Nicola Arndt und Matthias Pohl - Neobiota

Code Formation/Mapping Unit
Area in the
Caucasus (km
Protected
2 ) territory (%)
M4
steppes
Transcaucasian altimontane herb-grass steppes 5,890 2.1
M5 West and central Pontic lowland-colline herb-grass steppes 15,480 0
M11 Pre- and Transcaucasian montane Stipa-steppes 31,900 6.6
M13 Central Pontic grass steppes 21,190 0
M13a – in combination with vegetation on solonetz soils 3,540 0
M16 West and central Pontic desert steppes 2,020 0
M17 Northwest Caspian psammophytic desert steppes 6,480 0
M18a Northwest Caspian desert steppes on solonetz soils 20,780 0
M21 North Caspian halophytic desert steppes 2,140 0
N Oreoxerophytic vegetation 6,220 2.6
N5 Greater Caucasian thorn-cushion communities 2,470 2.2
N6 East Transcaucasian thorn-cushion vegetation and tomillares 470 0.06
N7 South Transcaucasian thorn-cushion vegetation and tomillares 2,760 3.8
N8 Talysh thorn-cushion vegetation 520 0
O Deserts 43,940 0.7
O4b var. of Caspian hemipsammophytic grass-wormwood deserts 1,290 0
O5b var. of Caspian psammophytic wormwood desert series 1,250 0
O6c var. of Caspian psammophytic shrub-wormwood desert series 3,380 0
O7 East Transcaucasian wormwood deserts 18,090 0.7
O8 East Transcaucasian Salsola-deserts 3,540 0.7
O9 East Transcaucasian halophytic Salsola dendroides- deserts 14,320 0.8
O10 East Transcaucasian halophytic wormwood deserts 2,070 3.4
P Coastal vegetation and inland halophytic vegetation 10,650 3.2
P15 West to central Pontic sand-dune vegetation complexes 150 0
P16 West Caspian sand-dune vegetation complexes 2,370 8.2
P31 North Caspian halophytic vegetation 3,530 0
P35 North Caspian halophytic vegetation on solonchak 980 0
P36 East Transcaucasian halophytic vegetation on solonchak 3,620 4.1
R Tall Reed vegetation and tall sedge swamps, aquatic
vegetation
12,110 1.4
R1 Freshwater tall reed swamps 4,690 3.6
R2 Shallow water vegetation complexes 3,290 0
R3 Brackish water tall reed swamps alternating with salt meadows 4,130 0
S Mires 90 6.7
S26 Colchic herb-rich tall sedge fens and Sphagnum-mires 90 6.7
T Swamp and fen forests 770 23.4
T3 Colchic alder carrs in combination with alluvial forests 770 23.4
U Vegetation of flood-plains 12,860 0.2
U21 Pre-Caucasian hardwood alluvial forests 10,560 0
U22 Transcaucasian hardwood alluvial forests 2,300 1.1
Total/Average 449,610 3.0
Area VI is a special concentration area for Colchic relicts and endemics (among them the local
endemics Epigaea gaultherioides, Rhododendron ungernii, Rh. smirnowii, Betula medwediewii, etc.).
The area is rich in forests, and is significant in terms of the Lesser Caucasus wildlife corridor and for
the perspectives of development of transborder conservation. There are no units with indicator values
Area VII covers a big part of Javakheti-Armenian uplands and part of the River Arax Gorge. The area
is significant for mountain wetlands and diversity of high mountain and xerophytic/hemi-xerophytic
vegetation, as well as for corresponding fauna diversity. The area coincides with one of the bird
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