Seasonal use of pastures of Karakalpak Ustyurt (Uzbekistan)

Abstract

The electronic-digital “Map of the pastures of the Karakalpak Ustyurt” and the legend to it have been compiled. The map shows 43 pasture differences consisting of 5 pasture types common on the Ustyurt plateau. The article presents the seasonal use of pastures of the Karakalpak Ustyurt. According to seasonal use, three groups of pastures are allocated: year-round, summer-autumn-winter, autumn-winter. Autumn-winter pastures make up 58 % of the total pasture differences of the Karakalpak Ustyurt. Autumn and winter-spring precipitation play the main role in the fodder yield of pastures. A brief description is given of the main and permanent species of plant communities on the plateau, such as Artemisia terrae-albae, Caroxylon orientale and Anabasis salsa. Halophytic plants have versatile economic values. Many of them play an important role in the forage fund of desert animal husbandry. In particular, Caroxylon orientale, Salsola arbusculiformis, Haloxylon aphyllum significantly increases the productivity of pastures, and they are eaten by camels and small cattle all year round. The productivity of the aboveground mass of the studied pasture differences is determined, the yield of pastures depends on favorable climatic conditions of the year.