RESULTS OF STUDYING THE FEEDING OF CENTRAL ASIAN TORTOISE (AGRIONRMYS HORSFIELDII)

The available data on feeding of Agrionemys horsfieldiiin in nature are summarized. The diet of tortoise consists of 167 plant species of 42 families. The main share is ephemeral plants of the Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Liliaceae, Papaveraceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae families. Food resources of tortoise in different landscapes, the competition between tortoises and herbivorous animals, consumption of small animals and toxic plants are considered. Agrionemys horsfieldii is closer to specialized herbivores due to their selectivity of plants for food. The stable existence of the population has been provided by the group of basic food objects that includes preferred and abundant plant species. The food competition between the tortoise and cattle is possible only in spring and in the areas with high density of the tortoise population. There is no competition with wild hoofed because of their low population. Presently, the damage for plant-growing from Agrionemys horsfieldii has decreased due to displacement of tortoises from irrigated land and considerable reduction of their number in the areas of the dry-farming fields.