Article

Tatjana L. Zharkikh, Head of the Centre of the re-introduction of the Przewalski horse of the «Orenburg Reserves», 460001, Russia, Orenburg region, Orenburg, Donetskaya St., 2/2; e-mail: russian969@yandex.ru
Lyubov G. Linerova, Engineer, Orenburg State Pedagogical University, 460014, Russia, Orenburg region, Orenburg, Sovetskaya St., 19; e-mail: linerova.liuba2009@yandex.ru

Zharkikh T.L., Linerova L.G. 2016. Evaluation of the fodder stocks for the Przewalski horse Equus ferus przewalskii on the «Pre-Ural steppe» plot of the Orenburg State Nature Reserve. Nature Conservation Research 1(3): 90–94. https://dx.doi.org/10.24189/ncr.2016.033

In 2015 the Federal Government Funded Institution «Orenburg Reserves» started the Programme of Establishing of a Semi-Free Population of the Przewalski Horse at the Orenburg Reserve on the territory of the steppe area «Pre-Ural Steppe». In 2014–2015 a pilot research was carried out to select the location for construction of the Centre of the re-introduction of the Przewalski horse. To evaluate the fodder stocks in the selected area we developed criteria for evaluating the vegetation condition under the influence of grazing. The results have shown that within the boundaries of the «Pre-Ural Steppe» plot it is most rational to place the Centre of the re-introduction of the Przewalski horse at the natural landmark Kursay. In 2015, the fodder stocks here ranged from 14 dt/ha (decitonne per hectare) in April to 30 dt/ha in September. Moreover, the grass cover vegetation here mostly consisted of species, well-grazed by Przewalski horse, particularly grasses, a significant number of legumes and well-grazed forbs. In the future, this area requires constant monitoring of the vegetation condition under the influence of the Przewalski horse grazing, with the following evaluation criteria: 1) the overall productivity of the plant mass; 2) the combination of well-grazed and ungrazed plant species in dynamics.

Equus ferus przewalskii, forage capacity, Orenburg Reserves, Orenburg State Nature Reserve, Przewalski horse

Received: 30.09.2016

Abaturov B.D. 1979. The bioproduction process in terraneous ecosystems (by the example of pasture type ecosystems). Moscow: Nauka. 128 p. [In Russian]
Bakirova R.T., Zharkikh T.L. 2015. The first stage of the re-introduction of the Przewalski horse at the Orenburg Reserve. The preparation of infrastructure. Steppe Bulletin 45: 62–64. [In Russian]
Bakirova R.T., Zharkikh T.L. 2016. The first stage of the project on the re-introduction of the Przewalski horse to the Orenburg Reserves. II. The transportation of the first group of founders of the population. Steppe Bulletin 46: 45–49. [In Russian]
Boyd L.E., Houpt K.A. (eds). 1994. Przewalski's horse: the history and biology of an endangered species. Albany: State University of New York Press. 313 p.
Cherepanov S.K. 1995. The vascular plants of Russia and neighbouring countries (the former USSR). St. Petersburg. 992 p. [In Russian]
Lavrenko E.M. 1940. Steppes of the USSR. In: Flora of the USSR. Vol. 2. Moscow, Leningrad. P. 1–265. [In Russian]
Lavrenko E.M. 1956. Steppes and agricultural lands at the site of steppes. In: Flora of the USSR: the explanatory text to «The geobotanical map of the USSR». Scale: 1:4000000. Vol. 2. Moscow; Leningrad. P. 595–730. [In Russian]
Pozdnyakova M.K., Zharkikh T.L., Yasinetskaya N.I., Kolesnikov M.P. 2011. Quantitative estimation of nutrition of free-ranging group of Przhewalskii horse (Equus przewalskii) in steppe habitat (Askania-Nova Reserve). Zoologicheskii Zurnal 90 (3): 368–376. [In Russian]
Rabotnov T.A. 1992. The phytocoenology. Moscow: Publisher of the Moscow State University. 351 p. [In Russian]
Rabotnov T.A. 1950. Aspects of studies of composition of populations for phytocoenology aims. Problems of Botany 1: 465–483. [In Russian]
Ryabinina Z.N., Knyazev M.S. 2009. The guidebook to the vascular plants of the Orenburg Region. Moscow: KMK Scientific Press Ltd. 758 p. [In Russian]
Ryabinina Z.N., Linerova L.G., Ishkildin A.B. 2011. Astragals of the Southern Ural (in the Orenburg Region). Vestnik OGU 12: 135–137 [In Russian].
Ryabinina Z.N., Linerova L.G., Mushinskaya N.I., Dorokhina O.A., Kolontaeva N.V. 2013. To the study of the flora of the ravine-gully near the village Majorskoe. In: Proceedings of the IV International Theoretical and Practical Conference «Problems of stability of bioresources: the theory and the practice». Orenburg: Publishing House OGAU. P. 135–145. [In Russian]
Stankov S.S., Taliev V.I. 1949. The guidebook to the higher plants of the European part of the USSR. Moscow: Sovetskaya nauka. 1150 p. [In Russian]
Flora of the European part of the USSR. Vol. 1–6. Leningrad, 1974–1987. [In Russian]
Flora of Siberia. Vol. 1–14. Novosibirsk: Nauka, 1988–1997. [In Russian]
Flora of the USSR. Leningrad: AS USSR, 1934–1960. [In Russian]
Zharkikh T.L., Yasynetskaya N.I. 2009. A study of preferred feeding plants of Equids at the Reserve «Askania Nova». Equus: 194–206.