STATE OF VEGETATION IN THE DISPOSAL AREAS OF ROCKET STAGES (CENTRAL KAZAKHSTAN)

The structure of vegetation of semi-desert landscapes in the disposal areas of the «Soyuz» launchervehicle first stages in the south-west of the Karaganda region (Republic of Kazakhstan) is considered. The degree of the rocket-space activity impact was compared with traditional types of the anthropogenic transformation of arid ecosystems, i.e. grazing and fires. Plant communities in disposal areas of different ages were classified according to the degree of degradation on the basis of phytocoenotic, structural and cenopopulation indicators. The vulnerability of different ecosystems to the rocket-space activity impact was evaluated. Four complexes of associations were identified in ten disposal areas of first rocket stages side blocks, namely Caragana-Artemisia, Stipa-Artemisia, Ceratocarpus-Artemisia, and ClimacopteraArtemisia. They represent various groups of associations, united by their position in landscape and the degree of agricultural transformation.

The influence of rocket-space activity includes mechanical, chemical and pyrogenic impact on ecosystems. In general, it is of local character. It is only pyrogenic impact in disposal areas of rocket stages that in some cases could produce major disturbances of vegetation. The qualitative indicators of phytocenosis (the ratio of ecological-coenotic groups of plants and the age structure of the dominants) gain in importance for the degree of degradation assessment with the increasing age of the rocket stages disposal areas. Usually communities with the highest degree of degradation are forming in the main engines disposal areas and within the burned areas. In most cases, such communities occupy less than 100 m2 (for one disposal area). Communities of Caragana-Artemisia complex are the most vulnerable to the technogenic impact in the disposal areas of rocket stages. Because of the slow growth of Caragana balchaschensis and Salsola arbuscula shrubs the restorative successions could take more than 20 years there. Communities of Ceratocarpus-Artemisia and Climacoptera-Artemisia complexes, which have homogenous floristic composition and simple structure, could restore in the disposal areas of rocket stages in less than 5 years after the impact.

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