Nature reserve “Divnogorye” (Voronezh region, Russia): ecology, lithology, flora

The nature reserve “Divnogorye” (Voronezh Region, Russia) is a very interesting place with its unique combination of topography features, bedrock and flora. This area is inhabited for a long period of time starting from Palaeolithic age. Different types of land use and landscapes inherited each other. The area is located within the black-earth zone where anthropogenic pressure upon landscapes was historically strong. Now, there is a task to study how natural vegetation recovers after many years of economic usage. The morphological approach - a clear understanding of the Earth’s surface elements and their combinations and structures - is a good base for this kind of studies if accompanied with the consideration of the effect of other landscape components. “Divnogorye” nature reserve is established just on the place of former farmlands. This allows long-term observation upon recovering of vegetation, soil, and the entire landscape. Researchers can trace natural successions as well as estimate their duration and possibilities to manage the recovering process.