Rostov Nature Reserve: Vegetation Species Composition within the Protective Zone
The article examines the composition of vegetation species that form the comprehensive watershed plant cover in the southern subzone of the steppe area. It considers seasonal changes in the composition of plant communities inherent to different soils. The territory monitored and surveyed for two years is used for livestock grazing. In terms of landscape, it is a mild-sloped watershed. There is a setaside field on the southern slope, the rest of the territory being occupied by natural vegetation. The consolidated list of plant communities to constitute the comprehensive green cover comprises 106 species and 27 families. The prevailing ones are representatives of such families as Asteraceae, Poaceae, Brassicaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Apiaceae which is typical for this subzone of the steppe area. The described plant communities get most species abundant in spring (30-77) which decreases two- or threefold by autumn (17-25). The research results show that the grazing pressure within the protective zone of Rostov Nature Reserve is ecologically affordable and contributes to the preservation of the plant cover of the surveyed territory.