Ukrainian botanical society, the III International conference “Current problems of modern algology”, International scientific conference “Karazin’s Natural Science Studios” devoted to centenary of birth of Kharkov university professors-botanists A.M. Matvienko and Yu.N. Prokudin.

The Department provides training of Bachelors and Masters in biology majoring in botany. Graduates of the department (masters and specialists) can work in nature conservation organizations, at the enterprises of biological and pharmaceutical branch, in research institutions of biological branch; be occupied as educators at educational institutions. The most talented graduates have the opportunity to continue their education at postgraduate courses.

The department has internal and external postgraduate courses. During the last 5 years postgraduate students and external applicants of the department defended 1 doctor’s and 2 candidate’s theses. Currently 2 postgraduates and 2 applicants study at the department.

The department provides teaching general course “Botany” for students of biological and ecological faculty. Special courses for bachelors: Plant ecology, Microtechnics, Basics of scientific photography, Methods of study of water and terrestrial phytocenoses, Physiology and biochemistry of algae, Medicinal plants, General algology, General hydrobiology. Special practical courses: Flora of vascular plants, Fresh water algae. Special courses for masters: Algotechnology, Ecoflora of Ukraine, Biogeocenology, Lichenology, Nature conservation affairs, Herbarium affairs, Basics of biological monitoring, Phytosozology, Dendrology, Agricultural plants, Botanical geography, Phytodesign and settlement gardening. During recent years the educators of the department prepared 2 tutorials, 4 educational and methodological complexes on general and special courses. The special practices on ecoflora of Ukraine and regional flora are carried out.