Where on the map the Black Lands reserve is shown. Biosphere Reserve "Black Lands": the world of wildlife of Kalmykia. What's the best way to get there?

The Black Lands State Natural Biosphere Reserve was established on June 11, 1990 by Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR No. 191 in the Republic of Kalmykia and consists of two separate areas. The main area occupies part of the Caspian lowland between the lower reaches of the Kuma and Volga rivers, on the territory of the Yashkul and Chernozemelny regions and is a slightly undulating lowland plain with a slight slope to the southeast, with massifs of finely hilly and hilly sands. Here the protection and restoration of the saiga population is carried out.

The site “Lake Manych-Gudilo” is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar Convention). Rare species of waterfowl and semi-aquatic birds nest and winter here (mute swan, red-breasted goose, greylag goose, pink and Dalmatian pelicans, demoiselle bustard and others).

The steppe bustard, another relic of the Black Lands, is one of the largest flying birds in Russia. Its weight reaches 15 kg. Unfortunately, the specific habitat of bustards is such that they do not form densely populated areas, which cannot be protected through nature reserves or nature reserves.

“Lake Manych-Gudilo” was a republican reserve until 1996, and then was transferred to the Black Lands reserve. The reserve was originally designed as a biosphere reserve, and received official UNESCO biosphere status on December 3, 1993.

The total area of the reserve is 121.5 thousand hectares, including the main area - 93.9 thousand hectares, Lake Manych-Gudilo - 27.6 thousand hectares. The width of the protective zone around the “Steppe” site is 5 km, the “Ornithological” site - from 0.2 to several kilometers.

The climate in the reserve is sharply continental: summers are hot and dry, winters are cold and usually snowless. By the way, it is for this reason that the reserve is called “Black Lands”. The average temperature in January is about 6 degrees below zero, the minimum is 35. The maximum temperature in July, the hottest month, is 42 degrees. heat.

The steppe section of the nature reserve is a classic semi-desert landscape. The main vegetation here is wormwood and cereal plants. In some places you can find thickets of juzgun, tamarisk, and sandy wormwood. The fauna of the Black Lands, like any other semi-desert plain, is quite scarce.

Reservoirs of the Black Lands reserve:
Until 1948, when the Nevinnomyssk Canal was built, Lake Manych-Gudilo was a shallow, highly mineralized reservoir. It was fed only by the local watershed - the influx of melt and groundwater and rain. Therefore, during dry periods the lake dried out very much, remaining in the form of a series of isolated or connected channels of salt lakes. With the construction of the canal, both the lake and the Manych valley, which lies to the west of the lake, are intensively watered and currently the reservoir represents a single system. However, as for the lake. Manych-Gudilo, and for the lake. Eastern Manych in the last thirty years has been characterized by fluctuations in water level (up to one and a half meters) and salinity.

Currently the width of the lake. Manych-Gudilo ranges from one and a half to two to seven to ten kilometers. In the central part, where the maximum depression of the relief has been preserved, the depths are 5-8 m, the main part of the water area is shallow water with depths from 0.5 to 2 m. The water area is characterized by islands, the area of which varies from several hectares to several hundred hectares. When the water level drops, many flat islands form on the lake. The lake is salty, salinity is 17-29%.

The symbol of the reserve is the saiga antelope, one of the rarest antelope species in Russia. Its numbers in the 80s of the 20th century sharply decreased due to poaching, but thanks to the creation of a number of reserves and reserves for the protection and restoration of the saiga population, its numbers recovered and amounted to approximately 150 thousand individuals. However, at present, according to calculations by employees of the Black Lands Nature Reserve, the number of saigas is very low and amounts to about 13-15 thousand.

Tourist information:
Ecotourism is actively developing in the reserve. On the main site there are demonstration enclosures with semi-free-living saigas. In the protected zone of the Lake Manych-Gudilo site, ornithological tourism is being developed - amateur bird watching.

Postal address:
359240, Republic of Kalmykia, Chernozemelsky district,
village Komsomolsky, st. Nekrasova, 31
Phone: (847-43) 9-14-53
Fax: (847-43) 9-12-54
Email: [email protected]

A testing ground for studying steppe, semi-desert and desert landscapes, as well as the Kalmyk saiga population. “Black Lands” is the only anthropogenic desert in Europe, which is the object of study by hundreds of scientists from all over the world.

The reserve was founded on June 11, 1990. Its area is 121.9 thousand hectares. The “Black Lands” occupy two different territories. The main section of the Black Lands reserve is located in the Caspian lowland, between the lower reaches of the Kuma and Volga rivers, on the territory of the Yashkul and Chernozemelny regions of Kalmykia. In this area, the protection and restoration of the saiga population is carried out, and in the second area, located on Lake Manych-Gudilo, rare species of waterfowl and shorebirds nest and winter (mute swan, greylag goose, red-breasted goose, pink and Dalmatian pelicans, bustard, crane - belladonna and others).

The name “Black Lands” appeared due to the fact that in winter the steppe here is not covered with snow and the land remains black. Since ancient times, this territory was used for winter grazing of livestock: “Every more or less large cattle-breeding farm of the steppes from the east of the banks of the Volga, from the northeast of the Ergen Mountains, gathers for the winter to the so-called “Black Lands”, where it is grouped from all ends of the steppe a huge number of cattle with all the herding habits, and in the summer all this cattle disperses to different corners of the steppe” (I.A. Zhitetsky, 19th century).

The Black Lands Nature Reserve is interesting because it simultaneously protects extremely contrasting habitats - typical Kalmyk steppes and lake wetlands.

The symbol of the reserve is the saiga antelope, one of the rarest antelope species in Russia. Its numbers sharply decreased in the 80s due to poaching, but then, thanks to the creation of organizations (the Chernye Zemli reserve, the Sarpinsky, Harbinsky and Mekletinsky reserves) for the protection and restoration of the saiga population, its numbers recovered and was about 150 thousand individuals. However, at present, according to calculations by employees of the Black Lands Nature Reserve, the number of saigas is very low and amounts to about 13-15 thousand.

The Yashkul nursery is located in the “Center for Wild Animals of Kalmykia”. On its territory there are enclosures with semi-free-living saigas. The Yashkul nursery is located in the Yashkul district.

While staying in the Black Earth Nature Reserve, you can also get acquainted with the extraordinary nature and rare representatives of the flora and fauna of this region.

The plant cover of the reserve is represented by desert steppes of feather grass, black wormwood and Lerch, wormwood, prostrate grass, and chamomile. Sands in the overgrowing stage are characterized by gristle grass, camel thorn, potassium solyanka, sand wormwood and broom. There are communities of steppe meadows and salt marshes. On the Manych-Gudilo islands, steppes with Lessing's feather grass and ephemeral synusia are common. Rare plants in the Black Lands reserve include Taliev's cornflower, beautiful feather grass and Zalessky's feather grass, and Schrenk's tulip.

The fauna of the “Black Lands” consists of typical steppe and semi-desert species. The main reptiles are the multi-colored and fast foot-and-mouth disease, the long-eared roundhead and the spiny tail, the sand boa, the yellow-bellied snake, the lizard snake, and the steppe viper. The most common mammals are saiga, corsac, brown hare, long-eared hedgehog, small ground squirrel, large, small and hairy jerboas.

Kalmykia is a unique region in many ways, a territory of endless steppes, deserts and semi-deserts, with an area (75.6 thousand sq. km.) larger than many European states. To study and protect the unique nature, in 1990, on the territory of the Republic of Kalmykia, the only test site of this kind in Russia was established - the Black Lands State Natural Biosphere Reserve.

Traveling through the steppe expanses of the “Black Lands” is an almost instant immersion into the world of wild nature.

When approaching specially protected areas, you can see groups of camels grazing peacefully.

Camels are not representatives of wild nature; they are not allowed into protected areas, performing rather agricultural functions, but these charming guys bring a lot of joy to guests and travelers, especially with children.

Only at first glance the steppes seem monotonous, but after a few hours of walking around the reserve you understand that the landscape is constantly changing, life around you is really in full swing. This is especially felt in the spring - the vegetation blooms, and many steppe inhabitants have offspring.

Fox cubs are very curious, enthusiastically greet their slightly tired mother returning to the hole in the evenings and happily explore the world around them.

Steppe eagles circle above the emerald fields of flowering feather grass in search of prey (usually small rodents).

Steppe eagles usually make nests on the ground or low bushes, so if you are careful, in the seemingly lifeless steppe you can observe the family life of this bird of prey.

If you are lucky enough to find a nest, it is better to look from afar, using binoculars or a telephoto lens; it is important not to disturb the birds in any way.

In addition to steppe eagles, large birds of prey in the reserve include black vultures and griffon vultures listed in the Red Book. These are typical scavengers; they often gather in large groups, which looks somewhat scary. Their permanent habitat is the Caucasus; they fly to Kalmykia “on tour” in spring and summer.

The black vulture belongs to the hawk family; it is the largest bird in Russia and one of the largest birds of the world fauna: the wingspan of the vulture reaches three meters.

Walking along the steppe early in the morning, you can hear loud, melodic trills, but their performers are extremely difficult to notice. These are skylarks: small birds, slightly larger than a sparrow. Larks choose flat, open spaces to build nests, but thanks to their protective coloring they are practically invisible among the steppe grasses. Within a couple of weeks after birth, the chicks are completely independent, leave the nest and learn to get their own food.

A unique living attraction of the reserve are the graceful demoiselle cranes, the smallest and third largest representatives of the crane family in the world.

This romantic couple are inhabitants of the Kalmyk steppe in the vicinity of the Atsan-Khuduk cordon.

Demoiselle cranes are monogamous, that is, they choose partners once and for life, but if courtship does not bring offspring, the crane “marriage” may fall apart.

But this couple’s family life is fine.

Small and nimble wheatears also live in abundance in the vicinity of the cordon.

At the end of May, not far from the cordon, in the middle of the bare steppe, inspectors discovered... a small kitten. The kitten is not an ordinary one, it is a wild steppe cat, whose family died, and the kitten was left alone.

The kitten is just over a week old, but soon it will turn into a real steppe predator.

But the main living symbol of the Black Lands is the saiga antelope, even the reserve’s logo is a stylized image of a saiga’s head. These antelopes, the same age as mammoths, known for their original appearance - a muzzle with a nose resembling a trunk - are in danger of extinction, although in recent years, thanks to active conservation actions, the number of livestock has been increasing.

The saiga’s “trunk” is functional, helping to survive both in hot summers, playing the role of a kind of filter in summer sandstorms, and in harsh winters - the icy steppe air, passing through the nasal passage, manages to heat up.

In May, calving occurs in the reserve - a mass birth of young saiga. Young saigas can stand well on their feet 3-4 days after birth, and a week later they can run well, but they prefer to spend the first days of life lying on the ground, remaining unnoticeable among the steppe vegetation, rising only when their mother calls.

In the early morning hours, female saiga wander the steppe and call their saigas. A real miracle is to watch saigas walk in the wild steppes, and remain unnoticed by these cautious animals.

You literally have to hold your breath to watch the saigas: one awkward movement, a slight rustle, and the saiga instantly takes off, reaching speeds of up to 80 km/h in a matter of seconds!

And this female with a mysterious “smile” paraded along the sandy embankment, as if on a catwalk, and all the males followed her with their eyes; It was the first time I had a chance to observe a saiga so closely - it looks like she was also posing.

The saiga is a herd animal, and in the spring in the green steppes of Kalmykia you can observe an amazing phenomenon - the migration of herds of saigas, numbering hundreds and sometimes thousands of individuals of all ages.

In addition to steppes, the reserve includes water areas, as well as deserts and semi-deserts.
You should move carefully along protected paths - for example, a scarab may be scurrying around on a sandy area, carried away by its, no doubt, titanic work.

Nimble round-headed lizards of the agamidae family run among the dunes.

In water areas there are nesting sites for many rare species of waterfowl and semi-aquatic birds.
In the thickets of coastal plants you can see flocks of Buntings and Black-breasted Sparrows.

Red herons often fly overhead.

Another interesting encounter is the stilt walker. The bird is easily recognized by its unusual bright pink legs. Of all the waders, the stilt has the longest legs - in search of food, the bird wanders in shallow water and uses its long thin beak to catch mollusks and small aquatic insects.

Of course, to appreciate all the biodiversity and uniqueness of the Kalmyk steppes, a few days, weeks, or even months are not enough. But the reserve, in addition to conservation and scientific work, carries out active educational and excursion activities, and even in a few hours you can immerse yourself in wild nature, watch flying cranes, and, if you’re lucky, meet a herd of saigas running past - for such moments it’s worth visiting hospitable Kalmykia .

The concept of “reserve” means a small plot of land in which all natural sources are preserved. They focus on maximum cleanliness and ecology. That is why they are always protected; hunting, deforestation, digging of land and any other economic activity are prohibited here. There are several such “untouched by man” places in Russia. One of them is the “Black Lands”. The reserve, or rather its main part, is located along the lower reaches of the Volga and Kuma rivers.

Brief description

Today, the Black Lands Nature Reserve is the only place in Russia where you can explore steppe, desert and semi-desert landscapes. Scientists from all over the world flock here, they have a unique chance to get acquainted with anthropogenic territories, the only ones in the whole of Europe.

Biologists and ecologists periodically visit the reserve. The main purpose of their arrival is to preserve populations of rare species such as saiga, pelican or bustard.

This territory is also rich in rare plants. They are all located in one place. The entire reserve is divided into several separate territories, each of which is distinguished by its uniqueness.

History and location

Once upon a time this territory was an ordinary forest. However, scientists have noticed that this place contains many rare plants, animals, insects, as well as a unique landscape. On June 11, 1990, a decision was made to form and preserve a natural source under the new name “Black Lands”. The reserve covers an area of 121.9 thousand hectares. The entire space is divided into two main areas.

The first section is called the main one; it is located in the Caspian lowland. There are several features of this territory:

Presence of saiga populations.
Desert landscape.
Unique flora.

The second part is located in the lower reaches of the Volga and Kuma rivers. It is characterized by several features:

The presence of the cleanest lake in the country, Manych-Gudilo.
Nesting of rare bird species.

Here you can see everything that you will not find anywhere else. That is why every person would like to look at the Black Lands reserve at least once in their life. Where is this natural spring located? Geographically, it spreads across the south-eastern lands of the country. On the map this place is indicated as the Republic of Kalmykia.

The rarest populations

The symbol of the natural spring is the saiga antelope. According to scientists, the number of these individuals is approaching 13 thousand. A few years ago, this figure was 80 times higher, but has dropped sharply due to active poaching. A separate Yashkul nursery, fenced with an enclosure, has been created for saigas. They are protected throughout the year.

The most beautiful specimen of the reserve, listed in the Red Book, is the mute swan. It is distinguished by its snow-white color and bright red beak. The weight of one individual reaches 14 kilograms. Swans hiss loudly, straightening their neck menacingly and bending it in the shape of the letter S. They have an excellently developed memory, and they are especially quick to store offenders in their subconscious. In total there are about 620 thousand individuals, most of which are located in Russia. In recent years, the population has been declining sharply. The causes of bird death are: lead poisoning, electric shocks and unfavorable climate.

Here you can see the most dangerous reptile in the world - the steppe viper. The length of this individual exceeds 60 centimeters. The exact population size is currently unknown; there are about 15 snakes per square kilometer.

These are not all the creatures that the Black Lands reserve can boast of. Animals here are dominated by both rare and common ones, such as hares, hedgehogs and jerboas.

Flora

According to scientists, the top ten most beautiful natural springs in the country include the Black Lands. The reserve is distinguished by the presence of beautiful flowers - Schrenk tulips, feather grass and cornflowers. Also here you can find camel thorns, which are more common to see in Africa. Feather grass, daisies and wormwood grow in the desert steppes.

About the visit

A huge number of tourists come to this place every year. It is impossible to come here just like that; you will first need to conclude an agreement with the administration of the reserve. Upon arrival, it is worth remembering that picking flowers and touching animals is strictly prohibited. The only thing you can do is capture the vegetation in a photo or video.

Scientists, photographers and journalists are incredibly fond of the “Black Lands”. The reserve is a kind of opportunity to observe the beauty of nature, be alone with your thoughts and see rare populations live. This is not just a protected area, it is a separate piece of life, torn out from the modern world.

White wormwood (Lerche)

Wormwood Lerche, or white Artemisia lerchiana- a white-tomentose plant from the family. Compositae, xerophyte, grows on grassy clay slopes, dry meadows, and dry saline steppes. Indicator of dry and desert steppes. A subshrub 20-40 cm high, with a strong specific odor, gray with thick cobwebby hairs, which in July-August come off in clumps from the lower part of the stem, forming bald spots with light brown bark.

The type of aboveground shoots is erect or ascending; on old specimens, at the site of basal branching, the woody part of the stem is highly developed, 3 times the diameter of the fertile shoots. In the Caspian region, white wormwood is a zonal type of vegetation. On the territory of the Black Lands reserve, Lerche wormwood can be found in the steppe section of the Mekletinsky reserve.

Lerche or white wormwood is characterized by ecological plasticity, resistance to lack of moisture, mineral nutrition, high air temperature, excessive insolation, and soil salinity. Wormwood has anti-inflammatory, expectorant, immunomodulatory, antispasmodic, and antioxidant effects. Increases mental performance. Pronounced antidepressant. On pastures in spring and summer it is a plant of average fodder value; in autumn and winter it is well eaten by livestock.

Belvalia Sarmatian

Family: Hyacinthaceae - Hyacinths

Genus: Bellevalia - Belvalia

View: Bellevalia sarmatica (Georgi) Woronow–Belvalia Sarmatian, or Hyacinth Sarmatian

On the shore and islands of Lake Manych-Gudilo grows the wonderful plant Sarmatian Belvalia. This flower can be found on the mountain slopes of the Mediterranean coast, in Iran, Turkmenistan and Turkey. Belvalia plant was named in honor of Pierre Richer de Belleval, the founder of the world-famous botanical garden in the French city of Montpellier.

Belvalia Sarmatian reaches 30-40 cm in height. Multi-flowered brush, cone-shaped. The perianth is tubular-bell-shaped, the flowers look like bells hanging on long, horizontally spaced stalks. The corolla is yellowish-white and turns brown after flowering. The pedicels are long, several times (upper) or many times (lower) the length of the perianth. Anthers on long filaments attached to the tube. The capsule is three-lobed: each nest contains more than 2 seeds. The bulbs are ovoid, semi-tunicate and tunicate (fused at the base), large, up to 5-6 cm in diameter. Leaves in a ground tuft, usually shorter than the arrow, broadly linear to lanceolate, pointed, ciliated along the edge with a white cartilaginous edge.

The development of plants from seeds occurs slowly, the first flowering occurs 5-6 years after sowing. Flowering occurs in early May. The duration of flowering depends on the air temperature. For most plants it is 12–14 days. During the flowering period, with prolonged exposure to temperatures above 25°C, plants experience a sharp reduction in vegetation, the flowering shoots die and the outer scales of the replacement bulbs become suberized. Under normal temperature conditions, 4–5 weeks pass from the end of flowering to the end of the growing season. When the fruits ripen, the inflorescence takes on the shape of a tumbleweed, breaks away from the plant and is rolled by the wind, scattering seeds along the way. This is one of the rare cases of seed dispersal by wind in plants of the monocot class.

The species is listed in the Red Books of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kalmykia. In Kalmykia it is found in Kumo-Manych, along Ergeni.

Ephedra two-spikelet, or Ephedra two-spikelet

Family Ephedraceae - Ephedraceae

genus Ephedra – Ephedra

Type: Ephedra two-spikelet, or Ephedra two-spikelet - Ephedra distachya L.

Ephedra bispica is an evergreen yellowish-green shrub 20-30cm in height. The stems are highly branched, the branches along are furrowed, rough, somewhat reminiscent of horsetail in appearance. The leaves are reduced to small membranous sheaths, young shoots are green, internodes are 3-5 cm long. Dioecious plant. Male spikelets (microstrobiles) are up to 1 cm long, axillary, almost sessile, rounded or branched, yellow, formed by 2-5 pairs of imbricated overlapping scales covering microsporangia. Female cones (megastrobiles) on axillary branches, with 1-3 ovules, are surrounded by 2-4 pairs of tiled scales overlapping each other, growing and becoming fleshy, juicy, orange or red when ripe; mature fruits are 6-8mm long. When growing on loose soil, it can spread over large areas. It reproduces vegetatively using root suckers, forming extensive shoots of plants of the same sex. Wind-pollinated plant. Pollen dispersal in V-VI. Fruiting (ripening of seeds) in VII-VIII. Helps consolidate loose slopes and sands. The cone berries serve as food for partridges and other birds. Non-lignified shoots play a role in the saiga's diet. In the past, Kalmyks prepared a jam-like dish called “bal” from the cone berries of the conifer. Medicinal. Food. Poisonous. Fanerophyte. Xerophyte.

In Kalmykia it is found in Ergeny: Sarpinsky district (Godzhur village, Plodovitoye village), Tselinny district (Elista town, Arshan village, Maksimovka and Khar-Buluk); in the Caspian lowland: Oktyabrsky district (Tsagan-Nur village), Yashkul district (Ulan-Erge village); in the Kuma-Manych depression: Chernozemelsky district (Komsomolsky village). In the Black Lands reserve it is found in the steppe section of the reserve. Local spots in the wormwood-grass steppe.

Ephedra two-spikelet It is listed in the regional Red Book as an endangered species. Relic of the Tertiary flora.

Sandy wormwood

Sandy wormwood - Artemisia arenaria D.C.

Sem. Asteraceae (Asteraceae) – Asteraceae Dumort

Genus wormwood - ArtemisiaL

In Kalmyk language - umkә sharlҗn

Sand wormwood ( Artemisia arenaria), a subshrub of the Asteraceae family, 20-100 cm high. The stems are woody at the base, the vegetative shoots are shortened. The leaves are green, slightly fleshy, almost glabrous, dissected into narrow segments and linear-lanceolate terminal lobes; the lower ones are long-petiolate, the rest are sessile. The baskets are ovoid, sessile or on shortened stalks, collected in a spreading panicle. The flowers are bisexual, collected in ovoid baskets on short stalks, straight or penetrating; fruit - achene.

Sandy wormwood is a dominant species on loose sands, an indicator of wind erosion in desert steppes on brown and sandy soils. It is found in the Caspian region on the Chernozemelsky and Kizlyar pastures; it is a subdominant of sandy wormwood-kiyak and sandy wormwood-dzhuzgun communities, often forming pure thickets. Due to rapid vegetative propagation Artemisia arenaria It fixes loose sand well, forming unproductive pastures - sandy wormwood. In the Black Lands Nature Reserve, sandy wormwood is found in the northern part of the steppe area, on overgrown sands.

Useful properties: phytomeliorant, fodder.

The species can be used as a fixative for shifting sands and steep slopes. On pastures, in spring, the plant has low nutritional value, and in autumn and winter, it has good nutritional value.

Astrogalus longpetallus

Sem. Legumes – Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Genus. Astragalus

View. Long-petalled Astrogalus – Astragalus longipetalusChater

Herbaceous perennial 10-25 cm high. Stems are shortened (stemless plant). Leaves in a basal rosette, 10-25 cm long, with protruding-shaggy petiole and 8-16 pairs of ovate or round-ovate leaflets up to 2 cm long, glabrous above, hairy below. Flowers number 6-10 in elongated loose racemes. The bracts are linear, 10-11 mm long, pubescent. Calyx 15-20 mm long. The petals are yellow, without pubescence, the flag is 30-35 mm long. The beans are large, ovoid-swollen, glabrous, with a straight, sharp nose. Sand steppe plant. Blooms in May, propagated by seed.

Astragalus longipetalus included in the regional Red Book of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Distributed in the Ciscaucasia, Lower Volga region, Trans-Volga region, and in the southwest of the West. Siberia, northern Kazakhstan. Xerophyte, psammophyte.

In the Black Lands Nature Reserve you can find them in the steppe area and in the protected zone. Often. On sands overgrown and fixed by juzgun in feather grass, wheatgrass and psammophytic forb-grass associations.

Schober's saltpeter

Sam:Nitrariaceae— Saltpeteraceae

Genus:Nitraria — Saltpeter

View:N. schoberi L. – Schober's saltpeter

Schober's saltpeter is a shrub 30-80 cm tall with white thorny branches at the ends, sometimes partially modified into thorns. The leaves are simple, oblong-spatulate, narrowed at the base, alternate, often collected in bunches with entire, entire, slightly fleshy plates. The flowers are bisexual, actinomorphic, five-membered, collected in loose inflorescences and located in the axils of small cascading bracts. The perianth is double: of five sepals fused near the base and 5 free whitish petals. Stamens 10-15 with subulate filaments; 5 of them are opposite the sepals, and the rest are located in pairs or one at a time opposite the petals. Gynoecium of 3 carpels ending in a short ovoid stigma. The drupes are ovoid, with reddish juice, 6-7 mm long.

The species was noted by N.N. Kaden and others in the north of Ergeni in the Maloderbetovsky district in 1948-1950. Currently, in the territory of Kalmykia, populations are known that grow in the vicinity of the Sostinsky lakes, the city of Lagan and in the floodplain of the river. Yashkul.

The only place where this species grows on the territory of the reserve is noted in the steppe area near an old artesian well near the 4th structure of the Tingutin oil field. In 2007 and 2014, this area was subject to fire, but the population survived and is currently being successfully restored.

In nature, Schober's saltpeter reproduces by seeds. Shoots appear from the end of March to May and by the end of the first year of growing season they reach a height of 10-12 cm. You have to wait a long time for flowering: in nature, plants usually bloom in 7-8 years. Small, up to 1 cm in diameter, white flowers open throughout the day, and although, as a rule, they fade already on the 2-3rd day, the overall flowering continues for quite a long time. The plant remains covered with flowers for about a month. On the 35-40th day, small, somewhat dogwood-like, ovoid fruits, colored red, dark cherry or almost black, ripen. Forms with pink drupes are less common. Rich in ascorbic acid and sweetish in taste, they can be used for cooking compotes and jams and for filling candies. Schober's saltpeter is a natural sand fixer, one of the few fruit and berry plants that can grow on salt marshes and tolerate sand well. Together with tamarisk and sarsazan cone-shaped, it settles on alluvial sands covering saline clay soil. Although the sand periodically covers the plant almost entirely, it produces more and more new shoots and again ends up on the surface of the sandy mounds. The height of such mounds often reaches 3-4 m.

The species is listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Kalmykia. Limiting factors preventing the spread of the species are: narrow ecological confinement of the species to specific habitat conditions, low competitiveness, and economic development of territories.

Adonis summer - Adonis aestivalis L.

Buttercup family – Ranunculaceae

Adonis summer - Adonis aestivalis L.

The genus Adonis or Adonis belongs to the Ranunculaceae family, and according to various sources includes from 20 to 45 species of herbaceous annuals and perennials growing in Europe and areas of Asia with a temperate climate.

In Kalmykia, summer Adonis is found in humid places. On the territory of the state reserve "Black Lands" it grows in the protective zone of the steppe area and in the ornithological area in steppe ravines and microdepressions. As an annual plant, it is highly dependent on moisture conditions, and therefore its numbers vary significantly. Listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Kalmykia.

A distinctive feature of summer Adonis is the color of the flowers. Usually the five-membered flowers are bright red, even fiery, very rarely orange, with a black spot in the very center, somewhat reminiscent of a coal in a flame, which is why the popular name of this plant is “coal in the fire.”

Summer Adonis is an annual herbaceous plant. Stems are straight, simple or branched, furrowed, pubescent, 10-50 cm tall. Leaves are sessile, lower petiolate, twice or thrice dissected into small lobules. The flowers are solitary at the ends of the stems, 2-3 cm in diameter. The fruits are many nuts; nuts with a hooked, downward curved nose, 2-3 teeth. Blooms in May - June.

The Latin name Adonis, according to myth, was given in honor of the son of the Cypriot king - the young man Adonis, beloved by Aphrodite, who died while hunting from a blow from a boar. The blood of Adonis turned flowers and plants red, so the name “Adonis” should only apply to species with red flowers, although there are not many of them in the genus. According to another version, the name of the flower comes from the name of the Assyrian god Adon.

Adonis became a popular plant in culture only towards the end of the 17th century, but since then Adonis ornamental has been constantly grown in parks, gardens and flower beds. The plant is slightly poisonous and contains the glycoside adonin.

Parmelia wandering lichen - Parmelia vagans (Nyl.)

The uniqueness and originality of the flora of the Black Lands reserve lies in its border location at the junction of two natural zones: steppe and desert. In total, 291 plant species have been registered on the territory of the reserve, and one of them is the inconspicuous lichen – wandering Parmelia.

Fig.1. Parmelia vagans

In the practice of Kalmyk emchi, various herbs growing in our vast steppe were widely used. Researching the recipes of grandmothers - herbalists who treat us and our children, we discovered that they widely used the lichen Parmelia vagans - wandering parmelia, which the Kalmyk Emchi call Shaha Budg - in their herbal preparations. Doctors used this lichen in the form of various extracts, lotions, and took it orally as a remedy for respiratory diseases, as an antiscorbutic agent, for the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis, and cardiovascular diseases. Parmelia decoction has an astringent, bactericidal, antiseptic, hemostatic and good wound healing effect.
All parts of the plant have medicinal properties and raw materials can be harvested throughout the summer.
Parmelia wandering lichen is a terrestrial lichen 3-5 cm high, which has the appearance of gray-green forked-branching plates, characterized by the ability to swell after rain. The lichen thallus is leafy or semi-bushy, not attached to the substrate. The blades are 2-4 mm wide, separate, branched, rising above the substrate, often curled into a tube. The upper side of the thallus is yellowish or grayish-greenish, smooth, slightly shiny, convex, without soredia and isidia; the lower one is dark brown, with or without remains of rudimentary rhizines. Apothecia are very rare. The thallus becomes dirty yellow when exposed to potassium hydroxide.
Grows in steppes and semi-deserts on saline chestnut soils and on steppe slopes.
The species is included in the Red Book of the Rostov region. Special protection measures have not been developed in Kalmykia.

Gesner Tulip

Family: Liliaceae - Liliaceae

Genus: Tulipa – Tulip

View: T. gesneriana L. – Tulip of Gesner (T. Schrenk)

Gesner tulips. Photo by D.G. Oldvurov

The Gesner tulip is one of the most beautiful tulips in our country. It was first described in 1873 by the director of the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden Eduard Ludwigovich Regel and named after the famous traveler and explorer of Central Asia Alexander Shrenk. However, it turned out that the garden tulip, known among gardeners as the Gesner tulip, and our Schrenk tulip are one and the same plant. Back in the 15th century, the wild Schrenk tulip was taken by the Turks from the subject Crimea and introduced into culture at the court of the Sultan in Istanbul. From here, through Western European merchants, it came to Holland and gave the variety of cultivated varieties that can be observed at the present time. The great Swedish taxonomist Carl Linnaeus described this plant as Gesner's tulip (after the famous 16th-century Swiss naturalist Conrad Gesner) back in 1753, and by strict rules of priority this plant should now be called Gesner's tulip.

In Kalmykia, the species is found scattered throughout Ergen; in the Kuma-Manych depression: Yashalta, Priyutnensky districts in the Caspian lowland: Yustinsky district (Tsagan Aman village).

On the territory of the Black Lands reserve it is rarely found in the steppe area. A significant number of populations are located in the ornithological area.

Gesner's tulip is a herbaceous bulbous perennial. The bulb is ovoid, up to 2.5-3 cm in diameter, with black-brown, pressed-hairy scales from the inside over the entire surface. Stem up to 20-30 cm tall, glabrous. Leaves: 3 (less often 4), spaced, bluish, slightly wavy along the edge, shorter than the flower. The flower is cup-shaped and lily-type, up to 7 cm tall, very variable in shape, with a light pleasant aroma. Coloring ranges from pure white, yellow to reddish-burgundy, lilac and almost purple, with or without a yellow or black spot in the center. Variegated forms are not uncommon. The filaments, like the anthers, are yellow or black. The fruit is a capsule up to 4 cm long and 2.2 cm wide, the number of normally developed seeds is up to 240.

Life expectancy is 30-50 years. Under natural conditions, single seeds can germinate in the 3rd–4th year, and flowering occurs no less than six years from the moment the seed germinates. Ephemeroid. It blooms at the end of April - the first half of May for 6-12 days.

It is found as part of steppe and semi-desert communities, in the steppe, along the slopes of ravines, along the edges of fields and fallow lands.

The species is included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation and the Red Book of the Republic of Kalmykia. Economic activity (intensive grazing, plowing of virgin lands, construction), as well as heavy recreational pressure, have led to a sharp decline in the species' numbers. Annual collections lead to weakening of the bulbs, disruption of normal flowering and fruiting and, ultimately, the death of plants.

The species is considered one of the ancestors of the first cultivated varieties (class Duc van Toll), known since the end of the 16th century. It is grown everywhere as an ornamental cultivated plant and is included in the collections of living plants in many botanical gardens. A. Pavord provides historical data that in 1574, by order of Sultan Selim, 300 thousand bulbs of this species, delivered from Kefe (now Feodosia), were planted in the Imperial Gardens of Constantinople.

Bieberstein Tulip

Family: Liliaceae - Liliaceae

Genus: Tulipa. - Tulip

View: T. biebersteiniana Schult. et Schult. fil. – Bieberstein Tulip

Bieberstein Tulip. Photo by I.P. Shpilenok

The species was described in 1829 by Joseph Schultes (1773-1831) and Schultes the Younger (1804-1840) based on specimens from the North Caucasus. The name of the species is given in honor of the first collector, the prominent Russian botanist Fyodor Kondratyevich Biberstein-Marshall (1768-1826), who studied the flora of the Caucasus.

Bieberstein's tulip is a herbaceous bulbous perennial 20-30 cm long, with 2-4 reflexed narrow-lanceolate leaves and usually with one apical flower. The bulb is oblong, narrowed upward, single, 22-25 mm long, the bulbous scales are brownish, pressy bristly on the inside in the upper and lower parts. The flowers are solitary, erect or slightly inclined, yellow before blooming. The filaments of the stamens are pubescent and short at the base. The anthers are oblong, 2-3 times shorter than the filaments. The capsule is round-ovate, with a point at the apex. The seeds are dark brown, flat, triangular.

In Kalmykia, the Biberstein tulip is found scattered throughout Ergeni, in the Kuma-Manych depression, and in the Caspian lowland. It is found everywhere on the territory of the Black Lands reserve.

It grows in various types of landscapes as part of steppe, semi-desert and desert communities. Blooms in April. During flowering it forms a colorful aspect. Pollinated by bees, flies, beetles, wasps. This species has low seed productivity, which is compensated by vegetative propagation by forming a daughter bulb on a stolon growing from the mother bulb, which then dries out.

Seed distribution is ballista type, which is typical for open space species. An indispensable condition for this method of seed dispersal is an erect, elastic stem at the time of fruiting, which sways from the blows of the wind and throws out seeds, like shells from ancient siege weapons.

Listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Kalmykia. A fairly significant number of populations are known, located almost throughout the entire territory of the republic. Populations located near populated areas experience extremely negative recreational pressure. The limiting factors are: recreational load (picking for bouquets), economic activity (plowing virgin steppes, intensive grazing and, as a consequence, mechanical damage to the vegetative and generative organs of plants).

Two-flowered tulip

Family: Liliaceae - Liliaceae

Genus: Tulipa. - Tulip

Species: Tulipa biflora Pall. – Two-flowered tulip

Two-flowered tulips. Photo by A.D. Lipkovich

The species was described in 1776 by Peter Pallas (1741-1811) based on specimens from the Caspian deserts. The location of the type specimens is unknown, but the herbarium of St. Petersburg contains collections of Alexander Shrenk in 1842 from the territory of Kazakhstan (Tersakan tract, Kokshetau mountains).

The two-flowered tulip is a herbaceous bulbous perennial with 2-3 recurved or crescent-shaped narrow-lanceolate leaves. The stem is 10-20 cm tall, most often forms 1 axillary shoot, which, like the main shoot, ends in a single flower, very rarely there can be 1 or 3 flowers. The tepals are white, yellow at the base, the outer ones are narrower than the inner ones, the outside is dirty purple , 13-25 mm length. The filaments are yellow, with a hairy ring at the base; anthers are small, only 2-3 mm long. The bulb is ovoid, up to 1.5 cm in diameter, covered with grayish-brown papery scales, pubescent from the inside with cobwebby-woolly hairs. Cover scales of bulbs from 2-3 previous years often remain on the stem. The fruit is a round capsule up to 2.6 cm long and 1.7 cm wide.

In Kalmykia, it is found in the Ergeny: Tselinny district (Elista, Maksimovka village), Iki Burulsky district (Lake Lysy Liman, Ut-Sala bay), in the Caspian lowland: Sarpinsky district (Sarpinsky lakes), Yashkulsky district (village. Yashkul, Utta), Lagansky district (Ulan-Khol village); in the Kuma-Manych depression: Chernozemelsky district (Prikumsky and Andratinsky settlements). It is found everywhere in the reserve.

It grows in dry solonetzic meadows, as part of black wormwood associations on crusty solonetzes, on plains in the steppe, on gravelly, gypsum, and clayey slopes. Propagated by seeds. Seed dispersal by ballista type. It blooms in late March - early April, bears fruit in May-June. Early spring short-growing ephemeroid.

The species is included in the Red Book of the Republic of Kalmykia. There are 10 known populations in Kalmykia. All populations are small in number and are represented by scattered specimens over a fairly large area. The species disappears near populated areas. The limiting factors are: recreational load (picking for bouquets); economic activity (plowing virgin steppes, intensive grazing); weak competitive ability, narrow ecological amplitude.

According to information given in the book by Anna Pavord, already in 1876 it was grown in Western European countries, in particular in Erfurt (Germany). In the Botanical Garden of St. Petersburg, it has been known in culture since 1875. In Kazakhstan, it was tested in the Botanical Gardens of the cities of Almaty and Leninogorsk (since 1978). However, in both cases it turned out to be weakly resistant - it falls out after 3-4 years.

Sage steppe

Sem. Lamiaceae – Lamiaceae

S alvia t esquicola Klok. & Pobed – Sage

Sage steppe. Photo by B.I.Ubushaev

Sage is the largest genus in the Lamiaceae family, which is widely distributed in temperate, subtropical and tropical regions of the Palaearctic.

Sage steppe was described by M.V. Klokov and E.G. Pobedimova in “Flora of the USSR” (1954) as an independent geographical race, distinguished from Salvia nemorosa L. (oak sage) is a species with a wide range, described by C. Linnaeus from Central Europe.

This is a perennial herbaceous plant 30-60 cm high with a stem covered with long simple and glandular hairs from the base. The leaves are wrinkled, oblong-lanceolate, serrated along the edges. The inflorescence is apical, simple or with 1-2 pairs of lateral branches, with false whorls of 4-6 flowers. The bracts are purple or reddish, making the inflorescence brightly colored even before the flowers bloom. The calyx is densely pubescent, 5-6 mm long, the corolla is blue-violet, rarely whitish, 10-12 mm long with a sickle-shaped upper lip and a three-lobed lower lip. The fruits are triangular-spherical (1.5 mm long), dark brown nuts with dark stripes. Blooms in May-July. Propagated by seeds.

Distributed in southeastern Europe, enters Western Siberia (south) and Northern Kazakhstan. In Kalmykia it is found everywhere in meadows, the outskirts of forest belts, steppe slopes, and sands. On the territory of the reserve it grows in the forb-grass steppe of the ornithological and steppe areas.

An old Gallic saying goes: “Whoever has sage in his garden does not need a doctor.” It is no coincidence that the name of this beautiful fragrant plant comes from the Latin word “salvare” - to be healthy. The ancient Greeks valued the healing properties of sage so highly that they called it the “herb of immortality.” Hippocrates and Dioscritus called sage a “sacred herb.”

In ancient Egypt, this plant was also considered an invaluable "savior of life", valued for its tonic and rejuvenating properties, as well as its ability to fight infections (and even plague).
And the Druids (Celtic priests) believed that with the help of sage one could even be brought back to life. There is an ancient belief that says: “Sage supports and revives everything that has been conceived.”

Sage steppe, like sage officinalis, has an astringent, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effect. It is used for gastrointestinal diseases, inflammation of the bladder, for the treatment of sore throat, stomatitis. The medicinal properties of sage are mainly associated with the presence of essential oil, tannins and phytoncides in the plant., or bear's ear

Ayun chikn — bear ear

Latin genus name Verbascum comes from the Latin “barba”, which translates as “beard”, probably because the filaments or the entire plant have a sort of bearded pubescence.

The genus Mullein has about 300 species native to Eurasia, with the center of species diversity in the Mediterranean. Eight species of this genus grow in Kalmykia, and one of them is the common mullein or bear's ear.

V erbascum thapsus first systematized by C. Linnaeus in 1753 in Species Plantarum. The name "thapsus" was used by Theophrastus (as "thapsos"), giving this name to a plant that grew near the small Greek settlement of Thapsos, near modern Syracuse in Sicily, although some authors associate the name with the ancient Tunisian city of Thapsus.

Common mullein is a biennial plant. The corolla is funnel-shaped, 10-20 mm. in diameter, with transparent dots. Two stamens are smooth, the other three are densely packed with long white hairs. Flowers 4-7 in bunches, on very short pedicels, with lanceolate bracts. The whole plant has ash-white, less often yellowish, thick felt pubescence. The leaves are oblong, soft-tomentose, running down from one leaf to another. The stem is erect, ribbed, densely leafy. The inflorescence is a dense, thick spike-shaped raceme. Blooms in June-July, bears fruit in July-August.

In Kalmykia, it grows in dry forb steppe communities singly or forming islands, and is found in a specially protected natural area of federal significance - the Sarpinsky nature reserve, where rapid flowering was observed this year.

Common mullein is known by many names. In the 19th century, there were more than 40 different names in use in English alone, such as the more bizarre "Adam's Rod", "Hare's Beard" and "Ice Leaf". The name "bear's ear" most likely comes from the shape of the leaf.

It can grow in very different environmental conditions, but prefers well-lit areas with disturbed soil. Seeds can survive in the soil for a long time and germinate as soon as they are exposed to light. Despite its fertility, like other mulleins, it cannot be considered an invasive weed. Although in some countries it is considered an undesirable grassland plant (the species is legally listed as a noxious weed in the US state of Colorado (Class C) and in Hawaii, Victoria, Australia, where it has successfully naturalized).

In the Middle Ages, a stem of mullein, dipped in resin, was used as a long-burning torch for lighting; the German name Koenigskerze is translated as “royal candle” (one of the popular names for mullein). In addition, mullein was used to dye fabrics. The flowers produced bright yellow or green dyes, and were sometimes even used for hair dyeing.

The plant contains sugars, ascorbic acid, carotene, essential oil, tannins, and flavonoids.

Traditional medicine has been using this medicinal plant for many years. The plant has expectorant, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Certain elements of the plant can be used to treat upper respiratory tract diseases, bronchitis, and whooping cough. The plant is also used for emphysema and pneumonia. For the treatment of herpes virus, influenza, early stages of hypertension and atherosclerosis, mullein decoctions are useful. The leaves of the plant can be used for gastritis, inflammation of the bladder, edema, and kidney stones.

In the Kalmyk language, bear's ear is literally translated as “ayun chikn”.

The first stage of the succession process is ephemeral-annual associations with a predominance of Anisantha tectorum and Poa bulbosa. Further demutation leads to the restoration of feather grasses in this place. The formation of modern vegetation cover is dominated by feather grass (Stipa capillata) with a slight admixture of steppe forbs (Phlomis pungens, Tanacetum achilleifolium, Dianthus leptopetalus, etc.). Various variations of cenoses, where feather grass is dominant, are widespread in the central and southeastern parts of the “Stepnoy” site. Here, along the eastern and southeastern edges of the site, associations with the dominance of wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum), which include species such as Stipa capillata, Prangos odontalgica, Achillea leptophylla, Carduus hamulosus, etc., are often found.

Typical for the desert steppe zone, wormwood (Artemisia lercheana), wormwood-white wormwood (Kochia prostrata, Artemisia lerchiana) and wheatgrass-prutnyak-wormwood (Agropyron cristatum and A. fragile, Kochia prostrata, Artemisia lerchiana) associations are less widespread and are confined to mainly to microdepressions of the relief.

The most valuable in terms of growing conditions and the number of rare species is the protective zone of the Manych-Gudilo cluster. In this area, the vast majority of rare plants are concentrated in a narrow strip along the coastline and in tracts that extend far into the lake. Manych-Gudilo in the form of peninsulas (14 species), as well as along the bottoms and slopes of wet beams. In these places, species-rich, undisturbed plant groups of meadow steppes are still preserved, with a predominance of mesophytic and xero-mesophytic vegetation in the summer, ephemerals and ephemeroids in the spring.