Anthropogenic Factors of Desertification of Arid Territories of the Astrakhan Region

This article presents the results of long-term studies of the influence of such an anthropogenic factor as animal grazing on the development of desertification in the Astrakhan region. The purpose of the study was to develop scientifically substantiated resource-saving loads of farm animals on pasture ecosystems of the Astrakhan region (AO) by administrative districts. The objectives of the study included conducting geobotanical monitoring of biocenoses of natural arid pastures; determination of the capacity of used pastures, determination of the actual grazing load, and development of science-based pasture loads. The calculations were carried out using the Practical Guide of the All-Russian Research Institute of Fodder “Norms of loading pastures in the Caspian region” (1995). As a result, it was found that in the Astrakhan region, as a result of an increase in the anthropogenic factor, namely the unsystematic and uncontrolled use of natural semi-desert pastures for animal grazing, when the actual load of pastures does not correspond to their capacity (by 2–6 times), the desertification process is activated. Nonoverrun and slightly overrun pastures have been preserved on 35% of the area of the studied fodder lands, medium and heavily overrun pastures occupy 43 and 22%, which indicates a more than five-fold increase over the past decade.