Grasslands of the World.pdf - Disasters and Conflicts - UNEP

The Russian Steppe 401
TABLE 10.5
Distribution of flood meadow vegetation .
Flooded for no
more than 15–20
days
Flooded annually
for 20–40 days
Flooded annually
for >40 days
Woody and
shrubby
vegetation
Forest Zone Steppe Zone Desert Zone
Festuca ovina, Nardus stricta,
Phalaris spp.
Herbs, Agrostis alba, white
clover and other legumes.
Tall gramineae with Phleum
spp., Alopecurus spp., Festuca
pratensis. Moist Deschampsia
spp., Agrostis spp.
Phalaris spp., with sedges, sedge
– Bromus spp., Deschampsia spp.
with Carex caespitosa and reeds.
Bogged-up alder stands, osier
beds, tussocky swamps
Conifers and partially deciduous
forests, mainly in the central
floodplains. Much willow and
alder
Festuca sulcata, Euagropyron
spp., often solonetzic or
solonchakic with Artemisia spp.,
Glycyrrhiza spp. and Puccinellia
spp. Herbs with shrubs.
Tall gramineae with Agropyron
repens or Alopecurus spp., with
a small quantity of herbs, Vicia
cracca and Lathyrus spp. More
rarely, Poa pratensis with herbs.
Reeds, bulrushes, cattail,
Agropyron spp., less often
Alopecurus spp., Cirsium spp. and
Carex acuta, boggy osier beds, a
few sedge marshes.
Deciduous forests on the
floodplain near a river and on
the central plain. Much willow
and steppe shrubs.
Poplar and Elaeagnus
spp. forests, thorny
shrubs, Glycyrrhiza
spp., Alhagi spp.,
Chenopodiaceae.
Aeluropus littoralis,
Agropyron spp. and
Glycyrrhiza spp.
1. Close to the river: Artemisia dracunculus , A. pontica , A. campestris , Glycyrrhiza
spp. (liquorice, in floodplains – a very common but high-tannin legume),
Calamagrostis epigeios , Bromus inermis and Stipa capillata . Bromus inermis
dominates in the lower parts.
2. Central: Festuca sulcata , Euagropyron spp. and Agropyron spp. on the higher
parts. Agropyron spp. dominant in the lower parts, with Carex spp. in the
depressions.
3. Periphery, close to the watershed: Festuca sulcata , Stipa capillata and Agropyron
sibiricum on the more elevated and non-saline sites, together with various
herbs and steppe shrubs. In the lower, solonetzic, parts Agropyron pectiniforme
predominates, or Glycyrrhiza spp. with Agropyron spp. and Alopecurus spp.
On solonchaks, Puccinellia spp. with Artemisia monogyna is most prevalent.
Flood meadows are a principal source of hay . In the steppe itself, hay yields
off Euagropyron and Puccinellia meadows are 1 000 kg/ha. Tall-grass associations
(species of Bromus , Agropyron , Festuca , Alopecurus and Phleum) give hay
yields of 5 000 kg/ha. With Phalaris spp., yields can be even higher. Inevitably,
abuse by overexploitation occurs. Grazing hay meadows in early spring or in
late fall should be discouraged. Alternative uses for early or late hay on the one
hand and for grazing on the other should be encouraged. Swamps with reed,
bulrush and sedge are common. When deciduous trees (aspen , poplar, elm,
oak) are found in the steppe, it is mostly close to the watercourses.
FALLOW
Mid-term to old fallow
From the tenth to fifteenth years of fallow , Stipa spp. and Festuca sulcata begin
to dominate and the land resembles virgin steppe.
Reeds. There are almost
no sedge marshes.
Poplars, tamarisks,
oleaster (Elaeagnus spp.)
forests. Few willows,
many thorny shrubs and
shrub-Chenopodiaceae.