Central Asia Mountain Ecosystems
Contact Information
Lead Institution
Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC).
Intended Audience
Governments of the Central Asian states; international and national public
organizations; nature users and persons using cultural ecosystem services;
population of mountainous areas; mass media; educational, scientific, cultural,
and health institutions; local self-government; environmental organizations.
Project Summary
The goal of the project is to ensure conservation of mountainous ecosystems
and sustainable development of the Central Asian sub-region on the basis
of continuous effective regional policy efforts designed to improve interaction
of the society with ecosystems. The project tasks include the following:
- analyzing the current status and magnitude of human-caused transformation
of the Central Asia mountainous ecosystems at the local, national, and
sub-global levels;
- identifying causes and effects;
- assessing the capacity of mountainous ecosystems to provide goods
and services;
- developing and approving a toolbox for an ecological assessment
and examination of actions designed to reduce negative influences on
ecosystems;
- developing scenarios of possible ecosystem changes depending on
adopted decisions;
- developing recommendations for decision-making and planning related
to conservation and restoration of Central Asia mountainous ecosystems.
Assessment Approach
The assessment consists of pilot projects in the following regions:
- Northern part of Western Tien-Shan, near Almaty city (Republic of
Kazakhstan)
- Catchment basin of Talass (Kyrgyz Republic)
- Vorzob gorge, Southern slope of Gissar mountains (Republic of Tajikistan)
- Kopet-Dag reservation and surroundings (Turkmenistan)
- Gissarskiy reservation and surroundings, Western Pamir-Altay (Republic
of Uzbekistan)
Background
Genetic resources: The mountains of Central Asia, due
to their geographic location in the heart of the sub-region and a comprehensive
range of altitude belts, are characterized by high biological diversity
at the ecosystem, population, and species levels. Mountain ecosystems serve
as the place of origin for many cultivated plants and animal breeds, refugia
of plants and animal breeds, and gene pool for many globally important species.
Water: The mountains of Central Asia are a unique source
of fresh water. Runoff formed in the high altitude mountains charges the
large rivers (including the Ili, Shu, Talas, Syrdarya, Amudarya, Zeravshan,
Atrek, Karatal, Aksu, Lepsa, etc) in the regions. A cascade of water reservoirs
used for irrigation and power generation controls the runoff. Many small
rivers start in the foothills as a result of underground runoff discharge.
Their water is used to irrigate agricultural land in the piedmont valleys.
Forestry resources: The main forestry resources of the
region are concentrated in the mountains of Central Asia. They are the source
of timber and fuel wood, fruits, berries, and medicinal plants, and the
habitat of various wild animals. The Tien Shan Mountains have a unique spruce
forest belt formed by the relic species of Tien Shan spruce. Western Tien
Shan still contains much Zeravshan juniper open woodlands. Considerable
areas are under wild fruit bearing forests and represent the genetic centers
of origin for cultivated varieties of apple, pear, pomegranate, apricot,
and other fruit species. Mountainous forests play an important role in water
saving, landscape control, oxygen production and carbon dioxide absorption.
The Central Asia Mountains are surrounded by a desert zone, therefore,
they are somewhat specific, if compared to the mountain systems of other
latitudes: foothills and low altitude areas are overpopulated due to more
favorable climatic conditions and a better supply of water, land, pasture,
forest, and other resources. The mountain ecosystems play a leading role
in sustaining the livelihood of populations in the mountains and adjacent
valleys (providing water, fuel, feed for domestic animals, treatment and
recreational facilities, etc.)
Mountain ecosystems appear to be highly vulnerable and sensitive to human-made
pressures due to a high speed of top-bottom material and energy transfers,
which contributes to the threat of natural and human-caused disasters. Increasing
exploitation of mountain ecosystems and degradation of biota result in disruption
of ecosystem linkages and, as a consequence, reduction of their self-regulating
function. The negative effects of human activities in the mountains are
demonstrated by an increased occurrence of natural disasters (mudflows,
landslides, floods), extremely fast biodiversity losses, water resource
reduction, and soil degradation. This, in turn, makes the mountains less
appealing in terms of tourism and recreation, negatively affects the revenues
of the people populating both the mountains and surrounding valleys (deserts),
and promotes the processes of ecosystem destruction. The low living standard
and population growth often force the Central Asia governments and populations
to compromise, accepting progressive environmental degradation to satisfy
the urgent needs of life. People are depleting natural resources without
leaving anything to future generations. Such resource depletion ultimately
results in a more severe impoverishment of the population.