Nature

Fauna
Flora

Fauna. Investigations on invertebrates include only aquatic fauna: 14 plankton and 136 benthic species of different systematic groups. The fauna of vertebrates consists of 6 species of fish (2 in the Red Book of Armenia), 4 species of amphibians, 18 species of reptiles (2 in the Red Book), 210 species of birds (36 in the Red Book), 36 species of mammals (8 in the Red Book). 2 species and 1 subspecies of fish (Salmo ischchan, Barbus goktschaikus and Varikorhinus capoeta sevangi) are endemic. The famous ishkhan (Sevan trout) is now at the edge of extinction because of drying of spawning areas, pollution and poaching. Acclimatized white fish (Coregonus lavaretus) gives at present 90% of total fish harvest (1,000-2,000 tons per year). Amphibians are available in all small ponds. Of them European marsh frog (Rana ridibunda) and European green toad (Bufo viridis) are common.
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The water related herpetofauna consists of common (Natrix natrix) and water grass-snakes (N. tesselata). Water-level decrease influenced first of all on the quantity of waterfowl. From approximately 60 breeders only 25 were registered during the last years. Eurasian coot (Fulica atra), mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and endemic Armenian gull (Larus armenicus) are abundant at present. The lake serves as an important passage for migratory birds. Such rare birds as great white egret (Casmerodius albus), glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus), demoiselle crane (Grus vigro) are registered here regularly during the migrations. The most typical mammals of the Lake Sevan Basin are hare (Lepus europaenus), fox (Vulpes vulpes), weasel (Mates foina), several species of rodents. Among the mammals ecologically dependent on the wetlands the European otter (Lutra lutra) became extinct in the recent decades.
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Flora. The biological diversity of plants is extremely high. Approximately 1600 species of vascular plants have been registered in the basin of Lake Sevan. Among them there are 48 species registered in the Red Book of Armenia, 6 are endemic (Acantholimon gabrieljanae, Alyssum hajastanum, Astragalus shushaensis, Isotis arnoldiana, I.sevangensis, Ribes achurjani) and have never been recorded outside of the Lake Sevan Basin. The most characteristic arboreous plants of natural communities are junipers (Juniperus spp.)
The remains of the oak forests occur on the northeastern part of the basin. Sweetbrier 		(Rosa canina) is common everywhere. Artificial forests surrounding the lake are composed of pine (Pinus caucasica), poplar (Populus canadensis, P. simoni), acacia (Caragana brevispina, C.frutex), willow (Salix viminalis). The sand back thorn (Hippopae ramnoudes) forms almost impassible bush. Bogs and ponds are covered mainly by reeds (Phragmytes spp.), sedges (Carex spp.), duckweed (Lemna spp.). Thickets of moss, Chara spp., Potamogeton spp., Spirogira spp. cover the bottom of littoral zone of Lake Sevan. More than 300 species of algae had been recorded in the plankton.
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References:
  • State of the Environment Report of Armenia 1998.
  • Environmental Performance Review of Armenia, 2000 (EPRA).
  • NEAP, WG4, 1998. National Environmental Action Plan. Water Quality and Water Resources Management. Volume A: Main Report and Volume B: Appendices. Prepared by IWACO/JINJ/Norconsult.
  • National Environmental Action Program - Armenia, Main Report, Ministry of Nature Protection of the Republic of Armenia. The World Bank, 1999.
  • Lake Sevan Action Program, Main Report, Ministry of Nature Protection of the Republic of Armenia, The World Bank, 1999.
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