Present State of Pasture Types of the Central Kyzylkum

Abstract

The modern state of desert pastures of the Central Kyzylkum has been studied. The pasture territories of the Central Kyzylkum are distributed on sandy soils (14%), salt marshes (6%), gravellyloamy gray-brown soils (75%) and riparian nature-territorial complexes (5%). The main (75%) areas of pasture are occupied by the gravelly-loamy gray-brown soils which are dominated by species of sagebrushes. There are formed of 8 pasture types depending on the properties of natural complexes. The main type of pasture is sagebrushes ( Mixto artemisieta ), which occupy 60% of the pasture area, and then follow Peganeta harmala, Mixto calligoneta, Halocnemeta strobilacei, Tamariceta varia, Haloxyleta aphylli, Convolvuleta hamadae and Mixshrubs pasture types. The share of fodder plants is high (an average of 83%) in the flora of the study area. According to seasonal grazing, pastures of the Central Kyzylkum can be divided 5 groups: year-round, spring, spring-summer, autumn-winter and unsuitable pastures for grazing. Among them are prevail year-round grazing pastures. The numbers of annual plants and abundance venomous plants in the flora are indicators of pasture degradation in the study area. Annual plants may occupy 55% of composition of plant communities on degraded sites, besides the pasture types which formed under the influence of anthropogenic factors. In Central Kyzylkum newly formed and transformed pasture types occupy 25% of pastures.