Story of the Apple Juniper

Antonia Eastwood, Georgy Lazkov and Adrian Newton

The Red List of Trees ofCentral Asia

FAUNA & FLORA INTERNATIONAL (FFI), founded in 1903 and theworld’s oldest international conservation organization, acts to conservethreatened species and ecosystems worldwide, choosing solutions thatare sustainable, are based on sound science and take account ofhuman needs.

BOTANIC GARDENS CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL (BGCI)is a membership organization linking botanic gardens in over 100countries in a shared commitment to biodiversity conservation,sustainable use and environmental education. BGCI aims to mobilizebotanic gardens and work with partners to secure plant diversity for thewell-being of people and the planet. BGCI provides the Secretariat forthe IUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group.

THE GLOBAL TREES CAMPAIGN is a joint initiative between FFI andBGCI in partnership with a wide range of other organizations aroundthe world. The aim of the Campaign is to save the world’s mostthreatened trees and the habitats in which they grow through theprovision of information, delivery of conservation action and support forsustainable use.

THE IUCN/SSC GLOBAL TREE SPECIALIST GROUP forms partof the Species Survival Commission’s volunteer network of over 7000volunteers working to stop the loss of plants, animals and their habitats.SSC is the largest of the six Commissions of IUCN-The WorldConservation Union. It serves as the main source of advice to the Unionand its members on the technical aspects of species conservation. Theaims of the IUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group are to promote andimplement global red listing for trees and act in an advisory capacity tothe Global Trees Campaign.

Published by Fauna & Flora International,Cambridge, UK.

© 2009 Fauna & Flora International

ISBN: 9781 903703 27 4

Reproduction of any part of the publication foreducational, conservation and other non-profitpurposes is authorized without prior permission fromthe copyright holder, provided that the source is fullyacknowledged.

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AUTHORSDr Antonia Eastwood was previously Tree Red ListOfficer at Fauna & Flora International and is now PlantEcologist at the Macaulay Institute, Aberdeen,Scotland.

Dr Georgy Lazkov is a plant taxonomist at the Instituteof Biology and Pedology, National Academy ofSciences, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Professor Adrian Newton is Professor in ConservationEcology at the School of Conservation Sciences atBournemouth University and the Vice Chair of theIUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group.

The opinion of the individual authors does notnecessarily reflect the opinion of either the editors orFauna & Flora International.

The authors and Fauna & Flora International take noresponsibility for any misrepresentation of material fromtranslation of this document into any other language.

COVER PHOTOSFront cover: Walnut harvest, Kyrgyzstan. The walnut isa key component of the highly threatened fruit and nutforests of Central Asia and is also of great economicimportance to people in the region (Chris Loades/FFI).Back cover: Forest, Kyrgyzstan (Chris Loades/FFI).

COVER DESIGNJohn Morgan, Seascape.

The Red List of Trees ofCentral Asia

Antonia Eastwood, Georgy Lazkovand Adrian Newton

CONTENTS

2

The Red List of Trees of Central Asia

Acknowledgements 3

Acronyms 3

Foreword 4

Introduction 5

THE RED LIST OF TREES OF CENTRAL ASIA 12

Species evaluated as Least Concern 19

Species not evaluated 21

References 22

ANNEX 1IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria 24

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The production of this Red List ofTrees of Central Asia would nothave been possible without the

collaboration, commitment andparticipation of regional and internationalexperts. The experts who participated inthe regional workshop held in Bishkek inJuly 2006 were: Nadezhda Yakovleva,Kamil Ashimov, Tirkesh Murzaev, ElinaProkhorenko (Kyrgyz Agrarian University,Kyrgyzstan), Sayra Kissanova (Associationof Reserves & Natural Parks, Kazakhstan),Iskandar Mirkhashimov (GEF/UNDPproject; In-situ Conservation ofKazakhstan’s Mountain Agrobiodiversity,Kazakhstan), Sovetbek Kenjebaev(Institute of Biosphere, Kyrgyzstan), AkbarMamadrizokhonov (Khorog StateUniversity, Tajikistan), Evgeny Botman,Evgeny Butkov (Centre for Horticulture andForestry, Uzbekistan), Kairkul Shalpykov(Institute of Biology and Pedology,Kyrgyzstan), Galina Malosieva, LeonidAndreychenko, Ishenbay Soodonbekov(Bishkek Botanic Garden, Kyrgyzstan),Gulnara Sitpaeva, Alfia Kurmantaeva,

BGCI Botanic Gardens Conservation InternationalCEC Commission of the European Communities

CECON Nature Conservation Centre, GuatemalaCI Conservation International

FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of theUnited Nations

FFI Fauna & Flora InternationalGEF Global Environment FacilityGIS Geographical Information System

ACRONYMS

IUCN The International Union for Conservationof Nature

NTFP Non-Timber Forest ProductSSC Species Survival CommissionUK United Kingdom

UNDP United Nations Development ProgrammeUSDA United States Department of Agriculture


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Translation between Russian and Englishwas done by Igor Smirnov, BGCI Russia.Amy Hinsley, Programme Officer at FFI,coordinated final editing and production ofthe report. Georgina Magin, Global TreesCampaign Coordinator at FFI, providedoversight and editorial input and SaraOldfield, Secretary General of BGCI andChair of the IUCN/SSC Global TreeSpecialist Group, provided expert adviceand technical knowledge. Elizabeth Allen,Editorial Assistant of Oryx at FFI, assistedwith final editing, Liesje Birchenough wrotethe case study on the walnut-fruit forest inKyrgyzstan and Jarkyn Samanchina, FFI’sProject Officer in Kyrgyzstan, coordinatedproduction of the Russian version of thisreport.

Natalya Nelina (Institute of Botany andPhyto-introduction, Kazakhstan), MagjanIsin (Research Institute of Plant Protection,Kazakhstan), Abdukhalil Kayimov (StateAgrarian University, Uzbekistan) andJarkyn Samanchina (Bashat-Communityand Business Forum, Kyrgyzstan).

The Global Trees Campaign is very gratefulto the Kyrgyz Agrarian University, Bishkekfor hosting the workshop, particularly forthe support provided by Dr AlmazbekIrgashev, Akylbek Kasymov and Dr AlmazOrozumbekov. We would also like to thankNuska Botoiarova, formerly FFI’s CentralAsia Project Coordinator, for all herorganisational, administrative and logisticalassistance that helped ensure theworkshop was such a success.

We would also like to take this opportunityto thank the Red List Unit (IUCN SpeciesProgramme), in particular Helen Templeand Craig Hilton-Taylor, for providingtechnical guidance on the application ofIUCN categories and criteria.

Trees are important to the well-beingof people in every country of theworld, providing essential

ecological, economic and culturalservices. In Central Asia, a vast and variedregion with generally relatively low forestcover, tree species are of great value indefining forest ecosystems and providingresources such as fuelwood, timber, fruitsand nuts. In fact the genetic diversity offruit and nut trees within the region is ofoutstanding global significance. Aselsewhere in the world, the trees ofCentral Asia face an onslaught of threatsfrom habitat destruction, over-grazing,over-harvesting and the increasing impactof global climate change. This reportpresents a review of the conservationstatus in the wild of the trees of CentralAsia, facilitated by FFI and the IUCN/SSCGlobal Tree Specialist Group.

Since its establishment in 2003 theprimary role of the IUCN/SSC Global TreeSpecialist Group has been to assess theglobal conservation status of tree speciesin selected geographical areas andtaxonomic groups. This report is the fifthpublication in the series.

The collection of information on treespecies of conservation concern is vital forplanning conservation action. Thesecondary role of the IUCN/SSC GlobalTree Specialist Group is to act as anadvisory body for the Global TreesCampaign, which aims to save the world’smost threatened tree species and thehabitats where they grow. The GlobalTrees Campaign provides an importantpractical mechanism for implementationof the Global Strategy for PlantConservation of the Convention onBiological Diversity. Global tree red listingcontributes directly to Target 2 of theStrategy, which calls for a provisional list ofthreatened plant species by 2010.

In many ways Target 2 underpins theother ambitious targets that relate to insitu and ex situ conservation andsustainable use and trade in plants.Projects of the Global Trees Campaigncarried out in partnership withorganizations and individuals around theworld help to deliver these various targets.The projects contribute to halting the lossof forest biodiversity and the provision ofsupport to rural livelihoods.

The Global Tree Specialist Group iscommitted to undertaking a globalassessment of the conservation status oftree species. Results of the globalassessment will be published ascomponents of the work are completed.This will ensure that regular indicators ofprogress are produced, updated treeconservation data are made widelyavailable and that tree conservationinitiatives around the world can besupported.

This report highlights 67 tree species thatare globally threatened, near threatenedor of concern because of insufficientinformation on their status in the wild. Ithighlights the actions that urgently needto be undertaken to prevent the extinctionof these species. Fortunately we have theability to act, working with natureconservation and forestry agencies,botanic gardens and germplasm banks ofthe region. Fauna & Flora International andBotanic Gardens ConservationInternational, the international partners inthe Global Trees Campaign, arecommitted to helping save these treespecies from extinction.

Sara OldfieldChair of the IUCN/SSC Global Tree

Specialist Group


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FOREWORD

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Central Asia forms a vast region thatstretches from the Caspian Sea in thewest to the great Tien Shan mountainrange in the east. The region iscomposed of five independent republics:Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. All fivecountries were once part of the SovietUnion until their independence in 1991.The largest of the Central Asian countriesis Kazakhstan, with a total land areaof just over 2,700,000 km2. Tajikistanis the smallest country, occupying143,100 km2.

Central Asia is a region of contrastinglandscapes. In the west it is dominatedby the barren, rocky Ustyrt Plateau andthe vast Turan Plain, with the Kara-KumDesert in the south and the Kyzyl-KumDesert in the centre. The KopetdagMountains in the south-west form anatural border between Turkmenistanand Iran. The extensive lowland plains inthe west and centre of the region,comprising largely desert and aridsteppe, eventually give rise to the uplandsand then the great mountain ranges ofthe Tien Shan, the Altai and the Pamir.The highest peaks in Central Asia areIsmoil Somoni Peak (7,495 m), PobedyPeak (7,439 m) and Lenin’s Peak(7,134 m). At altitudes above 3,500 mpermanent snow, rock and glaciersdominate the landscape. Although theregion is largely arid, a number of largerivers such as the Amu-Darya and theSyr-Darya flow down from the mountainsto form lakes such as Issyk-Kul inKyrgyzstan and the Aral Sea, which lieson the border of Kazakhstan andUzbekistan. These large rivers areresponsible for the verdant, fertile valleys,such as the Fergana Valley, which todayare intensively irrigated for crops.

The vastness of the region (almost4,000,000 km2), its landscapes andaltitudinal zonation have led to a widerange of ecosystem types that includesteppe, riparian tugai, taiga, wetlands,snowfields and deserts. These in turn arehome to threatened species such assnow leopard Uncia uncia, saiga antelopeSaiga tatarica tatarica and belugasturgeon Huso huso.

The region supports some 8,300 speciesof vascular plants (Kamelin, 2002) ofwhich approximately 10% are thought tobe endemic. The mountains of CentralAsia are a recognized global biodiversityhotspot (Davis et al., 1995), supportingover 300 wild fruit and nut species. Theseinclude wild species of apple (fourspecies), almond (8–10 species), cherry(8–10 species), plum (4–5 species), andwalnut (one species) as well as manydomesticated varieties. The rich diversityof fruit and nut species in the region ledthe Russian geneticist and plant breederN.I. Vavilov to propose it as one of theworld’s eight centres of crop origin anddomestication (Hawkes, 1998). In fact,recent molecular genetic studies stronglysupport the hypothesis that the domesticapple originated from Kazakhstan (Harriset al., 2002).

There are 500–600 arborescent speciesin Central Asia, of which 100–150 can beclassified as trees, the remainder beingshrubs (Lazkov, pers. comm., 2008). Thisincludes taiga species such as Abiessibirica and Picea schrenkiana as well asdesert shrubs such as Haloxylonpersicum and H. aphyllum. High speciesdiversity and endemism is particularlynotable in the shrubby generaCalligonum, Tamarix, Astragalus,Cotoneaster, Rosa and Crataegus.

FORESTS AND WOODLANDS OFCENTRAL ASIAThe aridity of the region means that theproportion of land under forest orwoodland is relatively low when comparedto more humid regions such as SouthAmerica. Tajikistan has the least, witharound 3.9% of its total land area coveredby forest or woodland, whilst Uzbekistanhas the most, with 10.1% of its landwooded (FAO, 2006a). Kyrgyzstan,Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan have 6.2%,7% and 8.8% forest and woodland coverrespectively. A large proportion of thewoodland in Kazakhstan andTurkmenistan is composed of desertsaxaul Haloxylon spp. shrublands (FAO,2006a). Located primarily in themountains, the forests of Central Asia playa pivotal role in environmental protection,preventing soil erosion and desertification,and regulating watersheds.

Despite the relatively low forest/woodlandcover, Central Asia supports a diverserange of forest and woodland types,some of them unique to the region. Themain and most notable forest andwoodland types of the region are:

Saxaul Haloxylon spp. shrublands canbe found in the desert and arid stepperegions, mostly in Turkmenistan andKazakhstan. These shrublands, whichtypically include drought resistant speciessuch as Salsola, Calligonum andElaeagnus, play an essential role inpreventing soil erosion.

Riparian tugai is restricted to thefloodplains of the region and is foundalongside river courses and streams.Tugai is typically composed of a mixtureof willow Salix spp., poplar Populus spp.and birch Betula spp..

INTRODUCTION

Broadleaved fruit and nut forests arefound in the foothills and slopes of theTien Shan, Pamir-Alai and the Kopetdagmountains between 800–2,000 m. Thesefragmented forests are incredibly rich inwild fruit- and nut-bearing species suchas walnuts Juglans regia, apples Malusspp., pears Pyrus spp., plums Prunusspp. and almonds Amygdalus spp..

Juniper (archa) woodlands/shrublandsare found typically in the dry foothillregions or at mid to high altitude (up to3,500 m above sea level), where theytake on prostrate forms. Species includeJuniperus seravschanica, J. semiglobosaand J. turkestanica.

Taiga forests comprising predominantlyspruce and fir species are restricted tothe northern slopes of the Tien Shanbetween 1,700 m and 2,700 m. Typicalspecies include Picea schrenkiana andAbies sibirica. The endemic Semenov firAbies semenovii is restricted to smallareas in western Kyrgyzstan.

Pistachio Pistacia vera woodlands arefound on the lower, drier foothills andmountain slopes of western Tien Shan,Pamir-Alai and Kopetdag. One of themost notable areas of pistachio is in theBadghyz Strict Nature Reserve(Turkmenistan), where the trees formextensive open groves covering around76,000 ha (MNPT, 2002).

FOREST MANAGEMENT ANDNATURE CONSERVATIONThe majority of the forests andwoodlands in Central Asia are still ownedby the state, and management is stilllargely based on the Soviet system ofstate forestry enterprises or leskhozes(FAO, 2006a). The main objectives offorest management in all the CentralAsian countries are focused on

environmental protection, recreation andwildlife management (FAO, 2006a).Central Asian forests are regionallyrecognized as being essential inprotecting common watersheds andarresting land degradation anddesertification.

State forestry enterprises are alsoresponsible for the management of someforested protected areas, such as theBadai-Tugai Strict Nature Reserve inUzbekistan. The rest of the protectedareas tend to be managed by natureprotection agencies. All five Central Asiancountries largely inherited the formerSoviet system of protected areas, whichincludes Strict Nature Reserves(zapovedniks), National Parks, NatureMonuments and Special PurposeReserves (zakazniks). The highestprotection is provided by zapovedniks(IUCN Category I), whilst zakazniks havethe least protection (IUCN Category IV).To date, there are 39 zapovedniks, 14National Parks, some 67 NatureMonuments and around 150 zakazniks inCentral Asia. These numbers are likely toincrease in the near future as moreprotected areas are designated. Anumber of zapovedniks were establishedto conserve distinct forest types such asthe Zaaminsky State Reserve (uniquejuniper forest) in Uzbekistan and SaryChelek Biosphere Reserve (fruit and nutforest) in Kyrgyzstan.

The political and economic collapse of theSoviet Union between 1989 and 1991 hashad a profound effect on all the CentralAsian countries, with consequencesincluding war and civil unrest (UNDP,2005). The ensuing sharp economicdecline has had a huge impact onpeople’s lives in the region, with natureconservation and environmentalprotection subsequently receiving low

priority. The majority of protected areasand leskhozes are severely under-resourced and lack the necessaryinstitutional capacity, financial support andexpertize for the effective management ofbiodiversity and law enforcement (MEP,1998; MNPT, 2002; Cornet andRajapbaev, 2004; Jashenko, 2006).

FOREST USEDespite the low forest cover in CentralAsia, the people of the region havealways had a strong association anddependency on forests to providefirewood, timber and food (nuts, fruit,mushrooms and honey). In fact, the nameof Kazakhstan’s former capital, Almaty,literally means ‘the Father of Apples’. Thelong association of humans with applesin the region is demonstrated by the lackof distinction between some wild speciesand their cultivated varieties (Juniper andMabberley, 2006).

Wood fuel is still important in Kyrgyzstanand Tajikistan where a high proportion ofthe population live in rural areas and donot have access to fossil fuels. InTajikistan more than 80% of ruralhouseholds rely on wood fuel as a mainsource of cooking energy (FAO, 2006a).Since independence all the Central Asiancountries apart from Turkmenistan haveseen an increase in the demand for woodfuel (FAO, 2006a). Primarily due to lowproductivity, forest plantations make uponly a small proportion of the total forestcover in Central Asia. These are mainlyset aside for protective measures ratherthan for wood production. Most of theCentral Asian countries depend onimported wood, although imports havedrastically reduced since the break-up ofthe Soviet Union (FAO, 2006a). Althoughlogging is officially illegal in the majority ofthe indigenous forests in Central Asia,substantial quantities are still removed

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(FAO, 2006a). Trees are felled for timberand, in the case of walnut, to produceveneer for furniture. The amount of illegalfelling that is currently taking place is notknown.

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) suchas walnuts, apples and pistachios are animportant source of livelihoods for ruralcommunities in Central Asia. Collection ofNTFPs ranges from subsistenceharvesting to collection for internationaltrade with, for example, China or Turkey.In southern Kyrgyzstan, walnut is themost important NTFP and can be a majorsource of income for the local population,especially during years of good harvest(Fisher et al., 2004).

For rural communities the forests alsoprovide grazing for livestock and theunder-storey of wood pastures is cut forhay to provide fodder during the wintermonths. Although grazing is illegal in themajority of leskhozes in Kyrgyzstan,livestock grazing in woodland is verymuch the norm (Fisher et al., 2004).

THREATS TO FORESTS ANDWOODLANDSThe Global Forest ResourcesAssessment 2005 (FAO, 2006b) indicatesthat the extent of forests and woodlandsin Central Asia has remained relativelyunchanged since 1995. However, thereliability of the data provided for theassessment is uncertain owing to theregion’s lack of capacity to monitor andconduct forest inventories since thebreak-up of the Soviet Union. There isalso very little official information on theactual status of forests, their associatedspecies and levels of degradation.

A number of reports, national biodiversitystrategies and the experience of regionalexperts (MEP, 1998; MNPT, 2002;

Safarov, 2003; Cornet and Rajapbaev,2004; IRIN, 2003) all indicate that CentralAsian forests and woodlands are undersevere threat from over-exploitation,desertification, pests and diseases, over-grazing and fires. A combination offactors including the cessation ofsubsidized timber from the former SovietUnion, rural poverty, a lack of alternativeenergy sources and the lack ofinstitutional capacity to protect andregulate forests have all added to thepressure on vulnerable forests of theregion. The forests and woodlandsgrowing on the foothills of the Tien Shan,Palmir-Alai and Kopetdag mountains,especially those near rural settlements,are most threatened. This includes theslow-growing juniper forests of Tajikistanand Kyrgyzstan, which are threatened byfirewood collection and over-grazing.Kyrgyzstan, for example, lost some 35%of its montane juniper in just a fewdecades (MEP, 1998). As firewoodbecomes increasingly scarce aroundsettlements, villagers have to go deeperand deeper into the forest to satisfy theirdaily fuel needs.

Although an important source of incomefor rural communities, unsustainable ratesof harvesting of NTFPs such as walnutscontinue to pose a huge threat to theregion’s unique fruit and nut forests. Thethreat is further compounded byunregulated logging, grazing, hay-makingand, more recently, pests such as thegypsy moth Lymantria dispar. In the Jalal-Abad province of Kyrgyzstan localforesters and residents have noticedmarked reductions in the walnut andapple harvest in recent years (IRIN, 2003).A biodiversity hotspot report byConservation International (CI, 2008)states that some 90% of fruit and nutforest habitats have been lost in the last50 years.

The forests of the Tien Shan and Pamir-Alai mountains and the floodplain tugaiforests provide crucial environmentalprotection and ecosystems services tothe predominately arid Central Asianregion. Their loss and degradation notonly threatens globally unique biodiversityand rural livelihoods but also endangerswater supply and regulation, essential tofertile agricultural areas such as theFergana Valley and major metropolises inthe region.

METHODOLOGY USED FORCONSERVATION STATUSASSESSMENTThe IUCN/SSC Global Tree SpecialistGroup, in association with the GlobalTrees Campaign, uses a number ofapproaches to undertake globalassessments of the conservation statusof tree species (Newton and Oldfield,2008). These include, most importantly,close collaboration with regional andinternational experts in botany andforestry, as well as extensive literaturereviews and searches on onlinetaxonomic and herbarium databases,supported by GIS mapping.

To undertake an assessment of theconservation status of Central Asian treesthe Global Trees Campaign organized aworkshop in July 2006 to bring togethera range of regional experts from theCentral Asian countries. A total of 25participants from Kyrgyzstan,Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan andthe UK attended the workshop inBishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Regrettably, theworkshop organizers were unable toarrange for an expert from Turkmenistanto attend. Over the 3-day workshop theparticipants, through much discussionand debate, produced a list of nationallythreatened tree species, a candidate listof globally threatened Central Asian tree


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Ribes malvifolium, are threatened byover-harvesting of fruits and collection ofsaplings as rootstock for grafting. Morespecifically, Calligonum triste is directlythreatened by desertification and soilsalination resulting from the drainage ofthe Aral Sea.

A number of the species that areEndangered or Vulnerable are wildrelatives of domesticated fruit and nutvarieties. This includes wild apricotArmenica vulgaris (EN), which isthreatened by unsustainable harvestingand over-collection by national andinternational plant-breeding companies.Two wild apple species, Malusniedzwetzkyana (EN) and Malus sieversii(VU), are still found in the fragmented fruitand nut forests of Central Asia and arethreatened by habitat degradation, mainlyfrom agricultural development and over-grazing.

A number of species are directlythreatened by over-collection forfirewood. This includes Juniperusschugnanica (VU), Calligonum calcareum(CR) and Calligonum paletzkianum (VU).Populations of these species have allseen dramatic declines in recent years,particularly those in the vicinity of ruralsettlements.

The experts evaluated both walnutJuglans regia and pistachio Pistacia veraas Near Threatened even though recentpaleontological evidence for walnut in theFergana Valley (Kyrgyzstan) suggests itmay have an anthropogenic origin, ratherthan native (Beer et al., 2007). For walnut,the experts have taken a precautionaryapproach until further evidence becomesavailable because of the globalsignificance of the walnut forests inCentral Asia and their importance as aninternational genetic resource.

SUMMARY OF RESULTS

Conservation Number ofStatus taxa

Extinct 0Critically Endangered 23Endangered 13Vulnerable 8Near Threatened 5Data Deficient 17Least Concern 30Total Evaluated 96Not Evaluated 12

Of the 96 taxa evaluated, 44 arecategorized as Critically Endangered,Endangered or Vulnerable, meaning thatthey are threatened with extinction in thewild according to the IUCN Red Listcategories and criteria. A further five taxaare Near Threatened and 17 are DataDeficient. Data Deficient taxa are thosetaxa that are deemed not to have sufficientinformation available to assign a Red Listcategory. In the current evaluation this isprimarily because of the lack of knowledgeof the conservation status of specieswhose distributions extend outside CentralAsia, for example, into Afghanistan or Iran.In addition, the lack of capacity of scientificinstitutions to undertake fieldwork,particularly since the break-up of theSoviet Union, has reduced the availabilityof up-to-date information. This is especiallypertinent for Kazakhstan, the ninth largestcountry in the world.

A high proportion of the threatened taxaare Critically Endangered, that is, theyface an extremely high risk of extinctionin the wild. Many of these are narrowendemics, such as Abies semenovii andCrataegus knorringiana, whosefragmented populations are threatenedby cutting and/or over-grazing. Others,relatives of domesticated fruit trees andshrubs such as Pyrus korshinskyi and

species, and a preliminary Red List ofglobally threatened trees from CentralAsia using the IUCN Red List categoriesand criteria (IUCN, 2001). During theworkshop a map of regional forest cover,derived from satellite remote sensingimagery, was used to define the potentialdistributional range of selected species.For this purpose the Moderate ResolutionImaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)Vegetation Continuous Fields (VCF)product was used (Hansen et al., 2003).This product depicts the percentage treecover at a resolution of 500 m using asupervised regression tree algorithm. Foreach species considered distributionalranges were derived by exploring theexpert data elicited during the workshopusing ArcView v. 9.1 (ESRI, Redlands,USA; www.esri.com). Following theworkshop the preliminary Red List wasreviewed and revised with the assistanceof the Red List Unit, IUCN SpeciesProgramme and additional research inthe literature and online databases.

RESULTS OF EVALUATIONOver the course of the 3-day workshop25 experts from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan,Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and the UKevaluated 96 Central Asian tree andshrub species according to the IUCN RedList categories and criteria (IUCN, 2001).Twelve tree and shrub taxa listed in theRed Data Book of Turkmenistan(Atamuradov et al., 1999) were notevaluated as no national experts fromTurkmenistan attended the workshop.The full Red List of globally threatenedtrees from Central Asia with associatedcategories and criteria can be found onpage 13. A summary of the results of theevaluation are in the table below.

Box 1: Examples of recent forest conservation projects in Central Asia

• Archa JUMP Project on the Sustainable Management of Juniper Forests inSouthern Kyrgyzstan (CEC)

• Central Asia Transboundary Biodiversity Project in West Tien Shan (GEF)• Conservation of Tugai Forests and Strengthening Protected Areas System in theAmu-Darya Delta of Karakalpakstan (UNDP and GEF)

• Impact of the Transformation Process on Human-environmental Interactions inSouthern Kyrgyzstan (Volkswagen Foundation)

• In-situ Conservation of Kazakhstan’s Mountain Agrobiodiversity (UNDP/GEF)• Kyrgyz-Swiss Forestry Support Programme (Intercooperation)• Community Conservation of Globally Important Fruit and Nut Forests inKyrgyzstan (FFI)

Case Study: Community Conservation of theWalnut-fruit Forests in Kyrgyzstan

FFI is working with local partners in Kyrgyzstan to improve the conservation of walnut-fruit forests by promoting the involvement of local communities in forest management.Threats to forest integrity include: limited natural regeneration because of grazingpressure and hay-making within the forest; illegal cutting of trees and collection offirewood; over-harvesting of fruits and nuts; pests (such as gypsymoth) and disease.

In recent times, local people have had little opportunity to engage in forestmanagement and planning, although they do have access to forest resourcesthrough the leasing of forest plots. These fruit and nut forests are a vital resource forlocal people, providing fuelwood, food, fodder and grazing for livestock, as well asan important income from the walnut harvest.

The project is initially working in Kara Alma, bringing together communityrepresentatives, the local forest service and other stakeholders for open discussionson key issues, resulting in a collaborative conservation management plan for thesustainable use of the forest. In addition, following a participatory needs assessment,training and essential equipment are being provided to the local forest service toincrease their capacity to work with local communities to protect and manage theforest. Through the provision of small grants and associated training, local peopleare being supported to adopt environmentally sustainable livelihood options to reducesocio-economic pressures on the forest. These small-scale income generationinitiatives have included bee keeping, fruit preservation, and various small workshops.

Liesje Birchenough, Eurasia Programme Manager, Fauna & Flora International


throughout the region. Not only do theCentral Asian countries share a recentpolitical legacy, watersheds and mountainranges, but they also share many similarissues and problems regarding natureconservation, environmental protection,rural development and the sustainableuse of natural resources.

recognized with a number of internationallyfunded projects. Some of these projectsare listed in Box 1.

Although the above projects vary greatlyin scope it is essential that any lessonslearnt, best practice and possiblesolutions are disseminated effectively

CURRENT CONSERVATIONMEASURES FOR THREATENEDTREES OF CENTRAL ASIAAs described in the introduction, all fivecountries of Central Asia have a long-established tradition of nature protectionand forest management. This is also truefor scientific research in the biologicalsciences and is evident in the extensivenetwork of botanic gardens, arboretums,universities and academic researchinstitutions throughout the region.

However, as previously discussed, theregion has undergone dramatic economic,social and political transition followingindependence from the former SovietUnion in 1991. This has had a profoundimpact on the capacity of forestry, natureprotection and scientific institutions tosurvey, manage and monitor forests,woodlands and threatened species. Themajority of state conservation agencies andresearch institutions are severely under-resourced and are unable to conductbaseline surveys, let alone regulate andmanage forest resource use. In turn,botanic gardens and germplasm bankslack the staff and basic equipment tomaintain globally important ex situcollections of threatened trees.

There is immense pressure on CentralAsian forests and woodlands to providefirewood, timber and NTFPs. State forestryagencies and protected areas thereforeface huge challenges in the conservationof threatened trees and the sustainable useof forest products. These challenges areexemplified by the 44 globally threatenedtree species, a significant proportion ofwhich are wild relatives of globallyimportant fruit crops.

The global importance and plight of theunique forests and fruit and nut diversity ofCentral Asia has recently begun to be

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Soviet times and their current conservationstatus is not known. Other DD speciesrequire collaboration with experts in China,Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan in order toestablish their conservation status.

in ex situ collections should be establishedas soon as possible to act as an insurancepolicy against extinctions in the wild.National plant genetic resource authoritiesshould be provided with the necessarylegal and policy training to establish multi-lateral agreements for the exchange andutilisation of plant genetic resources. Onceestablished, these agreements could be amechanism to ensure long-term funding forthe conservation of globally importantgenetic resources. It is a sad irony that theprogenitor of the domesticated apple,Malus sieversii, is threatened by extinctionin its natural environment, whilst the exportvalue of apples from the top ten apple-producing countries is over US$3 billion ayear (FAO, 2008). More poignantly, Malussieversii germplasm collected in the 1990sfrom Kazakhstan is currently being used bythe USDA Agricultural Research Service toimprove disease resistance in current applecultivars (Forsline et al., 2003). So far,researchers have discovered Malussieversii samples that show resistance toapple scab, fire blight, drought andnumerous soil pathogens (Pons, 2006).These research findings once againhighlight the global importance ofconserving the wild relatives ofdomesticated fruit and nut trees.

Twenty-three of the trees and shrubsevaluated are Critically Endangered.Species recovery plans using both in situand ex situ methods need to be developedand implemented urgently. Closecollaboration between different agencies inneighbouring countries may be required fortransboundary species.

Eighteen of the species are Data Deficient(DD). For a number of species this isbecause of scientific institutions’ lack ofcapacity to conduct basic surveys. Anumber of potentially threatened specieshave not been surveyed since before

PRIORITY NEEDS FOR ACTIONThe forests of Central Asia, with theirincredibly rich diversity of fruit and nut trees,are of global significance. The conservationof this unique inheritance is paramount, notonly for the region but for the wholeinternational community. It is thereforeimperative that the international communityprovides the necessary financial resources,investment and training to build thecapacity of scientific institutions, natureconservation and forestry agencies,botanic gardens and germplasm banks tomanage and conserve this unique heritageeffectively.

The region’s state forestry agencies andprotected areas network require substantialinvestment and capacity building. With somany challenges faced by these agencies,training in the development of participatoryforest management plans, local communityengagement, rural development andnatural resource management is urgentlyneeded. Many of the state agencies lackbasic equipment and infrastructure such asuniforms, horses or vehicles,communication equipment and rangerposts. In order to alleviate the immediatepressures on forests from firewoodcollection and illegal logging, pilot projectsthat provide alternative sources of energyto villagers should be trialled, assessed androlled out.

A review of the status of the region’sbotanic gardens, gene bank facilities andex situ tree collections needs to beundertaken. This should be coupled with areview of the ex situ collections heldoutside the region. Once the state of theseinstitutions is known a programme ofinstitutional capacity building, possibly withthe formation of a regional network ofex situ conservation facilities, should beinitiated. Representatives of the 44threatened tree species not yet conserved

Astana

Taby

l

Esil

Irtish

Zha

yya

Syr-Darya

Ile

Naryn

Amu-DaryaGaragum Kanaly

Almaty

Bishkek

Kushka

Oral

Aralsk

Karaganda

Dushanbe

AshgabatSamarkand

Bukhara Tashkent

AralSea

Ca

sp

i an

Se

a

Lake Balkhash

K A Z A K H S T A N

R u s s i a

C h i n a

R u s s i a

I r a n

A f g h a n i s t a n

TURKMENISTAN

KYRGYZSTAN

TAJIKISTAN

U Z B E K I S T A N

CENTRAL ASIA

Tien Shan Mountains

Altai Mountains

Kopetdag Mountains

Pam

irM

ount

ains


11

0

0

300

186

600

372

900

558

1200

744

Kilometres

Miles

Abies semenovii B.Fedtsch.CR B1ab(v)KyrgyzstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopEndemic to Kyrgyzstan, this species has a very narrowdistribution range. It is restricted to two localities (Talas andChatkal) with an extent of occurrence less than 100 km². Threatsinclude cutting and disease.

Ammopiptanthus kamelinii LazkovCR B2ab(iii,v)KyrgyzstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopA recently described species, A. kamelinii (Lazkov, 2006) waspreviously included in Ammopiptanthus nanus (Popov) Cheng.Endemic to Kyrgyzstan, the species has a very limiteddistribution restricted to Kavak-Too Mountain between 1,600–2,000 m above sea level. Threats include mining, fossilexploration, poor regeneration and natural hazards. The totalnumber of individuals in Kyrgyzstan is around 3,000–4,000.

Amygdalus bucharica Korsh.VU B2ab(iii,v)Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopEndemic to Central Asia, this species is in decline in Uzbekistan.Main threats are grazing, collection of fruit for almond oil andpoor regeneration caused by intermittent fruiting.

Amygdalus ledebouriana Schlecht.EN B1ab(iii)KazakhstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species is endemic to east Kazakhstan in the Altai andTarbagatai mountain ranges. It occurs on mountain slopes andalong river valleys. The extent of occurrence is less than 100km2. Threats include cutting, habitat reduction and the collectionof fruit and flowers. The flowers are particularly in demand forinternational women’s day. The nuts are used for almond oilproduction.

Armeniaca vulgaris Lam.EN B1ab(iii)China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe wild apricot, the origin of all cultivated apricots, isconsidered very rare in all three Central Asian countries where it

naturally occurs. In Kazakhstan, it is only known from threelocalities: Talgar, Turgen and Torkulak. Threats to the speciesinclude construction, development of tourist resorts, cutting forfuelwood, harvesting of fruit and the collection of germplasm byboth national and international plant-breeding companies. Thedistribution of wild apricot in China needs to be determined.

Atraphaxis muschketowi Krassn.EN B1ab(iii)Kazakhstan, KyrgyzstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species has a very restricted range in Central Asia. InKazakhstan it only occurs between the Kaskelen and Talgargorges where individuals are sparsely distributed. Expandingtourism and other recreational activities threaten localities.

Berberis iliensis PopovVU B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)Kazakhstan, ChinaAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThis Berberis species is restricted to the Ili River basin inKazakhstan and China. The small fragmented sub-populationsare threatened by water extraction, cutting and fire.

Berberis karkaralensis Kornilova & PotapovCR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)KazakhstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopA narrow endemic restricted to central Kazakhstan in the Kentand Karkaraly mountains. Although the species occurs inprotected areas it continues to be threatened by tourism,grazing and natural fires.

Betula jarmolenkoana GoloskokovCR B1ab(iii,v)+ B2ab(iii,v)KazakhstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopA narrow relict endemic restricted to three river basins (Kokpa,Tekes and Bayankol/Narynkol) in one mountain range. Declinesin the extent of habitat have been observed, primarily becauseof fire.

Betula kirghisorum SawiczCR B2ab(v)KazakhstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopAlthough known from four localities, including the Siberian

THE RED LIST OF TREES OF CENTRAL ASIA

12


lowlands of Kustanai province and the Chingiz Tau Mountains ineastern Kazakhstan, the species has a very restricted area ofoccupancy (less than 10 km²). The total population is less than1,000 individual trees and regeneration is poor.

Betula pamirica Litv.VU B2ab(v)Tajikistan (possibly Kyrgyzstan)Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThis birch species is restricted to the Pamir-Alai range inTajikistan (possibly also Kyrgyzstan) at altitudes between 2,500–3,300 m. The species is scarce, declining and only known fromfive localities (Darvaz, Vanj, Rushan, Gunt and Shokhdara). Thespecies is considered to be a synonym of B. tianschanica Rupr.by some taxonomists.

Betula schugnanica (B.Fedtsch.) Litv.CR B2ab(v); C1TajikistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThis birch species is endemic to the Gorno-Badakhshan rangein Tajikistan at altitudes between 2,000–2,500 m. It is restrictedto four localities (Shabdara, Gunt, Rushan and Darvaz) with atotal population size of less than 250 and declining. The speciesis considered to be a synonym of B. tianschanica Rupr. by sometaxonomists.

Betula talassica PoljakovEN B2ab(iii)KazakhstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species is restricted to two localities in Kazakhstan: theAksu River basin and rivers in the Karatau mountain range.Although some protection is afforded to the Aksu sub-population, as it is located in a protected area, declines havebeen observed in the Karatau range. The species is sometimestreated as a synonym of B. pendula Roth.

Betula tianschanica Rupr.EN A2ac; B2ab(ii,iii)Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, KyrgyzstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species occurs in river basins and valleys of western TienShan (Ugam, Pskem and Chatkal). Populations are fragmentedand in decline, threatened by livestock, avalanches and tourism.

Calligonum calcareum PavlovCR B2ab(iii,v)Kyrgyzstan, UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species is restricted to a specific soil type in the Sokh Riverbasin. It is threatened by over-grazing and cutting. Its timber ishighly valued for tandoori cooking.

Calligonum elegans V.P.DrobowEN B2ab(iii,v)UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species is restricted to a narrow ecological niche in the SokhRiver basin, southern Ferghana. It is threatened by cutting andgrazing.

Calligonum matteianum V.P.DrobowEN B2ab(iii,v)UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species is restricted to a narrow ecological niche in Bukharaprovince. Threats include cutting and grazing.

Calligonum molle Litv.EN B2ab(iii,v)UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species is restricted to a narrow ecological niche in theBukhara province. Threats include cutting and grazing.

Calligonum paletzkianum Litv.VU B2ab(iii,v)Turkmenistan, UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species is found along the Uzbekistan/Turkmenistan borderand is restricted to a narrow ecological niche. The sparselydistributed populations are threatened by grazing and collectionfor firewood.

Calligonum triste Litv.CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)Kazakhstan, TurkmenistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopIn Kazakhstan this species is only known from one locality, thePri-Aral Moyunkum. It is threatened by the drainage of the AralSea, desertification and soil salination. The species is consideredendangered in Turkmenistan although details on its distributionare not known.


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Crataegus darvasica Pojark.CR B2ab(iii,v)TajikistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThis very rare endemic hawthorn is only found in south-westDarvaz of Tajikistan. It is in decline because of over-grazing andcutting.

Crataegus necopinata Pojark.CR B2ab(iii,v)Tajikistan (possibly Afghanistan)Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species occurs in the Darvaz Range and downstream ofthe Vanj River in Tajikistan, although it may also occur inneighbouring Afghanistan. The species is threatened by cuttingfor timber.

Crataegus knorringiana Pojark.CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)KyrgyzstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species has a very limited distribution with only one locality,a ravine in the Alai Mountains. Human disturbance, over-grazingand cutting threaten the species.

Juniperus schugnanica KomarovVU A2adKyrgyzstan, TajikistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species is endemic to eastern Tajikistan (Gorno-Badakhshan) and the adjacent area of Kyrgyzstan in thePamir-Alai Range. The fragmented populations are restricted tovalleys and gorges and are threatened by cutting for firewood.Populations in the vicinity of settlements are most threatenedwith observed declines of over 30% in the last 20 years.

Lonicera karataviensis PavlovCR B2ab(iii)KazakhstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species is only known from two localities in the Karkaragorge in Kazakhstan. The total population is 600–700 individualsand although the populations occur in a protected area thespecies is still threatened by tourism development. A recenttaxonomic revision in Kyrgyzstan described populationspreviously thought to be L. karataviensis as L. sovetkinae.

Lonicera paradoxa Pojark.EN B2ab(iii,v)Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThis honeysuckle species is considered to be extremelythreatened in all the Central Asian countries where it occurs.Threats include cattle grazing and tourism.

Malus niedzwetzkyana Dieck.EN B2ab(iii,v)Afghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopA very rare species in Central Asia, with individuals sporadicallydistributed in fragmented populations. Threats include loss anddegradation of habitat because of agricultural expansion anddevelopment, genetic erosion (grafting of commercial varietiesand hybridization) and over-grazing. As a wild relative ofdomesticated apple the species is of global importance as aninternational genetic resource.

Malus sieversii (Ledeb.) M.Roem.VU A2acdeChina, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopAs with M. niedzwetzkyana, threats include loss and degradationof habitat because of agricultural expansion and development,genetic erosion (grafting of commercial varieties andhybridization) and over-grazing. In Kazakhstan its habitat hasdeclined by over 70% in the last 30 years. Molecular geneticwork strongly indicates that Malus sieversii is one of the mainprogenitors of domesticated apples (Harris et al., 2002) and istherefore a species of significant global importance. With mostcommercial apple cultivars having a narrow genetic base it isimperative that the wide genetic diversity in this species isconserved both in situ and ex situ.

Picea schrenkiana Fisch. et. Mey. prostrata K.IsakovVU B2ab(iii,v)Kazakhstan, KyrgyzstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThis alpine form of P. schrenkiana has a very narrow altitudinalrange (2,800–3,100 m). There are only seven known localities inthe northern Tien Shan. Threats include cattle grazing, cuttingand climate change. There is taxonomic uncertainty about thedistinctness of this form in Kyrgyzstan.

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Polygonum toktogulicum LazkovCR B2ab(iii)KyrgyzstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThis species has a very limited distribution with an area ofoccupancy less than 1 km². It grows close to a large settlementand is threatened by over-grazing. There are only approximately2,000 individuals of this species.

Populus berkarensis PoljakovCR DKazakhstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopA narrow endemic, with a total population of less than 50individuals. It grows in mountain gorges and rocky slopes ataltitudes of 1,000–1,200 m. Very little is known about rates ofdecline or threats.

Prunus tadzhikistanica V.I.ZapryagaevaEN B2ab(iii,v)TajikistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopA species endemic to western Pamir (the Gisar mountain range)between 1,800–2,000 m. Threats include cutting andagricultural expansion.

Pyrus cajon V.I.ZapryagaevaEN B2ab(iii,v)TajikistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopA rare endemic of Gorno-Badakhshan province, this wild pearspecies is threatened by agricultural expansion.

Pyrus korshinskyi Litv.CR B2ab(iii,v)Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThis wild pear is known from only a few fragmented sub-populations. It is threatened by over-grazing, fruit harvesting andthe collection of saplings for rootstock.

Pyrus tadshikistanica V.I.ZapryagaevaCR B2ab(iii,v)TajikistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopRestricted to the Darvas Mountains at 1,300–1,600 m,populations of this endemic pear are very small and fragmented.The species is threatened by cutting.

Ribes malvifolium Pojark.CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)Tajikistan, UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThis wild currant species has a very limited distribution with onlytwo known localities. Threats include fruit collection andlivestock grazing.

Rhus coriaria L.VU B2ab(iii)Tajikistan, UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species has a very limited and fragmented distribution andis threatened by over-grazing.

Sibiraea tianschanica (Krassn.) Pojark.CR B2ab(iii)Kazakhstan, KyrgyzstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species is listed in the national Red Data books ofKyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. It has a very limited distribution andhas not been collected for several years. Threats includeagricultural expansion, tourism and housing developments.

Rosa pavlovii Chrshan.CR B2ab(iii)KazakhstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopConsidered as a distinct species by Kazakh botanists, thisnarrow endemic occurs at only a few localities in north-eastKazakhstan. It grows in wet meadows alongside the river Irtish(Dzhangaliev et al., 2003). It is in decline and threatened byhousing developments and urban sprawl from Pavlodar city.Rosa pavlovii is considered to be a synonym of R. majalis Herrm.by some taxonomists.

Spiraeanthus schrenkianus (Fisch. et Mey.) Maxim.EN B2 ab(iii,v)KazakhstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopIn Kazakhstan there are only three known localities, in theBetpak-Dala Desert and the Syrdarga Kara-Tau. Threats includehabitat degradation and cutting. The species may occur inKyrgyzstan.


15

Sophora korolkovii KoehneCR B1ab(ii,iii)+2ab(ii,iii)KyrgyzstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopAlthough considered to be a synonym of Styphnolobiumjaponicum (L.) Schott (ILDIS, 2007), Kyrgyz botanists considerthis to be a distinct species of Sophora. With a very limiteddistribution Sophora korolkovii is threatened by grazing,construction and mining.

Swida darvasica (Pojark.) SojakCR B2ab(iii,v)TajikistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species has a very limited distribution and is threatened byagricultural expansion, cutting and over-grazing.

Zygophyllum bucharicum B.Fedtsch.CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)Uzbekistan (possibly Tajikistan)Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopGrowing along the border of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan andrestricted to a narrow ecological range the species is threatenedby over-grazing.

Zygophyllum darvasicum Boriss.CR B2ab(iii,v)Tajikistan (possibly Afghanistan)Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species is endemic to Gorno-Badakhshan; in the DervasRange and by the Pange River. It is very scarce and threatenedby cutting. It may also occur in Afghanistan but its current statusthere is not known.

SPECIES EVALUATED AS NEAR THREATENED

Fraxinus sogdiana BungeNTChina (west Xinjiang), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThis species of ash, which grows along rivers in open deciduousforest, is threatened in Kazakhstan. Threats in Central Asia includecutting for timber and changes to water regimes.

Juglans regia L.NTAfghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan,Tajikistan, Turkey, UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopAlthough recent palaeontological evidence for walnut in theFergana Valley (Kyrgyzstan) suggests that walnut may beanthropogenic in origin rather than native to the region (Beer et al.,2007) the evaluation has taken a precautionary approach becauseof the global significance of the walnut forests in Central Asia andtheir importance as an international genetic resource.

Juniperus seravshanica Kom.NTUzbekistan, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, TajikistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopAlthough widespread in Central Asia declines have been observedin the region, particularly in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Thetimber is favoured for saunas and the species is also threatenedby over-grazing and fires.

Populus pruinosa SchrenkNTAfghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, KyrgyzstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopAlthough the species has a wide distribution it has a very narrowecological range, restricted to river banks in arid areas. Thespecies is threatened by changes in water regime (irrigation andhydroelectric power stations), cutting and agricultural conversion.

Pistacia vera L.NTKazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopAlthough widely distributed throughout Central Asia the pistachiois threatened by fruit collection, livestock grazing and cutting.

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SPECIES EVALUATED AS DATA DEFICIENT

Amygdalus susakensis Vassilcz.DDKyrgyzstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species is only known from its type specimen. There are norecent data and its taxonomic status is uncertain.

Astragalus kokaschikii GamajunDDKazakhstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThis taxon is only known from one locality in the Betpak-DalaDesert in central Kazakhstan. Although a very narrow endemic,no information is known on patterns of decline or threats. Itstaxonomic status is uncertain as it is considered by some to bea synonym of Astragalus krascheninnikovii Kamelin (ILDIS, 2007;IPNI, 2007).

Astragalus tscharynensis PopovDDKazakhstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species is recorded from the Boguta Mountains in theCharyn River basin. No collections of the species have beenmade in the past 100 years and it may no longer exist in thewild. Exhaustive surveys are required to determine its true statusand whether it is extinct.

Atraphaxis teretifolia (Popov) Kom.DDKazakhstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThis rare relict species only occurs in the Betpak-Dala Desert. Itsdistribution is less than 100 km² but there is no information ondeclines or threats.

Calophaca soongorica Kar. et Kir.DDChina, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopIn Kyrgyzstan the species is known from one locality in the Besh-Aral National Park. Its status in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan andChina is not known.

Cercis griffithii Boiss.DDDistribution unknownAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopIn Central Asia the species is known to occur on the borderbetween Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, although very little is knownabout its status. Records indicate that it may also occur inAfghanistan, Pakistan and India; this requires verification,however.

Cotoneaster karatavicus Pojark.DDKazakhstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe current status of this narrow endemic, restricted to theKaratau mountain range in southern Kazakhstan, is not known.

Crataegus ambigua C.A. Mey.DDKazakhstan, RussiaAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopKnown from only one locality in Kazakhstan, the conservationstatus of this species in Russia is not known.

Daphne altaica Pall.DDKazakhstan, RussiaAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopIn Kazakhstan the species is known to occur in the Altai, Manrakand Tarbagatai Mountains and is considered threatened by fireand grazing. Its status in Russia is not known.

Hedysarum scoparium Fisch. et C.A.Mey.DDChina, Kazakhstan, MongoliaAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe status of this species in Mongolia and China is not known.

Malacocarpus crithmifolius (Retz.) C.A.Mey.DDAfghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, TurkmenistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopAlthough threatened in Kazakhstan the status of this species inAfghanistan, Turkmenistan and Iran is not known.


17

Platycladus orientalis (L.) FrancoDDChina, UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopAlthough the species is threatened in Uzbekistan its status inChina is unknown.

Pyrus asiae-mediae (Popov) MaleevDDKazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, UzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe species has not been seen since it was originally describedand may actually be extinct. Its taxonomic status is not clear.

Sibiraea altaiensis (Laxm.) SchneiderDDKazakhstan, RussiaAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopAlthough threatened in Kazakhstan the status of the species inRussia is not known.

Sorbaria olgae Zinserl.DDUzbekistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThis species is considered to be extinct in Uzbekistan. Extensivefieldwork and exhaustive surveys are required for confirmation.

Sorbus turkestanica (Franch.) Hedl.DDTajikistanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopHerbarium specimens, now thought to have been misidentified,indicated that this species was once widespread in Central Asia.However, current general opinion is that it is only present inTajikistan.

Zygophyllum kaschgaricum Boriss.DDChina, KyrgyzstanAssessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshopThe status of the species in Kyrgyzstan and China is not known.

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Abelia corymbosa Regel et Schmalh.Widespread distribution across western Tien Shan in CentralAsia.

Aflatunia ulmifolia (Franch.) Vasscilcz.Although rare in Kazakhstan the species is widespread andcommon in Kyrgyzstan.

Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.Widespread in Europe and Central Asia.

Amygdalus petunnikovii Litv.Although the species has a limited distribution in Central Asiathere are no immediate threats. The species tends to grow oninaccessible cliffs and in both Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan thepopulations are located in protected areas.

Berberis kaschgarica Rupr.The species is restricted to high altitude areas in Kyrgyzstan andChina. Although the extent of occurrence is less than 10 km²there are no immediate threats to populations.

Calophaca wolgarica (L.f.) DC.Occurs in Russia, Kazakhstan and the Caucasus.

Caragana tragacanthoides (Pall.) Poir.Although considered to be Vulnerable in Kazakhstan the specieshas also been recorded in China, India, Nepal and Pakistan(ILDIS, 2007).

Celtis caucasica Willd.Occurs in Kazakhstan, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, the Caucasus,Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Corylus avellana L.Widespread in Europe.

Crataegus korolkowi Regel ex C.K.SchneidWidespread in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Crataegus pontica C.KochWidespread in Central Asia.

Diospyros lotus L.Widespread distribution including Central Asia, the Mediterraneanand the Caucasus.

Euonymus koopmannii LaucheWidespread in western Tien Shan.

Euonymus verrucosus Scop.Widespread distribution including Russia, Eastern Europe andTajikistan.

Ficus carica L.A widespread species.

Jasminum humile L.Although considered to be Endangered in Tajikistan the speciesis also recorded as occurring in China, Afghanistan and India(TROPICOS, 2009).

Juniperus sibirica Burgsd.Widespread in Russia, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.

Keyserlingia mollis (Royle) Boiss.Widespread distribution including Pakistan, Tajikistan andAfghanistan.

Ledum palustre L.Although rare in Kazakhstan the species is widespread in theRussian Altai.

Platanus orientalis L.Very widespread, ranging from the east Mediterraneanthroughout the Middle East to the south-east provinces of theEuro-Siberian region.

Populus nigra L.Widespread in Europe.

Punica granatum L.Although threatened in Central Asia by over-grazing, the specieshas a wide distribution that includes the Mediterranean, Iran,Turkey and the Caucasus.

SPECIES EVALUATED AS LEAST CONCERN


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Quercus robur L.Widespread in Europe.

Restella alberti (Regel) Pobed.Although the species has a restricted distribution in Uzbekistanand Kyrgyzstan, there are no immediate threats. Most of thepopulations in Uzbekistan are in a protected area.

Ribes janczewskii Pojark.Although rare in Kazakhstan and the Gorno-Badakhshanprovince of Tajikistan the species is widespread in the otherCentral Asian countries.

Sorbus persica Hedl.Widespread distribution including Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Caucasus and Afghanistan.

Sorbus tianschanica Rupr.Widespread in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

Tamarix androssowii Litv.Widespread distribution including Mongolia, Kazakhstan,Uzbekistan and Turkey.

Vitis vinifera L.Although threatened by collection the species is widelydistributed in Central Asia and the Mediterranean.

Ziziphus jujuba Mill.Widespread distribution including China and the Caucasus aswell as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

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The following trees and shrubs are listed in the Red Data Bookof Turkmenistan (Atamuradov et al., 1999) but have yet to beglobally evaluated according to the IUCN Red List categoriesand criteria (IUCN, 2001). Although these species are threatenedin Turkmenistan it is unlikely that the majority will be threatenedglobally as many have distributions outside Turkmenistan.

Cerasus blinovski (endemic to Turkmenistan)

Colutea atabaevi (endemic to Turkmenistan)

Homalodiscus ochradeni (Iran, Turkmenistan, ?)

Lepidolopha fedtschenkoana (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan)

Malus sieversii subsp. turkmenorum (endemic toTurkmenistan)

Pistacia badghysi (endemic to Turkmenistan)

Pyrus turcomanica (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,Uzbekistan)

Reaumuria badghysi (endemic to Turkmenistan)

Reaumuria botschantzevii (endemic to Turkmenistan)

Ribes melananthum (Iran, Turkmenistan, ?)

Sorbus graeca (Iran, Turkmenistan, ?)

Sorbus turkestanica (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,Uzbekistan)

SPECIES NOT EVALUATED


21

Atamuradov, Kh. I., Karyeva, O., Shammakov, S. andYazkulyev, A. [Eds.] (1999) The Red Data Book ofTurkmenistan, Vol. 2 (Plants). Ministry of Nature Protection ofTurkmenistan, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

Beer, R., Kaiser, F., Schmidt, K., Ammann, B., Carraro, G.,Grisa, E. and Tinner, W. (2007) Vegetation History of theWalnut-fruit Forests in Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia): Natural orAnthropogenic origin? In: Reconstruction of the HoloceneVegetation and Fire History in the Different Forest Types ofKyrgyzstan, Central Asia, pp. 44–82. PhD thesis, University ofBern, Switzerland.

Conservation International (2008) Biodiversity Hotspots:Mountains of Central Asia. Conservation International,Washington, DC, USA. Available at: http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/central_asia/ [accessed 3September 2008].

Cornet J.G. and Rajapbaev, M. (2004) Criteria andIndicators for the Sustainable Management of Juniper Forestsin South Kyrgyzstan. Nancy, Ecole Nationale du Génie Rural,des Eaux et des Forêts, Commission of the EuropeanCommunities, Artcha JUMP Project.

Davis, S.D., Heywood, V.H. and Hamilton, A.C. (1995)Centres of Plant Diversity: A Guide and Strategy for theirConservation. Vol. 2: Asia, Australia and the Pacific. WWF andIUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

Dzhangaliev, A.D., Salova, T.N. and Turekhanova, P.M.(2003) The Wild Fruit and Nut Plants of Kazakhstan. In: WildApple and Fruit Trees of Central Asia (eds Janick, J., Forsline,P., Dickson, E., Way, R. and Thompson, M.), HorticulturalReview, 29, 305–371.

FAO (2006a) People, Forests and Trees of West and CentralAsia: Outlook for 2020. FAO Forestry Paper No. 152. FAO,Rome, Italy.

FAO (2006b) Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005:Progress Towards Sustainable Forest Management. FAOForestry Paper No. 147. FAO, Rome, Italy.

FAO (2008) FAOSTAT Database. FAO, Rome, Italy. Availableat: http://faostat.fao.org/ [accessed 10 September 2008].

Fisher, R.J., Schmidt, K., Steenhoof, B. and Akenshaev, N.(2004) Poverty and Forestry: A Case Study of Kyrgyzstan withReference to Other Countries in West and Central Asia. FAOLivelihood Support Programme, Working Paper 13. FAO,Rome, Italy.

Forsline, P.L., Aldwinckle, H.S., Dickson, E.E., Luby, J.J.and Hokanson, S. (2003) Collection, Maintenance,Characterization and Utilisation of Wild Apples of Central Asia.In: Wild Apple and Fruit Trees of Central Asia (eds Janick, J.,Forsline, P., Dickson, E., Way, R. and Thompson, M.),Horticultural Review, 29, 1–61.

Hansen, M.C., DeFries, R.S., Townshend, J.R.G., Carroll,M., Dimiceli, C. and Sohlberg, R.A. (2003) Global PercentTree Cover at a Spatial Resolution of 500 meters: First Resultsof the MODIS Vegetation Continuous Fields Algorithm. EarthInteractions, 7, 1–15.

Harris, S.A., Robinson, J.P. and Juniper, B.E. (2002)Genetic Clues to the Origin of the Apple. Trends in Genetics,18(8), 426–430.

Hawkes, J.G. (1998) Back to Vavilov: Why Were PlantsDomesticated in Some Areas and Not in Others? In: TheOrigins of Agriculture and Crop Domestication (eds Damania,A.B., Valkoun, J., Willcox, G. and Qualset, C.O.). ICARDA,Aleppo, Syria.

ILDIS (2007) The International Legume Database &Information Service. Available at: http://www.ildis.org/[accessed 5 October 2007].

IPNI (2007). International Plant Names Index. Available at:http://www.ipni.org/ [accessed 5 October 2007].

IRIN (2003) Kyrgyzstan: Focus on Deforestation in the South.UN Humanitarian News and Information Service. Available at:http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=20728[accessed 10 September 2008].

IUCN (2001) IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version3.1. IUCN Species Survival Commission. IUCN, Gland,Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.

REFERENCES

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Jashenko, R. (ed.) (2006) Strict Nature Reserves of CentralAsia. Nature Protected Areas of Central Asia No. 1. Tethys,Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Juniper B.E. and Mabberley, D.J. (2006) The Story of theApple. Timber Press, Inc. Oregon, USA.

Kamelin, R.V. (2002) Foreword. In: Umbelliferae (Zontichnye)of Kyrgyzstan (eds Pimenov, M.G., Kamelin, R.V. and Kliuikov,E.V.). KMK Scientific Press, Moscow, Russia.

Lazkov, G.A. (2006) New Species of Genus AmmopiptanthusS. H. Cheng (Fabaceae) from Kyrgyzstan. Novitates Syst.Plantarum Vascularum, 38, 134–142. (in Russian)

Lazkov, G.A. (pers. comm.) Collated by G.A. Lazkov fromOpredelitel Rastenyi Sredney Asii (Synopsis of plants fromCentral Asia) 1968-1993, Vol. 1 – 10. Institute of Botany,Uzbek Academy of Science and Tashkent State University,Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

MEP (1998) Republic of Kyrgyzstan Biodiversity Strategy andAction Plan. Ministry of Environmental Protection, Bishkek,Kyrgyzstan.

MNPT (2002) Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan forTurkmenistan. Ministry of Nature Protection of Ashgabat,Turkmenistan.

Newton, A.C. and Oldfield, S. (2008) Red Listing the World’sTree Species: A Review of Recent Progress. EndangeredSpecies Research, 6, 137–147.

Pons, L. (2006) Remarkable Kazak apples: Their Resistanceto Disease May Boost an Entire Industry. AgriculturalResearch, January, 4–6.

Safarov, N. (2003) Republic of Tajikistan: National Strategyand Action Plan on the Conservation and Sustainable Use ofBiodiversity. Government of the Republic of Tajikistan,Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan.

TROPICOS (2009) Available at: http://www.tropicos.org/[accessed 9 February 2009].

UNDP (2005) Central Asia Human Development Report:Bringing Down Barriers. Regional Cooperation for HumanDevelopment and Human Security. UNDP Regional Bureau forEurope and the Commonwealth of Independent States,Bratislava, Slovak Republic.


23

ANNEX 1IUCN RED LIST CATEGORIES AND CRITERIA

EXTINCT (EX)A taxon is Extinct when there is no reasonable doubt that the lastindividual has died. A taxon is presumed Extinct when exhaustivesurveys in known and/or expected habitat, at appropriate times(diurnal, seasonal, annual), throughout its historic range have failedto record an individual. Surveys should be over a time-frameappropriate to the taxon’s life cycle and life form.

EXTINCT IN THE WILD (EW)A taxon is Extinct in the Wild when it is known only to survive incultivation, in captivity or as a naturalized population (or populations)well outside the past range. A taxon is presumed Extinct in theWildwhen exhaustive surveys in known and/or expected habitat, atappropriate times (diurnal, seasonal, annual), throughout its historicrange have failed to record an individual. Surveys should be over atime-frame appropriate to the taxon’s life cycle and life form.

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (CR)A taxon is Critically Endangered when the best available evidenceindicates that it meets any of the criteria A to E for CriticallyEndangered (see Section V), and it is therefore considered to befacing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

ENDANGERED (EN)A taxon is Endangered when the best available evidence indicatesthat it meets any of the criteria A to E for Endangered (see SectionV), and it is therefore considered to be facing a very high risk ofextinction in the wild.

VULNERABLE (VU)A taxon is Vulnerable when the best available evidence indicates thatit meets any of the criteria A to E for Vulnerable (see Section V), andit is therefore considered to be facing a high risk of extinction inthe wild.

NEAR THREATENED (NT)A taxon is Near Threatened when it has been evaluated against thecriteria but does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered orVulnerable now, but is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify fora threatened category in the near future.

LEAST CONCERN (LC)A taxon is Least Concern when it has been evaluated against thecriteria and does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered,Vulnerable or Near Threatened. Widespread and abundant taxa areincluded in this category.

DATA DEFICIENT (DD)A taxon is Data Deficient when there is inadequate information tomake a direct, or indirect, assessment of its risk of extinction basedon its distribution and/or population status. A taxon in this categorymay be well studied, and its biology well known, but appropriatedata on abundance and/or distribution are lacking. Data Deficient istherefore not a category of threat. Listing of taxa in this categoryindicates that more information is required and acknowledges thepossibility that future research will show that threatened classificationis appropriate. It is important to make positive use of whatever dataare available. In many cases great care should be exercised inchoosing between DD and a threatened status. If the range of ataxon is suspected to be relatively circumscribed, and a considerableperiod of time has elapsed since the last record of the taxon,threatened status may well be justified.

NOT EVALUATED (NE)A taxon is Not Evaluated when it is has not yet been evaluatedagainst the criteria.

THE CRITERIA FOR CRITICALLY ENDANGERED,ENDANGERED AND VULNERABLE

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (CR)A taxon is Critically Endangered when the best available evidenceindicates that it meets any of the following criteria (A to E), and it istherefore considered to be facing an extremely high risk of extinctionin the wild:

A. Reduction in population size based on any of the following:1. An observed, estimated, inferred or suspected population size

reduction of ≥90% over the last 10 years or three generations,whichever is the longer, where the causes of the reduction areclearly reversible AND understood AND ceased, based on(and specifying) any of the following:(a) direct observation(b) an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon(c) a decline in area of occupancy, extent of occurrence

and/or quality of habitat(d) actual or potential levels of exploitation(e) the effects of introduced taxa, hybridization, pathogens,

pollutants, competitors or parasites.

2 An observed, estimated, inferred or suspected population sizereduction of ≥80% over the last 10 years or three generations,whichever is the longer, where the reduction or its causesmay

24


not have ceased OR may not be understood OR may not bereversible, based on (and specifying) any of (a) to (e) under A1.

3. A population size reduction of ≥80%, projected or suspectedto be met within the next 10 years or three generations,whichever is the longer (up to amaximum of 100 years), basedon (and specifying) any of (b) to (e) under A1.

4. An observed, estimated, inferred, projected or suspectedpopulation size reduction of ≥80% over any 10 year or threegeneration period, whichever is longer (up to a maximum of100 years in the future), where the time period must includeboth the past and the future, and where the reduction or itscauses may not have ceased ORmay not be understood ORmay not be reversible, based on (and specifying) any of (a) to(e) under A1.

B. Geographic range in the form of either B1 (extent of occurrence)OR B2 (area of occupancy) OR both:1. Extent of occurrence estimated to be less than 100 km2, and

estimates indicating at least two of a-c:a. Severely fragmented or known to exist at only a single

location.b. Continuing decline, observed, inferred or projected, in

any of the following:(i) extent of occurrence(ii) area of occupancy(iii) area, extent and/or quality of habitat(iv) number of locations or subpopulations(v) number of mature individuals.

c. Extreme fluctuations in any of the following:(i) extent of occurrence(ii) area of occupancy(iii) number of locations or subpopulations(iv) number of mature individuals.

2. Area of occupancy estimated to be less than 10 km2, andestimates indicating at least two of a-c:a. Severely fragmented or known to exist at only a single

location.b. Continuing decline, observed, inferred or projected, in



C. Population size estimated to number fewer than 250 matureindividuals and either:1. An estimated continuing decline of at least 25% within three

years or one generation, whichever is longer, (up to amaximum of 100 years in the future) OR

2. A continuing decline, observed, projected, or inferred, innumbers of mature individuals AND at least one of thefollowing (a-b):(a) Population structure in the form of one of the following:

(i) no subpopulation estimated to contain more than50 mature individuals, OR

(ii) at least 90% of mature individuals in onesubpopulation.

(b) Extreme fluctuations in number of mature individuals.

D. Population size estimated to number fewer than 50 matureindividuals.

E. Quantitative analysis showing the probability of extinction in thewild is at least 50% within 10 years or three generations,whichever is the longer (up to a maximum of 100 years).

ENDANGERED (EN)A taxon is Endangered when the best available evidence indicatesthat it meets any of the following criteria (A to E), and it is thereforeconsidered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild:A. Reduction in population size based on any of the following:

1. An observed, estimated, inferred or suspected population sizereduction of ≥70% over the last 10 years or three generations,whichever is the longer, where the causes of the reduction areclearly reversible AND understood AND ceased, based on(and specifying) any of the following:(a) direct observation(b) an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon(c) a decline in area of occupancy, extent of occurrence

and/or quality of habitat(d) actual or potential levels of exploitation(e) the effects of introduced taxa, hybridization, pathogens,



25

2. An observed, estimated, inferred or suspected population sizereduction of ≥50% over the last 10 years or three generations,whichever is the longer, where the reduction or its causesmaynot have ceased OR may not be understood OR may not bereversible, based on (and specifying) any of (a) to (e) under A1.


4. An observed, estimated, inferred, projected or suspectedpopulation size reduction of ≥50% over any 10 year or threegeneration period, whichever is longer (up to a maximum of100 years in the future), where the time period must includeboth the past and the future, AND where the reduction or itscauses may not have ceased ORmay not be understood ORmay not be reversible, based on (and specifying) any of (a) to(e) under A1.

B. Geographic range in the form of either B1 (extent of occurrence)OR B2 (area of occupancy) OR both:1. Extent of occurrence estimated to be less than 5000 km2, and

estimates indicating at least two of a-c:a. Severely fragmented or known to exist at no more than

five locations.b. Continuing decline, observed, inferred or projected, in



2. Area of occupancy estimated to be less than 500 km2, andestimates indicating at least two of a-c:

a. Severely fragmented or known to exist at no more thanfive locations.

b. Continuing decline, observed, inferred or projected, in anyof the following:(i) extent of occurrence

(ii) area of occupancy(iii) area, extent and/or quality of habitat(iv) number of locations or subpopulations(v) number of mature individuals.


C. Population size estimated to number fewer than 2500 matureindividuals and either:1. An estimated continuing decline of at least 20% within five

years or two generations, whichever is longer, (up to amaximum of 100 years in the future) OR



(ii) at least 95% of mature individuals in onesubpopulation.

(b) Extreme fluctuations in number of mature individuals.

D. Population size estimated to number fewer than 250 matureindividuals.

E. Quantitative analysis showing the probability of extinction in thewild is at least 20%within 20 years or five generations, whicheveris the longer (up to a maximum of 100 years).

VULNERABLE (VU)A taxon is Vulnerable when the best available evidence indicates thatit meets any of the following criteria (A to E), and it is thereforeconsidered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild:A. Reduction in population size based on any of the following:

1. An observed, estimated, inferred or suspected population sizereduction of ≥50% over the last 10 years or three generations,whichever is the longer, where the causes of the reduction are:clearly reversible AND understood AND ceased, based on(and specifying) any of the following:(a) direct observation(b) an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon(c) a decline in area of occupancy, extent of occurrence

and/or quality of habitat

26


(d) actual or potential levels of exploitation(e) the effects of introduced taxa, hybridization, pathogens,


2. An observed, estimated, inferred or suspected population sizereduction of ≥30% over the last 10 years or three generations,whichever is the longer, where the reduction or its causesmaynot have ceased OR may not be understood OR may not bereversible, based on (and specifying) any of (a) to (e) under A1.


4. An observed, estimated, inferred, projected or suspectedpopulation size reduction of ≥30% over any 10 year or threegeneration period, whichever is longer (up to a maximum of100 years in the future), where the time period must includeboth the past and the future, AND where the reduction or itscauses may not have ceased ORmay not be understood ORmay not be reversible, based on (and specifying) any of (a) to(e) under A1.

B. Geographic range in the form of either B1 (extent of occurrence)OR B2 (area of occupancy) OR both:1. Extent of occurrence estimated to be less than 20,000 km2,

and estimates indicating at least two of a-c:a. Severely fragmented or known to exist at no more than

10 locations.b. Continuing decline, observed, inferred or projected, in any

of the following:(i) extent of occurrence(ii) area of occupancy(iii) area, extent and/or quality of habitat(iv) number of locations or subpopulations(v) number of mature individuals.


2. Area of occupancy estimated to be less than 2000 km2, andestimates indicating at least two of a-c:a. Severely fragmented or known to exist at no more than

10 locations.

b. Continuing decline, observed, inferred or projected, in anyof the following:(i) extent of occurrence(ii) area of occupancy(iii) area, extent and/or quality of habitat(iv) number of locations or subpopulations(v) number of mature individuals.


C. Population size estimated to number fewer than 10,000 matureindividuals and either:1. An estimated continuing decline of at least 10% within 10

years or three generations, whichever is longer, (up to amaximum of 100 years in the future) OR



(ii) all mature individuals are in one subpopulation.(b) Extreme fluctuations in number of mature individuals.

D. Population very small or restricted in the form of either of thefollowing:1. Population size estimated to number fewer than 1000mature

individuals.

2. Population with a very restricted area of occupancy (typicallyless than 20 km2) or number of locations (typically five or fewer)such that it is prone to the effects of human activities orstochastic events within a very short time period in anuncertain future, and is thus capable of becoming CriticallyEndangered or even Extinct in a very short time period.

E. Quantitative analysis showing the probability of extinction in thewild is at least 10% within 100 years.

Source: IUCN (2001)


27


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The Red List of

Trees of Central Asia

Documents

Story of the Apple Juniper