O2: Caspian pelitophytic halophytic wormwood desert complex on salinous clay soils dominated by Artemisia pauciflora, partly with Camphorosma monspeliaca, with scattered Artemisia lerchiana-community

Title

Caspian pelitophytic halophytic wormwood desert complex on salinous clay soils dominated by Artemisia pauciflora, partly with Camphorosma monspeliaca, with scattered Artemisia lerchiana-community

Geographical distribution

Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)

Artemisia pauciflora community, Camphorosma monspeliaca-Artemisia pauciflora community, in the complex Artemisia lerchiana community.

Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)

A much more species deficient (5-10 species) and open (25-35 % degree of cover) vegetation type. Artemisia pauciflora is almost always accompanied by the codominant dwarf semishrub Camphorosma monspeliaca and at the boundary to the steppes by Tanacetum achilleifolium. Ephemerals occur frequently in the early spring; summer and autumn annuals are rare.

Dominant and most frequent species in different layers

Diagnostically important species

Artemisia pauciflora, Camphorosma monspeliaca, Tanacetum achilleifolium, Eremopyrum triticeum

Ecological variants

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Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)

In the east of the Volga occasional Artemisia pauciflora and Anabasis salsa communities.

Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)

Small area occurrences of Artemisia taurica stands in Artemisia deserts on salty soils of the kalmuk steppes, of north-Turanian halophytic dwarf semishrub vegetation (Halocnemum strobilaceum, Kalidium foliatum, Atriplex cana, Artemisia santonicum) on solonetz soils, and of vegetation-free salt pans; Anabasis salsa community; halophyte communities.

Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)

desert steppes (M20, M21), northern dwarf semishrub deserts (O1, O4), salt vegetation (P35).

Land use, substitute communities

Site conditions of the mapping unit

Importance for nature protection

Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection

Most important references (author, year)

Ivanov 1953b; Kljukin et al. 1968; Kunaev (Red.) 1982; Ladygina, Račkovskaja & Safronova (Red.) 1995a; Ladygina, Račkovskaja & Safronova (Red.) 1995b; Lavrenko 1962; Levina 1964; Pjatin (Ed.) 1997; Prozorovskij 1940; Prozorovskij & Maleev 1947; Račkovskaja, Safronova & Chramcov 1990; Rodin & Rubcov 1956; Safronova 1975; Safronova 1980b; Sangadziev et al. 1974

Compiled by

Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by I. Safronova