Vol 9, No 2 (2019)

The theoretical foundations and principles of the use of fresh groundwater (FGW) and its role in combating desertification and the development of the biological potential of arid lands are presented. The advantages of FGW in comparison with surface irrigated water are revealed: protection from pollution, evaporation, and protection of natural reserves and their natural renewability. The areas of arid lands by continent, differences in the FGW depth, and the parameters of the recommended type of drip irrigation on the example of one of the arid regions of the Tersko–Kumskaya artesian lowland are given. The natural renewal and close occurrence on the FGW surface in the delta-alluvial plains of Eurasia is compared with the conditions of equatorial Africa.

The paper reports on the floristic, geobotanical, and population biology studies conducted during the years 2014–2017 in nine chalky highland areas within the steppe zone of Orenburg oblast, which is characterized by high specificity and a high proportion of rare and endemic species. The floristic studies were performed with the commonly used route method. Environmental significance was assessed on the basis of eight indicators commonly used in sozological works, including floristic and phytocenotic significance, distribution, naturalness, areal decrease, restorability, protection category, and the protection rate. Forty species included in different levels of Red Data Books and 15 endemic species have been detected within the explored areas. The highest number of rare plant species was reported from the Verkhnechibendinsk and Troitskoe chalky mountains (26 species from each area), which are the largest and least disturbed prototype chalk massifs in the region. A high abundance of rare plant species was observed in the Artemisia salsoloides (24 species) and Agropyron desertorium (25 species) communities. Assessment of the environmental significance revealed that the Anabasis cretacea, Nanophyton erinaceum, and Anthemis trotzkiana communities received the highest score for the integral indicator “protection category.” A status assessment for populations of six rare plant species growing in the explored chalky mountains showed that enhancement of the antropogenic burden causes a decrease in the viability of the analyzed populations. It is noted that that four unprotected chalky highland areas and chalk outcrop areas in Orenburg oblast should be provided with protection.

The floristic composition of vascular plants of Vozrozhdeniya Island (the Aral Sea enclave) within the borders of its Kara-Kalpak part (Uzbekistan) has been preliminarily determined. In total, 123 species belonging to 90 genera and 31 families have been observed. Of the families with the maximum abundance of species, the most representative are Chenopodiaceae Vent., Asteraceae Dumort., Fabaceae Lindl., and Poaceae Barnhart. The similarity of this island with the Ustyurt Plateau are demonstrated by the examples of Anabaseta salsae and Artemisieta terrae-albae communities; the distinguishing features of this area are illustrated by the examples of nondominating Salsola arbusculiformis and the lack of plant complexes composed of Anabaseta salsae, Artemisieta terrae-albae, and Salsoleta arbusculae communities. Conversely, large island areas occupied by the Salsoleta orientalae and Haloxyleta aphylli communities are similar to some ecotopes of the Kyzyl-Kum Desert. The prevalence of the Artemisieta terrae-albae formation in some parts of the island is caused by the low anthropogenic influence due to long-term isolation of the island from the mainland.

The protective black-saksaul pasture strips in the southern Central Asian deserts apparently increase the relative humidity, change the air and soil temperature regimes, reduce the wind speed, and prevent the melting of snow and the drying out of soils. Therefore, there are more favorable hydrothermal conditions for the growth and development of native wormwood ephemeral plant within the strip and the adjacent pastures lands. The plant species composition in the black-saksaul strip becomes more diverse; the ephemeral grass density is higher than that on the open pastures. The productive function of the black-saksaul strips includes two components: the production of black saksaul–fodder mass and the production of natural wormwood ephemeral pastures in the zone of the effects of positive environmental modification by the black-saksalul strips. Rational use of the black-saksaul pasture strips should involve pasture grazing twice a year: in spring, the sheep should graze on ephemera; the second grazing season on black saksaul (assimilated shoots and seeds) is in the autumn–winter period.

This paper presents the results a study of the qualitative and quantitative composition of components of the polyphenolic complex in grapes of the introduced Rkatsiteli and Moldova varieties, which grow in the arid conditions in the northwestern part of the lowland zone of Dagestan as a model sample that is characteristic of the southern regions of Russia. The content of the complex of phenolic compounds, vitamins, and reductones in grapes and the products of their processing is determined. The paper assesses the antioxidant activity of the individual structural elements of a grape bunch: pulp, skin, seeds and combs. The obtained data were used in the development of technological modes for processing of the studied varieties to prepare wines and wine materials.

We have carried out a bioindication of the soil–plant system of North Dagestan using optical plant parameters based on ecological and physiological indicating features. The high soil salinity and manifestation of aridization features indicate an urgent need in soil bioindication. We have revealed indicator plants, the fluorescent response of which makes it possible to reveal and diagnose soil degradation features in a timely way.