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THE CURRENT STATUS OF MOUNTAIN AND FOOTHILL
PASTURES OF UZBEKISTAN AND WAYS TO IMPROVE THEM
K.M.Khaitova, Phd researcher
State Scientific and Design Institute
“Uzdavyerloyikha”, Choponota str., 100097, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
ABSTRACT
The article identifies the impact of anthropogenic factors on the example of
Ahangaran district of Tashkent region of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the
mountain and foothill areas. In Ahangaron district of Tashkent region, the total
area of pastures is 84,725 hectares, which 18,115 hectares (21%) of total area are
degraded to varying degrees.
It is provided a number of scientific and practical suggestions and
recommendations for the improvement, restoration and efficient use of pastures.
Keywords:
degraded foothill pastures, climate, population, number of
livestock, promising pasture plants, pilot plots, land management projects,
efficient use of pastures.
Introduction.
The growing population in the context of limited land and
water resources in the country also leads to increase in demand for livestock
products such as meat, milk, wool and leather. The country's natural pastures and
hayfields are an important natural resource in meeting the needs of the population
in livestock products through the development of animal husbandry. [4; 91-97-
p.].
Relevance of the topic.
20.2 million hectares of land in the Republic of
Uzbekistan are used for agricultural purposes. Hence, 11 million hectares are
pastures [5; 91-97-p.]. According to official data, 42% of these pastures are
degraded. In order to prevent the erratic use of pastures, the Law "On Pastures"
[1] has been adopted and a number of measures are being implemented within the
government [2, 3, 4].
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The object of research
is the foothill and mountain pastures of
Uzbekistan.
Research methods
. The researches are generally accepted methodical
manuals in practice, methodical manuals on geobotanical researches developed
by State scientific-design institute “Uzdaverloyikha” [6; p. 160]. Fund materials
on the climate of the foothill and mountain pastures of the Hydrometeorological
Service Center were also used.
Research results and their discussion.
According to the climatic data,
the long-term average air temperature is observed around + 14 + 16ºC in
Chirchik-Angren district.
The duration of cold days in the Chirchik-Angren valley is 48-76 days, in
Karakalpakstan - 151-171 days.
Atmospheric precipitation falls mainly in autumn, winter and spring, the
amount of precipitation in the Chirchik-Angren valley is 301-614 mm.
Diagrams 1 below show the 30-year changes in the natural climatic
indicators
of
Ahangaran
district
of
Tashkent
region.
Diagram 1.
Precipitation in Ahangaran district of Tashkent region for
the last 30 years.
Analyzing the linegraph, very sharp changes were observed in the mountain
and foothill pasture areas, according to the perennial rainfall data for 1990-2010.
For example, in mountainous and foothill areas, the average annual precipitation
272,3
330,4
290,9
461,6
320,6
167,1
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399,9
315,8
226,7
247,6
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390,1
351,4
267,9
278,6
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380,1
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323,9 326
328 330,1
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ica
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rs,
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years
Precipitation, mm/year
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in 1992 was 290.9 mm, while in 1993 the maximum precipitation was 461.6 mm.
Relative drought in 1995 was 167.1 mm. Between 1996 and 2010, the average
annual rainfall was recorded at 227–400 mm. From 2010 to 2020, the annual
rainfall was observed to be around 324-330 mm, almost unchanged, and the same
trend was observed over 10 years (Diagram 1).
In the mountainous and foothill areas of Ahangaran district of Tashkent
region for the last 30 years the average maximum temperature was 21-22 °C, and
the minimum temperature was 9-10 °C, respectively, changes in both indicators
were observed around ± 1-2. The average minimum winter temperature in this
region was recorded around -8 °C in 1993, and the maximum air temperature was
recorded around + 23 °C in 2016. (Diagram 2).
Diagram 2.
Maximum and minimum average air temperature for the
last 30 years in Ahangaran district of Tashkent region.
According to long-term data for the last 30 years, the lowest wind speed
(13.6 m/sec) was observed in Ahangaran district of Tashkent region in 1993,
while the highest was 16.6 m/sec. observed in 2016. Therefore, given the duration
and speed of the winds, it should be noted that the surface of the area does not
lead to a sharp drying up. This is sufficient for the growth and development of
natural pasture plants
In general, compared to other districts of Tashkent region, the wind speed
in Ahangaran district is higher than the average overall speed, but lower than the
9
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Air
tem
pera
ture
,
°С
Years
Average annual maximum and minimum air temperature, °С
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wind speed of districts and cities in the south-western regions of the region.
(Diagram 3).
Diagram 3.
Wind speed in Ahangaran district of Tashkent region in
m/sec.
Plants.
Depending on the height of the relief of the territory of Ahangaron
district of Tashkent region, located in the Chirchik-Angren valley is divided into
2 zones: foothills and mountains, located at an altitude of 700-1800 meters above
sea level. These regions are dominated by trees, shrubs, semi-shrubs, large plants,
ephemer and ephemeral plants.
Population.
According to the official data of the State Statistics Committee
of the Republic of Uzbekistan [7; Digital resource], as of July 1, 2020 in
Ahangaran district of Tashkent region the total population is 96.3 thousand
people, of which 47.5 thousand people live in rural areas.
Number of livestock.
According to official data [7; Digital resource], as of
July 1, 2020 in Ahangaran district of Tashkent region the number of small
ruminant was 226 thousand heads, and cattle - 61 thousand heads.
Research results and their discussion.
According to the natural and
regional features of Ahangaran district of Tashkent region, it is one of the largest
areas on the southern slope of the Ugam-Chatkal mountain range in the north-
east.
15,5
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Wind
s
peed,
m
/s
ec
Years
Wind speed, m/s
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Ahangaran district of Tashkent region consists of 6 areas: "Uzbekistan",
"Angren", "Ahangaran", "Almalyk", "Dustlik", S. Rakhimov and A. Navoi and
lands of other enterprises, with a total area of 84,725 hectares of pastures, which
of 18,115 hectares (21%) were degraded to varying degrees. According to the
analysis, the most degraded pastures in the massifs "Uzbekistan" and A. Navoi.
This situation requires the immediate actions of scientific and practical measures
on such lands.
79 pasture plants were registered in Ahangaran district of Tashkent region,
which 66 of them are edible plants, 13 are harmful, poisonous and non-livestock
plants. This means that 83% of pasture plants are suitable for feeding livestock.
The remaining 17% are plants that harm livestock. The vegetation cover of natural
pastures in the district is 75%
When the productivity and nutritional value of pasture plants were analyzed
in each section of the massif, it was found that it varies depending on the relief
and natural climatic conditions of the area. For example, the highest yields of
pasture plants were recorded in the Angren - 3.5 c/ha and in the Ahangaron - 3.1
c/ha, and the lowest - 2.5 c/ha in A.Navoiy.
The highest feed unit rate was again observed in the Angren massif, which
is 2.2 c/ha, the lowest is in the Almalyk massif - 1.5 c/ha, and in the pastures of
other regions - 1.4 c/ha.
The analysis of the area of pastures and hayfields required for 1 conditional
head of cattle revealed that in the Angren massif of the district - 21.4 hectares, in
the massifs of Uzbekistan and S. Rakhimov - 28.8 hectares. The average area for
feeding for 1 conditional head of cattle in the whole district is 22.7 hectares.
In view of the above, in order to improve the degraded mountain and
foothill pastures and increase their natural productivity in our research
experiments are underway (March 2021) in the Chirchik-Angren region, 0.06
hectares of pastures of the Muminobod livestock farm in the Angren massif of the
Ahangaron district of the Tashkent region.
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In these experiments, natural pasture were planted with plants, considered
promising for the pastures of the foothills, like: Onobrichus chorossanica, Alfalfa,
Artemisia diffuza H. Krasch, jitnyak, Eremopyrum fuonapartis, Ceratoides
eversman and Kochia prostrata (L) Sshrad.
In the course of the experiments, a system of rotational feeding of livestock
using wire nets was established on the pastures of this livestock farm. In
developing this land management project, the main focus was on providing the
animal with food during the growing season and reserves for the winter season.
Conclusion.
The area of degraded pastures in mountain and foothill
pastures of Uzbekistan has significantly increased in recent years. The main
reason for this is the anthropogenic factor. In order to prevent this, the introduction
of various startup projects in the pastures by attracting not only local but also
foreign investment by strengthening the areas of land management and land
monitoring will yield the expected positive results.
Suggestions and recommendations for the improvement, restoration
and efficient use of pastures in the studied areas:
- Regular geobotanical research (once every 10 years), identification of
degraded (crisis) areas;
- Introduction of a system of rotating and regular rotation of livestock on
pastures;
- Establishment of primary seed plots for forage crops in order to
rehabilitate disturbed pastures;
- Allows pasture seed production by farms and pasture user cooperatives by
fencing certain areas with wire fences, which in turn creates hayfields as a reserve
for wintering in these areas;
- Not to exceed the number of livestock, even distribution of livestock in
pastures;
- Establishment of special places for keeping livestock and shepherds in
remote areas;
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- Organization of sowing seeds of the same plant species in place of seeds
collected by plant collectors for pharmaceutical and other purposes;
- Establishment of anti-erosion protection trees to prevent reduction of
vegetation cover in pastures due to soil and wind erosion will have a positive
effect in the future.
Acknowledgments.
The authors express their gratitude to the staff of the
State Scientific Design Institute of "Uzdaverloyikha" who were directly involved
in the implementation of this research.
Reference
1.
Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On pastures". May 20, 2019.
2.
Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan
from April 23, 2018 #299 "On measures to further improve the procedure for
demarcation of administrative-territorial units, inventory of land resources and
geobotanical research in pastures and hayfields".
3.
Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan
from November 7, 2018 #914 "On maintaining the state accounting of objects of
flora and fauna, the volume of their use and the state cadastre".
4.
Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan
from June 11, 2019 #484 "On approval of the Strategy for Biodiversity
Conservation in the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2019-2028".
5.
National Report On the state of land resources of the Republic of
Uzbekistan. - Tashkent: Committee of Goscomgeodezcadastre, 2020. - 91-97 p.
6.
Ruzmetov M.I., Turaev R.A. “Methodical manual on geobotanical
researches in natural pastures and hayfields of Uzbekistan” / Recommendations.
- Tashkent: “Turon-Iqbol”, 2018. - 160 б.
7.
