VEGETATION AND RARE ANIMALS OF THE OKA-DON PLAIN WITHIN PENZA REGION 

Leonova Natal'ya Alekseevna, Candidate of biological sciences, associate professor, sub-department of botany, physiology and biochemistry of plants, Penza State University (40 Krasnaya street, Penza, Russia), na_leonova@mail.ru 
Il’in Vladimir Yurievich, Doctor of biological sciences, professor, sub-department of zoology and ecology, Penza State University (40 Krasnaya street, Penza, Russia), iljin_bat@mail.ru

574.47, 591.9

10.21685/2307-9150-2017-1-8

Background. The information on the vegetation and rare animals of the Oka-Don plain within Penza region is scarce. This publication aims at disclosing data on the current state of the flora and fauna of the Oka-Don plain within Penza region.
Materials and methods. Investigations were carried in the north-western region in Zemetchinsky district. The study of the floristic composition and structure of deciduous forests was carried at block and stationary studies on plots of 100 m2. The structural diversity of the communities was evaluated by the ratio of ecologiccoenotic groups of species in the composition of vegetation.
Results. The contemporary vegetation of the Oka-Don plain within Penza region is represented mainly by forest. Birch and aspen forests dominate, pine forests occupy about a quarter of the territory, broad-leaved forests with high participation of the English oak – about 10 %. Small area sites feature lindens, maples (from Acer platanoides). Alders grow near springs, streams along floodplains of small rivers, willows – around bogs (mostly with traces of human activity – dehumidification). The authors compiled the vegetation classification, marked allocations of classification units to the types of terrain.
Conclusions. The intensive economic activity in the Oka-Don plain has led to a substantial transformation of vegetation. A large part of the watershed area has been plowed and converted to farmlands. Rare for Penza region are boreal pine forests. Their communities include some very rare species for the region. On the Oka-Don plain within Penza region the authors have revealed habitation of 12 rare species of invertebrates (5 of them are registered in the Red Book of the Russian Federation) and 25 species of rare vertebrates (8 of them are registered in the Red Book of the Russian Federation).

 Oka-Don plain, ecologic-coenotic groups, classification of vegetation, fauna, rare plant and animal species, pine, birch, deciduous forests, aspen and alder forests

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