The study of halophytic vegetation of the Penza Region and its protection

Abstract

15 sites with saline soils have been identified and described in the Penza Region. Only 2 of them have a status of a nature sanctuary. They are the Solontsovaya Steppe in the Luninsky District and the Danilovskaya Solontsovaya Polyana in the Maloserdobinsky District. The other 13 sites are proposed to be included in the existing system of specially protected natural territories of the Penza Region as nature sanctuaries. They are Zhmakinsky Solonetz, Kaysarovsky Solonetz (Kolyshley District); Litvinovsky Solonetz (Lopatinsky District); Chunak Solontsovaya Glade, Korzovaya Hollow (Maloserdobinsky District); Kellerovsky Solonetz, Mansurovsky Solonetz, Karnovarsky Solonetz (Neverkinsky District); Olshansky Solonetz, Andreevsky Solonetz, Vasilyevsky Solonetz (Penza District); Serdobsky Solonetz, Krasny Solonetz (Serdobsky District). We provide the following data for each site. This is the history of discovery (dates, researches), location, belonging to the basins of large rivers, approximate area, information about economic use in the past and the degree of anthropogenic disturbances, the characteristics of the relief and soil. The main attention is paid to the description of the nature of the distribution of halophilic vegetation, depending on the degree of salinity and soil moisture. Data on the steppes vegetation, meadows and swamps found in the described sites are also given. Dominant and rare species of vascular plants (in The Red Book of the Penza Region) are listed.