Irrigational Agriculture and Conservation of Biodiversity in Dzhankoi District of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Alterra Wetlands International National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology Irrigational agriculture and conservation of biodiversity in Dzhankoi District of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Edited by V. A. Kostyushin, H. V. Fesenko Kyiv 2005 ÓÓÓ 631.674+574.2(282.247.34) Reviewers: Doctor of Biological sciences V. I. Lysenko Doctor of Biological sciences V. V. Serebriakov Kostyushin V. A., Bagrikova N. A., Kostin S. Yu., Karpenko S. A., Maslov I. I., Tovpinets N. N., Demchenko V. A., Mitiaj I. S., Antonovsky A. G., Zagorodniaia Yu. A., Cherevko S. P., Kotenko T. I., Kotenko A. G., Chernichko R. N., Chernichko I. I., Andriushchenko Yu. A., Popenko V. M., Grinchen- ko A. B., Khomenko S. V., Fesenko H. V. Irrigational agriculture and conservation of biodiversity in Dzhankoi District of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Monograph. — Kyiv : Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, 2005. — 106 p. This publication is a result of implementing a part of Ukrainian-Dutch project ‘Towards improved water Management in Ukraine’ (Watermuk), which was aimed at revealing current state and perspectives of irrigation- al farming in Ukraine on the example of Dzhankoi District of the Crimean Autonomous Republic. The monograph is dedicated to the biodiversity of this area. It provides information on the main taxonomic groups of animals and plants; discusses changes in species composition and abundance under the influence of irrigation; identifies the most valuable for conservation of biota areas and measures to be taken in order to protect them. Taking into account that environmental conditions and state of habitats important for species with high conservation status are inseparably linked to the condition of the Sivash as a whole, a lot of attention is given to the problems of sustainable management of this unique waterbody. Editing of English text: R. Ounsted, S. V. Khomenko Lay-out: I. P. Sirenko Photos on cover: S. O. Gladkevich The publication is supported by Alterra and Wetlands International through a grant from the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Netherlands (MATRA Fund / Programme International Nature Management) ISBN 966-02-3819-3 © Alterra, 2005 © Wetlands International, 2005 © Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, 2005 Contents Introduction . .5 1. Brief Physiographic and Socio-economic Description of Dzhankoi District . .7 2. Construction of the North Crimean Canal and its Consequences for the Regional Economy and Environment . .8 3. The Study: Materials and Methods . .10 4. The Biological Diversity of Dzhankoi District and How It Has Changed with the Impact of Irrigation . .15 4.1. Flora and vegetation . .15 4.1.1. Main stages in the studies of the flora and vegetation of the region . .15 4.1.2. Assessment of the ecological status of plant communities . .16 4.1.3. Rare and endangered species and plant communities . .20 4.2. Aquatic organisms . .22 4.2.1. Plankton . .22 4.2.1.1. Phytoplankton . .22 4.2.1.2. Zooplankton . .22 4.2.2. Benthos . .23 4.2.2.1. Macrophytobenthos . .23 4.2.2.2. Zoobenthos . .24 4.2.3. Fish . .25 4.2.3.1. Fish species in the Sivash . .25 4.2.3.2. Fish of the North Crimean Canal . .26 4.2.3.3. Pond fish . .28 4.2.3.4. River fish . .28 4.2.3.5. Protected fish species . .28 4.2.3.6. Fisheries and fish farming in Dzhankoi District . .29 4.2.3.7. Major changes in the fish species in Dzhankoi District since the advent of irrigation . .29 4.3. Insects of Dzhankoi District . .31 4.3.1. Species composition . .31 4.3.2. Main insect guilds (entomocomplexes) . .31 4.3.3. Endangered (protected) insect species of Dzhankoi District . .32 4.3.4. The impact of irrigation on insects as a whole, insect guilds and individual insect species . .33 4.4. Amphibians and reptiles . .36 4.4.1. Amphibians . .36 4.4.2. Reptiles . .36 4.4.3. The impact of irrigation on reptiles and amphibians . .37 4.5. Birds . .40 4.5.1. General notes . .40 4.5.2. Breeding birds . .40 4.5.2.1. Breeding birds of islands and spits . .40 4.5.2.2. Birds breeding on saline lowlands . .40 4.5.2.3. Birds breeding in reed beds . .41 4.5.2.4. Non-wetland birds and irrigation . .44 4.5.3. Migrating birds and irrigation . .45 4.5.4. Wintering birds and irrigation . .46 4.5.5. Conservation status of birds occurring in Dzhankoi District . .47 4.6. Mammals . .48 5. Areas Valuable for the Conservation of Biodiversity in Dzhankoi District . .50 5.1. Flora and vegetation . .50 5.2. Fish . .54 5.3. Amphibians and reptiles . .55 5.4. Birds . .59 6. The Impact of Irrigation Farming on the Conservation of Biological Diversity in Dzhankoi District . .62 Literature . .65 Annex I . .75 Annex II . ..