TRACES OF THE ANCIENT PATHS IN THE STEPPE TAVRIA

The original appearance of the steppe surface of the southern part of the eastern European plane was transformed by the centuries of the anthropogenic impact. Along with feather grass the traces of the ancient roads have disappeared. However, the satellite images still detect the areas around some kurhans having kept the waggons traces. We can recognize them due to the different color of vegetation as well as by the coloration of the open soil. The antiquity of the roads near kurhans is witnessed by the cases of tracks, covered by the burial mounds, that were erected in the Bronze Age. An additional indicator of the ancient transport network on the maps of the 19th century are wells or groups of pits in the open steppe, the number of which should be associated with the need to water a large number of cattle. The latter occurred during the arrival of a trade caravan or a train of wagons. The kurhans themselves are an ancient form of mass cult buildings in the Eurasian steppe, which have attracted both large main and secondary roads. Powerful tradition of building kurhans, fading and restoring through times, existed from the Eneolithic to the late Middle Ages. The appearance of new mounds or the completion of existing ones periodically renewed the system of landmarks in the monotonous steppe. The paper provides an overview of previously unknown megastructures near the Scythian giant kurhans of Oguz and Chortomlyk, which in the form of light parallel stripes are recorded on satellite images. These stripes are probably traces of trenches or the foot of stone alleys, that were found to the east of the edge of the Oguz and outreached 800—850 m, and from Chortomlyk — 670 m. A search on various satellite images of the similar light stripes near other kurhans did not yield positive results. However, in the central part of the Dnieper-Molocha steppe region, satellite images luckily detected 19 nodes (intersections) of ancient ways connected to the kurhans’ mounds. Some of these nodes do yet not fit the complete road network of the region. But six of these nodes appear to be in the area of the route of the ancient path, known in the Middle Ages as Muravsky (Murava Route). It leaded from the Don basin, through the left (eastern) part of the basin of the Dnipro River to Crimea through the Isthmus of Perekop. Interestingly, this branch of the Muravsky Trail crosses the Sirogozy ravine between the kurhans of Kozel and Oguz. In previous reconstructions of the transport network, the option of passing this branch in the south of the Oguz, between the giant embankment and Diyiv kurhan, was preferred. The other three intersections lie in the lane of the old Chumaks’ Way or the Crimean Way, marking a forty-kilometer section between kurhans Kozel and Velyka Tsymbalka. From the center of the Tavria Steppe at least four directions of paths emerge towards the ancient Dnipro fords-crossings: Rogachytsia, Lepetych, Cair (Nosakiv) and Kіzikermen (Tavan).

About some discussion issues on steppe typology and florocenotypes related to them in vegetation of South Siberia

The phytogeographic ecotonicity of Southern Siberia (SS) is reflected in the features of its flora and vegetation, in particular the steppes. The recognition of only a floristic criterion in the typology of vegetation impoverishestheir real cenotic diversity. It is necessary to accept the florocenogenetic concept with fractional landscape-biomorphological types – florocoenotypes in the spirit of P. N. Ovchinnikov. By the genesis, the most ancient are the zonal sod grass(feather grass) steppes. However, the initial should be considered the Achnatherums and, in general, the communities ofshort-awned great-feather grass (Tsvelev, 1977), which formed steppe groups in the Tertiary savannoid complexes. Theformation of mountain cereal steppes – with fescue, oat, bluegrass, etc. took place synchronously with cryoxerophytization, starting from the Oligocene. The originality of the SS steppes is given by some rare steppe communities, which arecoenogenetically close to the tragacanth, friganoid, shiblyak and ephemeral steppes of mountainous Central Asia. Theseare distinctive relict steppes in the belt of the Altai, Sayan and Transbaikal mountains, which include communities of viviparous grassland steppes in the foothills of Western Altai, tragacanth-oxytropis steppes of southeastern Altai, and communities of the Tuvan and Daurian shiblyak, as well as groups of Altai friganoids with Ziziphora clinopodioides, Thymusaltaicus and Allium pallasii.

Biological Diversity of Plants in the Territory of the Protected Landscape "Razdorskie Sklony" (Rostov Region)

The article is aimed to assess the florocenotic diversity of the specially protected natural territory of the Rostov region ʺRazdorskie sklonyʺ. In the Rostov region there are 84 specially protected natural areas (PA), including the protected landscape ʺRazdorskie sklonyʺ. The PA consists of three cluster sites with a total area of 1117.64 hectares. The ʺRazdorskie sklonyʺ are a picturesque natural-historical landscape, typical for the right-bank slope of the Don valley. It has a long history of cultural development. Here there are feather grass steppes, the southernmost ravine upland forests, outcrops of pontic limestone-shell rocks, sands of the Yanovskaya formation and clay outcrops on the slopes, with a strip of alluvial floodplain. The vegetation of the right bedrock slope of the Don valley is distinguished by great formational variegation and mosaicism, due to the rapid and abrupt change of environmental factors in a rather limited space, which largely determines the richness and originality of its floristic complex. On the territory of the protected landscape, subzonal forb-sod grass, as well as hemipsammophytic (semi-sandy) and petrophytic steppes are present. Woody vegetation is represented by gully, floodplain forests and thickets of bushes. The vegetation cover of the ʺRazdorskie sklonyʺ is distinguished by a low degree of anthropogenic destruction and is quite representative in syntaxonomic and floristic terms. The flora of the protected landscape includes 693 species of higher vascular plants, including 29 taxa from the Red Books of the Rostov Region and the Russian Federation, a total of 183 taxa from the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (93 species) and the European Red List (145 species). Forest vegetation in the gullies of the protected areas is represented by ravine, floodplain forests and thickets of bushes. In the system of zoning of the ravine forests of the Lower Don, the ravine forests of the ʺRazdorskie sklonyʺ belong to one of the most southern regions – the Crimean-Donetsk region. Numerous cenopopulations of for-est ephemeroids form spring synusia in ravine forests and thickets of shrubs, being a temporary ʺcollective dominantʺ.

Resources of medicinal plants of the national park «Bashkiria» of the republic of Bashkortostan

The vegetation of the Bashkiria National Park is one of the basic components for studying the flora and vegetation of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Accounting and protection of such plant biodiversity is important for their conservation and study. Based on the results of geobotanical surveys in the Bashkiria National Park in the spring-summer period of 2020, 270 species of medicinal plants belonging to 61 families were identified, of which the majority in terms of the number of species are represented by the families Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Rosaceae, Ranunculaceae, Fabaceae and Apiaceae. Despite the fact that in geomorphological terms the national park is included in the region of low-mountainous relief of the eastern region of the mountains of the Southern Urals, medicinal plants belonging to meadow and forest coenotic groups prevail in the Bashkiria National Park. The presence of previously discovered species such as Rhodiola iremelica Boriss Rhodiola Iremel, Helichrysum arenarium (L.) Moench Sandy cumin, Cypripedium guttatum Sw. spotted ladys slipper, included in the Red Book of Bashkiria. In addition, Stipa pennata L. was found feather grass included in both the Red Book of Bashkiria and the Red Book of Russia.

FEATHER GRASS (STIPA) OF KAZAKHSTAN - THEIR ROLE IN THE STRUCTURE OF VEGETATION

There are 35 species of feather grass (Stipa), 8 of which are endemous. Nutrition and chemical composition were investigated for 14 Stipa; It was established that 327 plant associations are found with the participation of 12 species of Stipa as dominants and subdominants: S. capillata; S. caucasica; S. hohenackeriana; S. ioannis = S. pennata; S. korshinskyi; S. kirghisorum; S. lessingiana; S. orientalis; S. rubens; S. richteriana; S. sareptana; S. szowitsiana; Chromosome numbers have been identified for 9 out of 35 species

Об особенностях поэтического перевода на английский язык (на материале стихотворения Риммы Ханиновой «Им снилась степь в раздолье ковыля…»)

The article focuses on lingvo-culturological and lingvo-translational analysis of the poem by the modern Kalmyk poet Rimma Khaninova «They dreamed of feather grass beneath their feet…» translated into English by Carlton Copeland (USA). This poem is included in the collection the poet’s works “A Notebook of Siberian Memories” (1991) and is devoted to the deportation and the thirteen-year exile of Kalmyk people during Stalin’s repressions (1943 – 1956). The lingvo-cultural description of the work shows that its central theme is motherland and memories of the past. The artistic image of the poem is conveyed by the various symbols of the natural and subjective world. The study of the cultural and ethical phenomena in terms of translation studies is still one of the relevant methods in the theoretical and practical aspects. The study showed that C. Copeland uses various translation techniques that allow us to reveal the content of the original.

The genus Stipa (Poaceae) in the Altai Krai: taxonomy and distribution

Over the past two centuries, Altai krai, located in the southeastern part of Western Siberia, has undergone significant transformation as a result of the virgin lands development. The vast even territories of the krai, formerly occupied by steppes dominated by the feather grass, are now almost completely plowed up. Many types of steppe communities, as well as plant species associated with them, have become rare. This paper presents the results of the taxonomic revision of the genus Stipa. The genus has a high conservation value and seven of twelve feather grass species growing in the studied area are listed in the “Red Book of Altai Krai”. Based on the revision of the herbarium collections stored in ALTB, LE, NS, NSK, TK and the authors’ collections, a checklist of the genus Stipa in Altai krai and an illustrated identification key were compiled. The synopsis for each species contains a nomenclature name, a brief description, a note on taxonomy, flowering period and typical habitats. In addition, it presents the distribution of species in the territory of the krai in the form of an administrative districts list and point maps. A new record of S. sareptana species, new for Altai krai and Western Siberia, was found while the presence of S. baicalensis was not confirmed. Additionally, lectotype of S. praecapillata is also here designated.

Ecological-floristic characteristics of the specially protected natural area «Kostinskie Loga» (Samara Region)

The paper considers ecological-floristic characteristics of the specially protected natural area Kostinskie Loga, located in the southern part of the Samara Region (Bolshechernigovsky and Bolsheglushitsky Districts). The research area belongs to the subzone of fescue-feather grass steppes. The flora is represented by 240 species of vascular plants belonging to 160 genera, 49 families, 2 classes and 1 division. Ecological-cenotic analysis was used to assess the ecosystem diversity of the nature sanctuary. The leading groups for phytocenotic affinity are identified: steppe (65 species; 27,1%) and meadow-steppe (54 species; 22,5%), which indicates a good preservation of steppe biomes and demonstrates landscape features of the nature sanctuary. The low value of the synanthropization index (15,8%) reflects a moderate level of anthropogenic load. The adventive component of the flora is represented by 30 plant species (12,5%), among which the degree of naturalization is dominated by epecophytes (10,8%), the time of introduction by neophytes (6,7%), the methods of introduction are dominated by xenophytes (27 species; 11,3%). The analysis of flora identified 6 species included in the Black book of Central Russia (Acer negundo, Atriplex tatarica, Cyclachaena xanthiifolia, Hordeum jubatum, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Xanthium albinum). The introduction of alien plants into natural communities occurs due to pasture digression in areas bordering the territory of the nature sanctuary. In general, the degree of anthropogenic transformation of the flora in most of the territory is expressed slightly, the vegetation cover retains natural features inherent in the steppe zone. A high degree of preservation of steppe communities with a significant participation of rare representatives of flora (14,6%) creates prerequisites for the organization of one of the steppe reserve sections of the Samara Region.

Using the landscape approach in determining the boundaries of the protected area of the Sintashty cluster of the Arkaim reserve, Russia

Aim. To select the maximum variety of landscape structural units from the watershed to the Sintashta river. To determine the boundaries of the recommended specially protected area.Material and Methods. The Sintashta protected area is currently composed of tracts which only represent a small part of steppe landscape diversity: bushy tracts and forb-grass floodplain and part of the herb-grass steppe terraces. Based on field physical geography description and cartography using GIS systems, the maximum variety of tracts from the watershed to the river in the territory within which lies the Sintashta archaeological monument complex (the cluster section of the Arkaim reserve) was identified.Results. The course of separate tracts that characterise the steppe landscape from the watershed to the Sintashta River comprises: inclined-undulating banks with gullies and sagebrush-mixed grass steppe, lowland forb-fescue steppe with birch and pine groves, plains grass grassland bushed grassland, flat interfleuve with feather grass-forb steppe with pine and birch groves.Conclusion. The territory of the Sintashta site is unique in its natural and historical content. Preserving it in the future as a territorial system with its enclosing landscapes and cultural monuments will allow a comprehensive approach to the issues of reconstruction and preservation of the natural environment and the understanding of the economic structure of ancient societies. In ordere to preserve the historical and cultural complex in inseparable connection with the natural landscape, it is recommended that selected key tracts be incorporated in the protected area.

HERBAL ECOSYSTEMS IN AGROLANDSCAPES VALUYKI DISTRICT OF SOUTH RUSSIAN PROVINCE STEPPE ZONE OF CENTRAL BLACK EARTH REGION OF RUSSIA

The characteristic of the spread of herbal ecosystems in the agrolandscapes of the Valui district of the South Russian province of the steppe zone of the Central Black Earth of Russia is given. Tramped pastures (with narrow-leaved bluegrass, sheep fescue, motley grass) predominate on the site of the indigenous (rich-motley grass, sheep fescue, feather-grass) Donetsk and middle-Don steppes.