The Ornithological Zoning of the Azov–Black Sea Dry Steppe Enclave of Europe

Abstract

The scheme of ornithological zoning of the Azov–Black Sea dry steppe enclave of Europe has been presented in the article based on domination of individual ornithological complexes, depending on the landscape structure of the territory. This enclave is a unique region due to its utmost western location and moderate continental climate. Its typical natural features and factors of their formation have been determined. The anthropogenic transformations of region have been characterized, and peculiarities of landscape changes have been caused by them. It has been found that the agro-landscapes are dominated in the Azov–Black Sea dry steppe enclave by the area. The schemes of physical–geographical zoning have been determined, which are suitable for ornithological zoning of the region; the dependence of composition of ornithological fauna on predominant landscapes has been revealed. On this basis, the scheme of ornithological zoning of the mentioned region has been proposed. The flat interfluve-steppe, stony-steppe, sandy-steppe, floodplain-river, and liman-marine ornithological areas have been singled out and have been characterized. The main differences in the ornithological regions are correlations of predominant and codominant ornithological faunistic complexes, which depend on the area landscapes and natural and anthropogenic transformation of their components; they are relief, soil, water bodies, and vegetation.

Spatial Heterogeneity of Steppe Bird Community in the Azov-Black Sea Enclave of the European Dry-Steppe Zone (Southern Ukraine)

“…Ornithologists of Southern Ukraine traditionally divide the studied area into several subregions (Chernichko et al, 1993), generally corresponding to standard physical-geographical zoning of the dry steppe zone within Ukraine (Popov et al, 1968;Podgorodetskii, 1988;Marinich et al, 1985) but having a slightly diff erent confi guration from the ornithological point of view (Andryushchenko & Vorovka, 2022): the northern part of the Black Sea region (Left -bank and Right-bank in relation to the Dnipro River, or further in the text RB Prychornomoria and LB Prychornomoria, respectively), the Lower Dnipro (Lower Dnipro), the northern part of Syvash region (N Prysyvashshia), Syvash, north-western part of the Azov Sea region (NW Pryazovia), Western Crimea, Central Crimea, the Kerch Peninsula (Kerch Peninsula), the foothills of the Crimean mountains (Foothills) (fi g. 1). Th e only exception among these subregions is Syvash, the largest and almost isolated bay of the Sea of Azov, which, together with its adjacent depressions, salt marshes, lakes and land between them, makes up a single wetland (Chernichko et al, 1993).…”

“…Currently, the dry-steppe enclave is dominated by agrolandscapes -territorial natural-anthropogenic systems, which (in addition to arable lands) integral components are the integral components are transformed steppe vegetation, predominantly chestnut soils, mostly salty surface groundwater in the lowlands, and various anthropogenic objects -fi eld protection forest belts, fi eld roads, pastures, hayfi elds, and engineering systems (for drainage, irrigation, watering and mixed ones), etc. (Andryushchenko & Vorovka, 2022). Th e subregions of the Azov-Black Sea dry-steppe enclave diff er in the availability and sizes of agrolandscapes as well as remaining natural landscape components -coasts of sea bays and limans, gullies, various small bodies of water (lakes, rivers, streams, dry rivers) with natural and artifi cial vegetation on their slopes and shores (table 1).…”

“…Given the geographical location (the area is partially enclosed by seas and mountains) and the landscape features (large stretches of marine and river wetlands, extensive unploughed steppes, landscape inversion, etc. ), this enclave is divided into the subregions that diff er signifi cantly according to the availability and distribution of dominant landscapes (Andryushchenko & Vorovka, 2022) and, presumably, by the structure of their bird community. Th is article is the fi rst attempt to investigate the spatial heterogeneity of the steppe bird community in the Azov-Black Sea enclave of the dry-steppe zone of Europe during the spring and summer seasons and to determine the importance of some of its subregions for the support of steppe avifauna.…”