Plants and animals of Mordovia listed in red. Nature, plants and animals of Mordovia. Rare animals of the forests of Mordovia

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The project on the topic: "The animal world of Mordovia" was completed by: student "3B" class Almazova Julia

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Our country - Russia - occupies a vast territory where you can meet a wide variety of representatives of the animal world. Due to the diversity of climate and landscape in our country there are unique species animals and plants. We live in the Republic of Mordovia, animal world which is also diverse and rich due to the geographical position of the republic, which is located at the junction of the zone of forests and steppes. Due to the fact that the republic is located on the border of the forest zone and the forest-steppe, the fauna has a number of features. The first feature is the richness of species. In Mordovia, 268 species of birds are registered, of which 70 species are classified as rare and endangered, and 10 species are included in the Red Books. The second feature of the fauna of the republic is the diversity of life forms. Here they are found as purely steppe species - mole rat, big jerboa, speckled ground squirrel, steppe pied, and marten, capercaillie, hazel grouse and others. Many terrestrial animals associated with water: muskrat, muskrat, beaver. Today I want to talk about some species of the animal world, including rare ones.

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HARE Hares stick to bushes or rare forest avoiding open spaces. They have no permanent home. They feed at night, at dusk and at dawn. In summer they eat cereals, leguminous plants, sedge, larch needles. In winter - small branches and bark of trees and shrubs, as well as hay around haystacks. There is a saying - "cowardly as a hare." But the hare is not so much cowardly as cautious. This caution saves him from enemies.

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A FOX main feature foxes - her fluffy tail. With it, she acts as a rudder during persecution. She hides with him, curled up during her rest in a ball. Foxes go hunting at any time of the day. Their main prey is small rodents. In summer, foxes eat insects, berries and fruits of plants. At any time of the year, the fox mouses: it looks for holes in field and forest mice, breaks them up and eats these harmful animals.

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WOLVES Wolves lead a wandering life in winter, going out in search of prey at dusk and at night. During the day, they hide in thickets of bushes and along ravines. They hunt deer, elk, cows, partridges and black grouse, pursue hares, and when there is no live prey, they feed on carrion. Wolves do not hunt alone, but together. In search of prey, wolves roam open spaces, making transitions without rest up to 50 km. The wolf eats 2 kg of meat per day, hides the rest of the food in a secluded place in reserve.

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BEAR The male brown bear weighs 500-750 kg. It looks clumsy, although in reality it is very mobile and agile: it can run fast, jump, swim, climb trees. It goes out in search of food in the evening. Eats young shoots, roots, bulbs, mushrooms, berries, acorns, nuts. In the forest, it spreads ant heaps, eats eggs of chicks from nests on the ground, catches small rodents, frogs. Attacks large animals. By autumn, bears grow fat and go into hibernation.

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ELSE An elk is a forest giant with beautiful spade-shaped horns. The females are hornless. Quickly moving its ears in all directions, the moose quickly catches the rustles of the forest and goes into the thickets. In summer, moose feed on succulent marsh plants and rhizomes, foliage, young shoots. They love Ivan tea and dandelions, but do not eat berries and mushrooms, do not touch cereals and potatoes. In winter, they switch to roughage- branches of aspen and willow, bark, lichens and needles.

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DEER Deer live in deciduous forests, preferring oak plantations where they feed on acorns. In the summer, they eat various herbs, leaves of trees and shrubs. Deer become the prey of wolves, especially in spring, when they are weakened and cannot run fast.

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BOAR The boar is a very common wild animal. The closest relative of the boar is the pig. The body length of a hardened boar can range from 130 centimeters to 170 centimeters. The height of the boar can be 1 meter. Body weight usually reaches sixty kilograms. Boars have a huge head, slightly elongated forward, large and long ears, very small eyes, and a snout. The body is covered with coarse bristles in summer, becoming thicker and softer in winter, with a larger undercoat. The dependence of the distribution of wild boars in a particular territory depends on the presence on it a large number food.

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BARSUK Badger is a typical representative mixed forests. It is an omnivore that lives in burrows. It is larger than a fox but smaller than a wolf. Wide paws with long claws allow him to dig holes well. They spend most of their lives in a hole, falling into hibernation, and the rest of the day they hide in a hole, at night they hunt mouse-like rodents and harmful insects.

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BOBR The beaver is the most large rodent. Beavers are nocturnal animals closely associated with water bodies. They love quiet forest rivers with high banks and thickets of shrubs and trees. Willows, aspens, poplars, birches are their main food. Beavers eat the roots and stems of water lilies, various aquatic plants and succulent grasses. The beaver swims well thanks to its tail. On land, the tail serves as a support for him when sitting, in the water - with an oar, with his tail the beaver compacts the clay, building his hut.

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PROTEIN The squirrel has an elongated body with a fluffy long tail, long ears, dark brown color with a white belly, sometimes gray (especially in winter). Found everywhere except Australia. The squirrel is a source of valuable fur. The squirrels store nuts for the winter. Some bury them in the ground, others hide them in hollow trees. bad memory of some species, squirrels help preserve forests, as they bury nuts in the ground and forget about them, and new trees appear from germinated seeds. Squirrels are omnivorous: in addition to nuts, seeds, fruits, mushrooms and green vegetation, they also eat insects, eggs and even small birds, mammals and frogs.

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The list of animals of Mordovia, listed in the "Red Book" of Russia, consists of 32 species: muskrat, boletus, European, bison, black-throated diver, black stork, osprey, golden eagle, short-toed eagle, peregrine falcon (falcon), burial ground, red-breasted goose, white-eyed pochard, steppe harrier, white-tailed eagle, greater spotted eagle, saker falcon, steppe kestrel, white partridge, curlew, stilt, oystercatcher, little tern, steppe tirkushka, little tern, eagle owl, gray shrike, aquatic warbler, blue tit, common sculpin.

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DESKED On the shores of calm forest rivers, tributaries of the Volga, the Urals and the Dnieper, live funny animals - desmans. The muskrat is an excellent underwater swimmer. Everything is adapted for swimming: her paws have membranes, a flat tail is compressed from the sides, like an oar, her silky fur does not get wet. Under water, the blind-sighted muskrat finds prey by sniffing it out with its movable proboscis nose. The muskrat feeds not only on insects - larvae of caddisflies and dragonflies, swimming beetles, but also snails, leeches, small fish. In winter, the sleepless muskrat feeds on the rhizomes of aquatic plants. AT Old Russian there was a word "huhat" - to stink. It was from him that the word desman came from. There are desmans on the tail special body(iron), which secretes an oily odorous substance - musk. People find this smell pleasant. In the old days, dried muskrat tails were used to move linen in the closet so that it would absorb the musky aroma. To the delight of the muskrat, the smell of musk discourages the appetite of most predators.

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BLACK STORK The black stork is a secretive bird, little is known about it. Winters in Africa. After arrival, around the beginning of April, the storks begin to build a nest. They arrange their nest not at the very top, but on the side branches of the tree, approximately 2 m from the main trunk. They nest no closer than 6 km from each other. The stork's favorite food is fish, snakes, lizards and frogs, but he will not refuse small insects and other arthropods. There is a known case in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, when one of the parents brought 48 frogs to their chicks at once.

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BERKUT Berkut is the most big bird from the eagle tribe. He can safely be called the king of eagles. This large and strong bird weighs from 3 to 6 kilograms. The wingspan of some individuals reaches three and a half meters. The appearance of the golden eagle is typically aquiline, the color is dark brown. When it flies, white spots on the wings and the same base of the tail are clearly visible. It is very easy to distinguish a young golden eagle from an old one. Juveniles have a lot of white spots. By the way, the golden eagle has the most a long tail of all eagles. This bird of prey skillfully uses ascending air currents, thanks to which it can soar in the air for hours. At the sight of prey, the golden eagle dives sharply at it.

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Owl Birds often have a red color or ocher-colored plumage. Owl's eyes yellow color. body length adult reaches 60 - 70 centimeters, and the eagle owl can weigh about 3 kilograms. When flying, its wingspan is striking, it ranges from 150 to 180 centimeters. The plumage of a bird has special structure, the flight of the eagle owl is silent, this feature is very important when hunting at night, because when everything in the forest falls asleep, even the smallest rustle can disrupt the hunt. Scientists involved in the study of these birds found that average duration the life of the owls is approximately 20 years. And the owls are also famous for their ability to turn their heads: they can turn it as much as 270 degrees, i.e. practically make a complete turn of the head around the neck. This allows them to notice everything that happens around them. The eyes of an eagle owl are adapted to see even in the dark - well, is there really a chance to hide from such a sharp-sighted hunter?

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BISON The bison is a forest giant, it was once widespread in Europe. Today this species has been preserved, and even then, only in the reserves of Belarus, Poland and Russia. The bison's head is small in relation to the body. The eyes are dark brown, the nose is large, with large nostrils. The horns of a bison, and there are two of them, grow throughout life and do not change, as, for example, in a deer. A hump, a sloping back, a powerful physique, strong low legs and a long tail - that's what he is, a bison. Under the chin is a thick beard. The color of the fur of the animal is chestnut, the sides are brown. The fluffy and soft undercoat of the bison keeps the body of the animal warm and protects from getting wet. The bison has a well-developed sense of smell, but hearing and vision are slightly worse.

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There are several nature reserves in Mordovia. Mordovian State nature reserve named after P.G. Smidovich - a reserve located in the Temnikovsky district of the Republic of Mordovia, on the right bank of the Moksha River, on the border of the zone of coniferous-deciduous forests and forest-steppe. The reserve was established on March 5, 1936. Named after statesman Pyotr Germogenovich Smidovich, who paid much attention to environmental protection issues. The reserve is located on the wooded right bank of the Moksha River, the left tributary of the Oka. The main objectives of the reserve were the preservation and restoration woodland the southern spur of the taiga zone, the conservation and enrichment of the animal world. The Smolny National Park. The Smolny Natural Park is located on the territory of the Ichalkovsky and Bolshe-Ignatovsky regions of the Republic of Mordovia. Created to save natural complex representing ecological systems typical for Mordovia.

Mordovia is a republic in the European part of Russia. It is located on a flat area, between the rivers Moksha and Sura. What are the features of the nature of Mordovia? What characterizes its climate, as well as flora and fauna?

A little about the republic

The Republic of Mordovia belongs to the Volga region Russian Federation and is included in the Volga-Vyatka economic region. It is located about 330 kilometers from Moscow. Transport routes pass through Mordovia, connecting the capital of the country with Siberia, the Urals and the Volga region. Its neighbors in the north and east are the Nizhny Novgorod region, Chuvashia and the Ulyanovsk region, in the west it borders the Ryazan region, and in the south - the Penza region.

The republic is inhabited by about 800 thousand people, of which more than 62% live in cities. In addition to Russian, Erzya and Moksha are official. They are spoken by representatives of two ethnic groups that originally lived on the territory of the Oka-Sura interfluve.

Now the Mordovian peoples make up the second largest group of the population. So, Russians account for about 53%, Mordovians - about 40% of the inhabitants. Approximately 5% is the number of Tatars.

The capital of the republic is Saransk with a population of 300,000 people. In 2013, French actor Gerard Depardieu received registration in this city immediately after he became a Russian citizen. In 2018 Saransk will host some matches of the World Cup.

Climate features

The Republic is located in temperate latitudes, so all four seasons are pronounced and clearly replace each other. Remoteness from the oceans and seas also contributes, forming the continental type of climate in Mordovia, with large annual temperature ranges.

The republic has a relatively hot summer, which lasts exactly according to the calendar: starting in June and ending in the last days of August. July is the hottest month when the temperature reaches +26-27 °C. During this period, western and northern air masses. In summer, thunderstorms, dry winds, squalls and droughts often occur.

The coldest month of the year is January average temperature-11°C. The winters of Mordovia are cloudy and frosty. But too much frost does not last long and the temperature rarely drops below -15 ° C. The absolute minimum ever recorded in the republic was -47 °C. In winter, air humidity is much higher than in summer. Fog, icy conditions, hoarfrost, blizzards and strong winds are considered typical phenomena in the cold season.

Nature of Mordovia

The republic is located in the eastern part of the largest plain on the continent - East European. her eastern and central part occupies which in the west passes into the Oka-Don lowland.

The territory is dissected by a dense river network, which contributes to the diversity of the flora and fauna of Mordovia. Local plants are represented by both coniferous and broad-leaved species, as well as all kinds of mosses and meadow grasses. More than 12 types of soils have formed here, including chernozem, gray, gley, podzolic, meadow-chernozem.

The local relief is not too elevated. The highest elevation reaches only 334 meters. In river valleys, the height decreases to 80-90 meters. The geological structure is dominated by clay-sand formations, as well as alternating layers of limestone and dolomite. The main minerals of Mordovia are building sands, chalk, marl, clay, carbonate rocks, but there are no particularly large deposits in the republic.

surface water

Rivers play an important role in the nature of Mordovia. There are approximately 1525 of them in the republic, and all of them belong to the Volga basin. The rivers of Mordovia are fed groundwater and precipitation. They are winding and leisurely, with wide valleys and watersheds.

Most major rivers are Moksha and Sura, whose basins cover the entire territory of the republic. The rest of the streams in Mordovia are their tributaries. The Sura River connects directly with the Volga and is its right tributary, the Moksha first flows into the Oka, through it already into the Volga.

There are much fewer lakes in the republic. Basically, they are oxbow lakes formed due to a change in the riverbed. The largest of them is Lake Inerka. Being a part of Sura in the past, it stretched for 4 km in length, and reaches only 200 meters in width.

Vegetable world

The modern nature of Mordovia was formed after ice age. She was forced to adapt to a radically changing climate, and at the same time to adapt to the economic development of the earth by man. The natural forest and forest-steppe landscapes of the republic are far from being preserved in full. Over the past three centuries, they have been strongly pushed aside by plowed areas.

Local plants are represented by almost all existing divisions. There are no red and brown algae. There are especially many species of flowering plants (1120), mosses (77), lichens (83) and fungi (186) in the nature of Mordovia.

Approximately 27% of the republic's territory is occupied by coniferous and mixed coniferous-deciduous forests. In them there are mainly oaks, pines, lindens, aspens, birches, willows, ash trees. Also in the forests there is hazel, wild rose, euonymus.

Meadow and shrub steppes of Mordovia used to occupy much more space. Now they have survived only where it is difficult to equip arable zones, that is, in ravines, gullies, along the outskirts of forests and on river terraces. Herbs and flowers grow here, such as feather grass, chamomile, pikulnik, field broom, clover, sage. On the banks of the marshes there are sedges, mosses, willows and thickets of horsetail.

Animals of Mordovia

Due to the connection of several natural areas, as well as a dense river network, the fauna of the republic is quite diverse. Quail, hoopoe, kestrel, badger, partridge live in pine forests. In oak forests and transition zones there are woodpeckers, thrushes, capercaillie, warblers, warblers, forest and dormouse, vipers.

Moose, hares, squirrels, martens, weasels, voles, ermines, as well as bears, lynxes, foxes and wolves live in local forests. Jerboas, shrews, ground squirrels live in the steppes. Beavers, muskrats, otters live in rivers and lakes, catfish, pikes, breams, and ides swim. In total, among the animals of Mordovia there are 50 species of mammals, 170 species of birds, 30 species of fish and more than a thousand insects.

The Red Book is called the one where information about rare species of animals, plants and fungi is collected. In the near future they may disappear altogether.

In the late sixties of the last century, the staff of the Botanical Department of the University of Mordovia published a journal about plants. Separate brochures were also issued, they talked about animals and plants that are very rare. Over the years, data about them accumulated, and in 2002 they compiled an accurate list rare species.

In 2003, it was approved and all the species of birds represented in it were entered, rare plants and mushrooms in the Red Book. A little later, the first volume on plants and fungi was published. Two years later, in 2005, the second volume about animals was published.

Plants of the Red Data Book of Mordovia

As mentioned earlier, scientists from Mordovian University have been collecting the list of plants since 1968. In 2002 it was published, and in 2003 it was printed in the Red Book.

The list described shrubs, lianas from wildlife. In Mordovia, some species of wild ferns are also protected, which are also quite rare. For example, these are such as: Siberian kostenets, virginian grapevine and others. Also in this region there are rare species of orchids growing in the wild. This is a green half-petal, a heart-shaped cache. Rare species include medicinal plants, for example: or Pontic wormwood and many others.

Still under protection aquatic plants and swamps. Of the ornamental plants, some are also included in the list of protected ones: Italian aster, Russian hazel grouse, forest anemone, tiled skewer, perennial lunaria. And many other types.

All these plants will soon disappear from the face of the Earth, which is why they were listed in the Red Book for protection. This cannot be allowed to happen. They need to be protected and helped to develop.

Avran officinalis

Adonis spring (Adonis spring)

Common ram

Immortelle sandy (Tsmin sandy)

marsh cranberry

Common juniper

Alder gray

Pulsatilla open

Rosyanka rotundifolia

Bearberry (Bear's ear)

Kovyl Zalessky

The most beautiful feather grass

feather grass pubescent

Russian hazel grouse

Iris leafless

real lady's slipper

pollenhead

Leafless chin

Neottiantha clobuche

Orchis burnt

Orchis is helmeted

Bedbug thyme

Animals of the Red Book of Mordovia

In the list of animals that are also on the verge of extinction, there are 44 species of different animals. This includes 10 different types of insects. The largest of them is the dragonfly, with beautiful name‒ vigilant emperor. Also there is big butterflies, one of these is mnemosyne.

In addition, there are 4 types of fish on the list. The most famous of them is the sterlet. Until recently, it could be caught in the Sura River. They did not forget about the birds, 27 species of them are included. Most of of which are predators. The small ones can be steppe kestrel. But a large bird of prey is the golden eagle. In addition, there are 3 types of mammals. For example, desman.

The third appendix, which was published as an addition to the Red Book, contains a list of birds and animals that require the most attention.

It looks like this:

  • White stork;
  • falcon;
  • quail;
  • broody;
  • barnacle goose;
  • dwarf eagle;
  • grey goose;
  • handrail;
  • Central Russian European mink.

As of 2006, new data are provided on rare species of animals that are facing extinction. They were also in the Red Book. All data on animal species that have changed their location in the Mordovian region are also changing. In addition, completely new data on rare species of vertebrates and insects have appeared. Other objects that require protection are also additionally studied.

mammals

Noble deer

Roe

bison

Muskrat

shrew baby

Lesser shrew

common shrew

Bats

Pond bat

Water bat


Wushan brown


Bat-dwarf


forest bat

Small Vespers


redhead party

Giant evening party

Two tone leather

rodents

Baibak or Marmot steppe

river beaver

Sonya garden

Polchok

mouse forest

jerboa big

mole rat

steppe pied

Predatory

brown bear

Badger

European mink

polecat steppe

river otter

Lynx

reptiles

Marsh turtle

Copperhead common

common viper

Birds

Lesser grebe

Black-necked grebe

red-necked grebe

Grey-cheeked grebe

Little Bittern

great egret

White stork

Black stork

Grey goose

mute swan

whooper swan

shelduck

gray duck

Pintail

Red-nosed pochard

red-headed duck

white-eyed black


Crested Duck

Osprey

steppe harrier

field harrier

snake-eater

Eagle - dwarf

Greater Spotted Eagle

burial ground

Golden eagle

saker falcon

peregrine falcon

Derbnik

Kobchik

steppe kestrel

ptarmigan

gray crane

shepherd boy

Chase - baby

Bustard

little bustard

Stilt

Sandpiper - magpie

Handrail

Morodunka

Turukhtan

Garshnep

Great snipe

Curlew

Godwit

Steppe Tirkushka

gray gull

White-cheeked tern

little tern


Klintukh

deaf cuckoo

White Owl

Owl


Splyushka

Rough-legged Owl

little owl

pygmy owl

hawk owl

Roller

Hoopoe


green woodpecker

three-toed woodpecker

crested lark

meadow pipit

Black-fronted Shrike

gray shrike

Wren

nightingale cricket

common cricket

reed warbler

aquatic warbler

northern chatterbox

redstart

Common remez

Black-headed tit

crested tit

Moskovka

blue tit

common crossbill

Prosyanka

Dubrovnik

Amphibians

Red-bellied toad

gray toad


grass frog

edible frog

arachnids

silver spider

Dolomedes spider

Insects

Patrolman - emperor

steppe cricket

mountain cicada

humpbacked common

Ranatra rod-shaped

water scorpion

Hunter wingless

Orius small

Rhinocoris red

Pigolampus bipronate

Shield blue

Water lover big

Swimmer wide

forest horse

Krasnotel odorous

Krasotel bronze

ground beetle

Ground beetle brilliant

Ground beetle purple

ground beetle

mokhovik

Lebia blue-headed

Staphylin odorous

dead eater four-point

stag beetle

small horn

Bronzovka is smooth

Kaloed - bull

Rhinoceros beetle

Fish

Lamprey Caspian

lamprey brook


Russian sturgeon

Sterlet

Podust ordinary

Bystryanka

White-eye

Minnow lake

Carp

asp

white-finned gudgeon

Chub

Dace

common spinach

Bersh or Volga pike perch

Common sculpin

Reasons for the decline of flora and fauna

In Mordovia, 236 species of animals are endangered, and there are 230 species of plants. Unfortunately, their numbers are declining. This is due to the direct collection of plants and the extermination of animals. Also, the number of medicinal, ornamental and food plants is decreasing every year. These include: Russian hazel grouse, May lily of the valley, leafless iris, oregano. This occurs mainly near populated areas and in places of mass recreation of people. For example, near the tourist bases.

Also, the reason for the extinction of species can be called a change in habitat, due to the widespread agricultural activities of man. Forests are cut down, steppes and meadows are developed for new agricultural crops, swamps and many reservoirs are also drained. Accordingly, the population of inhabitants of forests, meadows, reservoirs and swamps is declining.

Also, the cause is other species from foreign lands, which are slowly crowding out local plants and animals. For example, the American mink takes the place of the European mink. The raccoon dog and the muskrat are reducing the population of shorebirds. In the forests of Mordovia, more and more often you can find American maple.

In addition, there are forced destruction of some species of animals and plants. For example, in Mordovia, the speckled ground squirrel, jerboa, was specially exterminated. Of the plants destroyed: common cockle, rye bonfire. These are the species that caused great damage to agriculture.

The Republic of Mordovia is located almost in the very center of the European part of Russia, on the southwestern periphery of the Volga basin, between the Moksha and Sura rivers. It is adjacent to: Penza, Ryazan, Ulyanovsk and Nizhny Novgorod region, as well as Chuvashia. The wealth of Mordovian nature is explained by the diversity of its landscapes.

A considerable part of the republic is occupied by the forest-steppe, which passes into the forest zone in the west. Soddy-podzolic and gray forest soils are combined in the soil cover. Chernozems occur in places. Dominant vegetation - pine forests, with admixtures of spruce forests, oak forests and meadow steppes.

Flora of Mordovia

Due to the peculiarities of the Mordovian climate, coniferous, coniferous-deciduous and broad-leaved forests, shrub and meadow steppes, plant communities in floodplain meadows and swamps are bizarrely combined here. Most often here you can find such forest-forming species as spruce, pine, pedunculate oak, downy and warty birch, black poplar, smooth elm, sticky alder. On the sandy soils Pine forests are the most common. Mountain ash, honeysuckle, euonymus and hazel grow in the undergrowth, sedge, reed grass, gout, hoof, wintergreen and oak bluegrass predominate among the herbs. Broad-leaved forests are predominantly found on gray forest soils and podzolized chernozems. Basically, these are oak forests. The first tier almost entirely belongs to oak and ash, the second is occupied by maple, linden and elm. The undergrowth is formed by euonymus, honeysuckle, wild rose and buckthorn.

In the grass cover you can find butterflies anemone, common gout, fragrant bedstraw, hairy sedge. Moist oak, ash, and linden forests grow in the beams. In the grass, frequent guests are nettle nettle, forest cleaner, etc.

The high banks of the rivers are covered with upland oak, maple, elm and linden forests. Shrub and meadow steppes of Mordovia today for the most part plowed up and are less common than before. So, in the basin of the Levzhi River you can find low almonds, steppe cherries, wild roses, Russian broom. The herbaceous cover is formed by species characteristic of meadow steppes: pinnate feather grass, narrow-leaved bluegrass, bedstraw, sage, mountain clover.

Meadows are characterized by a cover of mosses. Reeds, cattail, reeds, as well as horsetail and sedge predominate in the swamps. Shrub swamps are formed by thickets of willow. In coastal areas, thickets of horsetail and various kinds sedges. There is often a white water lily and a yellow water lily. Among the underwater and floating plants are pondweed, elodea, hornwort, duckweed and watercress.

Fauna of Mordovia

The diversity of the fauna of Mordovia is explained by its unique geographic location. About forty species of various fish live in the reservoirs of Mordovia. Here you can meet really rare and endangered species listed in the Red Book. For example, the Caspian lamprey, sturgeon and sterlet, common sculpin and quicksand. The carp family is especially widely represented. Its typical representatives are: roach, dace, common and silver carp, bream, bleak. Often there are loaches, perches, pike perches, ruffs. Tailed amphibians are represented by common and crested newts. From tailless amphibians often found green toad, moor frog. Of the rare species listed in the Red Book - common frog, common toad and the red-bellied toad.

Reptiles are represented by the quick and viviparous lizard, spindle and viper. Quite rarely come across a copper snake and bog turtle. In the forests, the most numerous order of birds are passerines: finches, jays, warblers, flycatchers, robins, thrushes, nightingales, tits. Less often you can meet in the forest a motley woodpecker, hazel grouse, capercaillie.

From birds of prey kites, honey beetles, goshawks, buzzards, long-eared owls, and tawny owls live in Mordovia. Very rarely you can see an eagle owl, golden eagle, owl, black stork, splyushka in the forest. All of them are included in the Red Book. Lapwings, corncrakes, wagtails, buntings, curlews nest in the meadows. Predators, such as the meadow harrier or short-eared owls, also hunt here. Floodplain meadows in spring become a haven for migratory geese, gulls, waders and ducks. Typical inhabitants of the vast Mordovian fields are field larks, quails, partridges. Migratory geese and common cranes also stop here to rest in spring. Doves, sparrows, rooks, jackdaws, swifts, swallows, tits, starlings, wagtails settle near human habitation.

In large tracts of coniferous and coniferous-broad-leaved Mordovian forests live brown bears, roe deer, wild boars, spotted deer, foxes, wolves, badgers, squirrels, hares, lynxes, pine martens, minks, polecats, dormice, moles, weasels, voles, wood grouses, hazel grouses, black grouses, gray cranes, woodpeckers, thrushes, nightingales, crossbills, tits, vipers, snakes, lizards. In deciduous forests, meadows and meadow steppes there are hares, field mice, gray partridges, marmots and ground squirrels, jerboas, mole rats, hamsters, larks, buntings, occasionally there is a steppe harrier.

Beavers, muskrats, raccoon dogs, otters and desmans, terns, mallards, kites, snipes, lake frogs, newts.

Climate in Mordovia

Mordovia is located in a sector with a temperate continental climate, so the change of seasons is especially pronounced here. The Mordovian climate is characterized by cold frosty winter and moderately hot summers.

The cold period of time comes after November 4-6. Winter is usually cloudy with slight frosts. The coldest month is January, when the average monthly temperature ranges from -11.1 to -11.6 degrees Celsius.

The arrival of spring in Mordovia is the end of March - the beginning of April. The first harbingers of it are the arriving rooks. Later, larks and starlings appear. Bird cherry begins to bloom in the middle, and lilac - at the end of May. Spring season ends at last days May, its duration is approximately 58 days.

Summer in Mordovia lasts from 91 to 96 days and ends with last days August.

The autumn period of the year begins from the first days of September and is marked by poplar leaf fall. Precipitation is mixed. Autumn in Mordovia continues until the first decade of November.

Details Maxim Ryzhov Video Created: 09 April 2013

The Smidovich Reserve received a grant World Fund wildlife. Money is allocated for the conservation and restoration of species of rare plants and animals. Venus slipper real, neottiantha klobuchkovaya and red pollenhead - these plants from the Orchid family are listed in the Red Book of Russia. In 2010, their populations in the Smidovich Reserve were seriously affected by fires. “Orchids cannot renew themselves, because they have long period recovery, and we need to help them!” - says the director of the reserve Alexander Ruchin.

The biologists of the Mordovian State University will restore the population of rare plants in the reserve. Scientists use the method of clonal micropropagation. They say that on 5 square meters more than 100 thousand plants are obtained from one source! In May, biologists will collect material from rare plants in the Smidovich Reserve, and by October they promise to grow the first specimens of flowers.

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