Expedition to explore the steppes of Northern Kazakhstan

Kozybayev University scientists took part in an international scientific expedition to study the secondary steppes of Northern Kazakhstan. The research trip to the Ualikhanov district of the North Kazakhstan region was carried out in collaboration with colleagues from Uzbekistan and Russia (M. Ulugbek National University and K.A. Timiryazev Moscow State Agricultural Academy).

"We went on an expedition to study the landscapes of Northern Kazakhstan. The soils, vegetation cover, changes in the restoration of the steppes after the arable land returned to its natural state were studied. This is an example of an international scientific collaboration. Such expeditions make it possible to understand how agriculture affects the change in soil cover," said Nikolay Minaev, associate professor of the Timiryazev Moscow Agricultural Academy.

The choice of the North Kazakhstan region as the location of the expedition is not accidental and is due to a combination of unique natural objects of landscape and agricultural value, and disturbed due to unreasonable agricultural activities in the virgin lands campaign. In addition, plant communities were studied and zoogeographic observations were conducted.

"Our university together with the N. Nazarbayev Foundation held an international scientific expedition from June 21 to 26. During this time, soil profiles were laid, different types of soils were studied, which allowed us to assess the large-scale transformations that took place in them since the late 80s – early 90s of the last century. Since that period, there have been no such major scientific studies here," notes Sergey Pashkov, Dean of the FMNS.

This international project will contribute to strengthening scientific ties, popularization of nature protection activities in our country, increasing the number and quality of scientific publications prepared by the expedition participants.