Astrakhan region
in the south of the European part. Russia in the Volga economics area. Pl. 44.1 thousand km², 11 adm. districts; center - city Astrakhan . Formed in 1943. Occupies part of the Caspian lowland, including the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain and delta Volga. In the main flat plain, partly lies below sea level (altitudes from 26 to 150 m above sea level, Bolshoi Bogdo). The climate is sharply continental and arid. The main river is the Volga (with Akhtuba; there are over 800 branches and channels in the delta). Many fresh (ilmeni) and salt lakes (the largest Baskunchak ). The wormwood-hodgepodge semi-desert predominates; in the floodplain and delta there are meadows and floodplain forests; along the banks of the channels and ilmens there are thickets of reeds and reeds. Astrakhan Nature Reserve . Abundance of fish (about 50 species, including sturgeon). In recent years, due to rising levels of the Caspian Sea, there has been a threat of flooding of coastal areas. Population 1007 thousand people. (2002): Russians (72%), Kazakhs (12.8%), Tatars (7.2%), Ukrainians (1.9%), Kalmyks (0.8%). The most populated are the Ikryaninsky and Volga districts; urban - 67% (large cities Astrakhan, Akhtubinsk ). Deposits of oil, gas, salt. Food, light, chemical and petrochemical (sulphur, diesel fuel, rubber), wood processing. and cel.-boom. industry; machinery (shipbuilding, ship repair, machine tools, floating drilling rigs, etc.); production of building materials. Cereals (mainly rice), vegetables (tomatoes), melons (watermelon plantations on irrigated floodplain lands), and fruits are grown. Meat and wool sheep and meat grinding. livestock Fish. River port - Astrakhan, sea port - Olya. The resort of Tinaki is 12 km to the northwest. from Astrakhan (mud bath). The following have been preserved: fortifications (near Astrakhan) on the site of the city of Itil - the ancient capital of the Khazar Kaganate and near the village. Selitrennoye - on the site of the city of Saray-Batu, formerly. capitals of the Golden Horde; Church of Peter and Paul (XVII–XVIII centuries) in the village. Black Yar, Kalmyk stone monastery-khurul (19th century, Rechnoye village), Nikolaevsko-Vysogorsky monastery on Churkinsky island. (XIX century).
Dictionary of modern geographical names. - Ekaterinburg: U-Factoria. Under the general editorship of academician. V. M. Kotlyakova. 2006 .
Astrakhan region of Russia (cm. Russia) located in the south of the East European Plain. Area - 44.1 thousand square meters. km; population - 1019 thousand people (2001). Most of the population (about 67%) lives in cities. The region includes 5 cities and 14 urban-type settlements. The administrative center is Astrakhan; large cities: Akhtubinsk, Znamensk, Narimanov. The Astrakhan region was formed on December 27, 1943, and is part of the Southern Federal District.
The region is located on the Caspian lowland, at the confluence of the Volga into the Caspian Sea. In the north it borders with the Volgograd region, in the west - with Kalmykia, in the east - with Kazakhstan, and in the south it is washed by the Caspian Sea. The surface of the Astrakhan region is mostly flat, partially lying below sea level (heights up to 150 m, Mount Bolshoye Bogdo). On the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain there are high sandy ridges, many channels, and oxbow lakes.
The main rivers are the Volga and Akhtuba. At the mouth, the Volga is divided into many branches, the largest of which are Bakhtemir, Bolda, and Buzan. There are many salt lakes in the region, the largest being Baskunchak. Freshwater lakes (ilmeni) are numerous in the floodplain and delta of the Volga.
The climate is sharply continental, arid, the average temperature in January is -10 °C, in July - +25 °C. The Astrakhan region is located in a semi-desert zone. The vegetation cover is dominated by grasses, wormwood, and solyanka. In the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain and the Volga delta, significant areas are occupied by meadows, floodplain forests and reed thickets (along the banks of channels and ilmens).
Main industries: food (fish, meat, dairy, salt), light. Mechanical engineering and metalworking, shipbuilding and ship repair (Astrakhan Shipbuilding Marine Plant) are also developed; floating drilling rigs are produced in the region. A significant role in the industry of the region is played by petrochemistry (Astrakhangazprom, Astrakhan Rubber Shoe Plant), woodworking and pulp and paper industries (Astrakhanbumprom). Mining of table salt is developed on Lake Baskunchak. In agriculture, the main sectors are: field farming (cereals, rice), vegetable growing, melon growing, meat and wool sheep breeding, meat and dairy cattle breeding. Fishing and fish farming are developed in the region.
History and sights
Already in ancient times, trade routes from the countries of the East passed through the territory of the current Astrakhan region. The Khazar Khaganate was located on the territory of the region, the capital of which, Itil, was destroyed by Prince Svyatoslav in 965. From the times before the annexation of Astrakhan lands to Russia, a fortified settlement near the village of Selitrennoe (on the site of Sarai-Batu, the former capital of the Golden Horde) has been preserved. After the annexation of Astrakhan and the construction in 1558 of a new wooden-earth fortress on the high Hare (or Dolgny) Hill, the development of the Astrakhan region by Russia began. Russian settlers formed settlements around Astrakhan: Sianova, Bezrodnaya, Terebilovka, Soldatskaya, Yamgurcheeva. Under Soviet rule, the territory of the modern Astrakhan region was included in the Lower Volga region, the Stalingrad region and the Stalingrad region until 1943.
Cultural monuments are the Church of Peter and Paul (17th-18th centuries in the village of Cherny Yar), the Kalmyk stone monastery-khurup (early 19th century in the village of Rechnoye), and the Nikolaevsko-Vysokogorsky monastery on Churkinsky Island (late 19th century). In 1919, one of the first nature reserves in Russia, Astrakhansky, was founded here, and in 1997, another one was founded - Bogdinsko-Baskunchaksky. In addition, the region contains the richest natural and hunting reserves and unique natural monuments. On the shore of Lake Ilmen Tinaki, rich in healing mud, there is a balneological resort. The region practices such an exotic type of therapy as kumis treatment.
The main tourist flow, arriving in the Astrakhan region, rushes to the Volga delta, the channels of Akhtuba. The Akhtuba and its numerous tributaries (Mangut, Kharabalyk, Ashuluk) attract fishing enthusiasts. Numerous tourist centers, campsites and even floating hotels are scattered at the service of everyone who wants to hunt and fish in the Volga delta or on the erikas (channels connecting Akhtuba with the main channel of the Volga).
Akhtubinsk is a regional center 292 km north of Astrakhan, located on the left bank of the Akhtuba. Akhtubinsk was formed into a city in 1959 from three settlements (Vladimirovka, Petropavlovka, Akhtuba). A memorial complex dedicated to aviation and the fallen test pilots was erected in the city. Most of the city, except for the central part, is built up with manor houses.
Astrakhan Nature Reserve
The Astrakhan Nature Reserve, one of the first in Russia, was founded in 1919. It is located on islands in the Volga delta, where it branches into dozens of branches, channels, and erics. The area of the reserve has more than doubled over the years of its existence and reached 62,423 hectares.
Up to 50 species of fish live here, among sturgeons: beluga, sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, among herrings: Caspian belly, Volga herring, blackback, among cyprinids: roach, bream, carp, rudd, asp, sabrefish, golden crucian carp, and also pike, pike perch, perch, gobies, stickleback. Most of the 250 species of birds nest in trees (herons, cormorants), and some (grebes and coots) build floating nests. Here you can see mute swan, Dalmatian and pink pelicans. There are many herons in the reserve: white (great and little), gray, red, yellow and also grayish-bluish (night herons). The Astrakhan Nature Reserve is home to one of the most beautiful birds in Russia - the Sultan's hen. The routes of migratory ducks and geese pass through the territory of the reserve, which stop in the Volga delta to rest and gain strength before a long and difficult flight to warmer climes. Some remain on the nesting grounds.
There are few mammals, mainly wild boars, wolves, foxes, otters, field mice, and baby mice. There are a myriad of insects on the territory of the reserve: dragonflies, crickets, caddis flies, cicadas, beetles, mosquitoes.
In the lower reaches of the Volga delta there are more than 290 plant species. Among them are relict salvinia and chilim, lotus of extraordinary size and color (known in the Volga delta for more than 200 years, received the local name Caspian rose). The Caspian Ornithological Station operates at the reserve, studying the numbers, distribution and migrations of birds. The Astrakhan Nature Reserve is the largest center for bird ringing. Here, comprehensive scientific research of the nature of the lower reaches of the Volga delta is carried out, mass nesting sites of birds, molting areas of waterfowl, and spawning grounds of fish are protected.
Encyclopedia of tourism Cyril and Methodius. 2008 .
See what “Astrakhan region” is in other dictionaries:
ASTRAKHAN REGION, subject of the Russian Federation; located on the Caspian lowland, at the confluence of the Volga into the Caspian Sea, and is part of the Volga economic region. Pl. 44.1 thousand km2. Population 1029.3 thousand people. (1998). Center of Astrakhan ... Russian history
In the Russian Federation. 44.1 thousand km². Population 1006.6 thousand people (1991), urban 68%. 5 cities, 14 urban-type settlements (1991). Center Astrakhan. Occupies part of the Caspian lowland. with the Volga Akhtuba floodplain and the Volga delta. Average... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
Coordinates: 47°14′ N. w. 47°14′ E. d. / 47.233333° n. w. 47.233333° E. d. ... Wikipedia
As part of the RSFSR. Formed on December 27, 1943. Located in the south of the Volga economic region. Area 44.1 thousand km2 Population 868 thousand people. (1970). There are 10 administrative districts, 2 cities, and 14 urban-type settlements in the region. City center... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
Russian Federation Federal districts: Far Eastern Volga North Western North ... Accounting Encyclopedia
In the Russian Federation. Formed on December 27, 1948. 44.1 thousand km2. Population 1029.3 thousand people (1998), urban 68%. 6 cities, 11 urban-type settlements. Center Astrakhan. Occupies part of the Caspian lowland with the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary
ASTRAKHAN REGION- Subject of the Russian Federation. Territory 44.1 thousand square meters. km. Center: Astrakhan. Geography: the region is located in the southwest of Russia, in the north. Caspian region, Volga Akhtuba floodplain and Volga delta. Length 120 km from west to east, between Kalmykia and ... Orthodox Encyclopedia
The territory of the Astrakhan region, tectonically, is located within two platforms: a significant part is confined to the Precambrian East European Platform, the southernmost – to the Epihercynian (Suprahercynian) Scythian. Between them there is a transition strip, which is called the platform articulation zone.
The flat surface, formed under the influence of endogenous processes, is complicated by relief forms that were formed under the influence of wind, flowing water, physical weathering and others. In its appearance, the plain is gently inclined towards the Caspian Sea.
Based on their origin, there are two types of plains in the region: accumulative and denudational. The main background in the region is created by accumulative plains. Only in the northeastern part of the region, in the vicinity of Lake Baskunchak, is there a denudation plain. The accumulative plain includes a marine plain. The most notable shape of this plain are the hillocks. These landforms were first described in 1856 by academician K.M. Baer and became widely known as Baer mounds. Their length is 0.8 - 5 km, width 0.1 - 0.5 km, absolute elevations range from minus 20 to minus 5 m. The steepness of the slopes is 4 - 10 ° C, but sometimes increases to 30 - 40 ° C. Roads are laid along the tops of the Baer hillocks, and the hillocks themselves are used for melon fields.
Ilmen lakes are located between ridges of hillocks and have a length from several hundred meters to several kilometers, a width of mainly several hundred meters, an average depth of 1-1.5 m. In the northern part of the region, a ravine relief develops along the steep right bank of the Volga River.
On the aeolian plain, which is also part of the accumulative plain, there are areas of active dispersal of the dune type, devoid of vegetation. The dunes have a crescent shape and an asymmetrical structure: the windward slope is flatter, the leeward slope is steep. The surface of the dune is covered with wind ripples. The height of individual dunes reaches 10-15 m. Connecting with each other, they form massifs of several hundred square meters. The formation of dune sands is often caused by the fact that humans destroy vegetation, the root system of which strengthens the sands, preventing the process of dispersal.
The floodplain-deltaic plain, which belongs to the accumulative plain, is located within the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain and the Volga delta. The floodplain occupies the low-lying space between the Volga and Akhtuba, which is flooded with river waters during flood periods. A green oasis 22-30 km wide, in some places 40-45 km wide, stretches the floodplain among the sun-scorched surrounding areas. The right bank of the Volga is steep, actively washed away by waters, destroyed during floods, the left bank is gentle, smoothly turns into an island surface of the floodplain, covered with lush meadow and tree vegetation. As you move south, the floodplain becomes a delta. The Volga delta looks like an almost regular triangle with its apex near the village of Verkhnee Lebyazhye, where the high-water Buzan branch branches off from the main river bed. The western border of the delta is the Bakhtemir branch, and the eastern border is the Kigach branch. The length of the sea edge of the delta is more than 200 km. To the south of it there is a vast shallow seashore - the avandelta (the underwater part of the delta). The floodplain and delta are characterized by a large number of oxbow lakes, and in the southern above-water part of the delta - kultuks. The relief of the floodplain-delta part is very dynamic, undergoing certain changes every year: some streams die off as a result of shallowing, others appear; the outline of coasts and islands changes; new shallows, middle grounds, and islands appear.
The denudation type of plain is located in the northeastern part of the region in the area adjacent to Lake Baskunchak. The highest of this plain is Mount Big Bogdo, which has an asymmetrical structure, steep steep slopes in the east, southeast, north and gentler slopes in the west. In a hot, arid climate, physical weathering and wind play an important role in relief formation. Physical weathering is the destruction of rocks in an arid (hot, dry) climate due to large daily temperature amplitudes and low precipitation. As a result of physical weathering and wind, even the densest rocks are destroyed, and in place of a powerful member of these rocks, oddly shaped remains of destruction are formed, on the vertical walls - cellular, like a honeycomb.
On the denudation plain, gypsum comes close to the surface and is subject to leaching. A karst process of relief formation occurs. Gypsum comes out especially close to the surface or even on the surface in the area northwest of Lake Baskunchak. Karst sinkholes and caves are formed here. In plan, the funnels have an oval or round shape, their sizes vary widely: depth - from several meters to 15-20 m, diameter - from 1 to 40 m. There are gaps at the bottom of some craters; on the slopes there are entrances to caves and karst wells. The largest cave, Bolshaya Baskunchakskaya, is more than 1.5 km long. It consists of a number of grottoes connected by galleries and has small branches.
Geography of the Astrakhan region
The Astrakhan region is located in the southeast of the East European Plain within the Caspian Lowland, in temperate latitudes, in the zone of deserts and semi-deserts. The region stretches in a narrow strip on both sides of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain at a distance of more than 400 km.
The northernmost point is located on the border with the Volgograd region at 48°52" north latitude, the southern point is on the shores of the Caspian Sea - 45°31" north latitude. The westernmost point is located in the Chernoyarsk region on the border with the Volgograd region - 44°58" east longitude, the eastern one - on one of the small islands of the Volga delta in the Volodarsky region at 49°15" east longitude. The main landscape of the region is represented by a youthful, undulating desert plain complicated by huge massifs of hillocks, sands, dry hollows, lakes, karst landforms, etc.
The current absolute elevation of the Caspian Sea is located at a level of 27 m below the level of the World Ocean. To the north, absolute surface elevations increase and in the northernmost part of the region reach plus 15 - 20 m. The highest point is Mount Big Bogdo - 161.9 m, located in the northeast of the region.
The region is classified in a second time zone, like Moscow, although local time in Astrakhan is 42 minutes ahead of Moscow.
The region belongs to the Volga region, Southern Federal District. The geographical position of the Astrakhan region is peculiar. It is located on the border of Europe and Asia, the Volga gives access to 5 seas.
Climate of the Astrakhan region
The first observations of the weather in Astrakhan began in 1745 by individual enthusiasts - Astrakhan residents. In 1888, a weather station was opened, which was subsequently developed and improved. In 1988, it was renamed the Regional Center for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring. The weather conditions in the region are systematically monitored at seven weather stations: in Astrakhan, Verkhny Baskunchak, Dosang, Zelenga, Liman, Kharabali, and Cherny Yar.
Our region occupies almost a midway position between the equator and the North Pole. The longest day in our region: in the south its duration is 15 hours 42 minutes, in the north 16 hours 09 minutes. In winter, the shortest day in the region is December 22, its duration is 8 hours 42 minutes in the south, 8 hours 18 minutes in the north.
The duration of the period with temperatures above 0° C is 235-260 days.
The position of the region relative to the World Ocean plays an important role in climate formation. The region is located in the temperate zone, which is characterized by the transfer of air masses from the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Air masses often break into the territory from the Arctic Ocean, sometimes from the Black and Mediterranean Seas. But all these reservoirs are located quite far from our region. The influence of the Atlantic Ocean is associated with the arrival of cyclones, and, consequently, precipitation, a decrease in temperature in summer and an increase in winter. With the arrival of the Siberian anticyclone, pressure increases in the region, cloudiness and precipitation decrease. Therefore, in winter, under conditions of short days and clear skies, low temperatures are established. In summer, this cyclone causes an increase in air temperature and leads to the establishment of hot days.
The flat terrain north of the Astrakhan region facilitates the unhindered passage of cold Arctic masses, which are associated with a decrease in temperature at any time of the year.
The underlying surface is an important climate-forming factor. The main background of the region is represented by a plain, sometimes with sandy massifs. The exception is the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain and the Volga delta with a large amount of water surface, meadow vegetation and ribbon forests. The climate here has its own specific characteristics: throughout the year, the air temperature at night is higher than in the surrounding desert areas, and in the summer it is 2-4° C cooler than outside this territory.
The climate of the Astrakhan region is temperate, sharply continental - with high temperatures in summer, low in winter, large annual and summer daily air temperature amplitudes, low precipitation and high evaporation.
The average annual air temperature varies from south to north from 10°C to 8°C. The coldest month is January, the average temperature drops to minus 5-9°C. The highest average temperature of 24-25°C is observed in July. The amplitude of the coldest and warmest months is 29 - 34°C, which indicates a highly continental climate.
The annual precipitation ranges from 180-200 mm in the south and 280-290 mm in the north. The main amount of precipitation (70-75%) falls in the warm season. In winter, precipitation falls in the form of snow, sleet, and rain. They are often of a cover nature. In summer, heavy rains are accompanied by thunderstorms, sometimes with hail. The normal average annual air pressure in the Astrakhan region at 0°C is 165 mm. Hg Art., in the cold period it increases to 770, in the warm period it decreases to 760.
Our region is characterized by easterly, southeasterly and northeasterly winds. In summer they determine high temperatures, dryness and dustiness of the air, in winter - cold and clear weather. From April to August, dry winds are associated with these winds. Winds from other directions bring cloudiness and precipitation. During the year, winds prevail at a speed of 4-8 m/s, but in some cases the speed increases to 12-20 m/s or more. The greatest number of days without wind is observed in summer. Local winds form in our area. In summer, weak breezes blow on the shores of the Caspian Sea: during the day - towards the land, at night - towards the sea. In winter, the northern part of the Caspian freezes and no breezes form. Winds blowing continuously for several days from the Caspian Sea increase the water level on the sea coast and in the Volga delta. Astrakhan residents call them Moryans.
The actual climatic seasons in the region do not coincide with the calendar ones. The criterion for distinguishing seasons is the dates of stable air transitions across certain limits.
Winter in the region begins on November 15 - 20. The Astrakhan winter is characterized by unstable weather: clear, cold days give way to cloudy, thawed days. The coldest month is January with an average monthly temperature of minus 10°C. The lowest temperature for all years of meteorological observations was recorded in 1954 in Baskunchak - minus 36°C. The first snow appears in late November - early December. Its thickness is small - only about 5 - 12 cm. Winter is also characterized by a large number of cloudy days. In January - February, strong winds may be accompanied by snowstorms. The average duration of snowstorms is 5-10 hours. During snowstorms, the snow cover is transferred, exposing elevated areas. On rivers and lakes, a stable ice cover forms in December.
Spring is the shortest period of the year, only a month and a half, from mid-March to the first days of May. The air temperature is 0 - 15 °C, and the heat builds up very quickly. The snow cover is destroyed, the soil completely thaws, and ice breaks up on the rivers. In the second half of April the flood begins. Birds are returning from the south. In the delta, on the ilmen trees, swans, herons and other waterfowl arrange their nests. Fish go to spawn, including the famous Astrakhan roach. The Astrakhan spring is characterized by the presence of dry periods, when the upper layers of the soil quickly dry out and dusty layers sweep through.
Summer is the longest season of the year - 4.5 months. It begins in early May with a steady upward shift in air temperature through 15 °C and ends in the first half of September, when the temperature drops to 15 °C. Clear weather sets in with high temperatures, rare clouds and heavy rainfall. The hottest month is July with an average monthly air temperature of 24-25 °C. Extremely high temperatures were observed in 1949 in Upper Baskunchak - 44 °C. In Astrakhan, the highest temperature was 41°C. In the first half of June the flood ends. The low-water period is approaching. The water in the rivers warms up to 24°C, and in the ilmen - up to 25-27°C. In shallow-water ilmens, not connected with the Volga at this time, the water can completely evaporate, the bottom becomes covered with a thin layer of salt, cracks, and salt marshes form. Western and northwestern winds become more frequent, and 37-40% of the total annual precipitation falls. Precipitation is mainly torrential in nature, thunderstorms are frequent, and hail is possible, which causes sufficient damage to agricultural crops, fats, and vineyards. Often a kind of thunderstorm arises in the atmosphere: the wind whips up clouds, lightning pierces the sky, thunderclaps are heard, but the moisture does not reach the earth’s surface, evaporating in the heated layers of air. Astrakhan residents call this phenomenon “dry rain”.
The beginning of autumn in the Astrakhan region occurs in mid-September, when the temperature goes through +5°C and goes down. Warm, dry, sunny weather sets in with moderately high temperatures during the day and relatively low temperatures at night. In the second half of October frosts begin. The water in the Volga branches is warmer than the earth's surface, so in the morning the warm air above the reservoirs comes into contact with colder air, and fog forms. It's raining more and more often. In the second half of November, winter comes into its own.
In recent years, the Center for Hydrometeorology and the Committee on Ecology and Natural Resources have been conducting systematic observations of air cleanliness. In the city of Astrakhan, the main source of pollution is road transport, which accounts for 50-60% of pollutants. Sources of harmful emissions into the atmosphere include thermal power plants, boiler houses, and meat processing plants. Regionally, the main source of pollution remains the Astrakhan gas processing plant in Aksaraisk. In recent years, effective work has been carried out to reduce harmful emissions from these enterprises. The quality of air largely depends on the degree of landscaping in the area.
Soil of the Astrakhan region
The soil cover of the region is formed due to the main soil-forming factors: underlying surface, topography and climatic conditions, and in recent years - due to anthropogenic influence.
Various types of soils are common in the Astrakhan region. They are represented in the northern regions by zonal light chestnut soils, in the more southern regions - by brown semi-desert soils, in the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain, delta and substeppe ilmen - by floodplain soils. Intrazonal soils - solonetzes and solonchaks - are found everywhere among all types of soils. The main factor in the formation of soils in the region is the arid climate and sparse vegetation. Light chestnut soils are common on the territory of the right and left banks of the Volga-Akhtuba Valley only in the northern part. They occupy the most elevated spaces and are not continuous massifs, but are located in spots and intermittent stripes. The thickness of the humus horizons of these soils is only 30-40 cm, the amount of humus is small and it is distributed unevenly. Most often, such soils are used for pastures. They are also potentially fertile.
Brown semi-desert soils are located in patches among light chestnut soils and, moving from north to south, with increasing aridity of the climate, they gradually expand their areas. They are usually confined to leveled areas, but they can also be found on Baer hillocks and other hills. High salinity is one of the main reasons for the low fertility of these soils. The salts lying at depth gradually move towards the surface, resulting in salinization. A small amount of vegetation does little to enrich such soils with organic matter, and dead plant debris that comes to the surface quickly decomposes. Brown semi-desert soils are rich in mobile forms of phosphorus and potassium, and their nitrogen content is minimal and therefore such soils require the application of mineral and organic fertilizers. Irrigation is also a prerequisite for this type of soil.
Within the Caspian region, in the middle and southern part of the region. have different relief and area of space occupied by sands. The soil cover there has not yet formed. As such areas become overgrown with kumarchik, sandy oats and other plants, soils are formed, and the sands acquire a number of new properties over time. To consolidate the sand, various sand-loving plants are planted annually: saxaul, teresken, dzhuzgun. Completely different soil formation factors take place on the territory of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain and the Volga delta. Since this part of our area is constantly flooded during floods, fertile silt and solids accumulate here.
The floodplain is divided into three parts: riverbed, central and near-terrace. The riverbed elements of the floodplain are the most elevated points. Alluvial turf soils are formed here. They are the youngest and least formed and need protection from being blown away by the wind. These soils are the least valuable because they contain a small amount of humus. In the central, most leveled part of the floodplain, the type of alluvial-meadow soil is widespread. In some parts of the floodplain, these soils stand out in the form of large masses. They are characterized by a high humus content and are therefore fertile. Grass-forb and sedge-grass-forb meadows are common here. These are the best floodplain soils. The near-terrace floodplain is not well defined. The soils of this part of the floodplain contain large quantities of humus, and their composition resembles brown soils.
There is no sharp transition from the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain to the delta. The delta occupies a lower position, which causes greater moisture, caused by longer flooding and the proximity of groundwater, which leads to waterlogging. Swamp soils are accompanied by moisture-loving plants: cattail, reed, and susak. These soils are characterized by high humidity, silty composition, and bluish-bluish tones. Peat is not formed here, but the products of complete decomposition of organic matter accumulate. Swamp soils contain a lot of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, but they are used only after special reclamation measures. Soil salinity is increasing in the delta. The extreme degree of soil salinity leads to the formation of salt marshes. Salts not only permeate the entire soil profile, but even accumulate in the form of a white coating on the surface or even a crust.
A wide variety of soils is observed on the territory of the Western ilmen-hilly plain. Here, between the Baer hillocks, where brown semi-desert soils are widespread, ilmen-bog and ilmen-meadow soils are widespread in the inter-hill depressions. They are formed during periodic flooding of ilmen during floods. Due to the fact that not enough water flows into some ilmens, the bottoms dry out and salt marshes form.
Protection of soil cover in the region is one of the main tasks. This is due to human economic activity. Soil salinization occurs, pastures decrease, and fertility is lost.
Relief of the Astrakhan region
The territory of the Astrakhan region, tectonically, is located within two platforms: a significant part is confined to the Precambrian East European platform, the southernmost - to the Epihercynian (suprahercynian) Scythian platform. Between them there is a transition strip, which is called the platform articulation zone.
The flat surface, formed under the influence of endogenous processes, is complicated by relief forms that were formed under the influence of wind, flowing water, physical weathering and others. In its appearance, the plain is gently inclined towards the Caspian Sea.
Based on their origin, there are two types of plains in the region: accumulative and denudational. The main background in the region is created by accumulative plains. Only in the northeastern part of the region, in the vicinity of Lake Baskunchak, is there a denudation plain. The accumulative plain includes a marine plain. The most notable shape of this plain are the hillocks. These landforms were first described in 1856 by academician K.M. Baer and became widely known as Baer mounds. Their length is 0.8 - 5 km, width 0.1 - 0.5 km, absolute elevations range from minus 20 to minus 5 m. The steepness of the slopes is 4 - 10 ° C, but sometimes increases to 30 - 40 ° C. Roads are laid along the tops of the Baer hillocks, and the hillocks themselves are used for melon fields.
Ilmen lakes are located between ridges of hillocks and have a length from several hundred meters to several kilometers, a width of mainly several hundred meters, an average depth of 1-1.5 m. In the northern part of the region, a ravine relief develops along the steep right bank of the Volga River.
On the aeolian plain, which is also part of the accumulative plain, there are areas of active dispersal of the dune type, devoid of vegetation. The dunes have a crescent shape and an asymmetrical structure: the windward slope is flatter, the leeward slope is steep. The surface of the dune is covered with wind ripples. The height of individual dunes reaches 10-15 m. Connecting with each other, they form massifs of several hundred square meters. The formation of dune sands is often caused by the fact that humans destroy vegetation, the root system of which strengthens the sands, preventing the process of dispersal.
The floodplain-deltaic plain, which belongs to the accumulative plain, is located within the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain and the Volga delta. The floodplain occupies the low-lying space between the Volga and Akhtuba, which is flooded with river waters during flood periods. A green oasis 22-30 km wide, in some places 40-45 km wide, stretches the floodplain among the sun-scorched surrounding areas. The right bank of the Volga is steep, actively washed away by waters, destroyed during floods, the left bank is gentle, smoothly turns into an island surface of the floodplain, covered with lush meadow and tree vegetation. As you move south, the floodplain becomes a delta. The Volga delta looks like an almost regular triangle with its apex near the village of Verkhnee Lebyazhye, where the high-water Buzan branch branches off from the main river bed. The western border of the delta is the Bakhtemir branch, the eastern - Kigach. The length of the sea edge of the delta is more than 200 km. To the south of it there is a vast shallow seashore - the avandelta (the underwater part of the delta). The floodplain and delta are characterized by a large number of oxbow lakes, and in the southern above-water part of the delta - kultuks. The relief of the floodplain-delta part is very dynamic, undergoing certain changes every year: some streams die off as a result of shallowing, others appear; the outline of coasts and islands changes; new shallows, middle grounds, and islands appear.
The denudation type of plain is located in the northeastern part of the region in the area adjacent to Lake Baskunchak. The highest of this plain is Mount Big Bogdo, which has an asymmetrical structure, steep steep slopes from the east, southeast, north and gentler slopes to the west. In a hot, arid climate, physical weathering and wind play an important role in relief formation. Physical weathering is the destruction of rocks in an arid (hot, dry) climate due to large daily temperature amplitudes and low precipitation. As a result of physical weathering and wind, even the densest rocks are destroyed, and in place of a powerful member of these rocks, oddly shaped destruction remains are formed, on the vertical walls - cellular, like a honeycomb.
On the denudation plain, gypsum comes close to the surface and is subject to leaching. A karst process of relief formation occurs. Gypsum comes out especially close to the surface or even on the surface in the area northwest of Lake Baskunchak. Karst sinkholes and caves are formed here. In plan, the funnels have an oval or round shape, their sizes vary widely: depth - from several meters to 15-20 m, diameter - from 1 to 40 m. There are gaps at the bottom of some craters; on the slopes there are entrances to caves and karst wells. The largest cave, Bolshaya Baskunchakskaya, is more than 1.5 km long. It consists of a number of grottoes connected by galleries and has small branches.
Minerals in the Astrakhan region
The geological structure of the Astrakhan region determined the formation of various minerals on its territory.
Oil, Gas
Until the 30s of the 20th century, exploration and study of hydrocarbon deposits (oil, gas) to a depth of 300-350 m were carried out by individual enthusiastic scientists. The region has repeatedly raised the question of the need to begin research work. The region did not have the necessary funds to carry out the work. Only in the post-war years did geological exploration work begin. In the 1950s, the Promyslovoe gas field was discovered, which made it possible to gasify residential and industrial facilities in the city of Astrakhan and a number of villages.
In August 1976, a fountain that erupted from well 5 announced the discovery of the Astrakhan sulfur-gas-condensate field, unique in its reserves and composition of components not only in Russia, but also abroad. The deposit is located 70 km northeast of the city of Astrakhan (Aksaraisk). The field area is 2500 sq. km. Processing of the extracted gas takes place at the Astrakhan Gas Processing Plant (AGPZ "Astrakhan-Gazprom"). In 1990-1991, the Verblyuzhye oil and North-Shadrinskoe gas fields were discovered, which are now under detailed study.
Salt
Lake Baskunchak is associated with one of the world's largest deposits of high-quality table salt. It contains 98% sodium chloride and is considered one of the best in the world.
In captivity, the lake has an irregular shape. In its general appearance, the lake resembles the head of a dog, which is translated from Turkic as the word “Baskunchak”. The lake is fed by shallow groundwater, the waterproof layer of which is rock salt. Groundwater dissolves salt, turns into brine and flows out to the surface of the lake in the form of springs. Every year the springs carry out 800-900 thousand tons of salt. The salinity of an aqueous solution of salt (brine) is 300 ppm. Brine covers the surface of the lake by 0.5 - 0.7 m only in the cold season, after precipitation and snow melting. In summer, the water evaporates, and salt in the form of crystals settles on the surface of the lake. Salt lies to a depth of 600 m. The salt layer alternates with layers of clay and sand.
Three types of salt are mined: novosalka, pomegranate (a loose mass of crystals) and cast iron (a dense stone mass that has to be ground). Baskunchak salt makes up 80% of all Russian salt. Therefore, Lake Baskunchak is rightly called the All-Russian salt shaker.
Construction materials
A special role among deposits of building materials belongs to the largest Baskunchak gypsum deposit in Russia. Gypsum is extracted from quarries up to 40 m deep using blasting operations. The blocks that collapsed after the explosion are transported by car from the quarry to the surface, where they are further processed.
Clays and loams are used for brick-tile and expanded clay production. For the production of bricks and tiles, 18 deposits have been developed, on the basis of which several brick factories operate. For the production of silicate products, two large sand deposits are used: Streletskoye and Volzhskoye. 5.5 km east of Lake Baskunchak is the Kubatau limestone deposit, from which construction lime is produced. Also in the vicinity of Lake Baskunchak, outcrops of mineral paints, represented by Triassic ocher clays, have been identified. They are suitable for the manufacture of lime-cement paints and as a pigment for dry and oil paints.
The region has huge reserves of mineral waters and medicinal mud, which are awaiting detailed study and development. At the moment, the Tinaki mud and healing resort is open in Astrakhan.
Water resources
The surface waters of the region are represented by the Volga River, its branches, as well as many channels, eriks, fresh and salt lakes and the largest lake on our planet - the Caspian Sea.
The Volga River, the longest in Europe, stretches for 3,530 km, its drainage basin area is 1,360,000 sq. km.
Information about the Volga is found in the works of scientists and travelers of ancient times. The first mention of it as the Ra River is in the records of the Greek Ptolemy in the 2nd century. n. e. Later, in the 9th and 10th centuries, Ra acquired the name Edil, but more often Itil. At the end of the 14th - beginning of the 15th century, the river became the most important trade route from Europe to the countries of the Caucasus, Central Asia, Persia, and India. In the second half of the 15th century, the Tver merchant Afanasy Nikitin traveled along the Volga through the Caspian Sea to India, which he wrote about in the book “Walking across Three Seas.”
Around that time, the Volga was assigned its former name. Scientists suggest that it comes from the Old Russian word “vologa” - moisture. Various travelers traveling along the Volga left its description and interesting information about it. (Adam Olearius in the 17th century, P.S. Pallas, S.G. Gnelin in the 18th - 19th centuries).
K.M. Baer, after traveling along the Volga, explained an interesting planetary feature: the great steepness of the right bank of the river in the northern hemisphere and the left bank in the southern hemisphere under the influence of the deflecting force of the Earth's rotation (Baer's law). The Volga originates on the Valdai Hills near the village of Volgo-Verkhovye, Tver region, at an altitude of 256 meters above sea level. For the first few tens of kilometers, the Volga is a thin stream, and only after the Selizharovka River flows into it does it become a full-flowing river. The Volga, Caspian Sea, and other rivers flowing into it belong to the endorheic basin. The Volga is connected to the world ocean through a shipping canal located near Volgograd.
The Volga, along almost its entire length, has been turned into a chain of reservoirs intersecting with each other, and 8 cascades of hydroelectric power stations have been created on it. Only from Volgograd to the Caspian Sea has the Volga retained its natural appearance, but even here the natural flood regime is disrupted.
On the territory of the Astrakhan region, the Volga does not receive a single tributary. At the Volzhsky, a large branch separates from it to the east - the Akhtuba River, which flows parallel to the main river throughout its entire length. The low-lying space between the Volga and Akhtuba is filled with flood river waters and is called the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain.
To the north of Astrakhan, where the large Buzan branch separates from the Volga, the delta begins. The largest branches of the delta are Bakhtemir, Kizan, Pryamaya and Krivaya Bolda. The main branches, 0.3 - 0.6 km wide, branch into numerous channels and erics. The basis of the hydrological network of the delta is formed by eriki - small watercourses up to 30 m wide. At the confluence with the Caspian Sea, the Volga has about 800 mouths.
The Volga is fed by melting snow. Rain and ground nutrition make up a small share.
The Volga is characterized by spring and summer floods. The construction of a dam in the Volgograd region caused a decrease in the flood level and a decrease in its duration. The average volume of spring floods decreased from 130 to 97 cubic meters. kilometers, in duration - from 83 to 53 days.
The beginning of the spring flood occurs in the second half of April, the peak - at the end of May - beginning of June. The water rises 2-4 meters and floods huge spaces - hollows. The water in them warms up well, and the hollows serve as the main spawning grounds for many species of fish: carp, bream, roach and others. During a short-term flood, young fish do not have time to leave the floors and die. The speed of water flow in large channels ranges from 0.8 to 1.5 m/sec, reaching 2-2.5 m/sec during floods.
The Volga and its main branches have an average depth of 8 - 11 meters, but in some areas whirlpools with a depth of 15 - 18 meters are formed, which Astrakhan residents call pits.
In the 17th century, the most full-flowing of the branches was the B. Bolda River, later - Ivanchug. From the beginning of the 19th century, the Volga itself served as the road to the sea (now called the Old Volga), but later its bed began to be covered with sand and split into channels. The shipping passage was moved to the west - to the Bakhtemir branch; this significance has been preserved to this day. In order to maintain normal conditions for navigation, it is necessary to systematically carry out deepening work along the fairway.
However, the Volga is currently in a deplorable state. The lower reaches of the river concentrate all the harmful substances that enter it throughout the drainage basin. 9-10 cubic meters are dumped into the Volga. km of untreated industrial and domestic wastewater. Of the 150,000 rivers, rivulets and streams that supplied the Volga with water, 30% have disappeared in recent years.
Of all the hydroelectric power stations, only the Volgograd and Saratov hydroelectric power stations have devices for passing fish, which are quite low-power and are not capable of passing all the fish. And she dies under the dams.
In recent years, control over enterprises discharging harmful substances has been tightened. New treatment facilities are being built at a higher technological level. All this will help avoid the death of the great Russian river - the Volga.
Lakes in the Astrakhan region
By origin, Astrakhan lakes are divided into tectonic, dammed, mixed, and according to their chemical composition - into fresh and salty.
Lake Baskunchak is a tectonic lake. It is a trough, the subsidence of which is compensated by sedimentation in the form of a salt mass. In plan, the lake has an irregular shape. The length of the lake is 18 km, width from 6 to 9 km, total area - 106 sq. km. The absolute elevation of the salt surface is minus 21.3 m.
The northern, western, and southern banks are steep, the eastern banks are flatter, cut by runoff hollows. From the top of the Big Bogdo mountain, the lake resembles a huge silver bowl glowing in the sun.
Lakes - oxbows and kultuks belong to the dammed type. Oxbow lakes are widespread in the floodplain and delta. In plan they have a horseshoe shape and are not connected to the main river or erik. During the spring flood they fill with water, and in the summer they can become shallow until they completely dry out.
Kultuks are formed at the sea edge of the delta, when bays, due to the accumulation of sandy deposits in the form of spits and swells from the sea, lose connection with it and turn into lakes. Kultuks are shallow (0.5 - 1 m), the water in them quickly warms up in summer and is covered with picturesque thickets of nymphaeum, white water lily, chilim, cattail, and reeds.
Ilmen lakes are predominantly concentrated to the west of the delta. The wind, sea and Volga waters took part in their formation. After the retreat of the Caspian Sea, water was preserved only in the deepest areas; Astrakhan residents began to call these areas ilmens. The length of ilmens ranges from several hundred meters to several kilometers. The longest is Big Beshkul - 10 km. Their width is from 150 to 1000 m. The depth in low water is 0.5 - 1 m, in high water - 2 - 3.5 meters. Sometimes ilmens are connected to each other by narrow eriks. As a result, parallel chains of ilmens stretching from east to west are formed, separated from each other by narrow rows of mounds. Some ilmens retain water throughout the year and are fresh lakes. Lush vegetation grows on their banks, there are a lot of fish in the ilmens, and there are crayfish. Ilmen, which are not filled with water for several years, are in various stages of salinization, up to their transformation into salt lakes. Such reservoirs are surrounded by unpretentious salt-loving vegetation - halophytes. Narrow rows of Baer mounds stretch between fresh and salt lakes. Salt reserves in the salty Ilmen lakes are small. But until the 20th century, salt was extracted from them. Raspberry Lake is known, which was the property of Empress Catherine II. Every year 100 pounds of this salt were supplied to her table, and only this was served at the table during foreign receptions, because the salt was an exquisite pink-raspberry color. This color is explained by the fact that Raspberry Lake is inhabited by microorganisms of serration salinaria, which produce a pinkish pigment.
Not far from the village of Corduan, located on the left bank of the Kigach River, there is the Small Corduan salt lake. A mineral called astrakhanite was first discovered here. It contains sodium sulfate, sulfur-magnesium salt and water. It grows very slowly: it takes 50 years for it to increase in weight by 1 gram.
The salt lakes of the region are rich in healing mud. The resort of Tinaki, located 15 km northwest of Astrakhan, was created on one of these lakes. The resort arose in 1820 on the shores of Lake Tinaki. The lake got its name from the word “mud,” as the silt deposits that accumulate at the bottom of the lake are often called. The silts are black creamy mud of high mineralization, enriched with hydrogen sulfide, and in some lakes also with bromine. Tinak mud is used to treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system and many others. However, after the construction of the Astrakhan pulp and cardboard mill in the immediate vicinity of the resort, sludge contamination occurred with industrial wastewater. It became impossible to use mud from Lake Tinaki for medicinal purposes. Now the mud is delivered to the resort from a salt lake located 100 km west of Lake Tinaki.
Fresh ilmen also produces a specific type of silt deposits with an organic content of more than 15%, which is called sapropel. It is formed as a result of the accumulation at the bottom of the ilmen, along with mineral substances, of the remains of aquatic plants and animals. Sapropel is a valuable organo-mineral product, improves the structure of the soil, promotes its deoxidation due to the increased calcium content. Ilmen with fresh water is a source of water supply, a habitat for certain species of plants and animals, and a favorite vacation spot for Astrakhan residents.
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest lake in the world, called the sea for its large size. Its area without islands is 368 thousand square kilometers. The Caspian Sea contains 90% of the water of all the salt lakes in the world.
Information about the Caspian Sea is given in the works of ancient scientists: Herodotus (5th century BC), Aristotle, Claudius Ptolemy and others. A comprehensive physical and geographical study of the Caspian Sea begins under Peter the Great and is associated with the names of F.I. Simonova, A.A. Bekovich - Cherkassky, A. Kozhin. The Caspian Sea had about 70 names: Hyrkan, Khvalyn, Khazar. Abeskunskoe, Saraiskoe, Sikhai, Derbentskoe and others. The sea received its modern name in honor of the ancient Caspian tribes (horse breeders) who lived in the 1st century BC. on the northwest coast.
The Caspian Sea extends for more than 100 km, its level is 27 meters below the level of the World Ocean. The maximum depth is noted in the southern part and is 1025 m.
According to physical-geographical characteristics and the characteristics of the hydrological regime, the Caspian Sea is divided into northern, middle and southern parts. The Astrakhan region is located near the northern part.
The bottom topography of the Northern Caspian Sea is a shallow, slightly undulating accumulative plain with a delta, delta front and a number of islands. The low, gently sloping banks are swampy and covered with impenetrable reed thickets up to 3-4 meters high. This part of the pool is rarely more than 4 meters deep. For navigation and the passage of schools of fish, canals are being built here (Volga-Caspian Canal, Gandurinsky, Kirovsky and others).
Wind plays an important role in the hydrological regime of the Caspian Sea. The average wind speed throughout the year is 3 -7 m/sec. Strong storm winds are observed from October to April. At the border with land, local winds arise: moraine and breeze. Winds cause drift and katabatic currents. Wave speeds range from a few centimeters to 1 m/sec, reaching more than a meter with a wind speed of 24-28 m/sec. The height of waves in stormy weather is usually 2 meters, rarely reaching 4 meters, due to the fact that the northern part of the Caspian is shallow and covered with ice in winter.
At the end of December, ice covers the entire area, and its thickness in some places reaches 40-79 cm. Heavy winds break the ice, forming hummocks up to 12 meters high. At the end of March-April, the Northern Caspian Sea is completely cleared of ice. In summer, the water warms up to an average of 24 - 26 C, and in shallow waters - up to 35 C. The waters of the Caspian Sea are characterized by a certain mineralization. Average salinity in the northern Caspian Sea ranges from 6 to 11‰ and decreases to 3‰ at the mouth of the Volga. The waters of the Caspian Sea are rich in calcium ions and sulfates, which is due to the closed nature of the basin and the influence of large river flows.
The contours of the Caspian Sea are constantly changing. The sea rose to an absolute level of 49 m and dropped to minus 50 meters. At the highest water levels, a connection was established between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea through the Kuma-Manych trough. The instability of the level of the Caspian Sea is evidenced by a mass of archaeological excavations. For example, during the construction of a dam under the bottom of the Absheron Bay, at a depth of 1.5 m, skeletons of Scythian warriors buried in the 1st century were found in stone tombs. BC
In the 30s of the 20th century, the sea began to recede. In 1977, the lowest level in the last 300 years was recorded, amounting to minus 29.03 meters. Since 1978, the rise of the Caspian Sea has begun; now its mark has reached minus 27, and the sea continues to rise.
The level of the Caspian Sea may increase by another 4-5 meters compared to today due to climatic conditions. Sea water will move inland tens of kilometers
The flora and fauna of the northern part of the Caspian Sea is very diverse. Here you can meet inhabitants of both fresh and salt water bodies. The presence of hydrocarbon minerals is expected in the Caspian shelf zone. But their exploration and development may worsen the environmental situation in this region. Equipment is being developed to extract oil and gas from the Caspian shelf in a safer way.
Groundwater
Groundwater is divided into groundwater and interstratal water.
Groundwater is confined to the first aquifer from the surface, located on the first waterproof layer and not covered by waterproof rocks. The aquifer is represented by sands of modern, Khvalynian and, in the north of the region, Khazar ages. The depth of groundwater varies from several meters to 20 - 50 m. Most of the water is salty. At the same time, in the area of Lake Baskunchak, the Khazar waters are fresh and are the source of water supply for the village of Nizhny Baskunchak.
Interstratal waters are found in aquifers between layers of impermeable rocks. This type of groundwater can be traced in rocks of different ages throughout the entire neological size, starting with Quaternary deposits. For the most part, interstratal waters are characterized by increased mineralization and are recommended for use for medicinal purposes.
Flora and fauna
Vegetation of the Astrakhan region
The species composition of the region's flora is not rich. On the territory of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain and the Volga delta, as a result of research, about 500 plant species belonging to 82 families were identified. The richest among these families are the genera of wormwood, pondweed, astragalus, sedge, euphorbia and saltwort.
The Caspian deserts are a kingdom of semi-shrub wormwoods, among which the most common are white wormwood, poor-flowered or black wormwood, and sandy wormwood. In total, the genus Artemisia is represented by 10 species. As a result of evolution, desert plants have developed a number of features that allow them to tolerate lack of moisture and soil salinity. Many types of species have changed leaves - the surface area of the leaf has become much smaller. In some cases, the shoots became stronger. As a rule, the underground part of desert plants is 19-20 times more powerful than the above-ground part. Plant species such as saltwort, sarsazan, multibranched tamarix, and Gmelin's kermek - salt-loving plants - grow here. Ephedra two-spikelet, thin-legged grass, feather grass, Schober's saltpeter, gray teresken, giant grate, fescue, desert wheatgrass are typical representatives of the desert fauna of our region. The vegetation cover of the desert is exceptionally dynamic, which is associated with soil movement. In general, the desert flora has 160-200 species, and the leading families here are Asteraceae, Chemopoaceae and Poaceae.
The plant composition of the Lower Volga valley is closely related to moisture. A sharp change in moisture in the floodplain and delta prevents the spread of forests. They grow only in narrow strips (ribbon or gallery forests) along river beds and canals; the main spaces are occupied by meadows. Black poplar, ash, elm and willow are common here. In meadows with little moisture one can find ground reed grass, sour sorrel, blueberry, wormwood, Russian bedstraw, and horned lambswort. The wetter meadows are occupied by brome without awns, bluegrass angustifolia, bedstraw (in the floodplain) and sea bulrush, marshmallow and other species. Wet and waterlogged habitats are occupied by acute sedge, broadleaf sedge, southern reed, fence root, coastal sedge (in the delta). The coastal region of the delta is dominated by tall reed thickets. In the underwater part of the delta, Vallisneria spiralis, hornworts, urut, pondweeds, and the underwater form of umbrella plant grow. These unique “underwater meadows” are an excellent place for the growth and development of many semi-anadromous fish.
The flora of the Caspian Sea differs sharply in species composition from the flora of the underwater part of the delta. Higher plants of the Caspian Sea are represented by only five species. These are zoster seagrass, comb pondweed, sea naiad, spiral rupee and sea rupee. Green, blue-green and diatom algae also predominate here, of which there are more than 700 species. In addition to them, golden algae, pyrophytic, euglenic, brown, charophytic, and red algae are noted in the Caspian Sea. Most algae species in the Caspian Sea belong to phytoplankton. These algae are the basis of fish resources.
Also on the territory of the Astrakhan region there are medicinal plants, of which there are more than 100 species. It is necessary to note the peculiarity of medicinal plants growing in the southern regions of Russia. The closer to the south, the higher the content of active medicinal substances, the stronger the effect they have on the human body. About a third of the medicinal plants in the Astrakhan region are poisonous. In small doses, toxic substances have a therapeutic effect, and species containing these substances are also medicinal. These species include: white acacia, leafless anabasis and salt marsh anabasis, black henbane, common datura, common kirzakon, May lily of the valley and other plants. Many species of plants included in the medicinal group are very rare. Procurement of such plants is impossible and unacceptable. These species include thyme (thyme), lily of the valley, nut lotus, calamus. But not only poisonous medicinal plants grow in the region. There are also non-poisonous species: marshmallow, licorice, creeping wheatgrass, dandelion, sandy immortelle, gray blackberry, angustifolia, wandering pamelia (cut-grass, crow's feet - the popular name).
Cultivated plants are also not uncommon in the Astrakhan region. Back in the 13th century, watermelons began to be sown near Astrakhan, from where they spread throughout the south of Russia. In the mid-20th century, a research institute for irrigated vegetable and melon growing was created. Tomatoes are the most widespread crop in the region. Processing plants produce high-quality tomato juice, hot sauce, tomato paste and puree, ketchup and other products. Astrakhan tomatoes enjoy well-deserved fame throughout the European part of Russia. For the first time in the country, the first vineyards appeared in Astrakhan, and raisins, juice, and wine began to be produced from grapes. Recently, rice has become widespread in the Astrakhan region. Fruit plants also grow here: apple trees, quince, strawberries 
Fauna of the Astrakhan region
The fauna of the region is quite diverse. This is facilitated by the peculiar location of the territory and climatic conditions.
First of all, these conditions are favorable for the life of protozoa. There are about 150 species in the water bodies of the delta. The badyaga also lives here - this animal belongs to the class of sponges. It has long been used in folk medicine for rubbing bruises, treating radiculitis, and rheumatism.
In the Caspian Sea basin there are 5 species of coelenterates: hydra, American blackfordia, Black Sea merisia, Balitian butenvillea, polypodium, and another type of hydra: craspedakusta. There are ringed worms in the ground. About 10 species of earthworms, or earthworms, are found in the soils of the region. In the fresh water bodies of the delta, snail and fish leeches are found.
The delta is also home to about 80 species of shellfish. The class of bivalves includes toothless ones, barleys, balls, dreissenas and others. Their body is housed in a shell, which consists of two valves. All shellfish purify water by filtering it in search of food. One clam purifies about 150-200 liters of water per day. Gastropods, which have a solid tubular shell covering the back of the mollusk, are represented on the territory of our region by pond snails, barnacles, river livebearers, physes, coilers, meadows.. About 260 species of crustaceans live on the territory of the Northern Caspian Sea. The most common representatives: daphnia, copepods, mysids, gammarids, cumaceans and others. The narrow-clawed crayfish is the only representative of decapod crayfish in the Volga delta.
Arachnids chose the ground layer of the atmosphere and the surface layer of soil for their habitat. They can be found in forests, steppes, deserts, fields, and residential areas. Within the area there are large salpugs, motley scorpion, spiders and ticks. Karaurt is one of the most dangerous spiders in Russia, its venom is 15 times more toxic than that of a rattlesnake. Of those bitten, about 6% die. The South Russian tarantula is a no less famous spider in the Astrakhan region. It is also a poisonous spider, but a tarantula bite is non-lethal for humans. In addition to karakurts and tarantulas, the territory is home to 6 more species of poisonous spiders: black spider, eresus, cross spider, argiope and others. They cannot cause serious harm to humans. Side-walking spiders are often found. They deftly jump on flowers. They do not weave nets, catching victims in a swoop. Some of them feed on plant juices or nectar. The relief and climate features of the Astrakhan region favor the life of insects. In total there are about one and a half thousand species of insects. The area is inhabited by terrestrial beetles: rhinoceros beetle, marbled beetle, pimella, fragrant beetle, trellised ground beetle, golden and marbled bronze beetles. Of the aquatic species, large and numerous water lovers should be mentioned - large and black, as well as the fringed diving beetle. The great water-lover is most often confused in our area with the cockchafer. One of the most dangerous for agriculture is an uninvited guest from America - the Colorado potato beetle, which eats potato leaves. and other crops.
The order of bedbugs in the Astrakhan region is represented mainly by waterfowl: the rafting bug, the ranatra, the gladysh and others. But the most famous representative is water striders.
Order Lepidoptera - butterflies. There are about 140 species of butterflies in the Astrakhan region. The most numerous are: fiery chervonets, Icarus blueberry, argiat, raspberry, beautiful blueberry and silver blueberry - small or medium-sized butterflies. Among the large butterflies, there are numerous: meadow butterfly, cabbage butterfly, lemongrass, agrimony, angler, bear, swallowtail, podalirium and a number of others. The Great Peacock's Eye is the largest of the butterflies. Here you can also find podalirium, white moths, cutworms and moths, euphorbia, lineaceae, bindweed, small wine, poplar hawkmoth and tongue. Our region is also rich in dragonflies. The largest of them are the eshna, or simply the rocker, and the anax - the watchman.
The class of bony fish is a large group of aquatic animals in the Astrakhan region. If we consider the fish that live not only in the Volga, but also in the Caspian Sea, then in total there are 76 species and 47 subspecies. The Astrakhan region has long been famous for sturgeon, which in Rus' was called “red” fish. In total, 5 species of sturgeon live here - Russian sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, beluga, thorn and sterlet. The first four species are anadromous, and sterlet is a freshwater fish. A hybrid of beluga and sterlet - bester - is also bred. Herring species are represented by Caspian shad, common and blackback sprat and Volga herring. Of the salmonids, the whitefish is found in the region, and of the order of pike-like fish, the only representative is the pike. The carp fish of the lower reaches of the Volga include bream, carp, roach, rudd, gold and silver crucian carp, asp, silver bream, gudgeon, grass carp, white and bighead carp. Perch are represented by river perch, ruffe, as well as pike perch and bersh. The only representative of the stickleback order, the southern stickleback, is found everywhere in stagnant shallow freshwater reservoirs of the lower reaches of the Volga River.
Amphibians occupy an intermediate position between aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates. The Astrakhan region is inhabited by representatives of only the tailless order - the lake frog, the green toad and the common spadefoot.
Of the order of turtles, only one species is found in the region - the marsh turtle. And among the lizards, the most common are the quick-footed lizard, multi-colored and fast foot-and-mouth lizards, the long-eared roundhead, the spiny roundhead, the takyr roundhead and the squeaky gecko. Close relatives of lizards are snakes. These peculiar animals are characterized by an unblinking gaze, a forked tongue, and poisonousness. The group of snakes in the Astrakhan region includes 10 species. It is home to common and water snakes, yellow-bellied snakes, four-striped and patterned snakes, copperhead, lizard snake, sand boa, steppe viper and Pallas's copperhead. The most common species of snakes in the lower reaches of the Volga are common and water snakes.
Within the Astrakhan region you can meet about 260 species of birds. Some (sedentary) can be found all year round, others (migratory and nomadic) - during migration. The order of passerines includes house and field sparrows, tits - great and blue tits, common thrushes, thrushes - fieldfare, black and songbirds, swallows - shore, city and village, broad-tailed, chaffinch, gray and black-fronted shrikes, grosbeaks, skylarks, hooded crows, rooks , jackdaw, magpie and many others. The Thrush Warbler is a typical inhabitant of reed beds. Remez is a bird smaller in size than a sparrow, and the yellow-headed wren is the smallest of the birds of the Astrakhan region. Among the order of storks in the region there are gray herons, white herons - small and large, red, yellow, Egyptian, as well as spoonbill, loaf 
a, great and little bittern, night heron. Among the Anseriformes, we have the gray goose, mute and whooper swans, mallards, gray ducks, and ogre. teal and many others. From the gull family, herring and black-headed gulls are common, as well as terns - small birds similar to gulls, but with a hookless beak and a forked tail. The delta is home to black, white-winged and common terns. Among the owls found in the lower reaches of the Volga are the tawny owl, short-eared owl, little owl, eagle owl, scops owl and long-eared owl. On the territory of the region you can also find beautiful birds - the steppe eagle, goshawk, reed, steppe, field and marsh harriers, black kite, rough-legged buzzard, saker falcon, hobby hobby, falcon, common kestrel, osprey and a number of other species.
The total number of species of mammals living in our country does not exceed. From the order of rodents in the Astrakhan region there are ground squirrels - small and yellow, midday and crested gerbils. jerboas - molefoot and little moth, field and house mice, baby mouse, gray rat (pasyuk), common and water voles, muskrat, beaver, mole vole, gray hamster and some other species. Among the carnivores in the region, the wolf, common fox, corsac fox, raccoon dog, steppe ferret, bandage, ermine, weasel, badger, otter and others live in the region. In recent years, another species of predatory species has begun to be found in the lower reaches of the Volga - the American mink. This animal, which has valuable fur, was raised on our farms. Some of the animals escaped from the fur farm and multiplied, forming a fairly large natural population. The order of artiodactyls is represented in the region by wild boar, an inhabitant of reed thickets, saiga, an inhabitant of lowland steppes and semi-deserts, and elk. A new species of ungulates, the red deer, has also been introduced. The majority of domestic animals bred on farms in the region also belong to the order of artiodactyls. The Astrakhan region is an area of developed sheep breeding, and the natural conditions of some areas of the region are favorable for breeding “ships of the desert” - camels. Bactrian camels of the Kalmyk (Astrakhan) breed are bred here. The order of pinnipeds includes only one species - the Caspian seal (nerpa). It is a marine mammal that gives birth to its young on the ice.
We are also home to muskrats, hedgehogs - long-eared and occasionally common, small and white-bellied shrews, which are insectivorous animals. These are very useful animals for humans, as they destroy large numbers of harmful insects.
Geography
Astrakhan region, located in the southwest of our country, on the territory of the Caspian lowland.
The geographical location of the Astrakhan region is very favorable. It is located on the border of Europe and Asia, the Volga gives access to 5 seas, being a link between the North Caucasus and the south of Russia, between Kazakhstan and Central Asia, through the Caspian Sea it connects Russia with the Iranian direction. The length of the territory from west to east between Kalmykia and Kazakhstan is 120 km, and from north to south along the Volga and Akhtuba to the Caspian Sea - 375 km. The total area of the region is 44,100 km2, which is 0.3% of the territory of the Russian Federation. In the east, the region borders on Kazakhstan, in the north and northwest – on the Volgograd region, in the west – on the Republic of Kalmykia.
The northernmost point is located on the border with the Volgograd region at 48°52" north latitude, the southern point is on the shores of the Caspian Sea - 45°31" north latitude. The westernmost point is located in the Chernoyarsk region on the border with the Volgograd region - 44°58" east longitude, the eastern one - on one of the small islands of the Volga delta in the Volodarsky region at 49°15" east longitude.
Surface water. Rivers flow through the region. The Volga and the branch branching off from it near Volgograd - r. Akhtuba, connected by a large number of ducts. The space between the Volga and Akhtuba is called the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain. At the mouth, the Volga divides into many branches that form its complex delta. The largest of them are Bakhtemir, Bolda, Buzan, etc. There are many salt lakes in the region; Freshwater lakes (ilmeni) are numerous in the floodplain and delta of the Volga. Delta river The Volga is one of the largest deltas in the world and occupies over 24 thousand square meters in the Caspian lowland. km. The length from north to south is 120 km, along the sea edge of the delta - 200 km.
Climate
The climate of the region is characterized as sharply continental, arid, despite the proximity of the sea. The main amount of precipitation (70-75%) falls in the warm season. Average temperatures in January are from -6 to -10 °C, in July 24-25 °C. The maximum is 42°C, and the minimum sometimes reaches -30°C. The annual precipitation ranges from 180 - 200 mm in the south and 280 - 290 mm in the north. The main amount of precipitation (70 - 75%) falls in the warm season. During the year, winds prevail at a speed of 4 - 8 m/sec, but in some cases the speed increases to 12 - 20 m/sec or more. About 70% of the region's territory is occupied by deserts and semi-deserts.
Administrative-territorial structure
The region includes 11 rural districts (Akhtubinsky, Volodarsky, Enotaevsky, Ikryaninsky, Kamyzyaksky, Krasnoyarsky, Limansky, Narimanovsky, Privolzhsky, Kharabalinsky, Chernoyarsky), 6 cities (regional significance - Astrakhan, Akhtubinsk, Znamensk), district significance (Kamyzyak, Narimanov, Kharabali ) 442 villages and towns.
Population
Multinationality, remaining to this day a distinctive feature of the Astrakhan region, left its mark on its economic and cultural development.
The Astrakhan region is distinguished by its diverse ethnic composition. More than 100 nationalities live on its territory. There are about 20 denominations here.
Urban residents 67.9%
Average density 22.8 people. per 1 sq. km
Flora and fauna
The flora of the region is currently rather poorly studied and, according to various sources, there are from 800 to 1500 plant species.
On the territory of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain and the Volga delta, 405 species of higher vascular plants of 258 genera and 82 families grow, of which 240 are perennials, 134 annuals, 31 biennials and 17 chamephytes. The dominant species in the Volga delta include Asteraceae, cereals, goosefoot, legumes, cabbages, and sedges. These families make up 50% of the total flora of the Volga delta.
In the lower reaches of the Volga delta there are more than 290 plant species. Among them: relict salvinia and chilim, lotus. Up to 50 species of fish live here: among sturgeons - beluga, sturgeon, stellate sturgeon; among herrings - Caspian shad, Volga herring, blackback; among cyprinids - roach, bream, carp, rudd, asp, sabrefish, golden crucian carp; as well as pike, pike perch, perch, gobies, stickleback, etc.
There are few mammals: wild boars, wolves, foxes, otters, field mice, baby mice, etc. Saiga antelope, rodents, and eagles are common in the semi-desert. The Volga delta is characterized by egrets and pelicans. Migratory waterfowl are numerous in spring and autumn. The region is home to about 270 species of birds, of which 30 are listed in the Red Book of Russia, about 60 species of mammals, of which 3 are listed in the Red Book of Russia, 18 species of reptiles and 4 species of amphibians.
The total area of forest land in the region is 263.3 thousand hectares. The forested area is 86.5 thousand hectares, the rest of the forest fund lands are occupied mainly by sand and wetlands. Forest cover in the region is 1.8%. All forests belong to the first group and primarily perform: water protection functions - 127.3 thousand hectares; protective functions - 30.3 thousand hectares; sanitary, hygienic and health functions - 38.9 thousand hectares; special purpose - 66.8 thousand hectares.
The total area of trees and shrubs not included in the forest fund is 24.7 thousand hectares.
The species composition of forest plantations in the region is not rich and is represented by oak, elm, maple, ash, willow and shrubby willow, poplar, saxaul, oleaster, mulberry, tamarisk, and juzgun. However, the main areas are occupied by willow (33%) and poplar (22%). More than 20% of the area is occupied by forest crops of ash, elm, willow and Euro-American poplar varieties.
Economy
Due to favorable natural conditions, Astrakhan is a developed agricultural region (main branches of agriculture: growing rice, grains, vegetable growing, melon growing, meat and wool sheep breeding, meat and dairy cattle breeding). The region has a developed mining and fish processing industry. Currently, industries that are strategically important for the entire country have acquired the greatest importance in the development of the regional economy - primarily the exploration and production of hydrocarbons on the Caspian shelf, shipbuilding, and transport. Due to the developed hydrocarbon production industry, a number of petrochemical enterprises operate in the Astrakhan region.
There are 16 shipbuilding plants in the Astrakhan region.
