2025 Ecosystem Transformation 8 (1), 66-81

Century transformation of steppe vegetation of the Kuncherovskaya forest-steppe (Penza Oblast, Russia)

Novikova L.A.  , Mironova A.A., Vasyukov V.M., Senator S.A. 

The results of the study of the century dynamics of forest-steppe vegetation of erosiondenudation plains of the western slopes of the Volga Upland on the example of one of the sites of the state Natural Reserve "Volga forest-steppe" – "Kuncherovskaya forest-steppe" (Penza Region, Russia) are presented. The modern structure of steppe vegetation was established and its dynamics was traced for more than 100 years. The results of the last three geobotanical mapping studies of this area (1991, 2002, 2013) carried out by the authors are discussed in detail. It is revealed that the watershed areas are still dominated by bunchgrass meadow steppes, but associations dominated by Stipa tirsa are replacing associations dominated by Helictotrichon desertorum. It has been found that for the last 30 years (since 1989) the vegetation on watershed surfaces under the influence of the reserve regime undergoes mesophytization (transformation of meadow steppes into steppe meadows) and sylvatization (spread of shrub meadow steppes, bushes of shrubs and individual trees). Currently, in order to maintain the steppe character of vegetation protected areas in the forest-steppe zone on the western slopes of the Privolzhskaya Upland, it is necessary to introduce the regulated anthropogenic intervention.

L. A. Novikova
Penza State University
Krasnaya St. 40, Penza, 440026 Russia

la_novikova@mail.ru

A. A. Mironova
Penza State University
Krasnaya St. 40, Penza, 440026 Russia


V. M. Vasyukov
Samara Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Ecology of the Volga Basin RAS
Komzina St. 10, Togliatti, 445003 Russia


Stepan Aleksandrovich Senator
Tsitsin Main Botanical Garden, Russian Academy of Sciences
ul. Botanicheskaya 4, Moscow, 127276 Russia

stsenator@yandex.ru

Dobrolyubov, A.N., Lebyazhinskaya, I.P., Kudryavtsev, A.Yu., Gorbushina, T.V., Dobrolyubova,
T.V., Osipov, V.V., 2013. Gosudarstvennyi prirodnyi zapovednik “Privolzhskaya lesostep'”: fizikogeograficheskaia kharakteristika i biologicheskoe raznoobrazie prirodnykh kompleksov [State Nature
Reserve “Privolzhskaya lesostep'”: physical and geographical characteristics and biological diversity of natural complexes]. Trudy gosudarstvennogo zapovednika “Privolzhskaya lesostep'” [Proceedings of the State Nature Reserve “Privolzhskaya lesostep'”] 4, 1–70. (In Russian).
Dyukova, G.R., 1996. Osobennosti pochvoobrazovaniia i pochv Kuncherovskogo uchastka zapovednika
“Privolzhskaia lesostep'” [Features of soil formation and soils of the Kuncherovsky cluster of the “Privolzhskaya lesostep'” Reserve]. In: Khrianin, V.N. (ed.), Kraevedcheskie issledovaniia i problemy
ekologicheskogo obrazovaniia [Local history studies and problems of environmental education].
Penza State Pedagogical University, Penza, Russia, 24–25. (In Russian).
Ipatov, V.S., 1990. Otrazhenie dinamiki rastitel’nogo pokrova v sintaksonomicheskikh edinitsakh [Reflection of vegetation dynamics in syntaxonomic units]. Botanicheskii Zhournal [Botanical Journal] 75 (10), 1380–1388. (In Russian).
Ipatov, V.S., Mirin, D.M., 2008. Opisanie fitotsenoza: metodicheskie rekomendatsii [Description of phytocenosis: methodological recommendations]. Publishing House of the Saint Peterburg University,
St. Petersburg, Russia, 71 p. (In Russian).
Keller, B.A., 1926. Floristicheskie, geobotanicheskie i ekologicheskie zametki [Floristic, geobotanical and ecological notes]. Zapiski Voronezhskogo sel’skokhoziaistvennogo instituta [Notes of the Voronezh Agricultural Institute] 1, 23–34. (In Russian).
Krasnaya kniga Penzenskoi oblasti. T. 1: Sosudistye rasteniia, mkhi, lishainiki, griby [Red Data Book of
Penza Region. Vol. 1: Vascular plants, mosses, lichens, fungi], 2024. Ivanov, A.I. (ed.). Studia on-line,
Moscow, Penza, Russia, 300 p. (In Russian).
Kuznetsov, K.P., Zeilinger, D.O., Fevralyova, A.T., 1978. Guminovye soedineniia pochv “Kuncherovskoi
stepi” [Humic compounds of soils of the Kuncherovskaya steppe]. Sbornik nauchnykh rabot
Saratovskogo sel'skokhoziaistvennogo instituta [Collection of scientific papers of the Saratov
Agricultural Institute] 107, 30–37. (In Russian).
Neshataev, Yu.N., 1971. Vyborochno-statisticheskii metod vydeleniia rastitel’nykh assotsiatsii [Selective
statistical method of plant association selection]. In: Aleksandrova, V.D. (ed.), Metody vydeleniya
rastitel’nykh assotsiatsii [Methods for identifying plant associations]. Nauka, Leningrad, USSR, 181–
206. (In Russian).
Neshataev, Yu.N., Ukhacheva, V.N., 2001. Monitoring rastitel’nosti srednerusskoi lesostepi [Vegetation
monitoring of the Central Russian forest steppe]. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Series 3. Biology 2, 55–66. (In Russian).
Nevorotov, A.I., 2003. Geomorfologicheskaia karta Kuncherovskoi lesostepi [Geomorphological map of the Kuncherovskaya forest-steppe]. Scale 1:10000. Funds of the State Nature Reserve “Privolzhskaya lesostep'”, Penza, Russia, 2 sheets. (In Russian).
Nosova, A.M., 1965. Sokhranivshiesia uchastki stepei Penzenskoi oblasti [Preserved areas of the steppes of Penza Region]. Botanicheskii zhurnal [Botanical Journal] 50 (4), 838–852. (In Russian).
Novikova, L.A., 1993. Dinamika Penzenskikh lugovykh stepei i problema ikh sokhraneniia [Dynamics of
Penza meadow steppes and the problem of their conservation]. Bulleten’ Samarskaya Luka [Bulletin
Samarskaya Luka] 4, 111–128. (In Russian).
Novikova, L.A., 1995. Dinamika i prognoz razvitiia rastitel’nosti “Kuncherovskoi stepi” [Dynamics and
forecast of vegetation development of the Kuncherovskaya steppe]. Materialy nauchnoi konferentsii,
posviashchennoi 60-letiiu Khoperskogo zapovednika “Problemy izucheniia i okhrany zapovednykh
prirodnykh kompleksov” [Materials of scientific conference dedicated to the 60th Anniversary of the
Khopersky Reserve “Problems of studying and protecting of protected natural complexes”]. Voronezh,
Russia, 120–122. (In Russian).
Novikova, L.A., 1998. Geobotanicheskaia kharakteristika “Kuncherovskoi stepi” [Geobotanical characteristics of the Kuncherovskaya steppe]. Materialy konferentsii, posviashchennoi 120-letiiu so dnia rozhdeniia I.I. Sprygina [Materials of the conference dedicated to the 120th Anniversary of the birth of I.I. Sprygin]. Penza, Russia, 77–82. (In Russian).
Novikova, L.A., 2008. Sovremennaia struktura rastitel’nogo pokrova Kuncherovskoi stepi [The current structure of vegetation cover of the Kuncherovskaya steppe]. Materialy Vserossiiskoi nauchnoprakticheskoi konferentsii “Monitoring prirodnykh ekosistem” [Materials of the All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference “Monitoring of natural ecosystems”]. Penza, Russia, 133–136. (In Russian).
Novikova, L.A., 2009. Vosstanovlenie rastitel’nosti na zalezhakh Kuncherovskoi lesostepi [Restoration
of vegetation on the fallow fields of the Kuncherovskaya forest-steppe]. Vestnik Orenburgskogo
gosudarstvennogo universiteta [Vestnik of the Orenburg State University] 6, 281–285. (In Russian).
Novikova, L.A., 2010. Monitoring rastitel’nosti “Kuncherovskoi stepi” [Vegetation monitoring of the Kuncherovskaya steppe]. Povolzhskii ekologicheskii zhurnal [Povolzhskiy Journal of Ecology] 4, 51–60. (In Russian).
Novikova, L.A., 2012. Struktura i dinamika travianoi rastitel’nosti lesostepnoi zony na zapadnykh
sklonakh Privolzhskoi vozvyshennosti i puti ee optimizatsii [Structure and dynamics of grass vegetation
of the forest-steppe zone on the western slopes of the Privolzhskaya Upland and ways to optimize it].
Doctor of Sciences in Biology thesis. Saratov, Russia, 547 p. (In Russian).
Novikova, L.A., Pan’kina, D.V., 2013. Kharakteristika lugovoi rastitel’nosti “Kuncherovskoi lesostepi”
[Characteristics of meadow vegetation of the Kuncherovskaya forest-steppe]. Izvestiia vysshikh
uchebnykh zavedenii. Povolzhskii region. Seriia Estestvennye nauki [University proceedings. Volga
region. Natural sciences] 1 (1), 91–101. (In Russian).
Novikova, L.A., Pan’kina, D.V., Mironova, A.A., 2017. Suktsessionnaia dinamika srednerusskikh
lugovykh stepei i problema ikh sokhraneniia [Successional dynamics of the Central Russian meadow
steppes and the problem of their conservation]. Izvestiia RAN. Seria Biologicheskaia [Proceedings
of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Biological Series] 5, 1–6. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.7868/
S000233291705006X
Novikova, L.A., Sokolova, M.S., 2008. Struktura i dinamika “Kuncherovskoi stepi” [Structure and
dynamics of the Kuncherovskaya steppe]. Izvestiia PGPU im. V.G. Belinskogo. Seriya Estestvennye
nauki [Proceedings of Belinsky Penza State University. Natural Sciences Series] 10 (14), 13–25. (In
Russian).
Novikova, L.A., Strokina, E.I., Ukhacheva, V.N., 2011. Prodolzhenie monitoringa Kazatskoi stepi (TsChZ
im. prof. V.V.Alekhina) [Continuation of monitoring of the Cossack Steppe (Central Chernozem Reserve
named after Professor V.V. Alekhine)]. Materialy Vserossiiskoi konferentsii, posviashchennoi 80-letiiu
kafedry geobotaniki i ekologii rastenii Sankt-Peterburgskogo (Leningradskogo) gosudarstvennogo
universiteta i iubileinym datam ego prepodavatelei “Razvitie geobotaniki: istoriia i sovremennost’”
[Materials of the All-Russian conference dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Department of Geobotany and Plant Ecology of St. Petersburg (Leningrad) State University and the anniversaries of its teachers “Development of Geobotany: History and Modernity”]. St. Petersburg, Russia, 86. (In Russian).
Pan’kina, D.V., Novikova, L.A., Mironova, A.A., Kulagina, E.Yu., 2015. Geobotanicheskaia kharakteristika
“Kuncherovskoi lesostepi” (po rezul’tatam tret’ego kartografirovaniia) [Geobotanical characteristics of the Kuncherovskaya forest-steppe (based on the results of the third mapping)]. Izvestiia vysshikh uchebnykh zavedenii. Povolzhskii region. Seriia Estestvennye nauki [University proceedings. Volga region. Natural sciences] 4 (12), 47–58. (In Russian).
Sileva, T.M., Chernova, O.V., 1999. Kharakteristika pochv Ostrovtsovskogo i Kuncherovskogo uchastkov zapovednika “Privolzhskaia lesostep'” [Characteristics of the soils of the Ostrovtsovsky and Kuncherovsky sections of the Privolzhskaya Forest-steppe Reserve]. Trudy gosudarstvennogo zapovednika “Privolzhskaya lesostep'” [Proceedings of the State Nature Reserve Privolzhskaya lesostep'] 1, 25–32. (In Russian).
Solyanov, A.A., 1969. K kharakteristike nauchnoi i poznavatel’noi tsennosti “Kuncherovskoi stepi” [About scientific and cognitive value of the Kuncherovskaya steppe]. Voprosy geografii Penzenskoi oblasti. Geograficheskii sbornik [Geography Issues of the Penza Region. Geographical Collection] 2, 92–96. (In Russian).
Solyanov, A.A., 1982. Kuncherovskaia step’. Karta [Kuncherovskaya steppe. Map]. Atlas Penzenskoi oblasti [Atlas of the Penza Region]. Main Directorate of Geodesy and Cartography (GUGK), Moscow, Russia, 18. (In Russian).
Sprygin, I.I., 1896. Material k flore gubernii Penzenskoi i Saratovskoi [Material for the flora of the Penza
and Saratov provinces]. Trudy Obshchestva estestvoispytatelei pri Imperatorskom Kazanskom universitete [Proceedings of the Society of Natural Scientists at the Imperial Kazan University] 26 (6),
3–75. (In Russian).
Ukhacheva, V.N., Novikova, L.A., Strokina, E.I., 2011. Osnovnye markery mnogoletnei dinamiki srednerusskoi lesostepi [The main markers of the long-term dynamics of the Central Russian foreststeppe]. Izvestiia PGPU im. V.G. Belinskogo. Seriya Estestvennye nauki [Proceedings of Belinsky Penza State University. Natural Sciences Series] 25, 165–169. (In Russian).
Voronin, A.Ya., 2004. Pochvennaia karta Kuncherovskoi lesostepi [Soil map of the Kuncherovskaya forest-steppe]. Scale 1:10000. Funds of the State Nature Reserve “Privolzhskaya lesostep'”, Penza, Russia, 2 sheets. (In Russian).
Yamashkin, A.A., Artemova, S.N., Novikova, L.A., Leonova, N.A., Alekseeva, N.S., 2011. Elektronnaia
landshaftnaia karta Penzenskoi oblasti [Electronic landscape map of the Penza Region]. Izvestiia PGPU im. V.G. Belinskogo. Seriya Estestvennye nauki [Proceedings of Belinsky Penza State University. Natural Sciences Series] 25, 655–663. (In Russian)