Title
Transvolgian herb-rich grass steppes (Stipa zalesskii, Stipa korshinskyi, Carex pediformis) with Helictotrichon desertorum, Onobrychis sibirica, Clausia aprica, Thymus bashkiriensis
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Russia: between Volga in the west as far as to the Ural-foothills and Belaja-valley in the east and the Ural river in the south
area frequency
17 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Stipeta zalesskii pluriherbosa, Stipeta korshinskyi pluriherbosa, Cariceta pediformis pluriherbosa.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
The horizontal and vertical structure corresponds to that of types M1 and M2. Euxerophytic, euryxerophytic and mesoxerophytic tussock grasses (Stipa zalesskii, Stipa lessingiana, Stipa capillata, Festuca valesiaca, Koeleria macrantha, Helictotrichon desertorum) are characteristic, of which the trans-Volgian-Kazakh species Stipa zalesskii and Helictotrichon desertorum prevail. Poa angustifolia and the meadow steppe species Stipa tirsa and Stipa pennata are also represented.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Herb layer
Stipa zalesskii (predominately), Stipa capillata, Stipa lessingiana, Festuca valesiaca, Koeleria macrantha, Carex pediformis, Helictotrichon desertorum, Astragalus onobrychis, Filipendula vulgaris, Oxytropis pilosa, Peucedanum alsaticum, Silene chlorantha, Phlomis tuberosa
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Stipa zalesskii, Stipa korshinskyi, Helictotrichon desertorum, Carex pediformis, Onobrychis sibirica, Clausia aprica, Thymus bashkiriensis
Ecological variants
No details
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
In the south-west part of the Bashkir pre-Urals, Helictotrichon desertorum grows on steppe carbonate black earths with dominating Stipa pennata, Stipa zalesskii and participation of the trans-Volgian-Kazakh species Stipa korshinskyi.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Small-area incidences of trans-Volgian tomillares and tomillare steppes (Matthiola fragans, Silene suffrutescens, Hedysarum cretaceum) on limestone; petrophytic steppe variants, Festuca valesiaca steppes in complex with halophytic dwarf semi-shrubs, steppe shrub stands (Spiraea crenata, Spiraea hypericifolia, Prunus fruticosa, Prunus tenella, Caragana frutex), birch forests (Betula pendula) and birch carrs; east European open pedunculate oak forests (Quercus robur) with steppe species (Caragana frutex, Prunus tenella, Brachypodium pinnatum) at valley slopes.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
pine forests (D57), lime-pedunculate oak forests (F72, F74), forest steppes (L6), steppes (M2, M9, M10, M14), salt vegetation (P34), alluvial forests (U12, U13, U14).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
No details
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pasture grounds.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
large fields.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
No details
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
valley cut plateaux in the trans-Volgian hills
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
colline; to maximal 400 m
Geology (bedrock)
bluff formation above limestone? (Permian)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
typical, partly carbonate-rich black soils, degraded black soils, moderate humic; (haplic, calcic and luvic chernozems)
soil texture
loamy, loamy-sandy, here and there stony
soil moisture, water balance
moderately dry
soil fertility
meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VII(VIII)
average annual temperature
5-6 °C
average annual precipitation
350-400 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
20-22 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
-16 to -12 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
---
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
The whole area of this mapping unit has been transformed into arable land. Only remnants of petrophytic steppes and tomillares have survived at rocky cliffs, and fragmentarily also interfluvial steppes that are used as pasture land. There are no protected areas for this mapping unit.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Remant stands of the petrophytic steppes and tomillares are highly worthy of protection.
causes of endangerment
Agricultural use, particularly arable farming.
required measures for protection and restitution
Establishment of nature reserves for the near-natural remnants.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
No details
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
---
Most important references (author, year)
Bobrov 1929; Knorring 1932; Kotov 1966; Krašenninikov & Kučerovskaja-Rožanec 1941; Kučerovskaja 1932; Lavrenko 1940; Lavrenko 1980; Novopokrovskij 1931
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by Z.V. Karamyševa
