The unique Black Lands biosphere reserve is the only Russian reserve in which the natural landscapes characteristic of the desert, semi-desert and steppe zones are studied. In addition, he is trying to save Kalmyk saigas by increasing their numbers. The reserve established in 1990 was assigned the status of a biosphere reserve by UNESCO on December 3, 93.
Reserve Location
The reserve has spread over the southern European lands of Russia. In the same place where the Black Lands reserve is located, the Republic of Kalmykia is located. The national park consists of two sections, the climatic conditions of which differ sharply.
The steppe territory covers the northwest of the Caspian lowland. It stretches along the lower reaches of the Volga and Kuma rivers, the lands occupied by the Yashkul and Chernozemsky districts. Ornithological territory extends around Manych-Gudilo Lake. It is located in the Kuma-Manych depression, or rather, in its center. Her possessions stretched across the Yashalta and Priyutnensky district.
The natural park is adjacent to the villages of Komsomolskoye, Khultukha, the village of Priyutnoe. The Black Lands Biosphere Reserve is the place where two major world ecosystems docked. Dominion is divided into a temperate zone with grassy communities and a continental belt with deserts and semi-deserts, where icy winters dominate.
Geographic features
Spread across the slightly wavy lowland plain, formed by vast massifs of ridges and hilly sand, the Black Lands National Park. The reserve is located on land covered by sediments formed during the onset of the Caspian on land. Therefore, its sandy lands are highly saline.
The junction of the Azov and Caspian lowlands - an ancient strait with a length of 500 kilometers - was transformed into the Manych depression. Only the Manych-Gudilo Lake, located in the basin, now reminds of the once-existing strait.
Initially, the waters of the lake were excessively mineralized. In a drought, the pond almost completely dried up. From it remained a chain of tiny lakes with salt water, connected by scanty ducts or completely isolated. Artificial irrigation reduced the salinity of the lake, but it helps to keep its width in the range from 1.5 to 10 kilometers, and the depth in the center of the maximum decrease in relief - up to 5-8 meters.
The sharply continental climate dominates the territory of the Black Lands reserve. The reserve is dominated by arid hot summers and snowless harsh winters. Hence the name of the park: the lands not covered by snow are black. Summer temperatures range from +24 to +42 0 С, winter temperatures are kept at –6 to –35 0 С.
Animals of the reserve
Typical steppe and semi-desert animals inhabit the Black Lands biosphere park. The reserve has sheltered many reptiles. Fast and multi-colored foot-and-mouth disease, round-headed eared and vertebrate were assigned to the background reptiles. Sand chasters and yellow-bellows are not far behind them. Lizard snakes and steppe vipers crawl out to bask in the sun.
Ideal for black hares and eared hedgehogs, ground squirrels and jerboas, the Black Lands reserve. Predator animals identified their hunting territories. In the open spaces of the park, foxes and wolves, light hori and dressings are hunted. Occasionally, steppe mice, himranchiki, and bogey jerboas come across. Of artiodactyls, the saiga is common. The protected saiga population, which almost disappeared in the 1980s, has now grown to 150 thousand individuals.
A community of wetland birds nests on the twelve islets of Manych-Gudilo Lake. Against the background of the usual species of birds, colonies of rare lake birds stand out. Ordinary gulls, spoonbills and cormorants become neighbors of a few pink and curly pelicans. Flocks of anseriformes migrating from long winters arrange a respite on the lake. During the period of migration, red-breasted goose, white-breasted and gray geese are found.
