Abstract

Animals have a significant impact on the territory where they live by the process of their lives. The studied objects are located in the zone of dry steppes, where climatic conditions limit the development of vegetation and contribute to changes in soil characteristics, which, in combination with the impact of animals, enhances the effect. The purpose of the work was to assess the impacts of animals on the ecological state of the soils of the enclosures of the Wildlife of the Steppe Association. In the course of the study, the main indicators of the ecological state of soils in enclosures with animals on the territory of the enclosures of the Wildlife of the Steppe Association in the arid regions of the Rostov region were determined. We explored enclosures of different sizes, with African ostriches (Struthio camelus), emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), goats (Capra sp.), Przewalski’s horses (Equus ferus przevwalskii) and saigas (Saiga tatarica), and on the territory with semi-free grazing of ungulates, that is, horses (Equus caballus), camels (camelus bactrianus), buffaloes (Bubalus arnee), yaks (Bos mutus), and lamas (Lama ganicoe). The studied areas differed in the intensity of soil degradation. To assess the physical condition the moisture, temperature, density, and structure of the soil were determined; pH, the gross chemical composition of soils, humus content, and biological activity were also assessed, and plots were ranked according to the degree of pasture digression. In the course of the study, the enclosure with African ostriches had the maximum degree of degradation of ten, which is characterized by severe inhibition of vegetation and soil degradation. As well, the soil density in the enclosure with African ostriches was the highest, 1.49 g/cm³, and the percentage of structure was the smallest, 37%. These parameters had a close negative correlation with the pressure of the animals' hooves and paws on the ground (–0.9). The humidity level in the studied areas did not rise above 11%; despite this, the enzymatic activity of the soils no longer depended on hydrothermal conditions, but on the influence of excretions of animal waste products. In enclosures with ungulates, in particular in the enclosure with goats, the activities of catalase and urease were always higher than in other areas. A high content of humus, 10.3%, was also noted there, which is uncharacteristic for chestnut soils and confirms the influence of animal life on them. According to the research results, the lowest quality of the structure, humus, and biological activity, as well as increased soil density, occurred in the enclosure with the African ostrich. The data we obtained explain the decrease in the growth and development of vegetation in the area where animals kept in crowded conditions live.

中文翻译：

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评估动物对土壤生态状况的影响

摘要

动物通过其生命过程对其居住的领土产生重大影响。研究对象位于干旱草原地带，那里的气候条件限制了植被的发展并导致土壤特性发生变化，这与动物的影响相结合，增强了效果。这项工作的目的是评估动物对草原野生动物协会围栏土壤生态状况的影响。在研究过程中，确定了罗斯托夫地区干旱地区草原协会野生动物协会围栏领土上动物围栏土壤生态状况的主要指标。我们探索了不同大小的围栏，里面有非洲鸵鸟（Struthio camelus)、鸸鹋 ( Dromaius novaehollandiae )、山羊 ( Capra  sp.)、普氏野马 ( Equus ferus przevwalskii ) 和赛加羚羊 ( Saiga tatarica )，以及半自由放牧的有蹄类动物，即马 ( Equus caballus )，骆驼 ( camelus bactrianus )、水牛 ( Bubalus arnee )、牦牛 ( Bos mutus ) 和喇嘛 ( Lama ganicoe). 研究区域的土壤退化强度不同。为了评估物理条件，确定了土壤的水分、温度、密度和结构；还评估了 pH 值、土壤的总化学成分、腐殖质含量和生物活性，并根据牧场离题程度对地块进行了排名。在研究过程中，非洲鸵鸟围栏的退化程度最大为十，其特点是严重抑制植被和土壤退化。同样，非洲鸵鸟围栏的土壤密度最高，为1.49 g/cm ³, 而结构的百分比最小, 为 37%。这些参数与动物的蹄子和爪子在地面上的压力呈密切负相关 (–0.9)。研究区域的湿度水平没有上升到 11% 以上；尽管如此，土壤的酶活性不再取决于水热条件，而是取决于动物排泄物的影响。在有蹄类动物围栏中，特别是在山羊围栏中，过氧化氢酶和脲酶的活性始终高于其他区域。那里还发现了 10.3% 的高腐殖质含量，这对于板栗土壤来说是不典型的，并证实了动物生活对其的影响。根据研究结果，最低质量的结构、腐殖质和生物活性，以及​​增加的土壤密度，发生在非洲鸵鸟的围栏中。我们获得的数据解释了动物在拥挤条件下生活的地区植被生长和发育的减少。