NATURE IN THE
CAUCASUS

 Priority Biomes

The bulk of plant and animal biodiversity is concentrated in forests, freshwater habitats, marine (and coastal) ecosystems, and high mountain habitats. Threats to biodiversity are also greatest in these four biomes. Other habitats (notably open landscapes) will be targeted only where they are important for representation of critical or threatened habitats or for conservation of focal species. Forest Forests are the most important biome for biodiversity conservation in the Caucasus Ecoregion. Forest ecosystems harbor many endemic and relic species of woody plants and herbs, as well as important habitats for rare and endangered animals, including six of the focal species. Mountain forests, which make up the greater part of the forest biome in the Caucasus Ecoregion, play a critical role in preventing soil erosion and regulating water flow. Yet intensive logging, illegal timber trade, and collection of firewood for fuel are whittling away at forest ecosystems. Agriculture development has resulted in a significant decrease in broadleaf forests in the region, which generally occupied land favorable for growing grapes, fruit trees, and other crops. Many forests were also felled to clear land for grazing. Forest ecosystems cover over 107,000 km2 or 18.5% of the Caucasus Ecoregion. Currently, only about 14% of forests are preserved in protected areas. The most significant forests for biodiversity conservation can be grouped into five primary geographical areas. These are the Greater Caucasus Range, the Lesser Caucasus Mountain Chain, the Talish-Gilan (Guilan) Mountains, the Kura-Araz (Araks) and Iori Basin, and a small area of swamp forests in the Kolkheti Lowlands (Colchic Lowlands). These should be the focus of forest conservation activities in the ECP and can be targets for creating Econets. In the long-term, the ECP calls for an additional 10% of the forests in the Ecoregion should be granted protection (IUCN I-IV), bringing the area of protected forests to nearly a quarter of the Ecoregion’s forested area. Freshwater Freshwater habitats are crucial for water conservation, spawning of fish, as well as bird nesting and migration. Freshwater ecosystems provide refuge to 10 focal species. Freshwater habitats provide stopover sites during migration of globally-threatened birds like Dalmatian pelican, Siberian crane, corn crake, lesser white-fronted goose, ferruginous pochard, red-breasted goose, black-winged pratincole, white-headed duck, white-tailed sea-eagle, slender-billed curlew, sociable lapwing, as well as nesting habitats for some of the listed species. Two species of freshwater turtles (one an IUCN Red List species), water snakes, and European tree frog depend on these habitats. Freshwater habitats of the Caucasus host a number of endemic fish and invertebrate species. Most important in this respect are the Chorukh (Chorokhi) River in the southwestern Caucasus, Lake Sevan in Armenia (with an endemic species of trout, Salmo ischchan), and some other lakes and rivers. Two species of crayfishes are relics and local endemics. Freshwater habitats cover almost 50,000 km2 or 8.5 percent of the Ecoregion. A total of almost 12% of freshwater ecosystems are currently preserved in protected areas. The largest concentration of freshwater ecosystems is within the Kura-Araz (Araks) Basin, with over 10,000 km2 of freshwater habitats. The basin includes a diversity of mountain lakes and wetlands in the Javakheti-Lake Sevan region, encompassing 2,400 km2 of freshwater ecosystems considered highly important for biodiversity conservation. In the long-term, the ECP calls for at least an additional five percent of the freshwater habitats in the Ecoregion to be granted protection (IUCN I-IV). Marine Coastal and marine habitats in the Caucasus Ecoregion include the coastline and near-shore regions of the Azov, Black, and Caspian seas. Actual open areas of marine water are not included. Combined, there are 4,138.2 kilometers of coastline in the Ecoregion, and all countries except Armenia have marine habitats. The Caspian and Azov seas are unique in the world in their diversity in species of sturgeon fish and contain important spawning areas and nurseries for many commercial fish, as well as rare and endemic species. Focal species in marine ecosystems include seven species of sturgeon ­ Russian, Persian, bastard, star, and Atlantic sturgeons, starlet, and beluga. The coasts of the Caspian and Azov-Black seas provide important habitats for migrating waterfowl. A number of species of waterfowl and shorebirds are threatened by poaching and habitat loss. The three species of dolphins in the Black and Azov seas are threatened, and the Caspian seal is endemic to the Caspian Sea. Overfishing and uncontrolled poaching in the Caspian and Azov seas could lead to the disappearance of all sturgeon species found in these two seas. Additionally, oil development, construction of transportation infrastructure (ports and pipeline terminals), tourism and recreation, and pollution threaten marine ecosystems and fish populations, resulting in biodiversity loss and impacting local economies. Marine waters under the national jurisdiction of five countries within the Ecoregion cover more than 68,000 km2 Approximately 754 km2 or 1.1% of this area is afforded some sort of protection. There are over 2,350 km of coastline on the Caspian Sea included in the Ecoregion, of which 18.5% are preserved in coastal protected areas. On the Black and Azov seas, 1,775 km of marine habitats are included in the Ecoregion, of which 14.8% are currently afforded protection. In total, almost 700 km of coastline or 16.9% of the Ecoregion’s coastline falls under some sort of protection. In the long-term, the ECP calls for at least an additional five percent of the marine and coastal habitats in the Ecoregion to be granted protection (IUCN I-IV).   High Mountain High mountain ecosystems harbor significant levels of biodiversity and endemism, especially distinct subspecies. Nine endemic genera are associated with high mountain ecosystems, and the higher the mountains, the greater the number of endemics. About 1,000 vascular plant species are found in the Greater Caucasus high mountains and half of these are endemics. Eight focal species use high mountain habitats (leopard, bezoar goat, West Caucasian tur, East Caucasian tur, Gmelin’s mouflon, Caucasian chamois, Caucasian black grouse, and imperial eagle). Overgrazing particularly affects high mountain habitats, impacting plant species diversity and reducing the food base of mountain ungulates. Poaching puts significant pressure on large mammals and endemic birds in high mountain regions. High mountain habitats cover 101,600 km2 or 17.5% of the Ecoregion. Of these, 11.8% are afforded some sort of protection. The most significant areas for conservation of high mountain habitats are the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and the Javakheti-Asia Minor Region, which includes parts of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains and the Southern Highlands. There are 36,750 km2 of high mountain habitats in the Greater Caucasus Range, of which nearly a quarter are in protected areas. Of the 64,700 km2 of high mountains in the Javakheti-Asia Minor Region, only 4.6% are currently protected. In the long-term, the ECP calls for at least an additional eight percent of the high mountain habitats in the Ecoregion to be granted protection (IUCN I-IV). Continue to the next page and learn about the ECP’s Targeted Species Notes: - The foregoing is a digest of or excerpt from Part 2 of the ECP. The full text of the ECP can be found here - Descriptions apply to the Ecoregion, and thus include the areas of Russia, Turkey and Iran that form part of the Ecoregion. All of the biomes and almost all of the bio-diversity, however, are strongly represented in the three core countries.