Biodiversity of Kyrgyzstan Pressure

Antropogenous impact

One of the more dangerous anthropogenic impacts, is change of habitat, which occurs as a result of expansion of anthropogenic landscape zones. In this way initial ecosystems are completely destroyed on these territories, which again may lead to extinction of the most retained species. It concerns thousands of species.

Radical change of habitat is incompatible with the mode of living for the overwhelming majority of the original individuals. This change takes place during agricultural and industrial development of territories (including mining), the alienation *(separation) for settlements, networks of automobile roads, irrigation and other units. They occupy about 10% of the territory. Partial habitat change, caused by human activity is connected with global and local environment pollution, selective withdrawal of species, change of moistening conditions, fires, decrease of producents biomass, introduction of alien species.

Key factors of anthropogenic impact on biological diversity are the following: transition to a settled way of life: as a result, a lower forest border raised to 100-200 meters, there is not a single large tract of forest without felling. Forest area has decreased more than a half; destruction of steppe lands for ploughing, disappearance of brushwood, swamps and lakes in downstream of rivers due to drainage and utilisation of water for irrigation; direct destruction of ecosystems during minerals mining. As a result, tens of thousands of hectares are turned into "Moon Scape". Part of them went to the beds of reservoirs (for example, a unique colony of grey herons in Kyrgyzstan was flooded by the Toktogul reservoir). increase of automobile network made practically all corners of the country accessible and levelled relief of highland plateaus (syrty) allows transport to move without any roads. an excessive number of cattle on decreasing pasture areas (up to 25% pastures were practically lost since loads were exceeded by 5-10 times). population density in residential regions is more than 100 people per km2. According to severe continental conditions it is a load exceeding ecological stability of environment.

Anthropogenic impact and nature protection problems in surface geosystems.

During the last years, a perceptible damage to the balance between vegetable and animal kingdom has been observed, in connection with an increasing anthropogenic load

There is a threat of existence for about 15% of mammals and 10% of birds. Because of long-term over-grazing, practically all vegetative communities are subject to degradation to some extent. There was a change of dominance in them. As a minimum, efficiency has decreased in 1.5 time, non-edible, poisonous plants have appeared, erosional processes were intensified.

Region area	Anthropogenic impact in order of diminishing	Nature protection problems	Risk *
Chui	Urbanization of territories, transport,irrigated agriculture, hydrotechnic construction	Nature landscapes,soils,atmospheres,biota, water resources	most dangerous
Fergana plain pre-mountain	Irrigated agriculture, mining industry,farming territory urbanization, hydro-technic construction	Nature landscapes soils, atmosphere biota, water resources.	most dangerous
Issyk-Kul	Irrigated agriculture, transport, cattle grazing, procurements of medicinal plants, hunting	Biota, atmosphere, water resources and soils.	highly dangerous
Son-Kul	Cattle-grazing, procurements of medicinal plants, hunting	Biota, Soils	considerable danger
Sary-Djaz	cattle-grazing, procurements of medicinal plants, hunting	Biota, soils, nature landscapes	considerable danger
Suusamyr	cattle grazing	Biota, Soils
Upper Naryn	cattle grazing, procurement of medicinal plants, hunting	Biota, Soils	considerable danger
Chatyr-Kul	cattle grazing, procurement of medicinal plants, hunting	Biota, Soils	moderate danger

Direct withdrawal from nature.

Direct withdrawal occurs when shooting, catching, fishing, picking up, premeditated and unpremeditated destroying of individuals, belonging to one or other species.

Such species as red and grey marmots were the most numerous species of fur-bearing animals previously. With the purpose of elimination of plague hotbeds during the cultivation of highlands, more than 30 million of these rodents were exterminated. Mass extermination of these animals for the purpose of fur procurement led to a complete destruction of them on a larger part of the former zone as well as to a sharp reduction of their number and loss of their reproduction in the rest part of the zone.

There is an analogous situation with other fur-bearing and big animals - mountain goat, wild boar and earlier with maral. The latter species was widely spread in the Tien- Shan mountains. Now small populations are preserved just in limited section of spruce groves along the Naryn river. Wild boars and pheasants, after their complete extinction were again brought into many regions of the republic from several places where they are still preserved.

Fish catching

The fish resources do not play any appreciable role in the economy because of its relative scarcity. Even in the better times, in the 50s, a general catch reached about 20 thousand centners. It is totally about 5 kg of fish per capita a year. Now catch has been sharply reduced because of destruction of the former system of cultivation and protection of fishes and strong development of poaching. Over-catching and the decrease of over- fishing are the main reasons for sharp reduction of the number of previously mass species of fishes.

If in the 1970-s, the average catch of fish comprised 1,300 tonnes per year, in the 1980-s it was reduced on average to 970 tonnes, and in the 1990-s the average catch of fish was already equal to 540 tonnes per year .

The consumer attitude to the branch of the economy and poach during the spawning period, lack of the regular control and purposeful support of quantitative and specific structure of fishes have resulted in reduction of fish potential in the lakes and rivers of the country . The separate species of predatory fishes capable to eat the caviar and young individuals of other fishes were erroneously acclimatised here. One of the reasons for reduction of number and extinction of fishes of commercial significance is the pollution of lakes, reservoirs and rivers water currents with chemical and poisonous weed-killers and pest-killers, industrial and agricultural production wastes, unavailability of measures against illnesses of fishes. Main species of fishery are: trout, marinka, osman, peliad, pike-perch , chebak, chebachek, bream, crucian, sazan.

References: National report on environmental situation in 1997. Bishkek 1998. Project of strategy and actions plan for preserving biological diversity. Bishkek, 1998.

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