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Relevance. One of the creators of the Kazakh white-headed breed of cattle, which has become widespread in the arid steppes from the Volga region to Mongolia, is Doctor of Agricultural Sciences K.А. Akopyan. Despite the fact that the scientist made a significant contribution to the development of Russian animal science, no major biographical monographs have been written about his innovative achievements, his scientific works are a bibliographic rarity. Scientific heritage of K.A. Akopyan requires a deep and comprehensive analysis.Methods. The use of problem-chronological and comparative-historical methods makes it possible to trace certain important stages in the life of a scientist. The published scientific works of K.A. Akopyan, as well as research work on the creation of the Kazakh white-headed breed of cattle.Results. The study showed that Hakobyan?s scientific heritage is unique, and the range of scientific activities is wide and varied. In addition to creating a new valuable breed, he developed methods for the accelerated intensive cultivation and fattening of young cattle, a rational system for obtaining high meat productivity. Further improvement of the Kazakh white-headed breed, indispensable for breeding in extreme natural and climatic conditions of dry steppes and deserts, should be based on knowledge of economically useful, biological, breeding qualities of animals and scientifically based methods for their improvement

For the development of fundamental bases of strategy of rational steppe land use and its realization we analyzed the most significant steppe megaprojects - "Stalin's plan to transform the nature of forest steppe and steppe", the Virgin Lands Campaign of 1954-1963, Agrarian Reform of the 1990s. Both specific consequences of each project and their cumulative impact determining the modern appearance of steppe landscapes and their agro-ecological problems are established. The Altai Territory, primarily the Kulunda steppe, is considered a special arena of megaprojects in the steppes of Siberia, bearing all the features of the old-developed region, where the most positive effect of these projects was achieved. The interrelation between the main problems of modern steppe land use and the results of the considered megaprojects has been presented. The main problems of agrarian steppe land use have been revealed. Taking into account modern tendencies of development of agrarian and industrial complex three most probable scenarios of development of steppe agriculture landscapes are considered. They are neo-wildland, stagnation, and optimization scenario with adaptation of agricultural lands structure to natural-climatic conditions and requirements of market conditions, with concentration of intensive agriculture on the best lands and transformation of low-productive lands into long-term managed steppe fodder lands of adaptive animal husbandry. Key words: Steppe agriculture landscape; Megaproject; Stalin's plan; Virgin Lands Campaign (1954-1963); Kulunda; Strategy of rational steppe land use; National project. References About the plan of shelterbelt plantations, introduction of grass rotation, construction of ponds and reservoirs to ensure high and stable yields in steppe and forest-steppe areas of the European part of the USSR. (1948). Resolution of the USSR Council of Ministers, Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks (Bolsheviks) No. 3960 (in Russian). Brinkert A., Holzel N., Sidorova T.V., Kamp J. (2016). Spontaneous steppe restoration on abandoned cropland in Kazakhstan: grazing affects successional pathways. Biodiversity and conservation, 25(12), 2543-2561. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-015-1020-7 Chibilev A.A. (2016). Steppe Eurasia: regional overview of natural diversity. Moscow. Orenburg: Institute of Steppe of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, RGS (in Russian). Chibilev A.A., Levykin S.V., Kazachkov G.V. (2011). Agrarian and environmental protection prospects for modernization of steppe land use. Agrarian Russia, 2, 34-42. (in Russian). Chibilev, A.A.; Levykin, S.V.; Kochurov, B.I.; Kazachkov, G.V. (2018). Prospects of science convergence for solving the problems of critical areas of biosphere. South of Russia: ecology, development, 13(4), 129-138. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18470/1992-1098-2018-4-129-138 (in Russian). Chibilev, A.A., Levykin, S.V., Petrischev, V.P., Chibilev (junior), A.A., Kochurov, B.I., … Yakovlev I.G. (2018). Spatial development of steppe and Virgin Land Campaign regions of European Russia. Vol.1. Orenburg: Steppe Institute the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. (in Russian). Dyachenko, A.E., Zemlyanitsky, L.G. (1947). Tasks of afforestation of the Kulunda and other steppes of the Altai Territory. Proceedings of the All-Russian Research Institute of Agroforestry. Results of works for 1943-1944. Moscow. State Committee for Forestry and Forestry (in Russian). Dzybov D.S. (2010). Agrostepi. Stavropol: AGRUS (in Russian). Einaudi G. (1964). Khrushchev reported planning to give up Virgin-Land Farms. The New York Times, February 23, 2. Kamp J., Koshkin M.A., Bragina T.M., Katzner T.E., Milner-Gulland E.J., … Urazaliev R. (2016). Persistent and novel threats to the biodiversity of Kazakhstan's steppes and semi-deserts. Biodiversity and Conservation, 25(12), 2521-2541. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-015-1020-7 Khichenko N.S. (1934). Examination of the defensive forest strips laid by the Scarlet section of the Agrolestrost. Sverdlovsk, Moscow: Goslestehizdat (in Russian). Kompaneets M.K. (1971). Russian agronomists. Moscow: Kolos (in Russian). Kraemer R., Prishchepov A.V., Muller D., Kuemmerle T., Radeloff V.C., …, Fruhauf M. (2015). Long-term agricultural land-cover change and potential for cropland expansion in the former Virgin Lands area of Kazakhstan. Environmental Research Letters, 10(5), 054012. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/5/054012 Kukis S.I., Gorin V.I. (1973). History of protective forestation in the Altai Territory // Experience of protective forestation in Altai. Barnaul: Altai (in Russian). Levykin S.V. Kazachkov G.V. Chibileva V.P. (2015). Modern paradigm is virgin: plowing new steppes or agricultural regeneration of Non-Black Earth region? Assessment from the standpoint of the steppe structural model. Problems of regional ecology, 2, 170-177 (in Russian). Levykin, S.V., Kazachkov, G.V., Yakovlev, I.G., Grudinin, D.A., Noreyka, S.Yu. (2018). Dokuchaev and the plan of transformation of the steppe nature: ideological and practical heritage, development prospects. Izvestiya Orenburg State Agrarian University, 4(72), 8-11 (in Russian). Levykin, S.V., Kazakhkov, G.V. (2015). About the planet's reaction to the actions in relation to the steppe (the revenge of the biosphere) (in Russian). Eco- Potential, 1(9), 163-171 (in Russian). On measures to ensure a sustainable yield in the dry areas of the southeast of the USSR (Saratov, Stalingrad, Kuibyshev, Orenburg, West Kazakhstan, Aktobe regions, ASSR of Nemtsev Povolzhye, north-eastern regions of Voroshilovgrad region, northern and northeastern regions of Rostov region and south-eastern regions of Voronezh and Tambov regions). (1938). Resolution of the USSR SNK, Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks (Bolsheviks) No. 1169. (in Russian). On urgent measures to protect soils from wind and water erosion. (1967). Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 236. (in Russian). Paramonov E.G. (2011). State of protective forestation in the Altai Territory. Izvestiya of Altai State University, 8(82), 48-52 (in Russian). Paramonov, E.G. (2016). Creation of agroforestry landscapes as a way of sustainable nature use in the Kulunda steppe (in Russian). Izvestiya Altai Branch of the Russian Federation, 1(40), 57-63. (in Russian). Paramonov, E.G., Simonenko, A.P. (2007). Fundamentals of agroforestry: a manual. Barnaul: Altai State Agrarian University Press. (in Russian). Petrick M., Wandel J.R., Karsten K. (2014). Rediscovering the Virgin Lands: Agricultural Investment and Rural Livelihoods in a Eurasian Frontier Area. World Development, 4, 164-179. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2012.09.015 Podgaetsky M. (2015). Half a century in the Kulunda steppe. News from Kulunda, 7(10243), February 13. Available from: http://stepinf.ru/?id_razd=2721/ Accessed on 04.10.2019 (in Russian). Sowers and keepers. (1972). Book 1. Moscow: Contemporary (in Russian). Yakovlev I.G. (2019). Agroecological Risks of Steppe Land Use: Approaches to Selection and Classification on the Example of the Orenburg Region. Treshnikovskie Readings - 2019: Modern Geographical Picture of the World and Technologies of Geographical Education. Proceed. All-Russia Sc. Conf. Ulyanovsk: Ulyanovsk Ulyanovsk State Pedagogical University (in Russian). Zhuravlyov S. (2018). The whole epic. Living history. Available from: http://lhistory.ru/statyi/celinnaya-epopeya/ Accessed on 04.10.2019 (in Russian).

The article substantiates the urgency of environmental optimization of steppe land use, aimed at overcoming the acute challenges of our time, associated with the depletion of natural resources, climate change and food tension. The article analyzes the main problems of nature use, typical for steppe regions of Russia at a modern geoecological state of landscapes. The transboundary character of the territory under consideration is noted and the evolution of its landscapes under the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors, which make the study of the issues of rational use of natural resources and sustainable development of steppe regions actual, is described. The attention is focused on the significant participation of the mesoregion under consideration, which has the main share of the area of spread of black earths, in the production of agricultural products and strategic importance for the sustainable functioning of the Russian economy. Correlation-regression relations of the main ecological factors with productivity of grain agrocenoses are analyzed and ecologically oriented methods of increasing the efficiency of bioclimatic resources use of the mentioned territory are substantiated. Promising technological solutions, the introduction of which guarantees the maintenance of social and food security, will ensure the inexhaustible use of soil and land resources and reduce the anthropogenic impact on natural ecosystems, the preservation of biological diversity in the steppe regions in their agricultural use. The conclusion is made about the possibility of increasing the economic feasibility of crop production and noticeable soil-restoring and medium improving effects, new reserves to meet the needs of the modern generation and ensure social justice, while reducing the risks of impoverishment of the environment and limiting the life opportunities of future generations. Key words: Optimization of steppe land use; Natural ecosystems; Environmental factors; Landscape adaptive farming References Bulletin on the state of agriculture (electronic versions). (2018). Catalogue of publications: Federal State Statistics Service. Available from: http://www.gks.ru/wps/wcm/connect/rosstat_main/rosstat/ru/statistics/publications/catalog/doc_1265196018516/ (Accessed on 09.10.2019). (in Russian). Chibilev, A.A. (2016). Optimization of the structure of the land fund and development of a network of protected areas in the steppe zone of Russia. Orenburg: Steppe Institute of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (in Russian). Chibilev, A.A. (2019). Prospects of integration of the "digital land use" in landscape adaptive farming of the steppe zone. Problems of regional ecology, 2, 32-37. (in Russian). Chibilev, A.A. (Jr.). (2016). Analysis of the use of land resources in the aspect of formation of socio-economic potential and assessment of indicators of sustainable development of the steppe regions of the Russian Federation. Optimization of the structure of the land fund and development of a network of protected areas in the steppe zone of Russia. Orenburg. Steppe Institute of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (in Russian). Chibilev, A.A., Chibilev (yr), A.A., Rudneva, O.S., Sokolov, A.A., Padalko, Yu.A., Meleshkin, D.S., Grigorevsky, D.V. (2018). Problems of sustainable development of social and economic geosystem stem zone in the Russian Federation. Orenburg: Steppe Institute of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (in Russian). Dospekhov, B.A. (1985). Field experience methodology (with basics of statistical processing of research results). Moscow: Agropromizdat (in Russian). Gulianov Yu.A. (2006). Adaptation of technological methods of winter wheat cultivation in the steppe regions of the Southern Urals. Agrobiological features and parameters of models of highly productive agrocenosis of field crops in the arid conditions of the Southern Urals: a collection of scientific papers. Orenburg: Publishing Center of Orenburg State Agrarian University (in Russian). Gulianov, Yu.A., Dosov, D.Zh., Umarova, S.V. (2010). Efficiency of the bioclimatic resources use at the winter wheat growing in the Orenburg region (in Russian). Izvestia of the Orenburg State Agrarian University, 2, 48-50 (in Russian). Kiryushin, V.I., Belkov, G.I. (1999). Scientific bases of the adaptive-landscape systems of agriculture (in Russian). Sustainable agriculture system of the Orenburg region. Orenburg: Orenburg Book Publishing House (in Russian). Levykin, S.V., Kazachkov, G.V. (2017). Steppe question of Russia: from steppe studies to degree studies. Successes of the modern science and practice, 3(6), 211-220. (in Russian). Paramonov, E.G. (2011). State of protective forestation in the Altai Territory. Izvestiya of Altai State University, 8(82), 48-52. (in Russian). Pichugin, A.P., Morozova, E.V. (1999). Yield of winter wheat at complex increase of chernozems fertility. Direction of stabilization of development and exit from crisis of agrarian and industrial complex in modern conditions. Voronezh (in Russian). Polyakov, D.G., Khalin, A.V., Bakirov, F.G., Nesterenko, Yu.M., Vasilieva, T.N. (2016). Moisture dynamics of the black earths in the southern Orenburg region during the direct sowing and the main soil treatment (in Russian). Bulletin of the Orenburg Scientific Center of the Ural Branch of RAS, 4, 13. (in Russian). Regions of Russia. Socio-economic indicators. (2018). R32 Statutory collection Rosstat. Moscow. Available from: http://www.gks.ru/wps/wcm/connect/rosstat_-main/rosstat/ru/statistics/publications/catalog/doc_1138623506156/ (Accessed on 01.10.2019). (in Russian). Shatilov, I.S., Stolyarov, A.I. (1986). Yield Programming Guide. Moscow. Rosselkhozizdat (in Russian). Sokolova, L.V., Silantieva, M.M., Belyaev, V.I. (2019). Factors causing the reduction of steppe ecosystems of the Altai Territory. The Turkic-Mongolian World of the Big Altai: Historical and Cultural Heritage and Modernity. Proceed. First Int. Altaitical Forum, Barnaul-Gorno-Altaisk, 12-14 September 2019. Barnaul. Altai State University Publishing (in Russian). Strategy for Scientific and Technological Development of the Russian Federation (approved by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of December 1, 2016 �?? 642. Available from: http://www.kremlin.ru/acts/bank/41449/ (Accessed on 14.09.2019) (in Russian).

The study aims to assess the adaptability of farming methods realized in zonal soil and climatic conditions within post-virgin land regions of the Ural and West Siberia, their nature-like and resource-saving orientation. The main evaluation criteria were the completeness and uniformity of the formation of the biological mass of field agrocenoses by analyzing the spatial distribution of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The public satellite images Landsat 8 and Santienel with a spatial resolution of 15-30 m/pixel, posted on online resources OneSoil.ai and Santienel-hub.com., were used as the NDVI data source. The results of the conducted studies have confirmed the high “diversity” and low realization of the biological potential of the cultivated crops with traditional resource-intensive cultivation methods, which have become a consequence of the widespread non-renewable production of soil resources. At the same time, the optimization of nature-like resource-saving agricultural practices and their adaptation to zonal landscape-adaptive farming systems confirmed the status of an effective means of improving the habitat of cultivated plants. According to the results of the analysis of agricultural technologies in model farms, cultivating practices that promote increasing the completeness and uniformity of the formation of biological mass in the conditions of modern climatic and anthropogenic challenges are systematized.

Based on the comparative-historical method, we considered scientific theories about factors of chernozem formation (soil-forming material, relief, climate, vegetation and animal life, time, human) in the paper, their interrelated impact on the formation and evolution of steppe soils reflected in works of F.I. Ruprecht, V.V. Dokuchaev, P.S. Kossovich, S.S. Nestruev, P.A. Kostychev, V.R. Williams, H. Jenny, S.A. Waksman, and other researchers. Taking into account ecosystem significance in the functioning of the steppe landscapes and the high degree of agricultural development of chernozem soils, intensification of degraded processes, a necessity of understanding of the real influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on chernozem evolution is urgent as it serves a basis for the design of ways of steppe soils restoration. Therefore, in the scientific community, an interest was arisen to solve Dokuchaev and Jenny’s equations identifying the functional relation between earth and soil formation factors. At the degree of accumulation of informational data on chernozem changeability in time and space, it has emerged conditions to develop approaches contradicting soil degradation processes.

Bioclimatic resources were detected in the paper. Reserves increasing crops’ productivity were estimated to develop and scientifically explain approaches to solve current agricultural use of steppe lands in the post-virgin land region of the Ural and West Siberia. Agrotechnical reasonability of the practiced structure of crops was analyzed. The principal directions to modernize landscape-adaptive agriculture systems were detected based on anthropogenic pressing reduction and soil protection from further degradation. The data source was official statistical indicators (EMISS) placed in open access, expedition research, calculation, and the author’s conclusion. Standard methods of the statistical analysis were used in the data processing. It was ascertained that under practiced agriculture approaches in the Ural and West Siberia post-virgin land regions, a low realization of bioclimatic potential (BCP) of crop capacity (31-37%) was noticed. A line of spatial peculiarities characterized BCP. The useful key factor of crop capacity stabilization and better BCP realization was the modernization of zonal landscape-adaptive systems of agriculture and optimization of an arable lands structure, replenishment of crops diversity, especially having soil-preserving and soil-recovering effect (annual and perennial grasses, feed crops for green mass, leguminous plants, etc.). In modern natural and anthropogenic changes, it was significant to a departure from monocultures, renew scientifically explained crop rotations, keep technological discipline, and support the whole technical process.

The article is devoted to estimating the current ecological-geographical situation in Russia and North Eurasia’s steppe zone connected with global natural-anthropogenic changes. Results of several scientific branches, first of all, domestic steppe sciences, were generalized. Historical, agroecological, and climatic factors that could be identified as challenges to stable steppe nature management are considered. Interpretation of the new epoch in the steppe history called “agrocen” was paid considerable attention. Novel management scenarios for the society’s feedback on the challenge were offered.

Among all agrarian-social megaprojects realized in the steppe zone, the Virgin Land [Tselina] (1954-1963) and the Land reform of the 1990s exerted the most considerable influence on the state and properties of current agro-landscapes. It was the projects of opposite orientation which every on its stage set the highest in history pace of the landscape dynamics in the steppe zone. The consistent impact of these megaprojects, one of which practically annihilated steppes, and the other created terms to realize steppe restoration potential, allows considering them in totality as the united experiment of the global scale for revealing and evaluation of steppe self-restoration. Thanks to this experiment in the steppes of Eurasia, new dynamic space – after virgin land was formed. Using new data, including field studies and discovered novel factors, we estimated the Virgin land campaign’s consequences and the Land reform. A further fundamental generalization of these megaprojects’ effects, landscape, and scientific heritage required developing an adaptation of steppe land use was conducted as a response to climatic and other current challenges.

In the XX century, the USSR developed and realized agrarian-social megaprojects to arrange steppe agrolandscapes and control water resources to resist droughts. The first ideas emerged in the XIX century; its realization happened in the second part of the XX century. The study of the interconnection of steppe egaprojects and their system consequences is urgent under the projective style of development. An analysis of the integral impact of megaprojects on the steppe zone has a special significance, at the first line, to reduce the ecological expenses of future projects. We paid particular attention to the general conclusion taking into account little known and new facts. It promoted to specify a role and significance of fundamental science in developing ideas and in the practical realization of megaprojects, their scientific and organizing heritage, first of all for steppe science. We emphasized the scientific-organizing heritage of a megaproject of the river flow transfer and discussion about its renaissance. The project’s fundamental idea left a deep imprint in the development of real science in Orenburzhie dealing with the actions of steppe conservation has turned 150 years; official closing of the Soviet project of redistribution of the Ob water flow has turned 35 years. Due to increasing irrigation of the Arctic accompanied by the Arctic Ocean desalination that is disastrous for the climatic system and an increase of a water deficit in Central Asia, the idea of redistribution of the water runoff becomes more topical. The most typical steppe region-Orenburgskaya oblast is an epicenter of all steppe megaprojects; it is considered a model according to the evaluation of their consequences and heritage.

Modern climatic resources of model regions (Orenburg oblast and Altai Krai) were identified and their agricultural assessment was made to explain scientifically development and implementation of approaches of rational environmental management to agricultural use of farming lands in the post-virgin land regions of Ural and West Siberia. Open access special data on climatic research have served as a source of meteorological information. Commonly accepted methods of the statistical analysis were used to process digital content. It was ascertained that under a total aridity within the studied regions their modern climatic resources had a line of special features. Altai Krai is characterized by more favorable conditions for spring crops vegetation due to predominant precipitation during the summer months and less favorable conditions for winter crops, especially against the background of cooling during the winter months. In Orenburg oblast, increasing aridity of the summer months may prevent complete actualization of productive potential of spring crops and formation of full-grown shoots of winter crops. Introduction of nature-similar technologies in landscape-adaptive systems of agriculture was considered as the principal way to use effectively climatic resources.

We recommend that conservation activities in the steppe zone of Russia focus first of all on key biological subjects of which the baibac is one. The virgin state of a steppe plot should be protected, but biological resources produced by the environment should be controlled and used. New forms to conserve key steppe biological subjects within a territory are proposed. Natural objects, where these forms could be realized, are pointed out. In Orenburgskaya oblast, there is some experience of nongovernmental protection of steppe ecosystems. A public organization leased a plot of 16,000 ha, where the baibac population is successfully recovering. We consider the steppe baibac restoration to be one of the important components of the long term Orenburgskaya oblast development strategy.

Agrarian and conservational problems facing the Russian steppes at the beginning of the twenty-first century are interrelated. We discuss the background and causes of the agrarian landscape degradation in the Russian steppe zone, including the virgin land campaign and other steppe exploitation policies, the agrarian developments in the steppe zone, the recent regeneration of secondary steppes on fallows, and a system of steppe land use modernization based on a restorative and adaptive land management concept, as an answer to the present challenges in the Russian steppe zone, and serving both ecological and rural economical goals. We emphasize that the Russian steppe zone has an excellent potential for pasturing animal husbandry and that it allows the development of an adaptive meat industry in the Russian steppe areas adjacent to Kazakhstan.