The Kungur forest-steppe is the northernmost outpost of European forest-steppe, located in the western pre-Urals within the boreal climatic zone. The co-existence of boreal, nemoral and steppe species with relicts and endemics results in a high plant diversity, making it an important biodiversity hotspot. Under current climate change and strong agricultural impacts, the Kungur forest-steppe is rapidly degrading. In order to develop sustainable management strategies, we studied the vegetation history over the last 3500 years in the natural reserve area Spasskaya Gora. Palynological data indicate that the territory of Spasskaya Gora was largely covered by hemiboreal forests with high proportion of elm during the late Holocene. An opening of the vegetation strongly correlates with erosion, both indicating anthropogenic activities such as lumbering, agriculture, grazing and hay making. The modern Pinus and Betula dominated forests combined with large areas dominated by grasses and herbs appear in the last 300 years and caused by human activity. The data support the ‘anthropogenic’ hypothesis of the Kungur forest-steppe development, suggesting that Pleistocene steppe was replaced by hemiboreal forests during the Holocene. Steppe elements survived on exposed rocks. The recent forest-steppe landscapes dominated by pioneer birch and poplar were formed due to anthropogenic deforestation. With respect to nature conservation, our data demonstrate that prohibition of any anthropogenic activities at Spasskaya Gora will lead to loss of diversity of steppe assemblages over the mid-term. We emphasize that conservation of the high plant diversity of the Kungur forest-steppe must include disturbance factors in the form of selective lumbering, prescribed burning, moderate grazing or traditional mowing.

No abstract

Soil quality is its ability to perform the most important ecological functions, determining the conditions for the existence of biota and the quality of adjacent spheres -water and air. This article is devoted to the study of the remediated area after oil pollution, subject to overgrowing. A comprehensive assessment of the ability of the remediated soil to provide ecosystem services has been conducted. The properties of the remediated soil were assessed with traditional physicochemical methods. The ability of the established Technosol to create ecosystem services was assessed by microbiological activity, the composition of vegetation on the site, as well as by phytotesting to determine the redox activity of the test culture. Technosol properties (pH, organic carbon content, catalase activity, CO 2 efflux) varied greatly within the remediated area, which was also reflected in the phytotesting results. In certain areas of the investigated territory Technosol had a good ecological state, but in other areas it had a satisfactory and unsatisfactory state with moderate to severe toxicity. The residual content of oil products in the layer of 20-50 cm under the brought soil had a negative effect on the height of the test culture. A close correlation was established between the indicators of microbiological activity and the state of the test culture (height, weight, redox activity), together they reflected the ability of Technosol to provide ecosystem services or perform the ecological functions of the soil. Residual oil products and the associated certain toxicity did not interfere with the self-overgrowth process of Technosol.

Several sites potentially suitable for organizing specially protected natural areas were found within the botanical-geographical region of the Kungur forest steppe of the Perm Krai, The article describes unique forest-steppe floristic complexes with rare and protected plants listed in the Red Books of Russia and the Perm Krai, located in the territories of the Oktyabrsky urban district, Kishertsky and Uinsky municipal districts of the Perm Krai. The article gives a brief botanical description of these territories, outlines the goals of the projected territories, and suggests categories, profile and significance of each protected area proposed for organization. 3 species of plants listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation and 3 species listed in the Red Book of the Perm Krai were found in the territory of the projected protected area in the Oktyabrsky urban district, and 2 species from the Red Book of the Perm Krai were found in the territory of the Kishertsky municipal district, within the boundaries of the projected protected area. 2 species listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation and 4 species listed in the Red Book of the Perm Krai were found in the territory of the Uinsky municipal district, within the boundaries of the projected protected area. The forest-steppe floristic complexes are of the greatest value in all three territories. These unique botanical objects could be preserved only by means of arranging special protected areas.

No abstract