Artificial Croplands and Natural Biosystems in the Conditions of Climatic Changes: Possible Problems and Ways of their Solving in the South Steppe Zone of Ukraine

Abstract

The goal of our study was to determine possible consequences and trends of the climatic changes in the South Steppe zone of Ukraine. We used perennial meteorological data from Kherson regional hydrometeorological station and international meteorological indexes for assessment of the climate processes. The evapotranspiration in the region in the period from 2005 to 2016 averaged to 4.3 mm/ha per day. We determined that evapotranspiration increase under the progressive air temperatures rise cannot be covered at the expense of natural humidification, although rainfall amounts are tending to increase too. The moisture deficit reached the maximum value of 680 mm/ha per season in 2014. Regression models of the climatic processes of the zone showed stable trend to increase of dryness (from 462 mm/ha of the moisture deficit in 2005 to 502 mm/ha in 2016, correspondingly). Global warming will effect not only on the artificial croplands, but it threatens sustainability of the natural biosystems, especially, natural grasslands and forests. Climatic changes in Kherson region should be taken into account while planning sustainable crop production and maintaining biosystems diversity in the region. Application of the modern irrigation methods of the artificial croplands and pastures are the priority direction of agricultural production in the zone.