Сreation of Tree and Shrub Vegetation as a Reserve to Mitigate
Climate Warming and Carbon Neutrality in the North Chechen
Lowlands
Idris Abdurashidovich Bayrakov
Chechen State University Named After A.A. Kadyrov, Grozny, Russia
Keywords: North Chechen lowlands, semi-desert zone, vegetation, climate.
Abstract: Due to the fact that projects to achieve carbon neutrality are being actively promoted all over the world,
Russia has not stood aside either. A huge scale of activities is being carried out in the country, including
carbon landfills, which will allow us to determine the possibilities for sequestration of carbon by tree and
shrub vegetation. It is well known that real carbon neutrality can be achieved only by increasing the area of
natural and anthropogenic forest and shrub massifs, this will cripple the absorbing volumes of these
geosystems. Besides the fact that they are primarily designed to mitigate or neutralize the effects of global
warming at regional levels, forest-climatic projects can also bring invaluable benefits to natural landscapes:
the preservation of landscape and biological diversity, soil protection, city-forming and water-regulating
functions of the forest area. The purpose of the study is to study the possibility of creating woody and
shrubby vegetation in the landscape of the North Chechen Lowland complex to neutralize atmospheric
carbon. Research objectives: to conduct studies of anthropogenic and climatogenic changes in landscape
complexes; to identify the main species of woody and shrubby plants for afforestation of the semi-desert
zone; to develop measures for afforestation and optimization of the natural environment of the semi-desert
zone.
1 INTRODUCTION
Everyone is well aware of the role of woody
vegetation in mitigating the emerging consequences
of actively occurring global climate changes on the
planet. Forests are good neutralizers and carbon
dioxide doublers. In recent years, the world
community has been actively involved in the process
of countering the increase in greenhouse gas
emissions into the atmosphere, a number of
fundamental documents have been reached, such as
the Paris Agreement, an agreement under the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change
regulating measures to reduce carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere from 2020. 193 States joined the
Agreement, which was adopted instead of the Kyoto
Protocol. Climate change as a sum of regional
changes has gone far beyond the borders of states
and no state alone can solve the problem, this is the
case when consensus is needed at all levels of
government, active international cooperation in the
transition to a "green economy".
Taking into account the above, we have devoted
our work to one of the most problematic topics of
rational nature management in the forest sector,
measures for the artificial construction of forests in
the most arid natural-territorial complex of the
Chechen Republic, the semi-desert zone, taking into
account the possibilities of tree and shrub vegetation
to reduce the effects of the effects of climate
warming. Forests are among the main carbon
neutralizers from the atmosphere and as such their
role is exceptionally great in the carbon cycle in
nature(Bayrakov, 2008)
In recent years, there has literally been a flurry of
scientific publications, both Russian and foreign, on
the topic of climate change and the consequences
that accompany it, which note the potential for large-
scale afforestation of treeless spaces and, naturally,
to mitigate the effects of climate change.
204
Bayrakov, I.
Creation of Tree and Shrub Vegetation as a Reserve to Mitigate Climate Warming and Carbon Neutrality in the North Chechen Lowlands.
DOI: 10.5220/0011568600003524
In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Methods, Models, Technologies for Sustainable Development (MMTGE 2022) - Agroclimatic Projects and Carbon Neutrality, pages
204-209
ISBN: 978-989-758-608-8
Copyright
c
2023 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. Under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
2 MATERIALS AND METHODS
There are many estimated standards for the potential
reduction of carbon dioxide emissions due to
forested areas. In the semi-desert zone of the
Chechen Republic, there is a huge potential for
afforestation of more than 50-70 thousand hectares
of territory out of 370 thousand hectares of the total
area of the arid zone. However, there are many
obstacles to active afforestation, there is no
necessary technical infrastructure, human resources
and management structure for the implementation of
such measures on tens of thousands of hectares. At
the same time, there is some experience in
afforestation of sandy massifs of the semi-desert
zone in the Soviet period to create soil-protective
and wind-breaking forest strips. A material base was
created, several forestry enterprises were organized,
which grew planting material, planting and caring
for them. However, the long-term lack of care and
new plantings, these plantings are in terrible
condition, many have died.
Our field studies have shown that using the past
experience of creating forest strips, it is possible to
create a large forest area in the arid zone of the
Chechen Republic within a few years to neutralize
atmospheric carbon. But to do this, it is necessary to
restore the entire material and technical base with
certain scientific and practical tasks - forest-climatic
projects.
Naturally, in the current situation, it is necessary
in scientific and government structures to radically
change the approach to minimizing the
consequences of climate change. The experience of
many countries has shown that afforestation of
treeless territories, and the potential of the Chechen
Republic is huge, forest cover is less than 20% of the
area of the region, and the semi-desert zone is 99%
devoid of woody vegetation, an event that
successfully neutralizes atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Evaluating all the foreign experience in afforestation
of treeless territories, this is not enough, since the
result, even if all the measures under the
afforestation program are implemented, will be
visible at best in 10-15 years (A.D Gozhev, 1930).
The main method was field research by routes
that ran from south to north, the reference points
were located at the corners of squares with sides of 5
km. Dozens of photographs of sandy landforms were
taken (fig. 1).
The basis for further research of the Aeolian
landscape complex has been laid. The complex
nature of our research allowed us to determine that
the main factor that provoked deflationary processes
here is the anthropogenic factor, since the second
half of the last century, the process of intensive
warming began, which naturally intensified
deflationary processes.
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
A significant variety of geomorphological conditions
and a large elevation difference above ocean level,
the location at a great distance from sea currents and
the barrier role of the Greater Caucasus caused
climatic diversity in the territory of the North
Chechen Lowland, despite the relatively small
territory. It is a zone with extremely arid climatic
Figure 1: Map diagram agroinvestigationisitineribus North. Chechen campestribus.
Creation of Tree and Shrub Vegetation as a Reserve to Mitigate Climate Warming and Carbon Neutrality in the North Chechen Lowlands
205
conditions and occupies the territory in the extreme
north-east of the Chechen Republic. The zone is
characterized by extreme aridity, here the annual
precipitation is no more than 300 mm, and in some
years the amount of precipitation does not reach 200
mm per year (Dzh. G Kanadell, E`. D iShul`ce, 2014).
The warm period is quite long, as well as
throughout the Eastern Caucasus, but the period
when the average daily temperature is above 20
0
C
in the zone exceeds the rest of the region for about a
month. Winter and autumn periods are much milder
here, with an average temperature of - 2.2
0
C in
January and +26.5
0
C in July.Precipitation is
characterized by a strongly pronounced maximum in
September. The zone is characterized by a rather
unstable snow cover, which is often blown away by
the wind. The zone with arid climatic conditions is
characteristic of the North Chechen lowland.
The presence here of a significant area of open
and sparse vegetation of sand masses naturally
affects meteorological elements such as precipitation
and their redistribution within the zone itself, and it
also has a strong effect on summer temperatures C
(A. I. Belyaev, K. N. Kulik , A. S.Manaenkov,
2021).
The temperature regime of the coldest month of
January is 3
0
C, and the warmest month of July is
+25
0
C, with an average annual temperature of
+11
0
.
The nature of precipitation with a September
maximum, like the previous zone, is less than 350
mm, but in some years they are no more than 200
mm, which brings these two zones closer. The
maximum amount of precipitation falls in the
autumn and spring periods (table 1) (fig.2).
The temperature regime is distributed as follows:
the warmest month is January with average
temperatures - 4-4.5
0
C, and the warmest month is
July with average temperatures +23
0
- 24
0
C (fig.3).
In the zone, the distribution of the temperature
regime is affected by a relative increase above ocean
level, which causes some diversity in different parts
of the plain. So the temperature regime in the
average monthly indicators ranges from +24
0
C to
22
0
C, for three months the temperature is kept at
+20
0
C (fig.4).
Zones on the territory of the North Chechen
lowland change from north to south according to the
scheme: from semi-deserts, steppes and forest-
steppe on the plain. Before the economic
intervention of man, the North Chechen lowland was
occupied by the Tipchakov-kovyl steppe, today it is
completely plowed and there is almost no virgin
steppe, except in lands inconvenient for cultivation
(G.-Dzh. Nabuurs, P.Delakot, D Ellison, M.
Xanevinkel, Xetemaki, L. I. Lindner, 2017).
Figure 2: Climate map of the North Chechen Lowland. Chechen campestribus.
Table 1: Average monthly and annual air temperatures.
Weather station
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Year
Kargalinovskaya
19
16
15
24
28
36
30
26
30
19
24
24
291
Naurskaya
18
17
22
27
46
56
41
31
26
30
31
24
369
MMTGE 2022 - I International Conference "Methods, models, technologies for sustainable development: agroclimatic projects and carbon
neutrality", Kadyrov Chechen State University Chechen Republic, Grozny, st. Sher
206
In the floodplain part of the river there is a
floodplain forest. Tipchak-kovyl steppe associations
of plant communities have spread mainly on sandy
loam and light loam-based chestnut soils of the
plain, and on the adjacent valley of the Terek River.
The territory of the North Chechen lowland is
almost completely devoid of natural vegetation.
According to (Rozhanecz-Kucherovskaya, 1925),
and then it was noted by (Gozhev, 1930), that the
indigenous plant associations on the plain were
tipchak-kovylnye.
If we trace the history of the development of the
vegetation cover of the plain, then we can restore the
course of restoration to its original state according to
the following scheme: at the first stage, the arable
land is overgrown with associations of wormwood,
which also includes other species: porcine, roofing
and splayed bonfire, larkspur, bunny, milkweed and
field bindweed(Yu. Pan, R.A. Betdsi, Z., Fang, R.
Xiong, P.E. Kauppi, V.A. Kurcz, 2011).
This group of plants in this composition develops
within 5-10 years; The final stage of the restoration
process creates a tipchak-kovyl steppe in the North
Chechen lowland consisting of tipchak, hair-shaped
feather grass, sea wormwood, prostrate kohia,
combed wheatgrass, noble yarrow and tamarisk.
The vegetation cover of the territory along the
canal differs significantly, as a result of the
infiltration of the canal waters, meadow formations
have formed here, creating dense thickets with a
Figure 3: Climate. Distribution of average annual air temperatures. Chechen campestribus.
Figure 4: Vegetation map of the North Chechen Lowland. Chechen campestribus.
Creation of Tree and Shrub Vegetation as a Reserve to Mitigate Climate Warming and Carbon Neutrality in the North Chechen Lowlands
207
predominance of meadow-steppe grasses with a
variety of cereals: creeping wheatgrass, meadow
bluegrass, thin-legged, timothy, Siberian wheatgrass,
as well as alfalfa and gunba make these meadows
highly valuable in terms of fodder.
Semi-desert landscape complexes of the North
Chechen lowland are represented by three types:
sharply continental Kazakhstan with the sum of
annual active temperatures of 3600
0
C and annual
precipitation of 200-300 mm, extremely continental
climate with the sum of annual temperatures of 4200
° C and precipitation of 100-200 mm.
Atmospheric surface runoff is practically absent,
weathering, deflation, and salinization occur actively
in the north-east of the lowlands. Phytomass
reserves - 8-4 t/ha, productivity - from 3 to 5 t/ha.
Stable snow cover is not preserved (A.I. Belyaev, K.
N. Kulik, A. S.Manaenkov, 2021).
During the snowless period, there is a lack of
moisture in the soil. The distribution of soil and
vegetation cover is characterized by complexity, i.e.
continuous change of different subtypes of soils and
plant groupings, due to meso- and microrelief, - a
large number of suffusion depressions.
Allthedepressionsarecoveredwithvegetation(A.I.
Galushko, 1975).
List of plants used in forest reclamation of
pastures (A.I. Galushko, 1978-1980; A.A. Grossheim.
1948).
Trees
1. Armeniaca vulgaris Lam.
2. PrumusdivaricataLedeb.
3. Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle.
4. Betulapendula Roth.
5. Ulmuspumila L.
6. Ulmuslaevis Pall.
7. Pyruscommunis L.
8. Acer platanoides L.
9. Acer campestre L.
10. Acer tataricum L.
11. Acer negundo L.
12. LarixsibiricaLedeb.
13. Robiniapseudoacacia L.
14. Haloxylonpersicum Bunge
15. Haloxylonaphyllum (Minkw.) Iljin
16. Pinuspallasiana D. Don.
17. Pinussilvestris L.
18. Populusalba L.
19. Populusbalsamifera L.
20. PopuluslaurifoliaLedeb.
21. PopulusdiversifoliaSchrenk.
22. PopulusbalsamiferaL.(var. sibirica)
23. Populusnigra L.
24. Morusalba L.
25. Maluspallasiana Jus.
26. Fraxinuslanceolata
Shrubs
27. Caraganaarborescena Lam.
28. JuniperuscommunisOblongaPendula
29. Crataegussanguinea Pall.
30. CalligonumaphyllumGurke.
31. CalligonummicrocarpumBorszcz.
32. Calligonum caput-medusaeSchrenk.
33. Calligonumsetosum (Litv.) Litv.
34. Loniceratatarica L.
35. Salix daphnoidesVill.
36. Salix caspica Pall.
37. Salix rubraHuds.
38. Amelanchierrotundifolia (Lam.) Dum. Cours.
39. Elaeagnusangustifolia L.
40. Hippophaerhamnoides L.
41. CotinuscoggygriaScop.
42. RibesaureumPursh.
43. TamarixramosissimaLedeb.
44. TamarixlaxaWilld.
45. Ephedra distachya L.
46. Halimodendronhalodendron (Pall.)
47. SalsolapaletskianaLitr.
48. Salsolarichteri (Moq.) Kar.exLitv.
49. Aelleniasubaphylla (C. A. Mey) Aell.
4 CONCLUSION
Carrying out all types of processing of agricultural
land along transverse slopes with successful
measures to protect land from flushing in such
farming conditions, contour organizations of arable
land are more acceptable.
Planting regulating the flow of forest belts allows
it to switch to contour-reclamation land use systems
using all necessary anti-erosion measures that resist
the development of the erosion process. The
simplest and cheapest method that protects arable
land from floods and downpours are buffer forest
belts, their construction does not require special
techniques and serious changes in agricultural
technology to cultivate crops.
They are built on slope complexes, the steepness
of which is more than 2
0
. Their creation is desirable
from crops with continuous sowing (perennial and
annual grasses, winter, spring grains). Buffer forest
belts are used in order to restrain the flow of
snowmelt water masses on winter crops in winter
and spring periods.
MMTGE 2022 - I International Conference "Methods, models, technologies for sustainable development: agroclimatic projects and carbon
neutrality", Kadyrov Chechen State University Chechen Republic, Grozny, st. Sher
208
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The research was carried out within the state
assignment of Ministry of Science and Higher
Education of the Russian Federation (theme No.
№075-03-2021-074/4)
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