Halophytic vegetation of the Lopatinsky District in the Penza Region

Abstract

The halophytic vegetation of the Lopatinsky District in the Penza Region was studied on the example of five solonets (Litvinovsky, Lipovsky, Staro-Vershautsky, Olginsky and Belogorsky). Halophytic meadows (44,0%) slightly prevail over halophytic steppes (36,0%) on all of these salt lakes. 550 species of vascular plants have been identified in the Lopatinsky District of the Penza Region, 29 rare species have been identified, 2 species (Iris aphylla, Stipa pennata) are protected at the federal level and 29 species (Adenophora liliifolia, Adonanthe vernalis, Allium lineare, Allium podolicum, Allium praescissum, Amygdalus nana, Artemisia santonica, Astragalus varius, Bupleurum falcatum, Dianthus volgicus, Galatella linosyris, Galatella rossica, Galatella villosa, Gelasia ensifolia, Hippochaete ramosissima, Iris aphylla, Jacobaea erucifolia, Plantago maxima, Plantago salsa, Potentilla alba, Pulsatilla patens, Rosa corymbifera, Salvia nutans, Silaum silaus, Spiraea crenata, Stipa borysthenica, Stipa pennata, Stipa tirsa, Syrenia montana) are protected regionally. In all of these five solonets, perennial grasslands predominate among halophytic meadows (36,0%), and semi-shrubby grasslands predominate among halophytic steppes (23,0%). The main stages of halophyte vegetation demutation in various ecological conditions have been established. Halophytic meadows are formed in saline and moist soils: annuals, perennials, turf and slag. On the contrary, in the conditions of saline and dry soils, halophytic steppes are formed: annual grasslands, perennial grasslands, semi-shrubby. Of the studied salt shakers of the Penza Region the salt shakers of the Lopatinsky District are the closest to the salt shakers of the Maloserdobinsky District in their structure and dynamics.