ANALYSIS OF DESERTIFICATION TRENDS IN THE NORTH-WEST CASPIAN PLAIN

The desertification of the North-Western Caspian plain controlled by the arid and humid rhythms of climate, nature landscapes Sarpinsky lowland and the Black lands, intensity of human activities. Trends in desertification are detected by monitoring the state of vegetation, lands and irrigation systems. It has been established that productivity and species diversity of natural vegetation must be strict regulation of pasture load, agriculture should be carried out with the use of modern farming practices, socio-economic development of the territory should regulate the system of environmental measures.

GEOBOTANICAL SURVEY OF PASTURES OF THE ALTSYNKHUTINSKY RMU OF KETCHENEROVSKY DISTRICT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KALMYKIA

The article presents the results of a geobotanical survey of the territory of one of the typical rural municipalities in the northwestern part of the Caspian region. The species composition, analysis of life forms, the ratio of ruderal and stern plant species noted in the herbage have been studied. The total number of plant species in the communities, their maximum and minimum number in different periods of the growing season are noted. The productivity of pasture phytocenoses in different types of soils and in different time intervals has been studied. A comparative analysis of the permissible pasture load with the normative one in the spring and autumn periods of research is presented.

GEOECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF PASTURE PHYTOCENOSES IN THE DESERT ZONE OF THE REPUBLIC OF KALMYKIA

Based on long-term monitoring, the geoecological assessment of pasture phytocenoses in the desert zone of the Republic of Kalmykia under the influence of anthropogenic and climatic factors is given. It is established that excessive pasture load leads to degradation processes of vegetation and soil cover: a wide spread of explerents ( Eragrostis minor, Amaranthus albus ), depletion of the floral composition by 2 times, a decrease in productivity and feed value of pastures, an increase in the area of flown Sands.

Historical aspects of exploitation of mountain pasture resources in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic

The article presents an overview of materials on the pasture load dynamics on mountain meadow ecosystems of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic in the XX-XXI centuries. The livestock number in the public sectors and private business in different periods of development of the pasture animal husbandry system are presented. The article describes the state of grassland and the main reasons for the degradation of pastures during the periods of collective farm animal husbandry, after the elimination of the collective farm-state system, in the conditions of the economic crisis of the late XX century and in current times. Widespread rental land use by economic entities of various forms without proper control over the intended use of land leads to re-degradation of previously long-time unused pastures.

Pasture degradation of the Southern Kulunda steppes (Altai Krai)

The article considers the results of the study of degraded bunchgrass steppes state in the Southern Kulunda area (2013-2018). It points out stages of the grassland degradation and estimates changes in the following: species composition, vertical and horizontal grass stand structure, supply of the aboveground phytomass as a result of pasture load growth.

Short-term isolation of the bunchgrass steppes of the Southern Kulunda

The article considers the results of the experiment to improve the condition of the degraded bunchgrass steppes of the Southern Kulunda at different stages of pasture degradation by the conservation method (2013-2018). The change in the species composition, structure of the grass stand, supply of aboveground phytomass and its components as a result of decreasing pasture load is presented.

Trends of some rare flora species populations in the Southern Urals foothills (Orenburg Region)

The results of long-term (1994-2018) studies of the distribution and abundance of rare plant species in the foothills of the Southern Urals in order to identify their spatial and temporal trends are discussed. Some species retains its low numbers; in some species the number of populations and their amount were reduced, and some, probably, entirely disappeared from the flora. It is a new species in the local flora - Bupleurum aureum , but its low number does not allow to assess objectively its status and the necessary measures of protection. Spreading of Epipactis helleborine is also sporadic. The population of Veratrum lobelianum is gradually spreading to the South due to mesophytization of the climate and changes in pasture load on meadow and meadow-steppe ecosystems. The populations of the Cicerbita uralensis and Lathyrus litvinovii are in the critical condition. Thus, the change in environmental conditions leads to the fact that simultaneously with the reduction of the rare fraction, some species that previously had a small number, begin resettlement, contributing to the change in the appearance of the vegetation cover of the southern Urals foothills.

Assessment of Vulnerability of Natural Grasslands That Are Used as Pastures: Russia’s Example

Natural grasslands that are used as pastures have great importance for animal husbandry. Unfortunately, because of various reasons, the productivity of natural pastures can decline with time. The methodology to predict possible long-term change of the basic properties of natural pastures depending on the pasture load is considered in the present paper. The simulation models and the results of their application for the conditions of use of natural pastures in the steppe zone of Russia are presented. The models take into account the following aspects: biodiversity of plant species in the grassland, capacity of ecological niche, vegetation productivity of grassland, climatic conditions, soil fertility, pasture load, surface slope, intensity of water and wind soil erosion, projective surface coverage, and ecological sustainability of the grassland. The analysis resulted from the proposed models in the examples of practical application showed that the described methodology could be used to develop the necessary measures for sustainable and intensive use of natural grasslands.

Synphytosozological assessment of pasture ecosystems vegetation in south-east Ukraine

As part of the pasture vegetation of steppe ecosystems of the south-east of Ukraine we found 62 rarity formations (79% of the total number), with 338 (52%) rarity associations of dominant classification. Green Book of Ukraine includes 18 formations with 79 associations (respectively, 54% and 67% of these syntaxa of regional vegetation), and the rest of the formations and associations are rare for this region. Rare vegetation formations and their associations are listed and distributed by types of grassland steppe ecosystems. The highest syntaxonomic variety is characteristic for gully and ravine steppe ecosystems formed on eroded chernozems underlain by loess (750 associations of 81 formations), the least syntaxonomic diversity is found in above-floodplain terraced steppes on the sands (140 associations of 24 formations). The greatest number of regionally rare associations is cenotically confined to the chalk outcrops (49 associations of 16 formations). A large number of associations are stenotopic. These results suggest a high synphytosozological value of pasture ecosystems vegetation in the south-east of Ukraine, which is very important for the conservation of the steppe biome biodiversity. It should be taken into account when grounding establishment of the local reserves for biota protection, their protection regimes and performing pasture load calculations for specific areas.