Where is the Black Earth biosphere reserve? Black land - Kalmykia reserve

The unique biosphere reserve "Black Lands" is the only Russian reserve in which one studies the natural landscapes characteristic of the zone of deserts, semi-deserts and steppes. In addition, he is trying to preserve Kalmyk saigas, increasing their numbers. The reserve, created in 1990, UNESCO, on 03.12.93, appropriated the status of a biosphere reserve.

Location of the reserve

The reserve is spread over the southern European lands of Russia. In the same place where the reserve "Black Lands" is located, the Republic of Kalmykia is located. The national park consists of two sites, the natural and climatic conditions of which are very different.

The steppe territory covers the north-west of the Caspian lowland. It stretches along the lower reaches of the Volga and Kuma rivers, to the lands occupied by the Yashkul and Chernozemelsky districts. Ornithological territory extends around Lake Manych-Gudilo. It is located in the Kuma-Manych basin, or rather, in its center. Her ownership stretched across the Yashalty and Priutnensky district.

The natural park adjoins the villages of Komsomolskoye, Khultukh, and the village of Priyutnoye. The Biosphere Reserve "Black Lands" is a place where two major world ecosystems docked. It divides the sovereignty of a temperate zone with grassy communities and a continental belt with deserts and semi-deserts, where the winter winters prevail.

Geographical features

It stretches along a low-wavy lowland, formed by vast tracts of ridge-hilly sand, the national park "Black Lands." The reserve is located on lands covered with sediments formed during the offensive of the Caspian Sea on land. Therefore, its sandy lands are highly saline.

The junction of the Azov and Caspian lowlands - an ancient strait 500 km long - has been transformed into the Manych depression. The once existing strait now resembles Lake Manych-Gudilo, which is located in a hollow.

Initially, the lake's waters were excessively mineralized. In the drought, the reservoir almost completely dried up. From it remained a chain of tiny lakes with salty water, bound by scanty channels or completely disjointed. Artificial watering has reduced the salinity of the lake, but it helps to keep its width in the interval from 1.5 to 10 kilometers, and the depth in the center of the maximum relief decrease is up to 5-8 meters.

The sharply continental climate dominates the territory of the reserve "Black Lands". The reserve is in the power of arid hot summer and snow-free severe winters. Hence the name of the park: not covered with snow - black. Summer temperatures range from +24 to +42 ⁰ C, while winter temperatures range from -6 to -35 ^° C.

Animals of the reserve

Typical steppe and semi-desert animals inhabit the biosphere park "Black Lands". The reserve sheltered many reptiles. To the background reptiles carried fast and multi-colored foot-and-mouths, round-headed eared and vertichvostok. Do not lag behind them sandboxes and yellow-belts. Lizards snake and steppe vipers climb in the sun .

Ideal for hare-hare and eared hedgehogs, gophers and jerboa reserve "Black Lands". Animals related to predators have determined the territory of their hunting. In the open spaces of the park, foxes and wolves, light choruses and dressings are being traded. Occasionally come across steppe mushrooms, grubs and mohawk jerboas. Of the cloven-hoofed common Saiga. The protected saiga population, which practically disappeared in the 1980s, has now grown to 150,000 individuals.

On the twelve islands of Lake Manych-Gudilo, a community of waterbirds is nesting. Against the background of the habitual species of birds, colonies of rare lake birds are distinguished. Common gulls, spoonbills and cormorants become neighbors of a few pink and curly pelicans. Flocks of anseriformes, migrating from long wintering, arrange a respite on the lake. During the migrations there are red-breasted goose, white-fronted and gray geese.

Vegetation of the reserve

On the territory of the park came together two zones - desert and dry steppe. The color palette of the desert and steppe varies depending on the season. In the spring, the colors of the ephemera are rampant in the "Black Lands" national park. The reserve is flooded with colorful inflorescences of irises and tulips, interspersed with greenery of cereals and growing wormwood with foliage of gray-green tones.

With the advent of summer days, among the lilac-brown thickets of fire and bluegrass, which grow strong, the silvery whitish islets of the feathery feather grass shine . At the end of summer, the brownish-yellow hues predominate, with alfalfa, tonkonogi, bilberry and wormwood blazing. In the fall, on a grayish-brown background formed by black wormwood and wilting grasses, blotches of dark green solian communities are seen, gradually turning into blood-red spots.