2022 Volume 39 Issue 1 Pages 59-64
We described species composition and productivity at abandoned farmland in the Republic of Kazakhstan. We also compared characteristics among sites to investigate community assembly rules in the patterns of secondary succession. We selected six study sites on the northern and western natural steppes of Kazakhstan. The species composition associated with low scores on the Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) axis 1 was considered to reflect locally stable states, associated with the long time periods following abandonment. Compositional differences along DCA axis 2 were likely reflective of regional species pool characteristics. We concluded that controlling the initial conditions of abandoned farmland is important for steppe restoration. We also suggested that successful management of abandoned farmland on the Kazakhstan steppes requires careful monitoring of the initial stages of secondary succession.
