Mount Chatkal Biosphere Reserve, Uzbekistan

This biosphere reserve covers the southwestern end of the Chatkal'skiy Range in the western Tien-Shan Mountains. Covering altitudes between 1,110 to 4,000 meters above sea level, Mount Chatkal Biosphere Reserve comprises a high habitat and species diversity. Habitats include mountain steppes, mountain forests, rocks, alpine meadows, river valleys and floodplain forests.

Ecological Characteristics

About 1300 types of plants grow in the reserve; the vegetation cover is extremely diverse. Over 57% of the territory is covered with arboreal and shrubby coenosises. Wood is thinned, low, with a lot of open space. Closed stands (Juniperus), apple-trees (Malus), cherry plum (Prunus), birches (Betula), willows (Salix), poplars (Populus), walnut trees (Juglans regia) are seen only on restricted, favourable for growth sites of slopes, and more often of valleys. Prevailing tree species is Zerafshan juniper (Juniperus serawchanica), it occupies 24% of the area. About a third of the territory has a hundred-percent covering, more than a half is covered with vegetation by over 80%. A wide ecological range of herbaceous vegetation determines diversity of botanic groupings.

The fauna of the reserve is presented by 4 kinds of fishes, 2 kinds of amphibians, 11 types of reptiles, 176 species of birds and 33 species of mammals.

The Red Data Book of IUCNR include the following animals as being under the threat of extinction: the snow leopard (Uncia uncia), Menzbier marmot (Marmota menzbieri), wood sleepyhead (Dryomys nitedula), bats: greater and lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Rh. hipposideros) and three-coloured myotis (Myotis emarginatus); of birds: the black vulture (Aegypius manachus), lesser kestrel (Falco naumani), brown pigeon (Columba eversmanni), white-winged woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucopterus).

 

Socio-Economic Characteristics

The site is famous from an archaeological point of view since it hosts ancient drawings dating back to 1000-2000 BC. Drawings of riders, houses and dogs indicate that people have inhabited the area since ancient times. Today, the biosphere reserve is not inhabited since human activities in the area ceased in 1947 with the establishment of the State Nature Reserve. Before that, the area was used for hunting, grazing and mineral prospecting.

The majority of population of adjoining areas belongs to ethnic Uzbeks. Other ethnic groups are Tajiks,
Kirghiz, Tatars, etc. The population is busy basically in agriculture (wine growing, gardening) and animal husbandry (cattle, horses, bees). The population is provided with natural gas that reduces a load on the natural habitat as a need in collecting fire wood for cooking about housing heating was considerably decreased. Because of shortage of workplaces many individuals, especially young people, leave for cities in search of workplaces.

 

 

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Last updated: May 2019