scholarly journals Vegetation cover of riparian and coastal zones of forest swamps in the Slobozhansky National Nature Park (structural features and direction of transformation)

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Calluna Vulgaris ◽  
Steppe Zone ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Forest Steppe ◽  
Coastal Zones ◽  
Gis Applications ◽  
Nature Park

This article is devoted to study the characteristics of ecological-cenotic structure and directions of vegetation cover transformations in riparian and coastal zones of forest swamps within the forest-steppe zone (north-western part of Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine). The survey has been conducted in 2013–2018 in the territory of the Slobozhansky National Natural Park. Plant communities were surveyed both in phanerophyte and grass biotopes types, having different genesis and degree of disturbance (from terrestrial to aquatic, from native to artificially created forest plantations). A number of regionally rare plant species were identified in their composition (Dryopteris carthusiana (Vill.) H.P.Fuchs, Majanthemum bifolium (L.) F.W.Schmidt, Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull, Equisetum sylvaticum L., Potentilla erecta (L.) Raeusch., Rubus saxatilis L., Eriophorum angustifolium Honck., E. vaginatum L., Drosera rotundifolia L., Nymphaea candida C.Presl, Utricularia vulgaris L.) and U. minor L. – a species listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. Route and stationary techniques of field surveys were used for clarification the general features of horizontal vegetation structural organization, as well as for studying the effect of environmental factors on state and stability of plant communities. Usage of mobile GIS applications in geodata collection and their further processing in ArcMap project allowed us to develop a large-scale geobotanical map (1:1500) as an area of permanent botanical survey (1.9 ha). According to the results of phytoindication, indicators of 7 environmental edaphotop regimes in 25 plant communities studied (objects of mapping and further monitoring) have been identified. Based on the geobotanical map, integration of data on the intensity of vegetation transformation have been conducted. It was found that plant communities ІV (the highest) and III degrees of transformation cover an area more than 0.6 hectares (one third of the total plot area). These communities were occurred mainly in phanerophyte-type biotopes (aspen, willow, birch, and, partly, pine), which have been affected by pyrogenic and biogenic factors. The GIS-project created as a result of the study serves as a geo-information base that can be further improved and used to solve other applied problems.

Transformation of the composition and horizontal structure of steppe communities in East Mongolia under anthropogenic influence and its reflection on large-scale maps

1995 ◽  
pp. 22-41
Author(s):  
V. N. Khramtsov ◽  
P. P. Dmitriev
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Steppe Zone ◽  
State Farm ◽  
Actual Structure ◽  
Horizontal Structure ◽  
Zonal Vegetation ◽  
Animal Populations ◽  
Fallow Lands

In 1989–1990 participants of the joint Soviet-Mongolian Complex Biological Expedition conducted the works on the estimation of the present-day state of nature ecosystems in Mongolia. The anthropogenic dynamics (transformation) of steppe ecosystems was studied in the East Steppe Stationary in the territory of state-farm Tumen-Tsogt in the Sukhebator District. During these works the series of maps was compiled for the territory of state-farm and for separate key plots (S. 1 : 1 000 000; 1 : 200 000; 1 : 100 000) showing the anthropogenic change of vegetation of animal populations, of soils and of ecosystems as a whole. The article represents some results of the investigations on transformation of vegetation cover under grazing the leading anthropogenic factor in Mongolia. The basic map is the vegetation map in scale of 1 : 100 000 (fig. 1, fragment). The legend of this map reflects the relations between vegetation and relief and soils. The highest divisions of the legend represent the vegetation of major forms of relief: «Vegetation of low mountains», «Vegetation of flat alluvial-deluvial plains», etc. These divisions subordinate the subzonal and altitudinal-subbelt types: «Rich in forbs grass meadow steppes on the mountain chernoziom soils», «Forb and forb-bunch grass steppes on the dark-chestnut soils», etc. The communities and their combinations, belonging to the definite edaphic variants of zonal vegetation, are taken as mapping units. 7 edaphic variants are distinguished in the whole. In the legend the concrete series of transformation of vegetation cover are given. Numbers 1–17 represent the undisturbed communities. The figure indices at the numbers (for instance: 10'–104) differentiate communities of the same digression serie - fr om less to most degradated ones. In the case of fallow lands such indices indicate the stage of reconstruction – from less to the most reconstructed vegetation (18–185). It has been paid attention to the heterogeneity of vegetation that is reflected in the map legend in characterizing the map divisions. The attention has been attracted also to the pattern of the horizontal structure of these complexes. The classic complexes of plant communities are not characteristic of the steppe zone of Mongolia, especially of its central and eastern regions as they are characteristic, for instance of the Kazakhstan steppes wh ere their distribution and development are caused by the processes of salt accumulation and salt removing from soils. In Mongolia the heterogeneity of vegetation and soil cover is conditioned by the burrow activity of rodents. The patterns of horizontal structure of phytocoenotic complexes appeared to be diverse and peculiar of definite landscapes depending on animal population and environmental conditions. It was ascertained that at grazing not only the phytocoenotic parameters (species composition, coverage, abundance, etc.) are transformed but also community dimensions, their proportion in complexes and the pattern itself of these complexes. It was interesting to reveal the transformation series of these patterns in complex biogeocoenoses. Fig. 2 shows the fragment of map representing the horizontal structure of biogeocoenoses, s. 1 : 1 000 000. The legend of the map is given in the table form (see table). The map shows both the reconstructed and the actual structure of vegetation cover. The undisturbed and slightly disturbed structural types are given by the main numbers (1–12) with figure index 1 (V–12'). The structures disturbed in various extents are shown by figure indices at the main number (for instance, 22–24). The indices correspond the degree of disturbance: 2 – middle disturbed, 3 – strongly disturbed, 4 – the most disturbed. The schematic drawings of horizontal structure of the natural and transformed complexes of plant communities are given in figure 3. Figure 4 proposes the fragment of analytic map of horizontal structure of biogeocoenoses. This map shows the actual pattern of plant community complexes. The last map (fig. 5) represents the percentage contribution of zoophytochoras in background undisturbed vegetation in various landscape elements.

Classification of woody-shrub vegetation of the forest-steppe complex of Privolzhskaya Upland

2009 ◽  
pp. 27-53
Author(s):  
A. Yu. Kudryavtsev
Keyword(s):  
Plant Community ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Dominant Species ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Vegetation Mapping ◽  
Vegetation Classification ◽  
Forest Steppe ◽  
Mapping Data

Diversity of plant communities in the nature reserve “Privolzhskaya Forest-Steppe”, Ostrovtsovsky area, is analyzed on the basis of the large-scale vegetation mapping data from 2000. The plant community classi­fication based on the Russian ecologic-phytocoenotic approach is carried out. 12 plant formations and 21 associations are distinguished according to dominant species and a combination of ecologic-phytocoenotic groups of species. A list of vegetation classification units as well as the characteristics of theshrub and woody communities are given in this paper.

scholarly journals Vegetation cover and small mammals as the components of biocoenosis in the conditions of the Volga Upland

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 18-23
Author(s):  
Elena Evgenievna Boryakova
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
Distinct Group ◽  
Steppe Zone ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Forest Steppe ◽  
Oak Forest ◽  
The Village

The study of the nature reserve oak forest near the village of Pelya-Khovanskaya ecosystem was done in the region of Nizhny Novgorod. The investigated wood is unique for its complex structure. It is situated in the forest-steppe zone, characterized by a high species diversity of small mammals and vegetation, which indicates the complexity of trophic and spatial connections. Several series of sample plots were described: 41 of 2020 m and a number of 11 m sites, totaling 300. Abundance of species by Brown-Blanke scale and the number of specimens of adolescence were specified for each 1 sq. m. plot. Mammals were trapped with the help of trapping grooves and transects method. Vegetation cover is characterized by the presence of a clear intra-differentiation as well as the existence of two basic ecologo-coenotic groups/cores - the nemoral (with Pulmonaria obscura Dum. as the center species of the core) and the meadow-fringe. The most distinct group is formed by forest-shoot species. It can be explained by more forest-steppe rather than nemoral nature of vegetation. Small mammals are represented by the following species: common and small shrews, small forest mouse, yellow-throated and field mice and harvest mouse, vole-housekeeper, common, plowed and red voles, European mole. Two species among them - vole-housekeeper and mouse-baby - are listed in the Red Book of the Nizhny Novgorod Region. Matching burrows of mouse-like rodents with soil richness with nitrogen and humidity, two well-defined peaks are observed. The greatest number of burrows is found in places where the soil is high in nitrogen. Moles were found in areas with a large projective coating of Primula veris: coefficient Spearman rank 0,50. There was a negative correlation of the number of moles and vegetation covering of Pyrethrum corymbosum (-0,46), which is the marker of the driest parts in the forest. In general, the nature reserve oak forest near the village of Pelya-Khovanskaya is of considerable interest, both from botanical and from zoological point of view. Long-term studies of biocoenosis will allow to monitor the facility and to correct the proposed protective measures.

scholarly journals Geobotanical characteristics of psammophytic steppes of the Penza region in the Ardym river basin

2021 ◽  
pp. 35-47
Author(s):  
L. A. Novikova ◽  
◽  
S. N. Artemova ◽  
V. K. Makuev ◽  
E. Y. Yakovlev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Steppe Zone ◽  
Anthropogenic Effects ◽  
Forest Steppe ◽  
Anthropogenic Influence ◽  
Erosion Process ◽  
Middle Volga Region ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Middle Volga

The research is devoted to the study of poorly preserved psammophytic variants of meadow steppes in the forest-steppe zone of the Middle Volga Region. It has allowed to define the main stages of re-establishment of vegetational cover and estimate the conservation prospects on the river Ardym in different ecological conditions (geomorphological and edaphyc). It has been established that the re-establishment of psammophytic steppes vegetation occurs in a similar way both on the slopes of the predominantly southern exposition and on watershed surfaces. However, in the absence of anthropogenic effects on watershed surfaces, there is a sylvatization of the vegetation cover resulting in displacement of psammophytic steppes. Only the constantly occurring weak natural erosion processes on the slopes of the predominantly southern exposition contribute to the preservation of these rare communities here. Under intense anthropogenic influence, as well as in the conditions of a significant erosion process, the psammophytic steppes fail to be preserved or replaced by steppe meadows.

scholarly journals The latitudinal distribution of vegetation cover in Siberia

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 00047
Author(s):  
Irina Safronova ◽  
Tatiana Yurkovsksya
Keyword(s):  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Western Siberia ◽  
Steppe Zone ◽  
Coniferous Forests ◽  
Forest Steppe ◽  
Taiga Zone ◽  
Eastern Siberia ◽  
Central Siberia ◽  
Zonal Vegetation ◽  
North Eastern

The latitudinal changes of vegetation cover on the plains of Siberia are observed. In Western Siberia there are 4 zones (tundra and taiga, and forest-steppe and steppe only here), in Central and North-Eastern Siberia − only 2 zones (tundra and taiga).Tundra zone is represented by 4 subzones in Central Siberia; in Western and North-Eastern Siberia − by 3 subzones (there are no polar subzone). All 5 subzones of the taiga zone are distinguished both in Western Siberia and in the Central Siberia, but in the Central Siberia, forests are found in very high latitudes. The feature of the taiga zone of Western Siberia is high paludification. As a result, the vegetation of mires dominates over the zonal vegetation. Zonal West Siberian types are dark coniferous forests. Light coniferous forests predominate in the taiga zone of Central and North-Eastern Siberia. In the forest-steppe zone in Western Siberia forests are small-leaved − birch, aspen-birch (Betula pendula, Populus tremula). The abundance of mires is the feature of this zone, as well as in the taiga.

Experience in assessing the dynamic state of vegetation based on a large-scale map of modern vegetation (on the example of the area “Levashovskiy les”, St. Petersburg)

2019 ◽  
pp. 39-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. A. Volkova ◽  
V. N. Khramtsov
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Dynamic State ◽  
Anthropogenic Factors ◽  
Natural State ◽  
Short Term

The article is devoted to the vegetation mapping of the “Levashovskiy les”— a large forest-mire massif located in the northern part of St. Petersburg (Fig. 1). It continues a series of articles on the vegetation of existing and proposed specially protected natural areas of St. Petersburg (Volkova, Khramtsov, 2018). Large-scale map of modern vegetation (Fig. 2) is presented; the map legend includes 67 main numbers, the signs and numeric indexes at the numbers made it possible to show 93 mapping units (associations and their variants). Brief description of the main types of plant communities (spruce, pine, birch, aspen, gray alder and black alder forests; raised bogs, transitional mires and fens, floodplain and upland meadows) reveals the content of the legend. Vegetation cover is characterized by the dominance of secondary communities. The main anthropogenic impacts on modern vegetation are following: drainage reclamation, deforestation and former agricultural use, forest fires, gas pipelines, highways. Most of the forest communities are secondary ones; they have grown under the pressure of various anthropogenic factors and at different time. Nowadays an active process of natural regeneration of conife­rous (mainly spruce) trees goes in the forests. Plant community structure and species composition were taken into account as well as their dynamic state. To assess the degree of disturbance of plant communities and the potential for their restoration, the analysis of all mapped vegetation categories with respect to their position in the ranks of restorative successions was made. Then an assessment map “Dynamic state of plant communities” (Fig. 3) was compiled. The map shows following categories of dynamic types of communities: conventionally primary; relatively long-term secondary and stable long-term secondary (Sukachev, 1938; Isachenko, 1964; Karpenko, 1965; Gribova, Isachenko, 1972); short-term secondary that were divided into 3 categories representing different stages of restorative series. Present state of the vegetation cover of the “Levashovskiy les” can be determined by the ratio of the areas of conventionally primary and secondary communities. Areal analysis of dynamic categories of plant communities showed that only a bit more than 20 % of the territory is occupied by conventionally primary communities and about 60 % – by short-term secondary ones with good restorative potential. Without strong anthropogenic and natural disturbances, a significant part of the disturbed plant communities will be able to self-restore to their natural state. The establishment of a specially protected natural area as well as the regulation of conservation regime will support restoration process of nature ecosystems.

Phytoecological mapping of the Northern Caspian Region

2002 ◽  
pp. 44-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. N. Safronova
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Steppe Zone ◽  
Caspian Region ◽  
The West ◽  
Fallow Lands ◽  
Caspian Lowland ◽  
Desert Zone ◽  
Mangyshlak Peninsula ◽  
Zonal Boundary

We have performed the phytoecological mapping of the Northern Caspian Region in scale 1 : 2 500 000. The territory includes the Caspian Lowland and the Mangyshlak Peninsula between 45°-53°30 E and 49°-42° N. The earlier published maps of the same scale showed either vegetation of the Caspian Lowland or that of the Mangyshlak Peninsula. We have shown both territories on one map, which has permitted to reflect the peculiar features of the Northern Caspian Region: extensive distribution of the dwarf-semishrub communities not only in desert but also in the steppe zone; differences of desert vegetation cover between areas west and east of the Ural River; the running of zonal steppe/desert boundary along 44° N on the west coast of Caspian Sea whereas on the east coast the middle deserts occur at the same latitude: etc. Our studies were based upon a broad understanding of the desert and steppe types of vegetation. To the desert type of vegetation on the plains of Caspian Region and Turan belong the communities of xerophilous and hyperxerophilous micro- and mesothermic plants of various growth forms, mostly dwarf-semishrubs, semishrubs and shrubs, to the steppe type - plant communities consisting mostly of perennial more or less microthermic xerophilous herbaceous plants, predominantly of bunchgrasses, locally tufted sedges and perennial herbs. One should add that stony-rubble and salted substrates in steppe zone are characterized by distribution of dwarf-semishrub communities. Some researchers, apart from steppe and desert zones distinguish semidesert one in the Caspian Lowland, however it is accepted that there is no semidesert type of vegetation. Therefore it is difficult to agree with the recognition of the semidesert zone. The drawing of zonal boundary between steppe and desert in the Northern Caspian Region involves definite difficulties depending on environmental features of the region and strong anthropogenic press. So, on sand massifs and saline soils vegetation is the same both in desert and steppe zones. Vegetation cover of the Western Caspian Region is transformed considerably under anthropogenic influence. It is known that in steppe region at ploughing up of the worm- wood-bunchgrass steppes one of the stages of restoration of fallow lands is the wormwood one, physiognomically similar to desert. The same appearance is assumed by steppe at the strong grazing when grasses are destroyed and wormwoods is growing up. Such anthropogenic wormwood communities are widely spread at the boundary between zones. This resulted in that on earlier published vegetation maps the desert zone in the interfluve of Volga-Ural was shifted fairly far to the North up to 49°N. At present we believe that it is possible to assign the northern part of Ryn-Sands to steppe zone and to draw the zonal boundary along the latitude of 48°30 N. The boundary is determined by climate, geological history, hydrology, edaphic conditions and. vegetation. Somewhat differently than earlier we draw the zonal boundary in the Caspian Lowland between the Volga River and the Ergeni Height. It goes from Prishib's settlement to south-west to Yashkul's settlement (45°30 E) and further westward of Achinery's settlement to south-east up to the Kuma River. We could specify its position since during the last years the part of fallow lands, occupying large areas to the west and north of this line, restored up to steppes of Stipa sareptana-Artemisia lerchiana and those of Agropyron desertorum-Artemisia lerchiana. In the course of cartographic works we compiled the vegetation map of the Northern Caspian Region. This map became the base for series of maps: phytoecological one. the map of dominating plant formations, the map of edaphic variants of plant communities, the map of transformation of ecosystems of the Lower Volga Region. Phytoecological map (Fig. 1) gives an idea of latitudinal differentiation of vegetation in the Northern Caspian Region which depends on climate, and reflects its interrelation with soil conditions on plains and with lithological composition in low mountains. The map of edaphic variants of plant communities (Fig. 2) well reflects the peculiar features of various parts of the Northern Caspian Region: between the Terek River and the Ural River psammophyte and hemipsammophyte variants there predominate; east of the Ural River halophyte ones prevail: on the Mangyshlak Peninsula all variants are represented. Pelitophyte variants predominate in the west of the Region and along its northern margin within the limits of steppe zone. On the map of dominating formations (Fig. 3) we could show the distribution of 17 formations and 1 group of formations. A part of formations is restricted exclusively to steppe zone or desert zone, another part is spread throughout the both. This map helps to understand such peculiar feature of the region as wide distribution of dwarf-semishrub communities not only in deserts but also in steppes, which is due to presence of large areas of sands and saline soils in region. The Caspian Region was intensively used by man for a long time. By present time vegetation cover is noticeable transformed. We tried to show cartographically the degree of this transformation and differences in economical utilization of the Lower Volga area (Fig. 4). 4 degrees of transformation are distinguished: Tl-weak, T2-moderate, T3-strong, T4-very strong. Each polygon is considered from standpoint of type of anthropogenic influence: such as pastures (index «a»), fallow lands (index «b»). For pastures degree of grazing is recorded - from weak grazing to overgrazing. For fallow lands the stage of restoration is detected: from the tall weed one up to the perennial herb one conventionally restored.

scholarly journals Syntaxonomy of the Festuco-Brometea class vegetation of the Azov sea coastal zone

Hacquetia ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vitaliy Коlomiychuk ◽  
Denys Vynokurov
Keyword(s):  
Ground Water ◽  
Coastal Zone ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Steppe Zone ◽  
Forest Steppe ◽  
Sea Of Azov ◽  
Local Data ◽  
Steppe Vegetation ◽  
Azov Sea ◽  
Twinspan Classification

Abstract Syntaxonomy of the class Festuco-Brometea in Ukraine has barely been still explored. There are some scattered and local data, mainly within the Forest-Steppe zone, which need to be compiled and critically reviewed. Similarly, the Azov Sea coastal zone, which, despite the considerable diversity of habitats, remains unstudied phytosociologically. We have carried out large-scale comparisons of relevés from the Sea of Azov coastline with data from other regions of Ukraine, Europe, and Russia. In total, 2336 relevés were used for the analysis. For the analysis, Modified TWINSPAN classification was used. Diagnostic species were determined by means of the phi fidelity index. In total, 9 associations and 4 subassociations, belonging to four alliances, were identified and categorised as follows: Artemisio-Kochion prostratae (ruderalized steppes), Artemisio tauricae- Festucion valesiacae (saline steppe vegetation on sites affected by the sea or saline ground water), Stipo lessingianae-Salvion nutantis (forb-bunchgrass steppe vegetation) and Tanaceto millefolii-Galatellion villosae (bunchgrass steppes). The last alliance is proposed as a new one.

scholarly journals Rare spider species (Araneae) of protected steppe areas of the Kharkiv Region (Ukraine)

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Steppe Zone ◽  
Forest Steppe ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Habitat Specificity ◽  
Southern Boundary ◽  
Anthropogenic Transformation ◽  
Geographic Ranges ◽  
Spider Species ◽  
Sparse Vegetation ◽  
Nature Park

A total of 426 spider species is known in the fauna of the Kharkiv Region. Of these, 32 species may be considered rare and/or vulnarable. The largest steppe areas in the Kharkiv Region are protected in the National Nature Park “Dvorichanskyi” and the Regional Landscape Park “Velykoburlutskyi Steppe”. The former hosts 11 rare spider species, the latter 13 species, and eight species occur in both Parks. For the species Lathys heterophthalma, Trachyzelotes lyonneti, Russocampus polchaninovaе, and Euryopis laeta it is the only valid record from Ukraine; for Pardosa maisa, Dipoena coracina, and Talavera aperta, maximun two or three localities are known. Titanoeca veteranica and Altella hungarica are the new records to the Kharkiv Region. Two species are extremely rare, Altella hungarica has been found in only seven localities in Europe, and Russocampus polchaninovae in four localities. Northern boundaries of the geographic ranges of Civizelotes pygmaeus, Gnaphosa dolosa, Xysticus marmoratus, X. mongolicus, and the southern boundary of Gnaphosa lugubris run through the Kharkiv Region. On the edges of their areas, these species become habitat specialists and occur only in steppes and/or dry meadows. Xyticus mongolicus inhabits sandy and chalky steppes with sparse vegetation. Gnaphosa taurica has high ecological plasticity in the steppe zone, while in the forest-steppe, it is limited with chalk and limestone outcrops. Some species like Gnaphosa lugubris, G. licenti, G. taurica, Zora pardalis and Eresus kollari, were abundant in our samplings while 19 species were found as singletons. G. taurica, and E. kollari preferred chalky slopes, G. licenti both chalky slopes and top of a southern ungrazed slope, G. lugubris dominated on all slopes in the Velykoburlutskyi Steppe, while Z. pardalis was the most abundant in ungrazed gully bottoms in both Parks. Being not numerous, Altella hungarica, Euryopis laeta, Civizelotes pygmaeus and Drassyllus vinealis occurred annually in the same habitats that may indicate stability of their populations. Given their habitat specificity, even numerous species became vulnerable under the threat of anthropogenic transformation of natural ecosystems. The only way to protect them is to preserve their habitats.

scholarly journals TRANSFORMATION OF THE HALOPHYTIC VEGETATION OF THE “SERDOBSKY SOLONETS” SERDOBSKY DISTRICT, PENZA REGION)

Ekosistemy ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 5-11
Author(s):  
L. A. Novikova ◽  
E. V. Mikhailova ◽  
V. M. Vasjukov ◽  
T. V. Gorbushina
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Vascular Plants ◽  
Anthropogenic Impact ◽  
Steppe Zone ◽  
Forest Steppe ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Natural Monument ◽  
High Level

Halophytic vegetation is very rare in the forest-steppe zone. It was studied in the tract Serdobsky solonetsin the vicinity of Serdobsk (Serdobsky district, Penza region). The studies were conducted in the years 2009–2018, using the technique of geobotanical profiling. 80 trial areas were laid (35 in 2009 and 45 in 2008). Ecological and phytocenotic classification of plant communities is performed on the dominant principle. Comparison of two descriptions of vegetation with an interval of 10 years allows us to trace the transformation of halophytic vegetation after intensive anthropogenic impact (grazing and partial plowing) in different environmental conditions. The flora of Serdobsky solonets consists of 179 species of vascular plants, of which 13 species are included in the Red book of the Penza region (2013). The share of halophytic vegetation on the territory of Serdobsky solonetshas changed over 10 years: from 97.0 % to 63.8 %. Moreover, halophyte meadows occupied 67.0 % and halophyte steppes 30.0 % of the area in 2009. Now (2018) halophytic steppes make up 30.8 %, and halophytic meadows 33.0 %.The main stages of demutation of halophytic steppe and meadow vegetation were identified in various environmental conditions (meadows and steppes). The same stages of demutation were identified earlier for the South-Eastern Solonets (Neverskinsky district of the Penza region). However, a special stage of annual saline grasslands has been identified.This place requires protection due to the high level of floral and phytocenotic diversity. We offer to organize here a natural monument called “Serdobsky solonets”.

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