Assessment of the existing ecological and biotic conditions of the territory of the agro-transformed steppe of the Mykolaiv region

• Main Authors: Ihor Shcherbyna, Yuliia Dmytruk
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: PC Technology Center 2018-02-01
• Series: ScienceRise: Biological Science
• Subjects: Північно-Західне Причорномор’я; геоботанічні округи; ландшафтно-стаціальні умови; мозаїчний агроландшафт; сухо-степова зона; біокліматичні умови
• Online Access: http://journals.uran.ua/sr_bio/article/view/124603

The paper reflects the results of the ecological studies of the mosaic landscape of the Mykolaiv region as an arena of existence of new-formed steppe-field biotic complexes, appeared under conditions of the intensive agrogenic transformation of zonal steppes of the Northern Black Sea region. It was established, that their functioning in the agrolandscape directly depends on the level of its mosaic character that demonstrates the local specificity of the composition share and areas ratio of agrarian lands of different types. Their structure and season dynamics determine the natural (environmental) potential of biota’s spontaneous existence – from floristic groups to faunistic ones. The latter ones are secondary relative to vegetable ones that play the statial, fodder, protective and communicative role for animals and birds. Thus, it was established, that the optimal levels of the landscape mosaic character for steppe-field game is the ratio between primary landscapes and field ones on the limit 1:1-1:1,5. The level of the mosaic character of lands is not determining for wild hoofs (roe and wild boar), the statial capacity of the territory is limited for them by plots of the forest and water-boggy type. The phenomenon of climate drying develops on the background of the strong anthropogenic destruction of steppe landscapes. In first turn it concerns biocenoses and agrocenoses of the Southern-Steppe subzone that exist on the critical limit of moisture support. The growth of average annual temperatures for 1961-2017 by +1,6ºС and decrease of annual precipitation by 200-150 mm became a selective factor as to the specific composition of “synthetic” biotic complexes of the new type that demonstrate a tendency to xerophitization during the last 15 years. The essential worsening of existing conditions of the natural steppe flora limits the statial-nest and migration-fodder capacity of the agrolandscape for settled and flying past birds. The assessments of the landscape-biotic structure of the territory of the region are suitable for their direct usage in the system of organization of the natural protected fund, at elaboration and introduction of ecological-rational technologies of nature management and for regulation of hunting lands