Plants of the steppe zone. What plants grow in the steppe

steppe zone

A steppe is a territory whose zonal vegetation is made up of communities of herbaceous xerophytes. The steppes stretch in a wide strip across the European and Asian parts of Russia from west to east to the river. Obi. AT Eastern Siberia steppes occur in separate patches. steppe plants adapted to life in arid conditions. Natural steppes remained only in nature reserves and sanctuaries, the rest of the steppe land was plowed under crops. The soils of the steppes are chernozems of various types.

The steppes have a continental type of climate with hot, dry summers and cold winter with stable snow cover. The amount of precipitation (300 - 500 mm) is less than the amount of evaporation, therefore, in the steppes, plants are in conditions of lack of moisture.

The maximum precipitation in the form of showers occurs in the middle of summer, during the heat period. Plants do not have time to absorb moisture, and it quickly evaporates. The evaporation of water is also accelerated by the dry summer winds that blow almost constantly in the steppes. Sometimes dry winds blow - withering, hot winds.

Steppe plants are herbaceous xerophytes, all of them are quite drought-resistant and well tolerate the lack of moisture. These are mainly dense bush grasses, primarily species of the genera feather grass (Stipa), fescue (festuca), thin-legged (koeleria). Some legumes grow in the steppes, such as clover species. (Trifoliuni), sainfoin (Onobrychis), astragalus (Astragalus), tumbleweed, or kermek (Static, rice. 252), wormwood (Artemisia, see fig. 226), etc.

The steppes are characterized by steppe ephemeroids, blooming in early spring and covering the steppe with a colorful carpet; by summer, the above-ground part dies off, and the underground living part is preparing for flowering next year. Ephemeroid plants include bulbous bluegrass (Poa bulbosa), types of tulips (Tulipa), bows (Allium) and etc.

In addition to perennial ephemeroids, ephemera are also common in the steppes - annual plants, whole life cycle which takes place within a few weeks. These are the types of grains (draba),

bed bug (Lepidium), sickle-shaped hornhead (Ceratocephalafalcata) and etc.

In the steppes, as a rule, on the border with the forest zone, you can also see shrubs: blackthorn, or wild plum (Prunus spinosa), wild almond, or bean (Amygdalus dad), types of spirea (Spiraea), Karagans (Caragana).

When moving from north to south, the following patterns are observed in the steppes of the European part: 1) the herbage becomes more and more rarefied; 2) the colorfulness of the steppes is waning, the number of dicots in the floristic list is decreasing; 3) perennials predominate in the north, to the south the role of annuals increases and the number of narrow-leaved grasses increases; 4) a number of feather grasses are replaced: from Stipa joannis up north to S. ukrainica on South; 5) the species composition is depleted (from 30 species in the north to 12 in the south).

All these features of the steppes made it possible to divide them into three subzones.

Northern, or meadow, steppe characterized by alternation of oak forests and steppe vegetation, and forest areas found only along beams and depressions, in conditions high humidity. Some geobotanists distinguish this subzone as the forest-steppe zone. The humidity of the meadow steppes is higher than in other subzones, the grass cover is higher (up to 1 m) with a predominance of forbs from meadowsweet (Filipendula), sage (Salvia) etc. Broad-leaved grasses grow here: pubescent sheep (Helictotrichon pubescens), wheatgrass medium (Agropyron intermedium) and others. There are quite a few narrow-leaved grasses - feather grass and fescue. Meadow steppes are characterized species diversity. So, in the Central Chernozem Reserve, there are up to 90 plant species per 1 m 2. During the growing season, there is a change in aspects (yellow, white, blue, blue, etc.).

Subzone of forb-fescue-feather grass steppes characterized by an increase in the role of narrow-leaved turf grasses and greater drought resistance of plants. Among the herbs here you can find prickly thorn (Phlomispungens), drooping sage (Salvia nutans) and etc.

Fescue-feather grass steppes- the most southern and are distinguished by very rare and low herbage (up to 40 cm). Narrow-leaved turf grasses dominate here - fescue, Lessing's feather grass (Stipa lessingiana)", annual ephemera; some ephemeroids; of life forms, "tumbleweeds" predominate (swing panicled - Gypsophila paniculata). The species composition of the herbage is poor (no more than 15 species per 1 m2).

Siberian steppes have many similarities with European ones. Beyond the Urals, due to the much less dissected relief, the steppes in the Asian part of the country stretch in a continuous strip to the river. Obi. On the vast depressions of Siberia, a large role among the steppes

play "zaimischa" - grass swamps on solonetzes and solonchak soils, where steppe species are combined with plants of more humid habitats. In floristic terms, the Siberian steppes are poorer than European ones, and in the extreme east steppe zone species of Mongolian origin can be found.

In the Siberian steppes, subzones of forb-turf-grass and turf-grass steppes are distinguished.

Most valuable plants, typical for the steppes, white and medicinal sweet clover, Siberian sainfoin, strawberries, Siberian snakeheads, tuberous gooseberry, steppe and creeping thyme, steppe sage, fragrant schizonepeta, catnip, Siberian cornflower, Altai aster, common hatma, slime onion.
Less valuable are Danish astragalus, sickle-shaped alfalfa, Ural licorice, spiked speedwell, yellow scabiosa, and steppe carnation. Weak melliferous plants are Siberian pomegranate, Morison's mustard, Baikal's mustard, backache, starodubka.

Hogweed Siberian Dissected, Puchka, Pikan -Heracléum sibíricum. Herbaceous plant of the Umbelliferae family. Siberian hogweed, despite the name, is a predominantly European species, common to the whole Central Russia. It is also distributed in Central Europe, Ciscaucasia and in Western Siberia(in its southern part it reaches Altai). It is found in the Crimea, in Kazakhstan (Dzungarian Alatau). It grows in damp places - in meadows, between shrubs. Grows in meadows (especially floodplains), along the banks of rivers and streams, edges, roadside meadows, and […]

Weed plant. The species infests all types of crops, occurs in fallows, in orchards and orchards, as well as along roads, along ditches, and in fallows. Contains white milky juice. Strong honey and pollen. Allocates nectar only in the morning hours, because. flowers close in the afternoon. Medosbor intensive up to 380 kg per hectare. Honey crystallizes quickly, dark amber color. The pollen is dark yellow.

Perennial herbaceous plant 30 - 90 cm high of the Compositae family. Grows in various meadows, clearings, meadow clearings, along roads in many regions of Russia. It is well visited by bees, which, under favorable weather conditions, collect a lot of nectar and pollen from it. Honey productivity in terms of solid arrays is over 100 kg/ha. Yellow pollen.

Perennial melliferous herbaceous plant. Sandy cumin grows mainly on sandy soils, on dry copses, forest clearings, hills, on fallow lands, rocky and sandy slopes everywhere. The hard scales of the inflorescence wrapper do not wither and do not lose color even when the inflorescences are cut - hence the name of the plant immortelle.

Mediocre honey. Blossoms in June-September, fruits ripen in August-September. Perennial herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family. It grows on sandy and loamy fresh and moist soils, in meadows, forest clearings, forest edges, in bushes, less often as a weed in crops. Prefers average soil fertility and drainage.

Perennial herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family. It grows in the steppe and forest-steppe zones of the European part of Russia, in Western Siberia. It grows in damp places, along the banks of rivers and mountain streams, in tall grass meadows, forest clearings and edges, in thickets of shrubs. Bad honey. There is no marketable honey from elecampane.

Perennial herbaceous plant. It grows on hillsides, in dry meadows, forest edges and clearings, on borders, in drier places. Widespread throughout forested areas. Honey plant, but gives the bees an insignificant collection of nectar. On our personal observations, bees visit this honey plant in dry hot weather. Amber-colored honey, very fragrant, has an aroma flowering plant. Crystallizes quickly […]

Herbaceous perennial plant from the Crassulaceae family. Grows on dry grassy slopes. In dry shrub thickets, in dry meadows, among stony placers. Good honey and pollen. It is actively visited by bees and bumblebees. According to our observations in the vicinity of the agro-bio station of the Uesuedi Pedagogical Institute, the flowers of the stonecrop were visited from morning to evening by bees, who collected nectar and pollen. The nectar production of one flower […]

A biennial herbaceous plant from the Apiaceae family. It grows near roads, in fields, in vegetable gardens, orchards. Minor honey plant and pollen plant. Flowers are visited by bees reluctantly, but actively by flies. The nectar productivity of 100 flowers is 5.8-11.1 mg of sugar. Blooms in July-August.

Perennial herbaceous plant. It grows on roadsides, as a weed among field, cultivated plants. Good honey and pollen. The flowers are eagerly visited by bees, who collect pollen in the morning and nectar by noon. According to N. N. Kartoshova (1955), in the Tomsk region, it produces from 1 ha to 200-250 kg of nectar containing 35-40% sugar.

Perennial herbaceous plant from the Rosaceae family. It grows in mixed grass meadows, on the edges of mixed forests, among shrubs. It is known that the leaves of the meadowsweet contain a large amount of vitamin C (370 mg/%). Therefore, young shoots and leaves are used in writing for salads, flowers are used as tea brewing.

Pharmacy burnet - Sanguisorba officinalis L. Perennial herbaceous plant. Grows in oak forests, shrubs and dry meadows. In the Far East, small-flowered and glandular burnet also grow - weak honey plants, but good pollen plants. Appearance Up to 60 cm in height, from the Rosaceae family. Stems erect, branched, strongly leafy, pubescent with hairs. Basal leaves are large, pinnate, glabrous above, […]

Steppes are a type of vegetation represented by a community of drought-resistant perennial herbaceous plants with a predominance of turf grasses, less often sedges and onions.

They are common where there is very little rainfall and the climate is warm temperate.

Habitat

If we analyze the geographical location of the steppe reliefs on the globe, it will be found that the most common steppes are formed in the interior of the continent.

The steppe regions of the temperate belts of the southern and northern hemispheres are characterized by treeless watersheds, dry hot climate, dominance of cereal greenery on dark chestnut and black earth lands.

The steppes, modified by pasture digression, prevail over the area and show low-grass pasture communities with a predominance of fescue and sagebrush. Among other things, the steppe includes herbs and various shrubs. In addition to the mountain steppes, solonetzic plants of the steppe, such as wormwood, vostrets, etc., remained in small fragments on the plain. For the steppe on gravelly lands, thyme, cornflowers and other plants are specific.

Systematization

According to the research of researchers, according to the classification, steppe plants can be divided into two types:

• meadow (in the forest-steppe zone);
• typical (in the steppe zone).

Exist a large number of a variety of plants, consider just a few of them in more detail:

Biennial or perennial herbaceous plant. The height of the plant is about one and a half meters. Stem solitary, straight, spreading upwards. The leaves are pinnate, large, 10 to 25 cm long and 4 to 10 cm wide. Leaves are rosette with petiole, sessile, amplexicaul.

Green on top, and covered with snow-white felt from below, there are scanty spines along the edges. The flowers are collected in spherical inflorescences of a bluish-white color. The diameter of the spherical head is 4-5 cm. The fruits are seeds. Grows among bushes in river valleys, wastelands and forest edges.

Perennial- Compositae families with an upright stem. Its height varies from 45 to 62 cm. The stem leaves are pinnately dissected, divided into a huge number of lobules. The inflorescence is corymbose.

Small, snow-white flowers (pink-lilac or red). Blooms very long time in June-August, Grows on hills everywhere, can also grow in the meadow steppe. Often found on steep slopes.

. Perennial herbaceous plant - lily family. The asparagus stem is erect, up to 150 cm high, branched. The leaves are reduced to scales, in the axils of the stem are created modified shoots resembling leaves. The camouflage stem is even, bright, forming shoots.

They are used as vegetable plant. Flowers are emerald yellow. The fruit is scarlet (berry). Blooms in June - July. Asparagus can grow in meadows, among small forests, in the steppes and, of course, on the slopes of the mountains.

herbaceous plant of the family ranunculus. Is different early flowering(from 40 to 50 days). The very first flowers, as always, are large, pale yellow, amber, apical.

At the beginning of flowering (the height of the bush is from 10 to 15 cm), and at the time of fruiting it reaches 35 - 65 cm. It occurs almost everywhere:

• in each bush from 3 to 15 generative;
• and from 4 to 22 vegetative shoots.

. The plant is from the mint family. It has a creeping and branched stem. Roots, forming new stems. Leaves are rounded kidney-shaped, petiolate. Flowers 3-5 pcs. are in the axils of medium leaves, they are tiny, violet-blue or azure-lilac.

Pedicels five times shorter than calyx, bracts provided. The height of the stems varies from 10 to 35 cm. It blooms in May-June. Can grow along ravines and on hillsides.

Perennial herbaceous plant - family St. John's wort. The stem is straight, height from 45 to 75 cm, glabrous, with 2 faces. Leaves oblong-sessile. Dotted receptacles are scattered on the leaves, which look like holes, hence the name - perforated St. John's wort.

Flowers are countless, yellow-golden hue, collected in a wide-paniculate, almost corymbose inflorescence. The sepals are pointed with a complete edge. Petals twice as long as sepals, blooms in June-July. The rhizome is not thick and stems depart from it.

Veronica oak

Perennial herbaceous plant. Green shoots are preserved all year round. The leaves are placed opposite. The flower has one pistil and two stamens. Veronica fruit is compressed box. Grows in meadows.

. Plant buckwheat family, height ranges from 15 to 40 cm. It has even spreading stems. The leaves are lanceolate or elliptical, tiny, with a short spine. The flowers are present in the axils of the leaves and are divided throughout the whole plant. The corolla is a dull pink. The fruit is a nutlet (trihedral).

Blooms from May to October. It grows along paths, on avenues, in yards, on pastures. By the way, on pastures where there is a huge overload of livestock, all plant variations suffer, however, only not knotweed.

Common colza

Herbaceous plant - belongs to the family cruciferous. Bright greenish rosettes of colza from intricate pinnately dissected leaves. Blooms in May-June.

With an abundance of moisture and sun from melted snow near the colza lightning fast a flower-bearing process with a brush of yellow flowers is drawn out.

The fruit is multi-seeded, strong. Honeymoon is excellent.

Violet

Belongs to the violet family. The stem reaches about 30 cm. The petioles are large, wide-heart-shaped leaves (grooved). Stipules are large, rusty-red. It grows on a hill, in places with a low grassy cover. It will grow well on rocky areas of the surface.

. Family (composites). The root is woody, vertical, forming branched flower-bearing shoots and straight uneven purple branched flower-bearing shoots.

The leaves of the processes and the lower stem leaves are three times pinnately dissected, the lobules are 3-10 mm long (narrow-linear), slightly pointed, the upper and middle stem leaves are sessile, short, narrow-linear. The outer leaves are oval, almost rounded, plastic, green on the back, the inner ones are membranous-bordered.

The steppe zone is considered one of the main land biomes. Plants in the steppe are quite resistant to arid climate and can coexist for a long time with a lack of moisture.

Now on the territory of our homeland it is difficult to find pristine places untouched by man. Most of the plains suitable for agriculture are plowed up, forests are cut down, water bodies are polluted, blocked by dams and other structures. Pure nature is now a rarity. This can be said about the real Russian steppe, which has survived untouched only in some places in Siberia and the European zone of Russia. But such sites are of great interest to botanists and amateurs, because they vegetable world capable of capturing the imagination. What plants grow in the steppes?

forbs

The most diverse and, no doubt, the most beautiful is the forb steppe. She can surprise with her appearance literally from the very beginning of spring, when the snow just melts. At this time, this area has a brown color, due to the remnants of last year's grasses. But in just a couple of days on the ground you can see large lumbago bells, they look pubescent and have a purple color. Such a culture is still familiar to many, like sleep-grass. Also in early spring, small green seedlings of cereals and sedges appear in the steppe.

In a couple of weeks, beautiful flowers appear among the greenery. golden flowers Adonis, which, like stars or lights, are visible in the still not thick grass. Hyacinth flowers also open, they have a pale blue color.

Over time, green grasses rise higher and higher, in such greenery one can only occasionally see small whitish stars of anemone, as well as nomad brushes. In the middle of summer, the steppe is painted in purple tones - sage blooms en masse. He is being replaced White color- flowers of chamomile, mountain clover and fluffy cream meadowsweet.

The herbaceous steppe is able to amaze the imagination at any time. In some of its sections, more rare and interesting plants, for example, crocuses, snowdrops, hyacinths and tulips. But it is not possible to admire their flowering for long. By the way, such cultures are interesting because all the nutrients stored since autumn are stored in their bulbs, which allows the flowers to delight us with their beauty almost immediately after the snow breaks.

feather grass steppe

Such steppes are rarely found in the south of Russia, but earlier feather grass was the main plant of our steppes. This culture usually coexists with cereals: fescue, keleria, couch grass, etc. Such plants have an abundant root system fibrous type, which penetrates very deep underground, trying to get water. Also, quite large dicotyledonous crops are often found in the feather grass steppe - purple mullein, kermek, as well as yellow feverfew. Such individuals have even longer roots, which allows them to reach even ground water.

Very interesting are small plants that live in the most upper layers soil. They are called ephemera, and their root system often does not even reach ten centimeters. Such plants do not live long, while there is still moisture in the soil from melting snow. Ephemera have a very short life cycle and a long dormant period.

The feather grass itself is a very interesting culture. It is a drought-resistant cereal that has a bundle of cord-like roots. Such a root system diverges widely and deeply along the ground, sucking out all possible moisture. During flowering, the feather grass forms a special feather, which is fluffy and light. Its awn is attached to a tiny caryopsis. After the seeds ripen, the grain is carried by such a feather along with the wind over very long distances. After that, she gently lowers herself to the ground and with her sharp end easily penetrates into the ground. Changes in air humidity in the morning and evening lead to the fact that the pinnate awn on the caryopsis slowly rotates, as if burying planting material into the ground. If the grains get on the animal's hair, they will behave the same way - penetrating into the skin and muscles, which is fraught with illness and even death.

Toward the end of summer, as well as in autumn, a very interesting phenomenon can be seen in the feather grass steppe during the winds. A light and almost transparent ball jumps over the brown and yellowed grass. It can land, bounce off the ground, and fly downwind again for very long distances. This phenomenon is called a tumbleweed, the ball consists of several plants (for example, kachim, kermek, zopnik, etc.), clinging together with dried stems and leaves. Thanks to this property, these steppe crops reproduce, because as the ball moves, seeds fall from it, which will become new plants next year.

The southern steppes are located on large areas in Western Siberia. Here the herbage mostly consists of grasses: feather grass, wheatgrass, oats and fescue. However, other species of feather grass are found in this region. In addition, in such a steppe you can find astragalus, ranks, sickle-shaped alfalfa. In the Siberian steppes can grow a lot dicot plants, however, they are not able to give such a bright change of colors as in European forbs.

So, we can conclude that not all plants are found in the steppes. Most of the plant crops in the steppe are highly resistant to drought. They easily endure weather difficulties, are characterized interesting ways breeding. And in the warm season, the steppe is an incredibly beautiful sight.

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Slides captions:

Plants and animals of the steppe Presentation by Brusentseva S.G.

In Russian history, the steppe is understood not only as a type natural area, but also the habitat of nomads various origins- "steppe", united by the word "Steppe". On the territory of southern Russia from this time to a small amount there were stone idols - "women", most likely having the meaning of religious symbols or monuments installed on the burial places of prominent members of the then society.

He walks along the steppes, He is filled with the aroma, In a businesslike way he stirs the oceans of feather grass.

Characteristic steppes - treeless vast plains covered with rich grassy vegetation.

Steppe types: 1. Forb steppe. Formed in conditions of good moisture. It is distinguished by great species diversity: cereals are represented by broad-leaved species, there are many plants in the composition of forbs, characteristic of meadows and forest clearings. The height of the vegetation cover can reach more than 1 m.

2. Typical steppe. There are a lot of herbs here, but their vital activity ends at the end of June. Vegetation cover is no more than 0.5 m high.

3. Dry steppe. An even drier version of the steppe. Vegetation is represented by small sod grasses; among herbs, plants with rosette shoots, strongly pubescent or with a wax coating on the leaves predominate. Plant height 10-20cm.

4. Desert steppe. The driest version of the steppe. Vegetation is undersized (5-8 cm). Large grasses or shrubs have a large root system that goes several meters deep.

Steppe plants. Plant communities are represented by perennial herbaceous plants with a powerful root system, their above-ground organs are adapted to reduce water evaporation. Several groups of plants can be distinguished: turf grasses; forbs; perennials. Frequent in the steppe and shrubs.

The steppe during the flowering of feather grass looks like a sea, over which waves roll.

Comb-shaped wheat grass Volosnets or sandy grate Tipchak or Welsh fescue Many steppe cereals are able to form a powerful turf, which is larger in volume above-ground parts plants. The bluish color of many plants is due to the presence of a multi-layered cuticle and wax coating, which help to reduce the evaporation of moisture through the leaves.

Herbs are represented by such plants: Bluebells Gentian Larkspur wedge-shaped

In the steppes, with a decrease in precipitation, on stony and saline areas, the proportion of narrow-leaved grasses and wormwoods increases, and succulent plants- crass, lead. Molodilo Goniolimon Tatar Sedum

Ephedra is a low-growing, branched shrub with jointed twig-like branches. The leaves are reduced to scales, the seeds are covered with a juicy orange-red cover. Sandy immortelle

Perennials are plants that bloom in early spring. In summer, the above-ground parts die off, leaving only underground storage organs with buds - bulbs, tubers, rhizomes. Tulips Iris Bow Sleep-grass or open lumbago

Spring steppe - tulips

Shrubs. A characteristic feature of the steppe landscapes is the development of shrubs. The absence of ungulates contributes to the growth of caragana (acacia), spirea, blackthorn and other shrubs. Thickets of caragana (acacia) shrub

Currant golden steppe cherry

Broom Russian Rosehip Cotoneaster chokeberry

The main part of the steppe animals: a) ungulates; b) rodents and lagomorphs; c) birds; d) insects. Steppe animals. A large group of steppe species are predators.

I live in a big steppe. It's free here, wee-wee-wee! And my friend the hamster lay down on the grass, like in a hammock.

We graze, walk in chains, We are friends with the Australian steppe. We are curly, be-be-be, Take our wool for yourself. Sheep, rams

A small animal stands in a column On a steppe path. He and along, and across Knows all blades of grass.

Saiga is the only surviving species of wild ungulates in the Caspian and Kazakhstan steppes. The animal is perfectly adapted to life in open spaces. A compact, dense body and slender limbs allow it to reach speeds of up to 60-80 km / h. Most time these nomads spend in constant motion. The specific shape of the nasal cavities, forming a soft, movable proboscis, allows you to effectively filter dust, warm or cool the inhaled air. Because of this “nose”, even saiga calves of a few days old have a thick bass. Ten thousand herds of saigas have become history. To protect rare animals that annually migrate hundreds of kilometers and do not recognize borders, several interstate environmental agreements have been signed.

Rodents - small size make these animals vulnerable and dependent on climatic conditions. 80% of mammals in the steppe zone live in burrows. In order to survive the harsh winter, these sedentary animals eat off in the summer, accumulating thick layers of fat, and store food in burrows. marmot

Gopher small Steppe ferret

Filly Steppe Dybka

Beetle - dung beetle Ladybug Dark moth beetle

Bustard - large bird(up to 16 kg) with a typical patronizing coloration. Little bustard - similar in lifestyle to the bustard, but smaller in size. Birds in the steppe can have the most diverse menu - eat plant seeds, insects, reptiles, small rodents. Such, for example, are rare and protected birds (Red Book of Kazakhstan) - bustard, little bustard, demoiselle crane. demoiselle crane

Among the grass and bushes you can meet many small birds that fill the steppe with polyphony in spring. Adults feed mainly on seeds; they feed chicks on insects. Shrike Shrike Gray Partridge Hoopoe

Predatory animals form a special group in the steppe. They may belong to different size classes. Large - wolf, fox, corsac. Small ones - praying mantises, spiders. Medium - steppe polecat, badger, hedgehog, steppe viper, nimble and green lizards.

Steppe Eagle Kestrel