Characteristics of the Hole-Meadow Vegetation of Kur-Aras Lowland (Azerbaijan)

Бюллетень науки и практики / Bulletin of Science and Practice

Rationalization of nature management remains as an important problem of modern science and agriculture. Its solution requires accounting of all natural resources, including plant cover. Meadow vegetation plays a great role, as at treeless grounds namely this vegetation protects soil from erosion, saves water, serves as a source of food for animals [7, 11, 15].

Mil plain is situated between Kur and Aras rivers. It covers southern-western part of Kur-Aras lowland [9, 10]. For this region temperate hot semidesert climate is characteric, average annual temperature is between 14–20°C, annual precipitation — 332 mm [14]. In the research area it was conducted geobotanical researche at desert, semidesert, hole-meadow and wetland phytocenosises [5, 6]. These phytocenosises are distributed at grey-meadow, marsh-meadow and salted soils [3, 16].

Materials and research methods

We have conducted research work on hole-meadow vegetation of Mil plain during 2014–2016 years. For classifying of vegetation, we have used generally accepted phytocenological and ecological approaches. In analysis we have used schemes which prepared by several scientists [12, 13].

Herbariums have been collected during field research and were determined on Askerov [1] and Flora of Caucasus [4] based on systematic taxons; naming of species was given on World Flora Online [17].

Results and its discussion

Hole-meadow vegetation of Mil steppe is different from desert and semidesert phytocenosises of region with its rich species content. In this region perennial mesophytes dominate [8].

Studying of species content and condition of meadow vegetation serves as the base for rational usage of haymaking and pasture lands and preventing them from degradation. Holemeadow vegetation of Mil plain belong to intrazonal vegetation distributed at light grey-meadow, grey-meadow, meadow-grey and alluvial-meadow soils. At the researhced area this vegetation is represented with 4 formation classes, 14 formation groups and 39 assosiations. We have used the dominant-determinant method of geobotany [2].

Hole-meadowlike meadows formation class is represented with one formation group: Alhagietum - Cynodonosum. Alhagietum pseudoalhagi - Cynodonosum dactylon association of Alhagietum-Cynodonosum formation group is one of the most distributed associations of the freshwater basins of Kur-Aras lowland (Table).

Table.

SPECIES CONTENT OF ALHAGIETUM PSEUDOALHAGI-CYNODONOSUM DACTYLON ASSOCIATION WITH DOMINANCE OF Alhagi pseudoalhagi

Species	Abundance	Layering, height, cm	Phenological phase (April-May)
Shrubs
Tamarix ramosissima	1	I, 220	flowering
Licium rutenicum	1	I, 100	flowering
Subshrubs
Salsola dendroides	1	II, 50	veg.
Undershrubs
Suaeda microphilla	1	II, 30	veg.
Artemisia szowitsiana	1	II, 40	veg.
Grains
Hordeum leporinum	1	III, 20	flowering
Cynodon dactilon	1	III, 30	veg.
Alopecurus myosuroides	1	III, 14	flowering
Parapholis incurva	1	III, 10	flowering
Legumes
Glycyrrhiza glabra	2	II, 40	flowering
Alhagi pseudalhagi	3–4	II, 45	veg.
Different grasses:
Limonium meyeri	1	III, 30	veg.
Polygonium patulum	1	III, 25	veg.
Cirsium arvense	1	III, 30	blooming
Galium tricornutum	1	III, 35	flowering
Carduus cinereus	1	III, 45	flowering

Shruby-perennial grassy meadow formation class is represented with 7 formation groups: Tamarixeta-Alhagietum-Cynodonosum, Lagonycheta-Alhagietum-Cynodonosum, Tamarixeta-Alhagietum-Aeluropusosum, Tamarixeta-Salsoletum-Alhagiosum, Tamarixeta-Glycyrrhizetum-Artemisiosum, Tamarixeta-Artemisietum-Cynodonosum, Tamarixeta-Artemisietum-Elymusosum.

Tamarixeta-Alhagietum-Cynodonosum formation group is represented with 3 associations: Tamarixeta ramosissima-Alhagietum pseudoalhagi-Cynodonosum dactylon, Tamarixetum ramosissima-Alhagiosum pseudoalhagi, Alhagietum pseudoalhagi-Cynodonosum dactylon.

Tamarixeta-Alhagietum-Cynodonosum formation contains 23 species; from them 2 species (8,7%) are shrubs, 1 species (4,4%) — undershrub, 1 species (4,4%) - subshrub, 7 species (30,4%) perennials, 1 species (4,4%) biennial and 11 species (47,7%) annuals; as well as from the same species 9 species (39,1%) are xerophytes, 2 species (8,7%) halophytes, 7 species (30,4%) mesoxerophytes and 5 species (21,8%) mesophytes.

Dominant of this phytocenosis is Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. with 3-4 points of abundance; subdominant is Alhagi pseudoalhagi (Bieb.) Fisch . with 2-3 points of abundance and Tamarix ramosissima Lebed. with 2 points of abundance. Plant species are in three layers; at the first layer Tamarix ramosissima Lebed., at the second layer Alhagi pseudoalhagi and at the third layer Cynodon dactylon (L.). Overage height of plant cover is 30-50 sm; total project cover between 6080%.

Lagonycheta-Alhagietum-Cynodonosum formation group is represented with 3 associations: Lagonycheta farctum-Alhagietum pseudoalhagi-Cynodonosum dactylon, Lagonychetum farctum-Alhagiosum pseudoalhagi, Alhagietum pseudoalhagi-Cynodonosum dactylon.

Tamarixeta-Alhagietum-Aeluropusosum formation group is represented with 2 associations: Tamarixeta ramosissima-Alhagietum pseudoalhagi-Aeluropusosum repens, Alhagietum pseudoalhagi-Aeluropusosum repens.

Tamarixeta-Salsoletum-Alhagiosum formation group is represented with 3 associations: Tamarixeta ramosissima-Salsoletum dendroides-Alhagiosum pseudoalhagi, Tamarixetum ramosissima-Salsolosum dendroides, Salsoletum dendroides-Alhagiosum pseudoalhagi.

Tamarixeta-Glycyrrhizetum-Artemisiosum formation group is represented with 3 associations: Tamarixeta ramosissima-Glycyrrhizetum glabra-Artemisiosum Szowitsiana, Tamarixeta ramosissima-Glycyrrhizosum glabra, Glycyrrhizetum glabra-Artemisiosum Szowitsiana.

Tamarixeta-Artemisietum-Cynodonosum formation group is represented with 3 associations: Tamarixeta ramosissima-Artemisietum Szowitsii-Cynodonosum dactylon, Tamarixeta ramosissima-Artemisiosum Szowitsii, Artemisietum Szowitsii-Cynodonosum dactylon.

Tamarixeta-Artemisietum-Elymusosum formation group is represented with 3 associations: Tamarixeta ramosissima-Artemisietum Szowitsii-Elymusosum repens, Tamarixetum ramosissima-Artemisietum Szowitsii, Artemisietum Szowitsii-Elymusosum repens.

Hole-saltwart meadows formation class is represented with 3 formation groups: Artemisieta-Alhagietum-Cynodonosum, Petrosimonieta-Alhagietum-Cynodonosum, Salsoleta-Limonietum-Cynodonosum.

Artemisieta-Alhagietum-Cynodonosum formation group has 3 associations: Artemisieta szowitsii-Alhagietum pseudoalhagi-Cynodonosum dactylon, Artemisieta szowitsii-Alhagiosum pseudoalhagi, Alhagietum pseudoalhagi-Cynodonosum dactylon.

Petrosimonieta-Alhagietum-Cynodonosum formation group has 3 associations: Petrosimonieta brachiata-Limonietum meyeri-Cynodonosum dactylon, Petrosimonietum brachiata-Limoniosum meyeri, Limonietum meyeri-Cynodonosum dactylon.

Salsoleta-Limonietum-Cynodonosum formation group has 3 associations: Salsoleta dendroides-Alhagietum pseudoalhagi-Cynodonosum dactylon, Salsoletum dendroides-Alhagiosum pseudoalhagi, Alhagietum pseudoalhagi-Cynodonosum dactylon.

Shrubby-perennial grassy hole meadows formation class is represented with 3 formation groups: Rubuseta-Glycyrrhizetum-Artemisiosum, Phragmiteta-Alhagietum-Cynodonosum, Tamarixeta-Phragmitetum-Cynodonosum.

Rubuseta-Glycyrrhizetum-Artemisiosum formation group is represented with 3 associations: Rubuseta sanguineus-Glycyrrhizetum glabra-Artemisiosum szowitsii, Rubusetum sanguineus-Glycyrrhizosum glabra, Glycyrrhizetum glabra-Artemisiosum szowitsiana.

Phragmiteta-Alhagietum-Cynodonosum formation group is represented with 3 associations: Phragmiteta australis-Alhagietum pseudoalhagi-Cynodonosum dactylon, Phragmitetum australis-Alhagiosum pseudoalhagi, Alhagietum pseudoalhagi-Cynodonosum dactylon.

Tamarixeta-Phragmitetum-Cynodonosum formation group is represented with 3 associations: Tamarixeta hohenackeri-Phragmitetum australis-Cynodonosum dactylon, Tamarixetum hohenackeri-Phragmitosum australis, Phragmitetum australis-Cynodonosum dactylon.

Hole-meadow vegetation of researched area is mainly found as small spots at the place of destroyed tugay forests, in the holes, at the wetted soils.

Edificator of Alhagietum pseudoalhagi-Cynodonosum dactylon association is – Alhagi pseudoalhagi (Bieb.) Fisch. It is perennial plant 30–70 cm in height. Stem is branched, shoots are naked, green and thin, erect. Lower thorns are 1–2 cm in length, short and hard; others are thin, elastic, grow with slanting direction, the thorns reach to 2–3 cm to the end of summer. Leaves are 528 mm in length, 1-8 mm in width, oval or lanceolate. Flowers arrange on thorns with number of 38 together. Calyx is bell-like and naked. Corolla is pink colored. Fruit is indehiscent legume, straight or bent, naked and seeds are 1-10 in number. Flowering is in June, fruiting — in July.

Alhagietum pseudoalhagi-Cynodonosum dactylon association contains 16 species: shrubs — 2 (11,7%), subshrubs — 1 (5,9%), undershrubs — 2 (11,7%), grains — 4 (23,5%), leguminous — 2 (11,7%), different grasses — 5 (29,4%). From them annuals contain 6 species (35,3 %), perennials — 10 species (64,7%). Total project cover — 50%.

In association the first layer contains Tamarix ramosissima and Licium rutenicum which abundance is 1, height is 100-220 cm. At the second layer Alhagi pseudoalhagi, Salsola dendroides, Suaeda microphylla, Glycyrrhiza glabra are distributed which abundance is 3-4, overage height 45 sm. At the third layer: from grains Cynodon dactylon, Alopecurus myosuroides, from different grasses Polygonum patulum, Limonium meyeri, Cirsium arvense, Carduus cinereus are distributed which abundance is 1, overage height is 10–30 cm.

Conclusion

Thus, the results of floristic and geobotanical research conducted at hole-meadow vegetation of Mil plain have allowed us to elaborate their classification. It was determined that meadow vegetation type of researched area is collected in 4 formation classes, 14 formation groups and 39 associations. Some of these plants have fodder and medicinal importance.