The Status of Salsola arbusculiformis and Anabasis salsa Shrub Grasslands on the Ustyurt Plateau in Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan)

The current grassland covered with Salsola arbusculiformis and Anabasis salsa shrubs, which is typical for the Ustyurt plateau surface land in Karakalpakia (Usbekistan), has been described. The results of nature surveys of the species composition and the forage yields of plant communities defined by dominant S. arbusculiformis are reported. The causes that contributed to the differences between the data produced in these surveys and the data reported by the Karakalpak researchers in the 1970s was considered. The grasslands are widely distributed throughout the Ustyurt plateau in Karakalpakia, covering half of its northern and eastern areas (1 291 414 ha), typically on gravel-loamy brackish-fissured gravelly clay, loamy, and gypsum soils. These grasslands comprise four vegetation communites: Artemisia terrae-albae Salsola arbusculiformis (Salsola arbusculiformis, Artemisia terrae-albae, Atraphaxis spinosa, and Convolvulus fruticosus) containing Zaisan saxaul (Haloxylon ammodendron), Artemisia terrae-albae Salsola arbusculiformis (Salsola arbusculiformis, Artemisia terrae-albae) containing a) Convolvulus fruticosus, Rheum tataricum, Stipa richteriana, and b) Anabasis brachiata, Anabasis salsa Salsola arbusculiformis (Salsola arbusculiformis, Anabasis salsa) containing Zaisan saxual (Haloxylon ammodendron), and shrub (Salsola arbusculiformis, Atraphaxis spinosa, Convolvulus fruticosus). The areas of the analyzed grassland communities, soil types, projective cover percentage, landscape plant species, their distribution patterns, forage yields, and seasonality as recommended for use have been determined. The monotony of the plant composition tends to remain due to the complexes of Caroxylon arborescens, Anabasi salsa, and sagebrush communities. Over a year of observations (2021), a poor annual growth rate under 1 cm in the dominant species (S. arbusculiformis and Artemisia terrae-albae) because of the lack of water was recorded, as they were stressed. The seasonal forage yield of the Salsola arbusculiformis and Anabasis salsa shrub pasture varies in the range of 0.5 centner/ha to 3.5 centner/ha. The highest yield is recorded in the autumn season. According to evaluation of the forage yield from grazing herbal leys (centner/ha), the studied grassland communities are recommended for use for autumn–winter grazing.