Ecological-Historical Stages of Marine Vegetation Formation in the European Zone

The purpose of this work is to study the peculiarities of formation and space-temporal spreading of vegetation cover in the European desert during the Tertiary and The Quaternary periods. The authors have revealed three ecological-historical stages: Ancient Caspian, New Caspian and Newest Caspian, which correspond to the periods of main fluctuations in the Caspian Sea, as well as to global climate changes, which periodically caused the changes of different types of vegetation. Ecotone type of landscape has been observed in the European desert. Ecotone of the first class has been traced in the Precaspian Lowland, ecotone of the second class – in the vegetation of the Ancient Caspian terraces and the thirds class – in the transitional zones between terraces. Each terrace corresponds to an exact geological epoch: Early Khavlynian, Late Khvalynian and New Caspian. Vegetation as an indicator of ecological conditions reflects landscape evolution in the Precaspian region. Ecological-dynamic rows, laying on each terrace, reveal regularity of succession process from the Caspian Sea coast to zonal vegetation. Criteria of evaluation are as follows: decrease of ground waters level and saline degree of soil.