Vascular plants of forest-steppe depressions (Voronezh Region)
Citation
Starodubtseva E (2019). Vascular plants of forest-steppe depressions (Voronezh Region). VORONEZHSKY STATE NATURE BIOSPHERE RESERVE NAMED AFTER V. PESKOV. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/dpsa1q accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-06-24.Description
The dataset contains a list of vascular plant species from natural complexes of two closed forest-steppe depressions (Russian Federation, Voronezh region, Verkhnekhavsky district) recorded in 2019. Flat-bottom steppe depressions (padings) are flat-bottomed hollows, often rounded, in diameter up to several hundred meters and a depth of several meters. Depressions are widespread on plains composed of loess loam in the steppe and forest-steppe zones of the European part of Russian Federation. They are elements of the forest-steppe complex, which includes meadow steppes, plant groups on saline soils, meadows, swamps, willows and aspen groves (“aspen bushes”). Currently, the forest-steppe complex is severely disturbed by human activities: meadows and steppes are almost everywhere plowed. The ecological conditions of the interfluve depressions (close occurrence of groundwater, meltwater spring stagnation, waterlogging, salinity) do not allow the use of these lands in crop production. Actually, this is the main reason that these elements of the forest-steppe complex are now preserved among plowed agricultural fields and play an important role in the biodiversity conservation. Information on the flora and vegetation of Voronezh region depressions is contained in several publications (Popov, 1914; Kamyshev, 1965; Drozdov, Akhtyrtsev, 1973). In these articles, forest depressions of Voronezh region are described as complexes of grass or sedge bogs, aspen (Populus tremula) or birch-aspen (Betula pendula - Populus tremula), less often - oak-aspen-birch and oak groves and shrub thickets (willow bushes with species of Salix genus and blackthorns with Prunus spinosa). These publications mention the single presence of pine (Pinus sylvestris) in the tree layer of some depressions (Drozdov and Akhtyrtsev, 1973); however, to date, forest communities with pine domination have not been described in the forest-steppe depressions of European part of Russia. The pine forests in the interfluve depressions of the Voronezh region are a new phenomenon. The dataset is the first publication of vascular plant flora of interfluve depressions natural complex located in Verkhnekhavsky district of Voronezh region. The dataset contains new data on the records of rare species listed in the Red List of Voronezh region.Sampling Description
Method steps
Taxonomic Coverages
According to the data for 2019, the list of vascular plants of the two forest-steppe depressions includes 150 species from 110 genera and 40 families of the divisions Equisetophyta, Polypodiophyta, Pinophyta, Magnoliophyta. In addition to the species of native flora, the list contains alien plant species. Since verification of some herbarium specimens is required, it is planned to update and increase the list of species.
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Plantaecommon name: Plants rank: kingdom
Geographic Coverages
The surveyed flat-bottomed depressions are located in the Verkhnekhavsky district (Voronezh region, Russian Federation). Depressions are elements of the forest-steppe complex; they preserved natural communities among agricultural fields. The flora of two depressions located 100 m from each other and having an area of 9.6 and 39.4 ha, respectively, was studied in 2019. Plant communities of reed and sedge bogs, drying out in the summer; thickets of willow and thorns, meadows and small forests, formed by aspen, birch and pine are represented in these territories. The distance to the nearest settlement is 250 m, to the nearest pine forest - 500 m. Several decades ago, these depressions were plowed up, used as pastures and hayfields. Currently, these territories are used by locals only for picking berries and mushrooms.
Bibliographic Citations
Contacts
Elena Starodubtsevaoriginator
position: Leading Researcher
The Federal State Budgetary Organization "V. Peskov Voronezh State Nature Biosphere Reserve"
Centralnaja usadba, Goszapovednik
Voronezh
394080
Voronezh Regions
RU
Telephone: 89066738313
email: starodbtsv@gmail.com
homepage: http://zapovednik-vrn.ru
Elena Starodubtseva
metadata author
position: Leading Researcher
The Federal State Budgetary Organization "V. Peskov Voronezh State Nature Biosphere Reserve"
Centralnaja usadba, Goszapovednik
Voronezh
394080
Voronezh Regions
RU
Telephone: 89066738313
email: starodbtsv@gmail.com
homepage: http://zapovednik-vrn.ru
Elena Starodubtseva
administrative point of contact
position: Leading Researcher
The Federal State Budgetary Organization "V. Peskov Voronezh State Nature Biosphere Reserve"
Centralnaja usadba, Goszapovednik
Voronezh
394080
Voronezh Regions
RU
Telephone: 89066738313
email: starodbtsv@gmail.com
homepage: http://zapovednik-vrn.ru