Ukrainian steppe nature reserve. Flora of the steppe Where are the Ukrainian steppes located?

Khortytsia, like the southern part of Ukraine, has long been famous for its steppe expanses. A huge ocean of steppe stretching to the horizon, with feather grass stems shimmering in the sunlight, swaying in the wind like sea waves - a magnificent sight that leaves an unforgettable impression. The smell of steppe grasses, fresh wind, endless open spaces - all this gives a unique feeling of freedom. Once you visit these places, you will want to come back here again.

Before human intervention in the nature of the island of Khortitsa, steppes occupied most of its territory. Only in the ravines of the island did dense, in some places even impenetrable, forests grow, and in the floodplains the flood forest reigned. The rest of the Khortytsia land was mostly inhabited by the primeval steppe. The primacy is a form of landscape that has never been subject to outside intervention, it is land that has never been touched by a plow, on which economic work has never been carried out. Such lands have recently become rare and are of great value. Currently, there are fewer virgin steppe areas on Khortitsa - only about 20% of the island's territory is a true steppe. The decrease in the number of steppes on Khortytsia is caused, first of all, by human economic activity. Part of the land is built up, part is planted with artificial forests, part is allocated for agricultural fields and gardens.

The preserved areas of the first steppe are distributed throughout the entire area of ​​the island. Basically, the steppe has been preserved near the coastline, on the upper reaches of the slopes of ravines, near rocks. One of the largest sections of the real steppe runs along the coastline of the Old Dnieper from the Shirokaya gully to the Korneychikha gully, that is, almost to the beginning of the floodplain. Here you can enjoy a delightful landscape - along the wide channel of the Old Dnieper, a steppe with tall grasses and wildflowers stretches to the very horizon, the coastline is indented by picturesque ravines and ravines, and the island from here is visible to the very southern edge, where the floodplains begin. This picturesque corner of the island is one of the richest areas of vegetation in all of Ukraine.

More than 600 species of wild plants grow on a stretch of steppe in the western part of Khortitsa Island. For comparison, there are 460 plant species in the Kamennye Mogily Nature Reserve, 520 species in the Khomutovskaya Steppe, and 600 plant species in the Askania-Nova Nature Reserve. Such a rich area of ​​steppe vegetation needs protection from trampling and fires, which quite often occur here due to the fault of vacationers who violate the regime of the reserve. The steppe expanses of the island of Khortytsia have great aesthetic appeal - the steppe itself is beautiful, and in combination with the picturesque banks of the Dnieper, with cliffs hanging over the water and gullies and ravines crashing into the shore, a magnificent landscape incomparable with anything opens up. This combination of several picturesque landscapes can only be found in Khortytsia. The steppe is beautiful at all times of the year - in winter it turns into an endless white blanket, in spring it turns green in the sunlight, in summer it sparkles with waves of feather grass, and in autumn it dresses in golden colors. The steppe is an ideal place to watch sunrise or sunset; it is a place where a traveler can relax, where he can lie down on the grass and admire the clouds.

Despite the fact that the steppe is a typical landscape for the south of Ukraine, the uniqueness of the steppe of the island of Khortytsia is undeniable. Thanks to the special island microclimate, the location between two large channels of the Dnieper River and the fertile lands of the island, the Khortytsia steppes represent a special ecosystem with a large species diversity of both plants and animals inhabiting the steppe. The location of the island is very convenient for living organisms inhabiting its lands, which is what caused the appearance of such rich flora and fauna here. The steppes of the island of Khortytsia have long been legendary and revered by people as a unique monument of nature. Despite the decrease in the amount of steppe lands on the island as a result of human activity, today Khortytsia has some of the richest steppes in Ukraine! The steppe is the calling card of Ukrainian lands, the golden sea of ​​feather grass and the endless blue sky are the basis of the flag of our country. And it is not for nothing that this image was chosen as our symbol - whoever once visits the endless expanses where the steppe touches the sky will never forget this feeling of freedom and will not exchange it for anything. Whoever comes once to Khortitsa and finds himself in its rich steppe world will definitely return here again and again. After all, in our blood, in our family there is a spirit of freedom, and in the nature of our planet there is nothing freer than the steppe. It is here that everyone can feel like a part of nature, feel its breath, touch the herbs that have been growing here for hundreds of years, inhale the aroma of wildflowers, and enjoy the freshness of the coastal air.

In addition to the real steppe, there are other types of flat landscapes on Khortytsia - fields used for agricultural purposes, green meadows, as well as areas of former arable land on which agricultural work is no longer carried out, and traces of previously carried out work are gradually disappearing. Areas that were previously steppe but have been altered by human activity are subject to restoration, which takes quite a long time - from 70 to 100 years or more. In addition, complete restoration of the steppe to its original form is generally impossible. That is why the first steppe, which has never been touched by the plow, should be protected from any human intervention, because these lands are an oasis of untouched nature in the midst of developing industrial landscapes, of which there are more and more on the planet every day. The steppes of the island of Khortytsia are a treasure gifted by nature, a symbol of freedom and a source of inspiration, leaving an unforgettable experience for everyone who visits here.

With the phrase " Ukrainian steppe"The imagination pictures endless green-gold expanses overgrown with feather grass, on which millions of different flowers are motley, herds of wild ungulates graze, and the air is filled with a thousand different bird echoes. Round, low hills, separated by overgrown ravines, disperse in wide waves; small groves are scattered with shady islands; Narrow paths stretch between the villages.

There are practically no such places left in Europe, and in Ukraine the steppe “oases” have suffered greatly from land development: today 95% of the territory has been plowed and built up. But, fortunately, almost untouched areas have been preserved. Basically, these are the so-called “inconvenient areas” (areas not occupied by forest, but actually unsuitable for agriculture) and environmental areas. Therefore, the concept of “wild steppe” still really exists in Ukraine and, in particular, in the Azov region.

The steppe is beautiful in all seasons! In spring, the air in the steppe trembles with the buzz of May beetles, is filled with the melodic whistle of gophers waking up after hibernation, warming up in the sun, and the charming singing of larks is heard in the bottomless sky. In May, the steppe is green and fragrant as never before: it is covered with tulips, irises and many bright and variegated primroses, generously scattered over the bright green carpet of germinating cereals. By the end of May it is completely agitated by the panicles of tyrsa, fescue and feathery feather grass.

In summer the weather is hot and dry. The steppe vegetation dries out quickly by mid-summer. Since trees are quite rare in the steppe, there is little shade and the whole day passes under the scorching sun - sometimes the temperature reaches 38°C and above. At the height of summer, the wind turns out to be a real salvation for the traveler. In July, when male beetles are looking for females, whole clusters of insects can be seen and heard at dusk. The beetles “look out” for elevations on flat terrain and turn them into “gathering” points. And since there are few hills and trees in the steppe, a lone traveler can serve as a guide. In this case, the beetles can use his head as a landing pad.

By the end of summer, the steppe finally acquires a dry red tint, and the vegetation cover completely burns out. In the warm and humid autumn, the virgin carpet is often again enlivened by green shoots, but with the approach of winter, the steppe seems to abandon all living things - it becomes a gray and lifeless wasteland. You can visit the steppe in winter, but you need to be prepared for the fact that it is quite long and cold here. The feeling of cold is also intensified by the strong gusty wind, which, thanks to the endless expanses, has plenty of room to roam.

Twice a year – in May and August-September – the steppe turns into a sea of ​​feather grass. This extremely beautiful and perfect plant is truly considered one of the symbols of the steppe. Its white oases are spread out like islands in a boundless green ocean. And how beautiful the feather grass is during a strong wind! Humbly bowing his head, he bends under his indomitable impulses in the green, virgin desert. Wave after wave rolls across the feather grass fields, increasingly filling the boundless, vast steppe with unprecedented beauty.

Should I not know where the steppes are? My youth passed in the Zaporozhye region of Ukraine. After graduating from school, he moved to Canada, the province of Quebec, and already in adulthood, following the call of his heart, he moved to Argentina. Everywhere along my route in life I encountered endless steppes. Scientists say that the steppe is a plain covered with herbaceous plants, located in a temperate climate zone. And I’ll tell you about the steppes I saw in person, so similar and, at the same time, very different.

Where are the Ukrainian steppes located?

Most of Ukraine is steppe. It occupies the entire south of the country, right up to the Crimean Mountains. In ancient times this region was called Tavria. The main part of the country's agricultural complex is concentrated here. There is nothing left of the Wild Steppe that was in the times of the Cossacks (the grass in some places exceeded the height of a horse and its rider). All lands are plowed under sunflowers and wheat - the main agricultural crops. In the summer, wherever you look, fields turn yellow, as smooth as a table. The eastern regions are also almost entirely steppe.

The Ukrainian steppe zone ends, smoothly moving from the forest-steppe center to the swamps and hills of Polesie.

Where to look for steppe in Canada

The famous Canadian prairies are achingly similar to the Ukrainian steppes: flat fields stretch to the horizon, only slightly smoother roads, cleaner roadsides and neater, nicer houses. Due to the colder climate of the region, the prairies are not as plowed. Many steppes have retained their original appearance. Cattle breeding is better developed here than in Ukraine. The Great Plains stretch from Lake Winnipeg in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west.

Provinces occupied by the prairie:

• Alberta;
• British Columbia;
• Manitoba;
• Saskatchewan.

Argentine steppe

In the east of the country, the Pampas stretch all the way to the ocean. The plains that reach the border with Uruguay do not end there. The entire territory of the small neighbor of the “silver” country is covered with a flat green plain, without a single pebble.

If it were not for the occasional passing ostriches and the subtropical climate, the Argentine steppe could be confused with its European and North American counterparts.

The Ukrainian steppe nature reserve is interesting because its territory consists of four different areas of steppe vegetation. That is, each site has its own special type of steppe landscape. Just imagine the endless steppes that stretch for tens of kilometers ahead, so that there is no end in sight... This can only be seen on the territory of Ukraine here. So, look, don't miss your chance.

The Ukrainian steppe reserve includes: Khomutovskaya steppe, Stone Graves, Cretaceous flora, St. Michael's virgin soil. Let's see what's interesting about each of them. Well, firstly, the reserve itself is of great interest, since 14 species of feather grass grow here. This is the largest collection in the world. Agree, this is already very interesting and worth visiting the reserve.

So, Khomutovskaya steppe. This section of the reserve is best visited in the spring, since it is at this time of year that the steppe blooms. Silver-blue feather grass fields are mixed with other forbs: sage, marshmallow, Tatarian katran, flowering elm.

In the Khomutovskaya steppe there is another interesting protected area - a small tulip field. It has been studied and protected for about 30 years. But do not think that only steppe vegetation is represented here. It, of course, predominates, but there are also areas with meadow fields and reed thickets in shallow water.

Stone graves are a unique site not only in the steppe reserve, but throughout the entire territory of Ukraine. Stone graves are several ridges of granite rocks, which, in fact, are outcrops of crystalline rocks of the Ukrainian shield. An extremely interesting object, both from a geological and historical point of view.

This place is covered in legends. According to the first legend, the famous “Battle of Kalka” took place on this territory, in which the warriors of Prince Mstislav Romanovich and the Tatars took part. Well, the second legend says that Scythian kings rest under the Stone Graves. Whether this is true or not, whether to believe these legends or not, is up to you to decide, but it’s definitely worth visiting this picturesque place.

Stone Graves is a very interesting object from the point of view of flora. Relics such as granite feather grass, granite tulip, Pallas hyacinth grow here, and the surface of the rocks themselves is covered with mosses and lichens.

The territory of the Cretaceous flora site is located on the right bank of the Seversky Donets River. Rare vegetation on the chalk rocks is perfectly preserved here. You don't see this often. The area of ​​the territory is predominantly occupied by forests. The name “Cretaceous” comes from the Cretaceous rocks – deposits that were formed about 100 years ago.

Mikhailovskaya virgin soil is no less interesting steppe area than the rest. The uniqueness of the territory lies in the fact that its lands are uncultivated. The second feature of the reserve is that whenever you come here, the steppe will always be different thanks to different plants. The blackthorn thickets will surprise you with their extraordinary beauty, and the herbs will surprise you with their dizzying aromas.