Title
Caspian psammophytic shrub-wormwood desert series on loose sand with Artemisia arenaria-communities, shrubs (Calligonum aphyllum, locally with Salix caspica, Tamarix ramosissima, Tamarix laxa) and psammophytic herbs and grasses (Euphorbia seguieriana, Gypsophila paniculata, Leymus racemosus, locally Festuca beckeri, Koeleria glauca)a = alternating with O1; b = alternating with O4; c = alternating with O5
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Russia and Kazakhstan: Caspian lowland (Interfluvial region Volga-Ural) and in the south of the Volga as far as to the Caucasus
area frequency
9 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Artemisia arenaria community, psammophytic herbs-Artemisia arenaria community, Tamarix spp.-Calligonum aphyllum-Artemisia arenaria community.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Artemisia arenaria desert characterized by psammophytic herbs, grasses and shrubs; a loose vegetation cover, the species-richest forms with 30-40 species; ephemerals are common.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Shrub layer
Calligonum aphyllum, Tamarix ramosissima, Tamarix laxa, also Salix caspica
Herb layer
Artemisia arenaria, Euphorbia seguieriana, Gypsophila paniculata, Leymus racemosus, Festuca beckeri, Koeleria glauca, Bromus tectorum, Centaurea adpressa, Syrenia siliculosa, Achillea micrantha
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Artemisia arenaria, Euphorbia seguieriana, Gypsophila paniculata, Leymus racemosus, Calligonum aphyllum, Tamarix ramosissima, Tamarix laxa
Ecological variants
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Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
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Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
psammophytic Artemisia lerchiana community; 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.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
desert steppes (M18a), northern dwarf semishrub deserts (O1, O3, O4, O5), salt vegetation (P31, P35), freshwater-tall reed swamps (R1), alluvial forests and scrubs (U42).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
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grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Pastures.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
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settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
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Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
raised fixed or unfixed sand masses
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
lowland; the absolute altitude 10 to 5m below sea level
Geology (bedrock)
fluviatile and marine sediments (Pleistocene)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
brown desert-soils; (haplic xerosols)
soil moisture, water balance
very dry
soil fertility
oligotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
VII3
average annual temperature
7-8 °C
average annual precipitation
ca. 200 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 24-26 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January -12 to -10 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
distinctively continental, arid.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Near-natural stands are present in the Volga-Ural intrafluvial region.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
Artemisia arenaria communities.
causes of endangerment
Intensive grazing.
required measures for protection and restitution
Restriction and control of grazing.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Russia, Kazakhstan: interfluvial region Volga-Ural.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Ladygina, Račkovskaja & Safronova (Red.) 1995a; Ladygina, Račkovskaja & Safronova (Red.) 1995b; Prozorovskij & Maleev 1947; Rodin & Rubcov 1956; Safronova 1975; Safronova 1980b
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by I. Safronova
