Bunchgrass Steppe Research Articles

Structure and ecological features of the Yeravninsky steppes flora (Western Transbaikalia)

The paper is devoted to the characteristics of the floristic diversity of steppe vegetation in the southern part of the Vitim plateau in Yeravninskaya and Uldurginskaya basins. There is a southern border of the permafrost. The flora of the steppes is characterized by a depleted composition in comparison with the steppes of the Selenga middle mountains. Some widespread plant species of the true steppes of the Central Asia are absent here. The basis of the ecological and phytocoenotic structure is the steppe group, which is dominated by mountain and forest-steppe plant species. There is less participation of the true steppe species; this fact indicates an insular nature of these steppes. A group of light-coniferous species is significant; they are the part of the cryoarid forest-steppe complexes of the Vitim plateau. In the ecological structure of the flora xeromesophyte and gemixerophyte species dominate. They have the most important coenotic role in the formation of the vegetation cover of these steppes. The cereals species are of high coenotic significance, there are indicators of the dry bunchgrass steppes of Southern Siberia (Poa botryoides (Trin. ex Griseb.) Roshev., Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn., Koeleria cristata (L.) Pers.). The role of mesoxerophytic of East Asian and Daurian-Manchurian species is also high (Filifolium sibiricum (L.) Kitam., Stellera chamaejasme L., Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd.). They are typical for meadow steppes of the Central Asian sector of the Palearctic.

Patterns of Changes in the Composition of Petrophytic Vegetation in Southern Ural and Adjacent Territories on a Moistening Gradient

Southern Ural is a unique region in Eurasia with a high variety of flora and vegetation. Mountain relief predominates in the steppe and forest-steppe landscapes. Stony habitats and petrophytic vegetation are widespread here. It is characterized by a high diversity of flora and numerous endemic, rare, and endangered plants. The dataset of 3614 releves of forb and shrub communities from the territory of Southern Ural and adjacent regions is analyzed. Formalized methods of cluster analysis, an assessment of moistening using the ecological indices of plants, and the definition of indicator species are used. Patterns of changes in the species composition of petrophytic communities along the moistening gradient are determined. It is found that, with an increase in moisture, the number and cover of petrophytic species in communities on rocky habitats decreases. On the contrary, the role of indifferent species is growing. Five groups of species indicating different gradient segments are determined. Based on the results of cluster analysis, four large units of petrophytic vegetation are identified. Desert-steppe communities have the greatest floristic originality among vegetation on rocky habitats. Obligate petrophytes predominate in their diagnostic combination, many of which grow on limestone outcrops. These communities are found in the south of Orenburg oblast, mainly in the dry steppe landscapes of Southern Ural. Dwarf subshrub–bunchgrass steppes are widespread within the steppe landscapes and are common in the forest steppe of Ural. Forb–bunchgrass petrophytic steppes are widely represented in the northern part of the steppe zone and in the southern forest-steppe regions, as well as in the forest-steppe landscapes of Middle Ural. Meadow petrophytic steppes are found in forest-steppe and forest landscapes.

Variations in the Botanical Diversity of Forbs–Bunchgrass Steppes of Eastern Mongolia over an 11-Year Period (2008–2018)

The dynamics of the botanical diversity of plain forbs–bunchgrass steppes is analyzed for the period of 2008–2018 based on materials from the biomonitoring of plant cover at the Tumentsogt experimental station (Eastern Mongolia) as part of the scientific program of an integrated Russian–Mongolian biological expedition. Eight permanent test plots of 100 m2 were laid along the transect on the plain between hills in the northeastern part of the experimental station. We analyzed the correlation between the main parameters of the plant communities (the species composition, richness, and saturation; the height and abundance of species; and the density of grass stands) with the meteorological conditions (the heat supply and the amount and distribution of precipitation during the growing period). A combined analysis of phytocenotic and climatic data was performed with nonparametric multidimensional scaling of indirect ordination. Ecotopic fluctuations caused by changes in the amount and regime of precipitation in different years, as well as by the dynamics of the temperature regime, were studied. The species saturation of communities was maximal in years with low ombrothermic indices and lowest in years with high indices. The floristic composition of communities of three–feather-grass steppes includes a flora-cenotic core composed of 23 permanent perennial steppe and forest–steppe species, which provides a relative stability of ecosystems under changing environmental conditions. The dynamics of steppe ecosystems of the East Mongolian steppes is phytocyclic.

Short-term isolation of the bunchgrass steppes of the Southern Kulunda

The article considers the results of the experiment to improve the condition of the degraded bunchgrass steppes of the Southern Kulunda at different stages of pasture degradation by the conservation method (2013-2018). The change in the species composition, structure of the grass stand, supply of aboveground phytomass and its components as a result of decreasing pasture load is presented.

An updated checklist of spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) of Left-Bank Ukraine

The current checklist of spiders from Left-Bank Ukraine includes 741 species in 270 genera and 34 families. The families Linyphiidae (215 species, 29% of the fauna), Gnaphosidae (83 species, 11%) and Salticidae (79 species, 11%) are the most species-rich. The Linyphiidae species diversity declines from north to south – from 33% of the fauna in the forest zone to 16% of the fauna in the bunchgrass steppe subzone. In contrast, the proportion of Gnaphosidae increases from 7% to 13%, respectively. A total of 407 spider species was recorded from the forest natural zone, 515 species from the forest-steppe, 583 species from the forb-bunchgrass steppe subzone of the steppe zone and 375 species from the bunchgrass steppe subzone. In terms of administrative division, the araneofauna of the Donetsk Region is the richest with 514 species, the faunas of the Kharkiv (426 species), Luhansk (402 species) and Chernihov (391 species) regions follow it. The poorest is the Zaporizhzhia Region with 122 species. In total, spiders have been collected at 269 localities and the results have been published in 369 papers. Faunistic and ecological studies are the main directions of arachnological research in Left-Bank Ukraine.

О некоторых сообществах петрофитных степей Среднего Урала

О некоторых сообществах петрофитных степей Среднего Урала

Синтаксономия степной растительности Республики Бурятия

Синтаксономия степной растительности Республики Бурятия

Syntaxonomy of the Festuco-Brometea class vegetation of the Azov sea coastal zone

Abstract Syntaxonomy of the class Festuco-Brometea in Ukraine has barely been still explored. There are some scattered and local data, mainly within the Forest-Steppe zone, which need to be compiled and critically reviewed. Similarly, the Azov Sea coastal zone, which, despite the considerable diversity of habitats, remains unstudied phytosociologically. We have carried out large-scale comparisons of relevés from the Sea of Azov coastline with data from other regions of Ukraine, Europe, and Russia. In total, 2336 relevés were used for the analysis. For the analysis, Modified TWINSPAN classification was used. Diagnostic species were determined by means of the phi fidelity index. In total, 9 associations and 4 subassociations, belonging to four alliances, were identified and categorised as follows: Artemisio-Kochion prostratae (ruderalized steppes), Artemisio tauricae- Festucion valesiacae (saline steppe vegetation on sites affected by the sea or saline ground water), Stipo lessingianae-Salvion nutantis (forb-bunchgrass steppe vegetation) and Tanaceto millefolii-Galatellion villosae (bunchgrass steppes). The last alliance is proposed as a new one.

Кальцефитные cтепи Ростовской области

The paper presents the syntaxonomical analysis of calcareous steppes of the Don Basin (Rostov Region, Russian Federation), that are formed on chalky soils and carbonate rocks. The species composition of communities are characterized by combination of widespread steppe xerophytes and calciphytes, which are common in thyme coenoses with the dominance of dwarf semishrubs and in bunchgrass steppes. Within the system of phylocoenogenetic classification (Kamelin, 2005) such conenoses are regarded as a distinct steppe subtype (Steppae creta-petrophile).

Опустыненные полынно-дерновиннозлаковые степи Центрального Казахстана

The considerable vegetation researches of the Kazakhstan steppes were realized in 1957–1959, 1964–1968. The vast materials with relevés of desert steppes’ communities were collected in according to the generally accepted methods of geobotanical investigations either with assistance of detailed field routes or at the scientific stations (Kratkoe…, 1952; Polevaya… 1964). Some data about foremost northern types of Kazakhstan steppes (Isachenko, Rachkovskaya, 1961) and desert steppes of one region only (i. e. south-west part of the Central Kazakhstan Melkosopochnik) were published earlier (Biokompleksnye …, 1969). This article is an effort to complete the missing information about desert sagebrush–bunchgrass steppe of Central Kazakhstan through its full characteristics and classification. The desert sagebrush-feather grass steppe is the foremost southern type of steppes confined to light chestnut soils; its southern border coincides to the border between steppes and deserts (it’s about 48° N for Kazakhstan). Melkosopochnik (hilly, ridgy, and rocky) with relative elevations from 20–50 to 100–150 m is a dominating type of relief in the Central Kazakhstan. The hills are composed of the different rocks: granites, acidic and basic effusive rocks, sandstones and shales.

Endemic formation of stitchwort polster (Stellaria pulvinata Grub.) in highlands of the Mongolian Altai

Stitchwort polster (Stellaria pulvinata Grub.) is an endemic species with local distribution in the arid regions of Central Asia—the Mongolian Altai highlands (2500–3800 m above sea level). This species forms an endemic alpine cryophyte-herb-polster formation that is divided into three classes and ten groups of associations. Stitchwort is dominant and codominant in cryophyte-herb polster communities. In cryophyte-herb-sedge-kobresia polster communities, this species changes its presence from significant to minor, with moderate abundance. Cryophyte-herb-gramineous polster communities are widespread and have the highest coenotic diversity. Cryopetrophyte polster communities with Stellaria pulvinata play an important role in the vegetation cover of the central part of Mongolian Altai. They do not form a separate high-rise belt but are found in the composition of the vegetation cover of two high-rise belts, the cryophype bunchgrass steppe belt (2800–3200 m) and the cryophyte kobresia and sedge tundra belt (3200–3500 m). They are also sporadically found in the subnival belt (3500–3800 m). At the level of microcombinations, the vegetation cover structure contains serial ranks of polster communities on the mountainsides and polster complexes with herb-gramineous communities on the peneplanation surfaces and alpine moraines. Exposition combinations of phytocatenae with cryophyte-herb polster communities and cryophyte-bunchgrass steppes with stitchwort occur at the level of meso-combinations.

Differentiation of ecological groups of species according to their reaction to moisture in differentiation of steppes of the West Siberian plain and Southern Urals

In a study of geobotanical releves of xeric meadows and steppes of the Southern Urals, ecological groups of plants are differentiated on the basis of their reaction to the moisture factor. An analysis of species activity index along the moisture gradient allows us to identify plant species that are diagnostic for zonal types of steppes: meadow steppes (order Festucetalia valesiacae) and typical bunchgrass steppe (order Helictotricho-Stipetalia). Most plants have similar activity indexes both on the West Siberian plain and in the Southern Urals. The regional differences were caused by geographic peculiarities of the habitats, namely petrophytic species are common in Southern Ural mountain landscapes and halophytic and sand species are common on the West Siberian plain.

Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the potential occurrence of Oedaleus decorus asiaticus in Inner Mongolia steppe habitats

Grasshopper plagues have posed a severe threat to grasslands in Inner Mongolia, China. How to predict and control grasshopper infestations has become an urgent issue. We sampled 293 plots in Xianghuangqi County, measured the density of the most dominant grasshopper species, Oedaleus decorus asiaticus, and the latitude, longitude, and certain habitat factors at each plot. We estimated the grasshopper habitat suitability using a fuzzy evaluation model combined with 3S technology, and evaluated the grasshopper climatic suitability during the period 2001–2010. The integrated suitability ranks can indicate the corresponding ranks of potential occurrence of grasshoppers (POG) well. The spatial pattern of POG was closely associated with that of habitat suitability. O. decorus asiaticus was most likely to be found at flat sites or southern/eastern slopes with elevations of 1300–1400 m, typical chestnut soil with sand content of 60–80% in the topsoil, and medium vegetation coverage of 30–50% on temperate bunchgrass steppe. The annual variations in spatial pattern of POG were mainly due to variations in climatic suitability. Spring drought and spring high temperature might cause grasshopper plagues. This study provides an effective means for predicting the locations where grasshoppers might occur using relatively stable habitat factors and a few climatic factors.

Редкий касатик флоры Сибири Iris glaucescens Bunge (Iridaceae)

The article provides ID quote, type category, protologue quote, detailed description and biological characteristics of the plant, as well as basics of its cultivation. In Russia, the species is represented by small populations on the borders of the natural habitat in the south regions of the Western Siberia. Outside of Russia, the plant grows in the Middle Asia (Kazakhstan) and in the north-west of Mongolia and China. In the wild, flag prefers sage and bunchgrass steppes, sodic sands, dry stone and crashed stone slopes. It can be cultivated in the rock gardens, as well as for perennial borders as an early spring plant. The plant may attract plant breeders for crossbreeding with other types of dwarf flags due to its draught and salt resistance. The work was performed in the framework of an institutional research project of the Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, topic 52.5. Collection of live plants of the Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (history, present condition, development and use prospects).

Горная лесостепь Юго-Восточного Алтая и Юго-Западной Тувы

Some geobotanists, who studied arid mountain steppe landscapes in South-East Altai and South-West Tuva, mentioned the existing of small isolated larch forest areas at the height 2100–2400 m above sea level (Kuminova, 1960; Il’inskaya, 1980). We have made a special investigation of the vegetation of this rather peculiar forest-steppe. It can be called “high-mountain forest-steppe” by the altitudinal position and “cold forest-steppe” by the level of the heat. Such forest-steppe areas are found only in certain orographic conditions: they are confined to the slopes of rivers’ valleys. The foots of these slopes are situated at an altitude 1900–2000 m a. s. l. and the flat tops of the mountains – at 2400–2500 m a. s. l. Light slopes of the mountains are occupied by bunchgrass steppes, larch forests and meadow steppes are located on the shady slopes. Forest-steppe landscapesare confined to thealtitudinal rangeof the steppe belt, whichis divided intotwosubbelts: the lower with bunchgrass(moderately dry) steppes and theupper with cryophytic steppes. The boundaries betweensub-belts are at differentaltitudes in the SoutheastAltai andSouthwestTuva. In South-Eastern Altai bunchgrasssteppes are replaced by cryophytic ones at the height 2400–2500m a. s. l., so forest-steppes are completely included in bunchgrass steppe subbelt. In SouthwesternTuva this boundary is at 2200–2300 m a. s. l., so the lower parts of the light slopes are covered by bunchgrass steppes and the upper parts — by cryophytic steppes. The steppes in mountain forest-steppe of South-East Altai belong to alliance Helictotrichion schelliani, the Tuvinian ones — to alliance Festucion tschujensis. These two alliances are from order Helictotrichetalia shelliani, class Cleistogenetea squarrosae.Alliance Helictotrichion schelliani includes mountain steppes that mostly occur in semiarid bioclimatic regions of South Siberia and North Mongolia; forest-steppe plant communities of arid South-East Altai represent the “cold branch” of this alliance. The bunchgrass steppes belong to new association Potentillo sericeae–Agropyretum cristati,the meadow steppes — to new association Sileno repentis–Caricetum pediformis. In mountain forest-steppe of South-West Tuva 3 associations present alliance Festucion tschujensis which combines steppe communities with participation of cryopetrophytic species. Bunchgrass steppes are described as new association Oxytropido macrosemae–Agropyretum cristatae, cryophitic steppes – as new association Oxytropido eriocarpae–Poetum attenuatae, meadow steppes are included in association Artemisio phaeolepidis–Kobresietum myosuroidis. The larch forests belong to alliance Pachypleuro alpini–Laricion sibiricae (order Festuco ovinae–Laricetalia sibiricae, class Rhytidio rugosi–Laricetea sibiricae). Forests of association Swertio obtusae–Laricetum sibiricae are characteristic of South-East Altai, forests of association Artemisio rupestris–Laricetum sibiricae are common in South-West Tuva, forests of association Kobresio myosuroides–Laricetum sibiricae are recorded in both regions.

Characterization of land cover types in Xilin River Basin using multi-temporal Landsat images

This study conducted computer-aided image analysis of land use and land cover in Xilin River Basin, Inner Mongolia, using 4 sets of Landsat TM/ETM+ images acquired on July 31, 1987, August 11, 1991, September 27, 1997 and May 23, 2000, respectively. Primarily, 17 sub-class land cover types were recognized, including nine grassland types at community level:F. sibiricum steppe,S. baicalensis steppe,A. chinensis + forbs steppe,A. chinensis + bunchgrass steppe,A. chinensis + Ar. frigida steppe,S. grandis + A. chinensis steppe,S. grandis + bunchgrass steppe,S. krylavii steppe,Ar. frigida steppe and eight non-grassland types: active cropland, harvested cropland, urban area, wetland, desertified land, saline and alkaline land, cloud, water body + cloud shadow. To eliminate the classification error existing among different sub-types of the same gross type, the 17 sub-class land cover types were grouped into five gross types: meadow grassland, temperate grassland, desert grassland, cropland and non-grassland. The overall classification accuracy of the five land cover types was 81.0% for 1987, 81.7% for 1991, 80.1% for 1997 and 78.2% for 2000.

Faunal burrows as indicators of paleo-vegetation in eastern Washington, USA

The Palouse loess deposits in the Pacific Northwestern United States contain buried paleosols with distinctive biological fabrics. The Washtucna Soil, formed 40,000–15,000yr ago during the last full glacial, contains up to 90% by volume distinctive cylindrical pedotubules that are 1–2cm in diameter formed by burrowing fauna. The overlying post-glacial loess and modern surface soils that support perennial grasslands lack these cylindrical burrows. We investigated the paleoecological significance of the burrows. Observations of several types of burrowing fauna under native vegetation indicated that nymphs of cicadas (Homoptera: Cicadidae) are responsible for cylindrical, back-filled burrows that match those in the Washtucna Soil. We measured the abundance of active cicada burrows in soils in four native vegetation zones (Soil sites), establishing that cicada burrows comprise 19% of the rooting zone volume in sagebrush steppe, but just 1–3% of the rooting zone volume in bunchgrass steppe, meadow steppe and coniferous forest. This suggests strongly that abundant cicada burrows in paleosols are a proxy for the geographic extent of plant communities that contained sagebrush. To assay the activity of cicada nymphs through time, we measured burrowed volume by depth from the soil surface down through the Washtucna Soil (i.e. from the present to ca. 40,000yrbp) at five stratigraphic research sites (Paleosol sites). Cicada-burrowed volume is generally less than 5% in the rooting zone of the surface soils and throughout Holocene loess, but is up to 94% in the rooting zone of the Washtucna Soil at Paleosol sites that currently support bunchgrass steppe outside the present-day sagebrush steppe zone. Cicada host preferences in vegetation zones today suggest that sagebrush was the dominant shrub as the Washtucna Soil formed. From this reconstruction, combined with information from studies of pollen and plant opal, we infer that periglacial steppe plant communities dominated by sagebrush spread, from 40,000 to 15,000yrbp, into areas of the Columbia Plateau that support bunchgrass steppe, meadow steppe, and even some coniferous forest today. Trace fossils of soil fauna in paleosols are indicators of fluctuations in biological activity in response to climatic changes of the Quaternary Period in Palouse loess deposits.