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Facts:
Tsentralno-Chernozemny Bioshpere
Zapovednik
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Animals
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The convergence of steppe and forest habitats
attracts animals from both northern and southern
biotopes to the Tsentralno-Chernozemny Zapovednik.
In all, 46 mammals are found in the nature reserve,
making up three-quarters of the mammals in the
Kursk Region. The largest of these are moose
(Alces alces), roe deer (Capreolus
capreolus), and wild boar (Sus scrofa).
Wild boars came to the region in the 1950s and
1960s, and have plowed up the steppe with their
powerful snouts ever since, causing a great deal of
damage. Moose browse on young trees in broadleaf
forests, while roe deer feed on grasses, berries,
and mushrooms and - in wintertime - on the twigs,
buds, and dry leaves of trees and bushes.
The nature reserve is also refuge to a number of
smaller mammals, including red fox (Vulpes
vulpes), badger (Meles meles), and
European hare (Lepus europaeus). Pine and
stone martens (Martes martes, M. foina)
became common in the reserve beginning in the
mid-1950s. The smallest predator in the zapovednik
is the weasel (Mustela nivalis), whose coat
turns from brown and white in the summer to
brilliant white in the winter. Siberian polecat
(Mustela eversmanni) is also common in the
forest-steppe zone. The polecats feed on common
voles (Microtus arvalis), mice (Apodemus
sylvaticus, A. flavicollis), and spotted ground
squirrels (Citellus suslicus). Polecats even
dig for blind mole-rats (Spalax
microphthalmus), which live their entire lives
underground. Blind mole-rats are well adapted for
life underground. They have no tails or ear
cavities, and their eyes are closed under a layer
of skin. The animal comes to the surface only once
in its life to burrow a new den. The mole-rat digs
tunnels by breaking up the soil with its incisors
and pushing it above ground with its shovel-like
head. Earthen mounds dot the ground where the blind
mole-rats are prevalent.
More than 200 species of birds have been sighted
on the six different territories of the zapovednik.
Migratory birds include chaffinch (Fringilla
coelebs), Northern starling (Sturnus
vulgaris), crested lark (Galerida
cristata), and common quail (Cotunrnix
coturnix). The migratory European golden oriole
(Oriolus oriolus) - one of the most
beautiful birds in the reserve - is difficult to
see, since it usually stays in the tops of trees
and rarely comes down to the ground. Its lovely
flute-like song can be heard nearly every day in
summertime. A number of birds live in the forest
and steppe habitat of the reserve year round
including gray partridge (Perdix perdix),
great tit (Parus major), and others. The
loud screeches of corn crakes (Crex crex)
can be heard during the breeding season, when the
males are ready to fight with any opponent that
crosses their paths. The colorful Eurasian roller
(Coracias garrulus), with its brown back and
blue shoulders, nests in hollow cavities of trees.
The Eurasian roller is the only bird that is known
to carry its young from one nest to another.
Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
thrives in broadleaf forests. The hoopoe (Upupa
epops), with its beautiful feathered crest and
pinkish coloring, nests in tree cavities, dens, and
rock piles. The black kite (Milvus migrans),
which can be seen soaring high above the plain in
search of prey, is one of the larger predatory
birds nesting in the zapovednik. Northern goshawk
(Accipiter gentilis) and common buzzard
(Buteo buteo) also nest in the reserve.
There are very few amphibians in the zapovednik.
Sometimes green toads (Bufo viridis) and
spadefoot toads (Pelobates fuscus) can be
seen in the steppe while moor frogs (Rana
terrestris) stay in the more moist forested
areas. Reptiles are more numerous and play an
important role in the diet of predatory mammals and
birds. Renard's viper (Vipera ursini) and
sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) are common in
open steppe habitats.
Insects are the most numerous group in the
animal kingdom. Over 1,000 species of beetles are
found in the reserve, including the blister beetle
(Lytta vesicatoria) and stag beetle
(Lucanus cervus) pictured above. The
swallowtail butterfly (Papilio machaon) is
one of the more than 800 species of butterflies
identified in the reserve. Many species of bees
(Apis spp.) and bumblebees (Bombus
spp.) benefit from the variety of insects and
flowers and help to pollinate the steppe.
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Vegetation
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In the early 1900s, Professor Vasily Alekhin
from Moscow State University visited his hometown
of Kursk. He went to the market and saw peasants
selling hay with an astounding number of plant
species. He asked the peasants where they had cut
the hay, and they directed him to the Streletsky
Steppe, not far from Kursk. He found the area and
later returned there time and time again to
research steppe vegetation. Amazed by the state of
preservation of steppe habitat and the large number
of plant species, Professor Alekhin called for the
protection of these unique ecosystems. He wrote
articles in scientific journals, presented papers
at conferences, and in the end his efforts led to
protection of the Streletsky, Kazakhsky, and Yamsky
steppe habitats when the Tsentralno-Chernozemny
Zapovednik was created in 1935. The Yamsky steppe
was later transferred to the management of the
Belogorye Zapovednik in the Belgorod Region.
Chernozem soil, also known as "black earth", is
known for its high nutrient content, grainy
structure, and excellent drainage properties. The
humus layer is as deep as 80 to 100 cm below the
surface, while plant roots reach more than half a
meter into the soil. Because the soil is so
fertile, much of the steppe was plowed for
agriculture, and only a few remnants have been
spared, mainly in the Tsentralno-Chernozemny
Zapovednik.
Today, the zapovednik protects six different
territories with a combined area of 53
km2. Nearly half of the reserve area is
occupied by steppe and meadow vegetation, while
more than one-third is forest, and less than ten
percent of the land is swamp habitat. The original
Streletsky and Kazakhsky sections of the reserve
protect intact steppe habitats, which were
miraculously preserved into the 20th century. At
the end of the 16th century, these lands were
awarded to the Strelets and Kazakh peoples for
their honorary service in guarding the southern
border of Russia at the Kursk Fortress. For
generations afterwards, the Strelets and Kazakh
peoples used the lands for grazing horses and
haymaking. For this reason, the lands were never
plowed, unlike the most of the steppe in the
surrounding region.
The steppe habitat found in the
Tsentralno-Chernozemny Zapovednik is made up of
northern meadow steppe vegetation, which is richer
in plant species and color than steppe vegetation
in the South. More than 70 percent of the plants
found in the Kursk Region are represented in the
small territory of the zapovednik. Gramineous
plants such as smooth and meadow bromes (Bromus
inermis, B. riparius) and others dominate.
During the spring and summer, large numbers of
plants come into bloom, successively cloaking the
steppe in five to eight different hues during the
warm season. In mid-April, purple pasqueflower
(Pulsatilla patens) brightens the brown
backdrop of dead grasses, emerging from beneath the
melting snow. Cowslip (Primua veris) and
pheasant's-eye (Adonis vernalis) soon follow
suit, covering the steppe in a golden-yellow hue.
Forget-me-nots (Myosotis popovii) and
speedwells (Veronica chamaedrys, V.
prostrata) paint the steppe in pale blue in
late spring. Feathergrass (Stipa pennata)
and meadow clary (Salvia pratensis) lend a
silvery blue shimmer to the steppe in the beginning
of summer. The soft rosy blossoms of perforate St.
John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), combined
with the small yellow flowers of bedstraw
(Galium spp.), color the steppe in early
June. As the summer progresses, new flowers come
into bloom each day. The white flowers of anemone
(Anemone sylvestris) dot the steppe, along
with the especially beautiful large violet flowers
of bearded iris (Iris aphylla) and the
purple blossoms of drooping wild sage (Salvia
nutans).
Oak forests (Quercus spp.) grow in the
hollows and depressions of the hilly terrain. Wild
fruit trees like blackthorn prune (Prunus
spinosa), wild apple (Malus sylvestris),
wild pear (Pyrus communis), and bird cherry
(Padus racemosa) blossom in forest clearings
and in small clumps in the steppe. Oxeye daisy
(Leucanthemum vulgare), Solomon's seal
(Polygonatum officinale), harebell
(Campanula rotundifolia), and shaker
(Briza media) are found in floodplain
meadows and forest clearings. A few plants are
representative of steppe vegetation generally found
further south, such as spurge (Euphorbia
seguierana), steppe kale (Crambe
tatarica), bulbous meadow-grass (Poa
bulbosa), and others. These plants are located
at the northern edge of their range in the
zapovednik.
The Bukreeva Barma and Barkhalovka sections of
the reserve protect chalk hills, which harbor
vegetation spared from the last Iceage. In these
two parts of the reserve, the hilly relief hosts a
diverse array of vegetation. Karst depressions,
fresh water springs, and swamps are common. With
the addition of the Barkhalovka and Bukreeva Barma
territories in 1969, new plant species
representative of forest and wetland areas were
included in the reserve.
The remaining two sections of the reserve
protect swamplands and floodplain forests. The
Zorinsky Lowlands are made up mostly of swamp
habitat, and include sphagnum swamps and forest
hollows. This section of the reserve is important
for protecting rare plants found nowhere else in
the Kursk Region, including bog orchid
(Hammarbya paludosa), rannoch-rush
(Scheuchzeria palustris), and string sedge
(Carex chardorrhiza). The Psel River
Floodplain protects broadleaf floodplain forests,
oxbow lakes, and swamp areas.
A total of 1120 vascular plants, 140 mosses, 810
mushrooms, and 120 lichens are found in the
reserve. Many flowers have succulent nectar sought
after by bees for making honey, while other plants
are valued for their medicinal or decorative
properties. Bees are attracted to holy clover
(Onobrychis arenaria), meadow clary, and
dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). Medicinal
plants found in the reserve include Russian
valerian (Valeriana rossica),
pheasant's-eye, perforate St. John's wort, and
others. Plants sought after for decoration are
speedwell (Veronica incana) and fernleaf
peony (Paeonia tenuifolia). Eighteen species
of plants are listed in the Russian Red Book of
rare and endangered species including: Androsace
kozo-poljansk, Daphne cneorum, Stipa dasyphylla, S.
pennata, S. pulcherrima, Cypripedium calceolus,
Paeonia tenuifolia, Fritillaria ruthenica,
Cotoneaster alaunicus, Bulbocodium versicolor, and
Hedysarum grandiflorum
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Geographical
Features
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The Tsentralno-Chernozemny Zapovednik is located
in the Central Russian Uplands. The Streletsky and
Kazakhsky territories are part of the Dnepr River
Basin, and are located in the Kursk and Medvensky
administrative districts, respectively. The
Bukreeva Barma and Barkhalovka sections are part of
the Don River Basin, and are located in the
Manturovsky and Gorshechensky administrative
regions. The Zorinsky Lowlands and Psel Floodplain
are located in the Oboyansky and Pristensky
administrative districts. The Streletsky Steppe
territory is only 10 km from Kursk, the capital
city of the region. Smokestacks are visible over
the grassy hills of the reserve. The furthest
section of the reserve is nearly 140 km away from
the Streletsky territory and the reserve
headquarters.
The reserve has very few lakes or rivers. Only
two ponds are located in the Streletsky section. In
the Barkhalovka section, springs coming from the
foot of a hill form a swampy area in a hollow.
Animals generally drink from depressions in the
forest floor where rain and meltwater collect.
There are approximately 190 days of precipitation
per year, most of which occur in the autumn,
winter, and spring. The average annual temperature
in the reserve is 5.3oC. The coldest
months of the year are January and February, when
the temperatures average - 9oC. In the
summertime, temperatures average 17 to
19oC.
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Conservation
Status
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Intact steppe ecosystems in the
Tsentralno-Chernozemny Zapovednik have been
preserved to this day due to a combination of
natural and managed factors. Originally, steppe
habitat was maintained by large herds of tur
(Bos taurus) and saiga antelope (Saiga
tatarica), which roamed the southern grasslands
of Western Eurasia. Tur were hunted to near
extinction in Europe by the end of the 16th
century. Later, steppe lands not plowed for
agriculture were used as pasturelands for horses
and cattle. Natural fires played a role in
rejuvenating vegetation and maintaining steppe
habitat. Without grazing or fires, the northern
steppe regions would have been taken over by
forests. The Streletsky and Kazakhsky steppes of
the Kursk Region have been under strict protection
in the Tsentralno-Chernozemny Zapovednik since
1935. Since grazing is prohibited and wildfires are
generally extinguished to minimize risks to
neighboring villages, steppe ecosystems must be
maintained artificially or forest vegetation will
begin to dominate and the last remnants of natural
steppe will be lost.
In order to ensure optimal management regimes of
unique steppe habitat, the staff of
Tsentralno-Chernozemny Zapovednik carries out
experimental techniques on different plots of the
reserve. Scientists monitor changes and determine
the effects on species diversity. Part of the
steppe in the reserve is strictly protected and no
human intervention is permitted, while a segment of
the steppe is mowed annually to allow vegetation to
regenerate, imitating the effects of grazing.
Another territory of steppe is mowed nine years in
a row, then allowed to lay fallow for a year. Small
numbers of cattle are allowed to graze in yet
another section of steppe in order to monitor
changes under a grazing regime. Controlled burns
are carried out on a three-hectare portion of
steppe. All of the forest habitats in the reserve
are strictly protected.
Although these techniques of intervention are
controversial in some scientific circles, years of
research have proven their benefits. For one, plant
species diversity is higher in areas that are
mowed. In areas where cattle are allowed to graze,
plant composition varies, since livestock avoid
poisonous plants and spread the seeds of other
species with their hooves. In areas under absolute
protection, grasses die naturally each year,
forming a thick mat, causing the vegetative cycle
to begin later than in mowed areas. Sparse trees
and bushes in the strictly protected parts give the
landscape a savanna-like appearance.
Due to the large number of villages surrounding
the reserve, poaching, illegal grazing, and
unauthorized collection of wild berries, mushrooms,
and medicinal and decorative plants hinder
conservation measures. A one-kilometer wide buffer
zone circles each of the territories of the
reserve, where natural resource use is monitored to
ensure that practices are compatible with the goals
of the zapovednik. Currently, measures are being
taken to enforce three-kilometer wide buffer zones
around the newer Zorinsky and Psel Floodplain
sections of the reserve. Other threats to the
integrity of steppe ecosystems include burning of
agricultural lands near the reserve, as well as use
of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides,
although the buffer zones somewhat protect the land
in the zapovednik.
Perhaps the greatest threat to long-term
conservation of steppe and forest habitats in the
Tsentralno-Chernozemny Zapovednik is the small size
of the territories, and the fact that they are
isolated from one another. Currently, a system of
corridors and stepping-stones is being developed,
which would consist of a variety of protected area
types such as natural monuments, sanctuaries, and
additional strictly protected areas of the
zapovednik. Some parts of this proposed ecological
network have already been created. Certain
important areas need to be granted more strict
protection, such as the Sura Woods, currently a
sanctuary, and the Makavey Lake.
UNESCO granted Biosphere status to the
zapovednik in 1979. In 1995, the reserve joined the
European Federation of National Parks and Protected
Areas. In 1998, a European Diploma was awarded to
the Tsentralno-Chernozemny Zapovednik.
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References
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The zapovednik has published more than 830
scientific works and 14 books on scientific
research carried out in the nature reserve. For
information on how to obtain these materials,
please contact the reserve.
Text by Laura
Williams.
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