Landscape diversity and biodiversity of Fann Mountains (Tajikistan)

Rahmonov O., Majgier L., Andrejczuk W., Banaszek J., Karkosz D., Parusel T., Szymczyk A.: Landscape diversity and biodiversity of Fann Mountains (Tajikistan). Ekologia (Bratislava), Vol. 32, No. 4, p. 388-395, 2013.

The aim of study is a presentation of main vegetation landscape diversity and biodiversity in case of endemic species in the Fann Mountains area, in horizontal and vertical approach. In terms of biodiversity, the high-mountain ecosystems of Central Asia include the most valuable areas in the world called as hotspot, and also are exposed to intense human pressure causing the destruction of habitats. Vegetation landscapes of Fann Mountains are very diverse because of high-mountain character of this area, local climatic conditions, topography and habitats. That differentiation leads up to biodiversity and formation of unique plant landscapes and endemic species. The vegetation landscapes in altitude order are represented by forbs meadow steppe, thymes, swamp, broad-leaf forest, juniper forests, flood-plain small-leaved forest, tugai, light deciduous forest, pistachio, forbs wormwood, almond, rare vegetation with cushion-shaped species, wormwood eurotia, steppe, thorny grasses with shrub-steppe, rocks and taluses with rare vegetation alpine zones. High level of endemism in Fann Mountains is connected to natural conditions such as geological structure, relief, high-mountain ranges and climate conditions. This fact has an influence on forming mosaic biotops, often isolated by orographic barriers.