Архив рубрики: article-3-2020

PRIORITIES OF THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF THE WORLDWIDE RESEARCHES OF ARID LANDS

Arid Ecosystems

Zalibekov Z.G., Mamaev S.А., Grinchenko О.S., Kotenko М.Е., Мagomedov R.А. Priorities of the Development Strategy of the Worldwide Researches of Arid Lands // Arid ecosystems. 2020. V. 26. № 3 (84). P. 3-13. | PDF

The assessment of the global state of desertification highlights the need of information describing global extension of arid degradation and  damage it causes. In the context of climate warming, which is noticed at the present time, all new regions will be exposed to drought, weakening the stability of the degraded lands. However the frequency of droughts increases in arid regions with high intensity. The efforts of scientists and practitioners have been reflected in the journal «Arid ecosystems» over the past 25-years, allowed us to obtain final information about the mechanisms of degradation of soils, vegetation and wildlife. Based on the scientific achievements in anthropogenic dynamics of desertification processes and  resource potential of individual components of arid ecosystems, it is necessary to make a reasonable approach to the strategy and identify methods for implementing the presented concepts, programs and projects. Generalization of theoretical positions of  productivity restoration, stability of a soil cover allowed to present fundamental research of the world arid lands as an independent concept of «green economy». Its main specific feature is the differentiation of human impact: natural and medical-biological. The last aspect includes the assessment of the social situation of people living in conditions of increasing droughts, dry spells and climate warming.

Keywords: soil degradation, new stage, research strategy, sustainable development, socio-economic priorities, «green economy», concept revision, desertification, climate change.

DOI: 10.24411/1993-3916-2020-10101

THE CLIMATIC FLUCTUATIONS IN DRY STEPPES AND THEIR ROLE IN THE PROCESS OF REGENERATION

Arid Ecosystems

Pugacheva A.M. The Climatic Fluctuations in Dry Steppes and Their Role in the Process of Regeneration // Arid ecosystems. 2020. V. 26. № 3 (84). P. 14-22. | PDF

For the first time a research paper presents the results of the analyses of moisture-providing during the active growing seasons in dry steppes. The climatic fluctuations were examined together with the defining their characteristics. Contrary to the common opinion, that the steppe zone receives the highest rainfall in summer and that fact becomes its special feature including subzones, the analyses of 64 years show that the dry steppes of Lower Volga region received the highest rainfall in summer only in 39 % of years, in spring – in 27% of years and in autumn – in 34% of years. The time-series analysis during the seasons of moisture-providing for more than 50 years identified the general trend of decrease in summer rainfall and the increase of spring and autumn rainfall. The processing of time-series by  exponential smoothing and the regression analysis points to the rate of humidity increase in spring after the critical years of 1990 and 1991, which is proved by Student’s t-test (probability 0,00005) together with the humidity decrease in autumn (probability 0,01). These features characterize the regeneration processes of secondary phytocenoses on fallow lands in the form of domination of loose bunch cereaks and dense cereals in them because the moisture-providing in late spring (May) and early summer (June) has the primary importance for their development. In addition, the characteristics of moisture-providing show a tendency towards aridization. The number of species of Poaceae family  in the examined phytocenoses is 28 with 24.5% of representation. Moreover, this fact characterizes the existence of ephemeral plants and ephemeroids in the plant community, because their vital activity mainly depends on the spring rainfall. The number of their species is 8% of the total.

Keywords: climatic fluctuations, dry steppes, regeneration, plant communities, phytocenoses, exponential smoothing, regression analysis.

DOI: 10.24411/1993-3916-2020-10102

ANALYSIS OF CLIMATIC CONDITIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF KALMYKIA FOR THE PERIOD 1966-2017

Arid Ecosystems

Shumova N.А. Analysis of climatic conditions in the Republic of Kalmykia for the period 1966-2017 // Arid ecosystems. 2020. V. 26. № 3 (84). P. 23-29. | PDF

The work is based on an analysis of the dynamics of air temperature, precipitation and the hydrothermal coefficient of Selyaninov for the period from 1966 to 2017 based on data from the Yashkul meteorological station (Republic of Kalmykia). The construction and analysis of difference integral curves made it possible to identify periods with increased (in comparison with the average) and reduced values of the studied quantities. It is concluded that the leading role belongs to precipitation in the formation of hydrothermal conditions of the territory for the studied time interval and humid warming.

Key words: air temperature, precipitation, hydrothermal coefficient of Selyaninov, humid warming, Republic of Kalmykia.

DOI: 10.24411/1993-3916-2020-10103

CHANGE OF VEGETATION ON RECLAIMED SODIC SOILS ON THE PRIERGENINSKAYA PLAIN AFTER 10 YEARS (REPUBLIC OF KALMYKIA)

Arid Ecosystems

Novikova N.M., Volkova N.A.,  Ulanova S.S., Chemidov M.M. Change of Vegetation on Reclaimed Sodic Soils on the Priergeninskaya Plain After 10 Years (Repablic of Kalmykia) // Arid ecosystems. 2020. V. 26. № 3 (84). P. 30-39. | PDF

After 10 years the new observations of natural vegetation restoration were made. As 10 years ago at the same time (end of May) same methods of data collecting on 9 sites at the Arshan-Zelmen scientific station were used. Almost 50 years ago reclamation works that lasted for 20 years were stopped at the scientific station. Comparison of data obtained during field work for two observation periods (2008 and 2018) shows that changes in the salt profile of soils caused by reclamation remain unchanged. All these soils are of the same type of strongly transformed soils – deeply-saline agrozems. In the soil profile, the plowed layer (45 cm) and below lying horizon down to 50-60 cm, free from salts, identified in the 2008 descriptions were preserved in 2018. But in soil samples taken in 2018, the content of salts and, in particular, the chlorine ion increased in most areas under layer 50-60 cm. These changes were not reflected in the vegetation and the formation of plant communities that are typical for the final stages of secondary succession on light-chestnut soils rather than on solonetz continues. The total number of species recorded on geobotanical sites decreased from 70 to 62. From the list of species in 2008 almost half (35 species) fell out, and by 2018, 27 species had been introduced. This occurred mainly in groups of perennial and annual herbage species. Tree and shrub species (Populus album, Quercus robur, Ulmus pumila, Acer tatarica, Cotinus coggygria) continue to shrink and fall out, and only pear (Pyrus communis) and golden currant (Ribes aureum) have regeneration. Despite the decrease of total number of species, the species abundance of communities on all geobotanical sites increased significantly — by 1.5-2.5 times. During last 10 years representative species of zonal communities became widely spread: Artemisia lerchiana, Tanacetum achilleifolium, Poa bulbosa, Stipa lessingiana, Leymus ramosus, Artemisia austriaca. This fact contributed to the flattering of the species composition of plant communities on observation sites and caused an increase of species composition similarity between these communities up to 56-77%, which is significant compared with similarity 37-57% calculated in 2008. Similar changes were detected in the aboveground phytomass: not only the increase (average phytomass in 2008 and 2018 was respectively 734 and 849 C/ha), but also some flattering of the values on different sites. In 2018 in the virgin sodic soils the upper layer of 20 cm remain unsalted, and the above-ground phytomass in 2018 became more than twice higher than in 2008.

Key words: Caspian lowland, sodic (solonetz) soils, reclamation, irrigated afforestation, irrigated arable land, soil salinization-desalinization, species richness, plant communities, stages of succession, aboveground phytomass.

DOI: 10.24411/1993-3916-2020-10104

LAND USE/LAND COVER CHANGE DETECTION AND PREDICTION IN THE YASOUJ CITY SUBURBS IN KOHGILUYEH VA BOYERAHMAD PROVINCE IN IRAN

Arid Ecosystems

Armin M., Majidian M.,  Kheybari V.G. Land Use/Land Cover Change Detection and Prediction in the Yasouj City Suburbs in  Kohgiluyeh va Boyerahmad Province in Iran // Arid ecosystems. 2020. V. 26. № 3 (84). P. 40-49. | PDF

Land cover change has direct effect on ecological functions and processes of landscape and natural resources. Forest degradation affects watershed processes and biochemical cycles and leads to soil erosion and water shortage; therefore it is necessary that the spatial dimensions of land use and land cover are identified regularly so that the policy makers and researchers are enabled to make the necessary decisions. Patterns of land use and land cover changes indicate the changes in social and economic conditions. Monitoring such changes is essential for coordinated activities at national and international levels. In recent years, due to easy access to satellite imagery and capabilities of GIS, land use and land cover changes modeling and prediction is very common. To this end, different methods such as statistical techniques like logistic regression, Markov chain analysis and cellular automata have been developed. This study has been done to investigate the land use and land cover changes in Yasouj city area using CA-Markov from 1987 to 2039. Markov chain analysis will describe land use changes from one to another period and use this as a basis to project future changes. This is possible with the development of land use change transition probability matrix from one time to another; which indicates the nature of changes and its application to project changes in the next time period. Results of model and its simulation showed that the area percentage of natural lands (forests and rangelands) in 1987, 1999, 2013 and 2039 was 90, 82, 73 and 59 respectively. The area percentage of man-made lands (farmlands and residential area) in 1987, 1999, 2013 and 2039 was 10, 18, 27 and 41 respectively. Therefore, it can be said that the natural lands in the study area are becoming man-made lands so that in about 40 years (1987 — 2013), about 30% of the natural lands will decrease. This could have dangerous environmental consequences for the study area. Results of logistic regression with Pseudo R2 0.3 and ROC about 0.8 represent the relative agreement of the model with actual changes and the appropriate ability of the model for estimating changes in land use and land cover in the last 26 years. Results on simulation of land cover map in 2013 and 2039 showed that CA-Markov has a high ability and capability in land cover changes modeling. In this study the accuracy of the resulting land cover map was 80%.

Keywords: Land use/Land cover Changes, Remote Sensing, Markov- Cellular Automata, Yasouj City Area.

DOI: 10.24411/1993-3916-2020-10105

GEOECOLOGICAL ZONING OF NORTHEASTERN CASPIAN REGION

Arid Ecosystems

Tabelinova A.S. Geological Zoning of Norteastern Caspian Region // Arid ecosystems. 2020. V. 26. № 3 (84). P. 50-58. | PDF

An analysis of the function of Northeastern Caspian region landscape structure in context of geological processes development is presented in the paper. The aim of investigation was the geoecological zoning based on studying the main factors defining specific direction and intensity of development in modern landscapes of the Northeastern Caspian Sea region: altitude-landscape and geomorphological differentiation of the territory generated during the long-term development of the region, significant fluctuations of Caspian Sea level and the evolution of anthropogenic activities including oil extraction. Spatial differentiation of geoecological processes into landscapes of Northeastern Caspian region was mapped based on studies of such processes at the different anthropogenic modifications of six key plots. Detection of spatial distribution of geoecological processes in the landscapes of studied region was based on direct and indirect interpretation indicators of Landsat 5 and Landsar 7 multiband synthesized satellite images. GIS-mapping made possible to prepare the map of geoecological regions of Northeastern Caspian region. 25 geoecological regions and 127 subregions were mapped according to spatial structures (subspecies of modern landscapes) and anthropogenic factors defining geographical distribution and domination of specific geoecological processes.

Key words: geoecological regions, geoecological processes, modern landscapes of the Northeastern Caspian region, Landscape levels.

DOI: 10.24411/1993-3916-2020-10106

THE ROLE OF THE MODE OF USE OF THE ECOSYSTEM IN THE STRUCTURE OF VARIABILITY OF SOME ELEMENTS OF SEED PRODUCTIVITY OF ENDEMIC OF DAGESTAN – ASTRAGALUS FISSURALIS

Arid Ecosystems

Habibov A.D., Mallaliev M.M. The Role of the Mode of Use of the Ecosystem in the Structure of Vasiability of Some Elements of Seed Productivity of Endemic of Dagestan – Astragalus Fissuralis // Arid ecosystems. 2020. V. 26. № 3 (84). P. 69-70. | PDF

A comparative analysis and assessment of the structure of variability of eight (dimensional, numerical, weight and index) features of seed productivity of two different heights (1100 and 1750 m above the SD. M.) populations of vegetative rolling stock representative of the woody flora and endangered shrubs RF and RD – Astragalus fissuralis Alexeenko (Fabaceae) from the middle mountain belt middle of mountain Dagestan are presented. The work was carried out at the population level. As a result of the summary statistics, correlation and dispersion analyses, the differences in the average indicators of the features and the impact of the anthropogenic factor – the mode of ecosystem use on the variability of these features of seed productivity, directly related to the adaptive strategy, were identified and evaluated. It is established that in the relatively unfavorable natural conditions plants of this rare species develop relatively short beans with a small (one or two) number of seeds, but they are larger than seeds of the introducers. At the same time, in natural conditions, in contrast to protected areas, the share of weight characteristics associated with the adaptive (reproductive) strategy and the effectiveness of reproductive efforts is increasing (the mass of seed and seeds from the fetus, the share of seed mass from the fetus allocated to reproduction itself).

However, it is marked that in the relatively better conditions of introduction of plants of this endemic of Dagestan and Russia, both of different heights (1750 and 1100 m above sea level. m) the sections of the experimental bases of Mountain Botanical garden, Dagestan Federal Research Centre of RAS develop vegetative mass, increases its dimension (long fruit), numeric (increases the number of relatively light and small seeds) and, consequently, the weight (the fruits become heavy) signs. In other words, when introduced, the development is obtained by the size (geometric values) of the fruit, and in natural conditions – weight (physical indicators) signs of the bean and seed. It is established that the variability of these features of the generative sphere is significantly affected by the mode of use of the ecosystem and the strength of the influence of this anthropogenic factor ranges from 23.6 to 79.3 %.

Keywords: Astragalus fissuralis, characteristics of seed production, size, weight, number, and index signs, fruit, seed, summary statistics, correlation and variance analyses.

DOI: 10.24411/1993-3916-2020-10108

ONTOGENETIC STRUCTURE OF RARE SPECIES ON THE USTYURT PLATEAU IN UZBEKISTAN

Arid Ecosystems

Rakhimova Т., Rakhimova N.К.,  Shomurodov Kh.F.,  Abduraimov О.S. Ontogenetic Structure of Rare Species on the Ustyurt Plateau in Uzbekistan // Arid ecosystems. 2020. V. 26. № 3 (84). P. 71-78. | PDF

The research assesses the state of the ontogenetic structure of some rare species (Rosa laxa Retz., Crataegus korolkowii L. Henry, Artemisia terrae-albae Krasch. and Salsola arbusculiformis Drob.) growing on the Karakalpak part of Ustyurt. The study shows that the studied cenopopulations are normal and mostly incomplete under the ecological and cenotic conditions of Ustyurt. The ontogenetic spectra of specific cenopopulations are left-sided and centered, which associated with the environmental living conditions and fluctuations in weather conditions. The similarity of biological features (long-term life expectancy of individuals in a middle-age ontogenetic state, the least elimination, and difficult seed germination) in individuals of different species and the actual, ontogenetic spectra with a characteristic spectrum indicates a stable state of the studied cenopopulations on the Karakalpak part of Ustyurt.

Key words: Ustyurt plateau, infrastructure development, endemics, rare plant species, ontogenetic structure, age and efficiency of cenopopulations.

DOI: 10.24411/1993-3916-2020-10109

THE STATE OF DESERT PHYTOCENOSES AT THE SITES OF LAUNCH VEHICLES ACCIDENTS IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

Arid Ecosystems

Lednev S.A., Semenkov I.N., Koroleva T.V.,  Sharapova A.V. The State of Desert Phytocenoses at the Sites of Launch Vehicles Accidents in the Republic of Kazakhstan // Arid ecosystems. 2020. V. 26. № 3 (84). P. 79-87. | PDF

The article describes the vegetation cover formed after 4-12 years at three places of accident fallings of launch vehicles that use toxic compound unsymmetric dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) as a fuel component. The crash of a launch vehicle is accompanied by chemical, mechanical and thermal (or pyrogenic) effects on vegetation cover, which extends to different distances from the center of impact site and forming typical zones of technogenic disturbances. To characterize the vegetation cover we performed geobotanical descriptions at three sites of launch vehicles accidents that occurred in 2006–2013. Vegetation were characterized at plots located at different distances from the center of the impact site. A special feature of the overgrowth at the studied sites is the formation of communities of annual saltworts (Climacoptera lanata, Salsola laricina, S. paulsenii, etc.) with a relatively high projective cover at the site of the former crater due to subsidence of the ground and redistribution of surface runoff. With the distance from the center of the impact site the processes of demutation (self-restoration) of the initial vegetation performs: the participation of annuals within phytocenoses decreases, the total projective cover and floristic richness of plant communities increase. Self-restoration of phytocenoses without biological remediation may lasts at least 15 years according to the most optimistic forecasts.

Keywords: launch vehicle, technogenic impact, overgrowth, ruderal annuals, secondary succession, Kazakhstan.

DOI: 10.24411/1993-3916-2020-10110

DECOMPOSITION OF RICE STRAW BY WOODLICE (ISOPODA, ONISCIDEA) AND MILLIPEDES (MYRIAPODA, DIPLOPODA) IN THE SOILS OF KALMYKIA IN A LABORATORY EXPERIMENT

Arid Ecosystems

Lebedev Yu. M. , Gongalsky K. B. ,  Gorbunova A. Yu.,  Zaitsev A. S. Decomposition of Rice Straw by Woodlice (Isopoda, Oniscidea) and Millipedes (Myriapoda, Diplopoda) in the Soils of Kalmykia in a Laboratory Experiment // Arid ecosystems. 2020. V. 26. № 3 (84). P. 88-92. | PDF

Rice crop residues are one of the most difficult to decompose agricultural wastes in arid ecosystems. A laboratory experiment was carried out on the decomposition of rice straw by woodlice and millipedes, inhabiting dry steppes of Kalmykia (Russia). Five individuals of each of two species of woodlice (Armadillidium vulgare and Protracheoniscus kryszanovskii) and two species of millipedes (Brachydesmus assimilis and Cylindroiulus sp.) were placed in microcosms with soil and 2.5 grams rice straw amended. Straw mass significantly decreased for all species by approximately 50% on average within 4 months of the experiment duration. The content of organic matter in the soil before and after the experiment has not significantly changed, which allows us to suggest that selected species of woodlice and diplopods consume and thus utilize rice straw at least in experimental conditions.

Keywords: Biodegradation, Isopoda, Diplopoda, crop residue recycling, recalcitrant organic matter.

DOI: 10.24411/1993-3916-2020-10111