Volga-Kama Nature Reserve ( Russian : Волжско-Камский заповедник ) (also Volzhsko-Kamsky , Vosshko-Kamisky ) is a Russian ' zapovednik ' (strict ecological reserve) at the confluence of the Volga River , the Kama River , and the Myosha River . There are two sections to the reserve, one on the left bank terraces of the Volga, at the actual meeting point of the rivers, the other section about 100 km up the Volga on the western outskirts of the city of Kazan . The reserve is situated in the Zelenodolsky Districts and Laishevsky District of Tatarstan . It was formally established in 1960 to protect remaining forest and forest-steppe habitat of the middle Volga region, and has an area of 8,024 ha (30.98 sq mi). A particular focus of scientific study is the effects of the Kuybyshev Reservoir on the local environment. The reservoir was completed in the mid-1950s, and is the largest reservoir in Europe. The Volga-Kama Reserve is part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
18-520: The Volga-Kama Reserve has two sections: The river valleys of the northern sector are at an absolute level of up to 66 meters; the higher areas in the north and south of the Raifa sector reach 120 meters. Volga-Kama Reserve is located in the East European forest steppe ecoregion, which is a transition zone between the broadleaf forests of the north and the grasslands to the south. This ecoregion
36-447: A hide overlooking one of the best areas for the eagles. There are limited 'ecotourist' routes in the reserve, however, that are open to local residents, but require permits to be obtained in advance. The reserve sponsors an arboretum and a nature museum; they are visited by over 10 thousand people. The main office is in the city of Kazan. East European forest steppe The East European forest steppe ecoregion (WWF ID: PA0419)
54-515: Is a patchwork of broadleaf forest stands and grasslands (steppe) that stretches 2,100 km across Eastern Europe from the Ural Mountains in Ural , through Povolzhye , Central Russia to the middle of Ukraine . There are isolated areas of similar character off the western end in eastern Romania , Moldova , and Bulgaria . The region forms a transition zone between the temperate forests to
72-714: Is characterized by a mosaic of forests, steppe, and riverine wetlands. The climate of Volga-Kama is Humid continental climate, warm summer ( Köppen climate classification (Dfb) ). This climate is characterized by large swings in temperature, both diurnally and seasonally, with mild summers and cold, snowy winters. The average temperature in the Volga-Kama Reserve ranges from −12.2 °C (10.0 °F) in January to 19.5 °C (67.1 °F) in July. Precipitation ranges from 490 – 640 mm/year. The two sectors of
90-659: Is more southern in character, with hares, wild boar, and roe deer. Beaver were reintroduced in 1996. Scientists on the reserve have recorded 50 species of mammals in the borders. Birds include forest birds and waterfowl, reflecting the variety of habitat in the area. The area of the Sarali sector has the highest breeding density of White-tailed eagle in Europe, with two of the active nests located less than 300m away from each other. 230 species of birds have been recorded, including such rarities as Saker Falcon and Eastern Imperial Eagle,
108-514: The Dnieper and the Southern Bug . It lies in central Ukraine , occupying the oblasts of Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad and Dnipropetrovsk. To its north lies Polesian Lowland , to the south lies Black Sea Lowland , eastern border is served by Dnieper . To the west of Dnieper Upland lies uplands of Podillia and Volhynia (see Volhynian-Podolian Upland ). Average heights in
126-422: The bobak marmot ( Marmota bobak ) and European ground squirrel ( Spermophilus citellus ). The European bison ( Bison bonasus ) and Saiga antelope ( Saiga tatarica tartarica ) formerly lived in the forest-steppe, but are now locally extinct. The East European forest steppe has been affected heavily by human pressure: over half is arable land, and the natural forest stands have mostly been cleared. Little of
144-560: The Trans-Volga. Moisture diminishes as the ecoregion stretches to the east, as does the forest fragmentation. The climate in most of the ecoregion is Humid continental climate, warm summer ( Köppen climate classification (Dfb) ). This climate has large seasonal temperature differentials. It has a warm summer, with at least four months averaging over 10 °C (50 °F), but no month averaging over 22 °C (72 °F). Seasonal temperature extremities increase eastward across
162-508: The causes of variations in stands of trees. It is currently understood that on the macro level, steppes are more arid and that trees thin out in the transition zones. Because the terrain of the ecoregion is relatively flat or low hills, with no physical barriers between the biomes to the north and south, the plant communities tend to be shaped by local variations in water flow. Differences in drainage, variations in soil type (pine trees on sandy soil, deciduous trees on loamy soil, etc.) and salinity,
180-432: The deciduous forest, with oak communities and secondary forest of linden and aspen. Over 600 species of algae, and over 700 species of fungi, have been recorded in the reserve. Scientists on the reserve have recorded 844 species of vascular plants. The animal life of the northern sector (Raifa) are those of the southern taiga: voles, shrews, forest mice, bats, squirrels, marten, foxes, hares, and moose. The Sarala sector
198-554: The ecoregion, due to the nature of continental climate towards the center of the continent. The natural vegetation of the forest steppe is a mosaic of woodlands and open shrublands and grasslands. Shrublands typically include the shrubs Caragana frutex , Prunus fruticosa , and Prunus stepposa . Stipa ucrainica and Bromus riparius are common grasses. Typical trees of the woodlands and forests include Quercus robur , Tilia cordata , Acer platanoides , and Corylus avellana . For centuries, scientists have speculated on
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#1732765132664216-435: The effects of blowing wind (which drives snow off the hills into depressions, affecting soil quality ), and the historic activities of humans all combine to create the mosaic character of the region. Open landscapes show that steppe plant communities can compete with forest. Sedges are characteristic in the steppe areas, resisting low-moisture conditions with much of their biomass underground. Characteristic mammals include
234-419: The latter of which also bred until 2017 in the immediate surroundings of the reserve. 41 species of fish have been recorded. As a strict nature reserve, the Volga-Kama Reserve is mostly closed to the general public, although scientists and those with 'environmental education' purposes can make arrangements with park management for visits, including to the Sarali section of the reserve, where tours are offered to
252-460: The north, and the steppe to the south. The forest-steppe is an area of Russia in which precipitation and evaporation are approximately equal. The ecoregion is in the Palearctic realm , with a Humid Continental climate. According to one definition of its boundaries, it covers 727,269 km (280,800 sq mi). The ecoregion forms a long band, about 2,100 km long and 600 km wide, from
270-510: The northern portion vary at 220–240 m (720–790 ft) in the southern portion do not exceed 150–170 m (490–560 ft). Its maximum is at 323 m (1,060 ft) located in the northwestern portion. Among prominent features of the upland are Kyiv Mountains , Hills of Kaniv , others. The regions is characterized by alteration of flooding watersheds with deep (up to 80–90 m (260–300 ft)) sometimes canyon-like valleys of rivers and gulches. Especially dense ravine-gulch network
288-432: The reserve belong to two different biogeographic zones, as they straddle a moisture demarcation contour that separates the mixed coniferous-deciduous forests to the north from the deciduous forests to the south. The primary trees of the Raifa sector are spruce and Scots pine . Green moss is important in the Raifa sector, with sphagnum moss in the wetlands of the Raifa area. The trees of the southern Sarala section are of
306-414: The territory is legally protected as nature reserves, and such reserves that exist tend to be small tracts set aside for study. Representative protected areas in the ecoregion include: Dnieper Upland The Dnieper Upland or Cisdnieper Upland ( Ukrainian : Придніпровська височина , romanized : Prydniprovska vysochyna ) is a southeastern European plain occupying the territory between
324-636: The western edge of Siberia at the Ural Mountains in Ural in the east, through Povolzhye, to Central Russia and Ukraine. Most of the terrain is rolling hills and some plains. Average elevations range from 150 meters (above sea level) in the lowlands to 250 meters in the hills, with some isolated ranges of low mountains on the edges of the area. The ecoregion can be divided into sub-provinces from west to east: Dnieper Upland , Dnieper Lowland , Central Russian Upland , Oka–Don Plain , Volga Upland , and
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