Seasonal Dynamics of Vegetation of the Western Caspian Region (on the Example of Terek-Sulak Lowland)

Abstract

Three key sites located in the Terek-Sulak lowland in Kumtorkala and Babayurt districts were investigated. The state of plant communities on meadow saline soil was studied. The general floristic composition is represented by different grass-cereal-wormwood groups and includes 63 species, mixed grass-wormwood-cereal and reed-wheatgrass groups on meadow-chestnut soil, where the total species composition of plants is represented by 45 species, as well as wormwood-cereal on light chestnut soil, where the total floristic composition is represented by 40 species. The estimation of phytocenotic parameters: the structure of vegetation, projective cover, species diversity, abundance of species and size of above-ground products. The close connection of seasonal dynamics of vegetation with soil salinization is noted - there is a direct relationship between species plant diversity and the scale of dry residue in soil profiles. An assessment of the similarity of the species composition of vegetation between the key areas showed that the plots in the Kumtorkala region with the predominance of communities of Saltwort wormwood motley grasses on light chestnut and meadow-chestnut soils are most similar and differs significantly from the plot in the Babayurt region on meadow solonchak soils, represented mainly by motley grasses cereals wormwood communities. Anthropogenic impacts led to a decrease in the number of valuable forage species in the fodder and a decrease in the overall productivity of pastures.