Taxonomic and ecosystem diversity of planned Sivash national nature reserve and its extension prosects (р. )

Abstract

According to the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of Crimea, Sivash coast has been reserved to establishSivashNational Park. The main objective of the reserve is the networking of objects with high diversity. The study of biological and ecosystem diversity of Crimean Sivash has been carried out for over 15 years. During the work on the site, 278 species of plants and 1198 species of animals were registered. Generalized taxonomic species richness is estimated at 2770 taxa, of which 545 refer to flora, and 2225 to fauna. It has been found out that according to adapting to environmental factors, 19 groups of plants and animals had been formed. All biodiversity of Crimean Sivash is distributed among five ecosystems: alkali soils (salt marsh), steppe, meadow, wetland and weed-field. The main function of ecosystems is material and energy exchange between the producers and the consumers. A generalized index of diversity producers increases from wetland to alkali soils, and then to the steppe and meadow, and reaches its maximum weed-field systems. The overall rate of consumers increases in the systems – saline, steppe, weed-field, meadow, and wetland. To preserve the unique biodiversity of the ecosystems, it is necessary to connect the two national parks: Azov Sivash Reserve and planned Sivash Natural Reserve – by the isthmus of Perekop.