Pasture ecosystems of the arid zone of southern Kazakhstan: current state, problems and ways to restoration (review)

The article presents an overview of modern studies of pasture ecosystems in the arid zone of Southern Kazakhstan using the example of the Otyrar district of the Turkestan region. The article examines the region's natural and climatic features, and the influence of aridization and climate change on the structure of pasture phytocenoses, their productivity, and biodiversity. The main factors of sustainability of pasture ecosystems were analyzed, including water regime, soil salinity, organic carbon content, the state of the soil microbiome, and anthropogenic load. The purpose of this review article is to analyze and summarize recent scientific research on the state, functioning, assessment methods, and prospects for the restoration of pasture ecosystems in the arid zone of Southern Kazakhstan, using the example of the Otyrar district of the Turkestan region. Particular attention is paid to modern methods of geobotanical assessment of vegetation, determination of projective cover, productivity, and biodiversity indicators, as well as to the use of geographic information systems, remote sensing, and satellite monitoring to assess the condition of pastures. The data on the prospects for the restoration of degraded pastures through the use of organomineral fertilizers based on natural aluminosilicates, humic substances, protein hydrolysate, and microalgae Chlorella vulgaris are summarized. It has been shown that an integrated approach combining geobotanical, soil-ecological, and digital research methods contributes to increasing the sustainability of pasture ecosystems, preserving biodiversity, and rational use of natural forage resources in arid territories.

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