Trees of Central Asia The Red List of Antonia Eastwood, Georgy Lazkov and Adrian Newton FAUNA & FLORA INTERNATIONAL (FFI), founded in 1903 and the world’s oldest international conservation organization, acts to conserve threatened species and ecosystems worldwide, choosing solutions that are sustainable, are based on sound science and take account of human needs. Published by Fauna & Flora International, Cambridge, UK. © 2009 Fauna & Flora International ISBN: 9781 903703 27 4 Reproduction of any part of the publication for educational, conservation and other non-profit purposes is authorized without prior permission from the copyright holder, provided that the source is fully acknowledged. BOTANIC GARDENS CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL (BGCI) is a membership organization linking botanic gardens in over 100 countries in a shared commitment to biodiversity conservation, sustainable use and environmental education. BGCI aims to mobilize botanic gardens and work with partners to secure plant diversity for the well-being of people and the planet. BGCI provides the Secretariat for the IUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group. Reproduction for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission from the copyright holder. The designation of geographical entities in this document and the presentation of the material do not imply any expression on the part of the authors or Fauna & Flora International concerning the legal status of any country, territory or area, or its authorities, or concerning the delineation of its frontiers or boundaries. AUTHORS Dr Antonia Eastwood was previously Tree Red List Officer at Fauna & Flora International and is now Plant Ecologist at the Macaulay Institute, Aberdeen, Scotland. THE GLOBAL TREES CAMPAIGN is a joint initiative between FFI and BGCI in partnership with a wide range of other organizations around the world. The aim of the Campaign is to save the world’s most threatened trees and the habitats in which they grow through the provision of information, delivery of conservation action and support for sustainable use. Dr Georgy Lazkov is a plant taxonomist at the Institute of Biology and Pedology, National Academy of Sciences, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Professor Adrian Newton is Professor in Conservation Ecology at the School of Conservation Sciences at Bournemouth University and the Vice Chair of the IUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group. The opinion of the individual authors does not necessarily reflect the opinion of either the editors or Fauna & Flora International. THE IUCN/SSC GLOBAL TREE SPECIALIST GROUP forms part of the Species Survival Commission’s volunteer network of over 7000 volunteers working to stop the loss of plants, animals and their habitats. SSC is the largest of the six Commissions of IUCN-The World Conservation Union. It serves as the main source of advice to the Union and its members on the technical aspects of species conservation. The aims of the IUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group are to promote and implement global red listing for trees and act in an advisory capacity to the Global Trees Campaign. The authors and Fauna & Flora International take no responsibility for any misrepresentation of material from translation of this document into any other language. COVER PHOTOS Front cover: Walnut harvest, Kyrgyzstan. The walnut is a key component of the highly threatened fruit and nut forests of Central Asia and is also of great economic importance to people in the region (Chris Loades/FFI). Back cover: Forest, Kyrgyzstan (Chris Loades/FFI). COVER DESIGN John Morgan, Seascape. Trees of Central Asia The Red List of Antonia Eastwood, Georgy Lazkov and Adrian Newton The Red List of Trees of Central Asia CONTENTS 2 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 1 IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria 24 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS T he production of this Red List of Trees of Central Asia would not have been possible without the collaboration, commitment and participation of regional and international experts. The experts who participated in the regional workshop held in Bishkek in July 2006 were: Nadezhda Yakovleva, Kamil Ashimov, Tirkesh Murzaev, Elina Prokhorenko (Kyrgyz Agrarian University, Kyrgyzstan), Sayra Kissanova (Association of Reserves & Natural Parks, Kazakhstan), Iskandar Mirkhashimov (GEF/UNDP project; In-situ Conservation of Kazakhstan’s Mountain Agrobiodiversity, Kazakhstan), Sovetbek Kenjebaev (Institute of Biosphere, Kyrgyzstan), Akbar Mamadrizokhonov (Khorog State University, Tajikistan), Evgeny Botman, Evgeny Butkov (Centre for Horticulture and Forestry, Uzbekistan), Kairkul Shalpykov (Institute of Biology and Pedology, Kyrgyzstan), Galina Malosieva, Leonid Andreychenko, Ishenbay Soodonbekov (Bishkek Botanic Garden, Kyrgyzstan), Gulnara Sitpaeva, Alfia Kurmantaeva, Natalya Nelina (Institute of Botany and Phyto-introduction, Kazakhstan), Magjan Isin (Research Institute of Plant Protection, Kazakhstan), Abdukhalil Kayimov (State Agrarian University, Uzbekistan) and Jarkyn Samanchina (Bashat-Community and Business Forum, Kyrgyzstan). The Global Trees Campaign is very grateful to the Kyrgyz Agrarian University, Bishkek for hosting the workshop, particularly for the support provided by Dr Almazbek Irgashev, Akylbek Kasymov and Dr Almaz Orozumbekov. We would also like to thank Nuska Botoiarova, formerly FFI’s Central Asia Project Coordinator, for all her organisational, administrative and logistical assistance that helped ensure the workshop was such a success. Translation between Russian and English was done by Igor Smirnov, BGCI Russia. Amy Hinsley, Programme Officer at FFI, coordinated final editing and production of the report. Georgina Magin, Global Trees Campaign Coordinator at FFI, provided oversight and editorial input and Sara Oldfield, Secretary General of BGCI and Chair of the IUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group, provided expert advice and technical knowledge. Elizabeth Allen, Editorial Assistant of Oryx at FFI, assisted with final editing, Liesje Birchenough wrote the case study on the walnut-fruit forest in Kyrgyzstan and Jarkyn Samanchina, FFI’s Project Officer in Kyrgyzstan, coordinated production of the Russian version of this report. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Red List Unit (IUCN Species Programme), in particular Helen Temple and Craig Hilton-Taylor, for providing technical guidance on the application of IUCN categories and criteria. ACRONYMS BGCI CEC CECON CI FAO FFI GEF GIS Botanic Gardens Conservation International Commission of the European Communities Nature Conservation Centre, Guatemala Conservation International Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Fauna & Flora International Global Environment Facility Geographical Information System IUCN NTFP SSC UK UNDP USDA The International Union for Conservation of Nature Non-Timber Forest Product Species Survival Commission United Kingdom United Nations Development Programme United States Department of Agriculture 3 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia FOREWORD T rees are important to the well-being of people in every country of the world, providing essential ecological, economic and cultural services. In Central Asia, a vast and varied region with generally relatively low forest cover, tree species are of great value in defining forest ecosystems and providing resources such as fuelwood, timber, fruits and nuts. In fact the genetic diversity of fruit and nut trees within the region is of outstanding global significance. As elsewhere in the world, the trees of Central Asia face an onslaught of threats from habitat destruction, over-grazing, over-harvesting and the increasing impact of global climate change. This report presents a review of the conservation status in the wild of the trees of Central Asia, facilitated by FFI and the IUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group. Since its establishment in 2003 the primary role of the IUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group has been to assess the global conservation status of tree species in selected geographical areas and taxonomic groups. This report is the fifth publication in the series. The collection of information on tree species of conservation concern is vital for planning conservation action. The secondary role of the IUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group is to act as an advisory body for the Global Trees Campaign, which aims to save the world’s most threatened tree species and the habitats where they grow. The Global Trees Campaign provides an important practical mechanism for implementation of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Global tree red listing contributes directly to Target 2 of the Strategy, which calls for a provisional list of threatened plant species by 2010. 4 In many ways Target 2 underpins the other ambitious targets that relate to in situ and ex situ conservation and sustainable use and trade in plants. Projects of the Global Trees Campaign carried out in partnership with organizations and individuals around the world help to deliver these various targets. The projects contribute to halting the loss of forest biodiversity and the provision of support to rural livelihoods. The Global Tree Specialist Group is committed to undertaking a global assessment of the conservation status of tree species. Results of the global assessment will be published as components of the work are completed. This will ensure that regular indicators of progress are produced, updated tree conservation data are made widely available and that tree conservation initiatives around the world can be supported. This report highlights 67 tree species that are globally threatened, near threatened or of concern because of insufficient information on their status in the wild. It highlights the actions that urgently need to be undertaken to prevent the extinction of these species. Fortunately we have the ability to act, working with nature conservation and forestry agencies, botanic gardens and germplasm banks of the region. Fauna & Flora International and Botanic Gardens Conservation International, the international partners in the Global Trees Campaign, are committed to helping save these tree species from extinction. Sara Oldfield Chair of the IUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group The Red List of Trees of Central Asia INTRODUCTION Central Asia forms a vast region that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to the great Tien Shan mountain range in the east. The region is composed of five independent republics: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. All five countries were once part of the Soviet Union until their independence in 1991. The largest of the Central Asian countries is Kazakhstan, with a total land area of just over 2,700,000 km2. Tajikistan is the smallest country, occupying 143,100 km2. Central Asia is a region of contrasting landscapes. In the west it is dominated by the barren, rocky Ustyrt Plateau and the vast Turan Plain, with the Kara-Kum Desert in the south and the Kyzyl-Kum Desert in the centre. The Kopetdag Mountains in the south-west form a natural border between Turkmenistan and Iran. The extensive lowland plains in the west and centre of the region, comprising largely desert and arid steppe, eventually give rise to the uplands and then the great mountain ranges of the Tien Shan, the Altai and the Pamir. The highest peaks in Central Asia are Ismoil Somoni Peak (7,495 m), Pobedy Peak (7,439 m) and Lenin’s Peak (7,134 m). At altitudes above 3,500 m permanent snow, rock and glaciers dominate the landscape. Although the region is largely arid, a number of large rivers such as the Amu-Darya and the Syr-Darya flow down from the mountains to form lakes such as Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan and the Aral Sea, which lies on the border of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. These large rivers are responsible for the verdant, fertile valleys, such as the Fergana Valley, which today are intensively irrigated for crops. The vastness of the region (almost 4,000,000 km2), its landscapes and altitudinal zonation have led to a wide range of ecosystem types that include steppe, riparian tugai, taiga, wetlands, snowfields and deserts. These in turn are home to threatened species such as snow leopard Uncia uncia, saiga antelope Saiga tatarica tatarica and beluga sturgeon Huso huso. The region supports some 8,300 species of vascular plants (Kamelin, 2002) of which approximately 10% are thought to be endemic. The mountains of Central Asia are a recognized global biodiversity hotspot (Davis et al., 1995), supporting over 300 wild fruit and nut species. These include wild species of apple (four species), almond (8–10 species), cherry (8–10 species), plum (4–5 species), and walnut (one species) as well as many domesticated varieties. The rich diversity of fruit and nut species in the region led the Russian geneticist and plant breeder N.I. Vavilov to propose it as one of the world’s eight centres of crop origin and domestication (Hawkes, 1998). In fact, recent molecular genetic studies strongly support the hypothesis that the domestic apple originated from Kazakhstan (Harris et al., 2002). There are 500–600 arborescent species in Central Asia, of which 100–150 can be classified as trees, the remainder being shrubs (Lazkov, pers. comm., 2008). This includes taiga species such as Abies sibirica and Picea schrenkiana as well as desert shrubs such as Haloxylon persicum and H. aphyllum. High species diversity and endemism is particularly notable in the shrubby genera Calligonum, Tamarix, Astragalus, Cotoneaster, Rosa and Crataegus. FORESTS AND WOODLANDS OF CENTRAL ASIA The aridity of the region means that the proportion of land under forest or woodland is relatively low when compared to more humid regions such as South America. Tajikistan has the least, with around 3.9% of its total land area covered by forest or woodland, whilst Uzbekistan has the most, with 10.1% of its land wooded (FAO, 2006a). Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan have 6.2%, 7% and 8.8% forest and woodland cover respectively. A large proportion of the woodland in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan is composed of desert saxaul Haloxylon spp. shrublands (FAO, 2006a). Located primarily in the mountains, the forests of Central Asia play a pivotal role in environmental protection, preventing soil erosion and desertification, and regulating watersheds. Despite the relatively low forest/woodland cover, Central Asia supports a diverse range of forest and woodland types, some of them unique to the region. The main and most notable forest and woodland types of the region are: Saxaul Haloxylon spp. shrublands can be found in the desert and arid steppe regions, mostly in Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. These shrublands, which typically include drought resistant species such as Salsola, Calligonum and Elaeagnus, play an essential role in preventing soil erosion. Riparian tugai is restricted to the floodplains of the region and is found alongside river courses and streams. Tugai is typically composed of a mixture of willow Salix spp., poplar Populus spp. and birch Betula spp.. 5 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia Broadleaved fruit and nut forests are found in the foothills and slopes of the Tien Shan, Pamir-Alai and the Kopetdag mountains between 800–2,000 m. These fragmented forests are incredibly rich in wild fruit- and nut-bearing species such as walnuts Juglans regia, apples Malus spp., pears Pyrus spp., plums Prunus spp. and almonds Amygdalus spp.. environmental protection, recreation and wildlife management (FAO, 2006a). Central Asian forests are regionally recognized as being essential in protecting common watersheds and arresting land degradation and desertification. Pistachio Pistacia vera woodlands are found on the lower, drier foothills and mountain slopes of western Tien Shan, Pamir-Alai and Kopetdag. One of the most notable areas of pistachio is in the Badghyz Strict Nature Reserve (Turkmenistan), where the trees form extensive open groves covering around 76,000 ha (MNPT, 2002). State forestry enterprises are also responsible for the management of some forested protected areas, such as the Badai-Tugai Strict Nature Reserve in Uzbekistan. The rest of the protected areas tend to be managed by nature protection agencies. All five Central Asian countries largely inherited the former Soviet system of protected areas, which includes Strict Nature Reserves (zapovedniks), National Parks, Nature Monuments and Special Purpose Reserves (zakazniks). The highest protection is provided by zapovedniks (IUCN Category I), whilst zakazniks have the least protection (IUCN Category IV). To date, there are 39 zapovedniks, 14 National Parks, some 67 Nature Monuments and around 150 zakazniks in Central Asia. These numbers are likely to increase in the near future as more protected areas are designated. A number of zapovedniks were established to conserve distinct forest types such as the Zaaminsky State Reserve (unique juniper forest) in Uzbekistan and Sary Chelek Biosphere Reserve (fruit and nut forest) in Kyrgyzstan. FOREST MANAGEMENT AND NATURE CONSERVATION The majority of the forests and woodlands in Central Asia are still owned by the state, and management is still largely based on the Soviet system of state forestry enterprises or leskhozes (FAO, 2006a). The main objectives of forest management in all the Central Asian countries are focused on The political and economic collapse of the Soviet Union between 1989 and 1991 has had a profound effect on all the Central Asian countries, with consequences including war and civil unrest (UNDP, 2005). The ensuing sharp economic decline has had a huge impact on people’s lives in the region, with nature conservation and environmental protection subsequently receiving low Juniper (archa) woodlands/shrublands are found typically in the dry foothill regions or at mid to high altitude (up to 3,500 m above sea level), where they take on prostrate forms. Species include Juniperus seravschanica, J. semiglobosa and J. turkestanica. Taiga forests comprising predominantly spruce and fir species are restricted to the northern slopes of the Tien Shan between 1,700 m and 2,700 m. Typical species include Picea schrenkiana and Abies sibirica. The endemic Semenov fir Abies semenovii is restricted to small areas in western Kyrgyzstan. 6 priority. The majority of protected areas and leskhozes are severely underresourced and lack the necessary institutional capacity, financial support and expertize for the effective management of biodiversity and law enforcement (MEP, 1998; MNPT, 2002; Cornet and Rajapbaev, 2004; Jashenko, 2006). FOREST USE Despite the low forest cover in Central Asia, the people of the region have always had a strong association and dependency on forests to provide firewood, timber and food (nuts, fruit, mushrooms and honey). In fact, the name of Kazakhstan’s former capital, Almaty, literally means ‘the Father of Apples’. The long association of humans with apples in the region is demonstrated by the lack of distinction between some wild species and their cultivated varieties (Juniper and Mabberley, 2006). Wood fuel is still important in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan where a high proportion of the population live in rural areas and do not have access to fossil fuels. In Tajikistan more than 80% of rural households rely on wood fuel as a main source of cooking energy (FAO, 2006a). Since independence all the Central Asian countries apart from Turkmenistan have seen an increase in the demand for wood fuel (FAO, 2006a). Primarily due to low productivity, forest plantations make up only a small proportion of the total forest cover in Central Asia. These are mainly set aside for protective measures rather than for wood production. Most of the Central Asian countries depend on imported wood, although imports have drastically reduced since the break-up of the Soviet Union (FAO, 2006a). Although logging is officially illegal in the majority of the indigenous forests in Central Asia, substantial quantities are still removed The Red List of Trees of Central Asia (FAO, 2006a). Trees are felled for timber and, in the case of walnut, to produce veneer for furniture. The amount of illegal felling that is currently taking place is not known. Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) such as walnuts, apples and pistachios are an important source of livelihoods for rural communities in Central Asia. Collection of NTFPs ranges from subsistence harvesting to collection for international trade with, for example, China or Turkey. In southern Kyrgyzstan, walnut is the most important NTFP and can be a major source of income for the local population, especially during years of good harvest (Fisher et al., 2004). For rural communities the forests also provide grazing for livestock and the under-storey of wood pastures is cut for hay to provide fodder during the winter months. Although grazing is illegal in the majority of leskhozes in Kyrgyzstan, livestock grazing in woodland is very much the norm (Fisher et al., 2004). Safarov, 2003; Cornet and Rajapbaev, 2004; IRIN, 2003) all indicate that Central Asian forests and woodlands are under severe threat from over-exploitation, desertification, pests and diseases, overgrazing and fires. A combination of factors including the cessation of subsidized timber from the former Soviet Union, rural poverty, a lack of alternative energy sources and the lack of institutional capacity to protect and regulate forests have all added to the pressure on vulnerable forests of the region. The forests and woodlands growing on the foothills of the Tien Shan, Palmir-Alai and Kopetdag mountains, especially those near rural settlements, are most threatened. This includes the slow-growing juniper forests of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, which are threatened by firewood collection and over-grazing. Kyrgyzstan, for example, lost some 35% of its montane juniper in just a few decades (MEP, 1998). As firewood becomes increasingly scarce around settlements, villagers have to go deeper and deeper into the forest to satisfy their daily fuel needs. THREATS TO FORESTS AND WOODLANDS The Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005 (FAO, 2006b) indicates that the extent of forests and woodlands in Central Asia has remained relatively unchanged since 1995. However, the reliability of the data provided for the assessment is uncertain owing to the region’s lack of capacity to monitor and conduct forest inventories since the break-up of the Soviet Union. There is also very little official information on the actual status of forests, their associated species and levels of degradation. A number of reports, national biodiversity strategies and the experience of regional experts (MEP, 1998; MNPT, 2002; Although an important source of income for rural communities, unsustainable rates of harvesting of NTFPs such as walnuts continue to pose a huge threat to the region’s unique fruit and nut forests. The threat is further compounded by unregulated logging, grazing, hay-making and, more recently, pests such as the gypsy moth Lymantria dispar. In the JalalAbad province of Kyrgyzstan local foresters and residents have noticed marked reductions in the walnut and apple harvest in recent years (IRIN, 2003). A biodiversity hotspot report by Conservation International (CI, 2008) states that some 90% of fruit and nut forest habitats have been lost in the last 50 years. The forests of the Tien Shan and PamirAlai mountains and the floodplain tugai forests provide crucial environmental protection and ecosystems services to the predominately arid Central Asian region. Their loss and degradation not only threatens globally unique biodiversity and rural livelihoods but also endangers water supply and regulation, essential to fertile agricultural areas such as the Fergana Valley and major metropolises in the region. METHODOLOGY USED FOR CONSERVATION STATUS ASSESSMENT The IUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group, in association with the Global Trees Campaign, uses a number of approaches to undertake global assessments of the conservation status of tree species (Newton and Oldfield, 2008). These include, most importantly, close collaboration with regional and international experts in botany and forestry, as well as extensive literature reviews and searches on online taxonomic and herbarium databases, supported by GIS mapping. To undertake an assessment of the conservation status of Central Asian trees the Global Trees Campaign organized a workshop in July 2006 to bring together a range of regional experts from the Central Asian countries. A total of 25 participants from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and the UK attended the workshop in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Regrettably, the workshop organizers were unable to arrange for an expert from Turkmenistan to attend. Over the 3-day workshop the participants, through much discussion and debate, produced a list of nationally threatened tree species, a candidate list of globally threatened Central Asian tree 7 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia species, and a preliminary Red List of globally threatened trees from Central Asia using the IUCN Red List categories and criteria (IUCN, 2001). During the workshop a map of regional forest cover, derived from satellite remote sensing imagery, was used to define the potential distributional range of selected species. For this purpose the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Vegetation Continuous Fields (VCF) product was used (Hansen et al., 2003). This product depicts the percentage tree cover at a resolution of 500 m using a supervised regression tree algorithm. For each species considered distributional ranges were derived by exploring the expert data elicited during the workshop using ArcView v. 9.1 (ESRI, Redlands, USA; www.esri.com). Following the workshop the preliminary Red List was reviewed and revised with the assistance of the Red List Unit, IUCN Species Programme and additional research in the literature and online databases. RESULTS OF EVALUATION Over the course of the 3-day workshop 25 experts from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and the UK evaluated 96 Central Asian tree and shrub species according to the IUCN Red List categories and criteria (IUCN, 2001). Twelve tree and shrub taxa listed in the Red Data Book of Turkmenistan (Atamuradov et al., 1999) were not evaluated as no national experts from Turkmenistan attended the workshop. The full Red List of globally threatened trees from Central Asia with associated categories and criteria can be found on page 13. A summary of the results of the evaluation are in the table below. 8 SUMMARY OF RESULTS Conservation Status Extinct Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable Near Threatened Data Deficient Least Concern Total Evaluated Not Evaluated Number of taxa 0 23 13 8 5 17 30 96 12 Of the 96 taxa evaluated, 44 are categorized as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable, meaning that they are threatened with extinction in the wild according to the IUCN Red List categories and criteria. A further five taxa are Near Threatened and 17 are Data Deficient. Data Deficient taxa are those taxa that are deemed not to have sufficient information available to assign a Red List category. In the current evaluation this is primarily because of the lack of knowledge of the conservation status of species whose distributions extend outside Central Asia, for example, into Afghanistan or Iran. In addition, the lack of capacity of scientific institutions to undertake fieldwork, particularly since the break-up of the Soviet Union, has reduced the availability of up-to-date information. This is especially pertinent for Kazakhstan, the ninth largest country in the world. A high proportion of the threatened taxa are Critically Endangered, that is, they face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Many of these are narrow endemics, such as Abies semenovii and Crataegus knorringiana, whose fragmented populations are threatened by cutting and/or over-grazing. Others, relatives of domesticated fruit trees and shrubs such as Pyrus korshinskyi and Ribes malvifolium, are threatened by over-harvesting of fruits and collection of saplings as rootstock for grafting. More specifically, Calligonum triste is directly threatened by desertification and soil salination resulting from the drainage of the Aral Sea. A number of the species that are Endangered or Vulnerable are wild relatives of domesticated fruit and nut varieties. This includes wild apricot Armenica vulgaris (EN), which is threatened by unsustainable harvesting and over-collection by national and international plant-breeding companies. Two wild apple species, Malus niedzwetzkyana (EN) and Malus sieversii (VU), are still found in the fragmented fruit and nut forests of Central Asia and are threatened by habitat degradation, mainly from agricultural development and overgrazing. A number of species are directly threatened by over-collection for firewood. This includes Juniperus schugnanica (VU), Calligonum calcareum (CR) and Calligonum paletzkianum (VU). Populations of these species have all seen dramatic declines in recent years, particularly those in the vicinity of rural settlements. The experts evaluated both walnut Juglans regia and pistachio Pistacia vera as Near Threatened even though recent paleontological evidence for walnut in the Fergana Valley (Kyrgyzstan) suggests it may have an anthropogenic origin, rather than native (Beer et al., 2007). For walnut, the experts have taken a precautionary approach until further evidence becomes available because of the global significance of the walnut forests in Central Asia and their importance as an international genetic resource. The Red List of Trees of Central Asia Box 1: Examples of recent forest conservation projects in Central Asia CURRENT CONSERVATION MEASURES FOR THREATENED TREES OF CENTRAL ASIA As described in the introduction, all five countries of Central Asia have a longestablished tradition of nature protection and forest management. This is also true for scientific research in the biological sciences and is evident in the extensive network of botanic gardens, arboretums, universities and academic research institutions throughout the region. However, as previously discussed, the region has undergone dramatic economic, social and political transition following independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991. This has had a profound impact on the capacity of forestry, nature protection and scientific institutions to survey, manage and monitor forests, woodlands and threatened species. The majority of state conservation agencies and research institutions are severely underresourced and are unable to conduct baseline surveys, let alone regulate and manage forest resource use. In turn, botanic gardens and germplasm banks lack the staff and basic equipment to maintain globally important ex situ collections of threatened trees. There is immense pressure on Central Asian forests and woodlands to provide firewood, timber and NTFPs. State forestry agencies and protected areas therefore face huge challenges in the conservation of threatened trees and the sustainable use of forest products. These challenges are exemplified by the 44 globally threatened tree species, a significant proportion of which are wild relatives of globally important fruit crops. The global importance and plight of the unique forests and fruit and nut diversity of Central Asia has recently begun to be • Archa JUMP Project on the Sustainable Management of Juniper Forests in Southern Kyrgyzstan (CEC) • Central Asia Transboundary Biodiversity Project in West Tien Shan (GEF) • Conservation of Tugai Forests and Strengthening Protected Areas System in the Amu-Darya Delta of Karakalpakstan (UNDP and GEF) • Impact of the Transformation Process on Human-environmental Interactions in Southern 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 in Kyrgyzstan (FFI) recognized with a number of internationally funded projects. Some of these projects are listed in Box 1. Although the above projects vary greatly in scope it is essential that any lessons learnt, best practice and possible solutions are disseminated effectively throughout the region. Not only do the Central Asian countries share a recent political legacy, watersheds and mountain ranges, but they also share many similar issues and problems regarding nature conservation, environmental protection, rural development and the sustainable use of natural resources. Case Study: Community Conservation of the Walnut-fruit Forests in Kyrgyzstan FFI is working with local partners in Kyrgyzstan to improve the conservation of walnutfruit forests by promoting the involvement of local communities in forest management. Threats to forest integrity include: limited natural regeneration because of grazing pressure and hay-making within the forest; illegal cutting of trees and collection of firewood; over-harvesting of fruits and nuts; pests (such as gypsy moth) and disease. In recent times, local people have had little opportunity to engage in forest management and planning, although they do have access to forest resources through the leasing of forest plots. These fruit and nut forests are a vital resource for local people, providing fuelwood, food, fodder and grazing for livestock, as well as an important income from the walnut harvest. The project is initially working in Kara Alma, bringing together community representatives, the local forest service and other stakeholders for open discussions on key issues, resulting in a collaborative conservation management plan for the sustainable use of the forest. In addition, following a participatory needs assessment, training and essential equipment are being provided to the local forest service to increase their capacity to work with local communities to protect and manage the forest. Through the provision of small grants and associated training, local people are being supported to adopt environmentally sustainable livelihood options to reduce socio-economic pressures on the forest. These small-scale income generation initiatives have included bee keeping, fruit preservation, and various small workshops. Liesje Birchenough, Eurasia Programme Manager, Fauna & Flora International The Red List of Trees of Central Asia PRIORITY NEEDS FOR ACTION The forests of Central Asia, with their incredibly rich diversity of fruit and nut trees, are of global significance. The conservation of this unique inheritance is paramount, not only for the region but for the whole international community. It is therefore imperative that the international community provides the necessary financial resources, investment and training to build the capacity of scientific institutions, nature conservation and forestry agencies, botanic gardens and germplasm banks to manage and conserve this unique heritage effectively. The region’s state forestry agencies and protected areas network require substantial investment and capacity building. With so many challenges faced by these agencies, training in the development of participatory forest management plans, local community engagement, rural development and natural resource management is urgently needed. Many of the state agencies lack basic equipment and infrastructure such as uniforms, horses or vehicles, communication equipment and ranger posts. In order to alleviate the immediate pressures on forests from firewood collection and illegal logging, pilot projects that provide alternative sources of energy to villagers should be trialled, assessed and rolled out. A review of the status of the region’s botanic gardens, gene bank facilities and ex situ tree collections needs to be undertaken. This should be coupled with a review of the ex situ collections held outside the region. Once the state of these institutions is known a programme of institutional capacity building, possibly with the formation of a regional network of ex situ conservation facilities, should be initiated. Representatives of the 44 threatened tree species not yet conserved 10 in ex situ collections should be established as soon as possible to act as an insurance policy against extinctions in the wild. National plant genetic resource authorities should be provided with the necessary legal and policy training to establish multilateral agreements for the exchange and utilisation of plant genetic resources. Once established, these agreements could be a mechanism to ensure long-term funding for the conservation of globally important genetic resources. It is a sad irony that the progenitor of the domesticated apple, Malus sieversii, is threatened by extinction in its natural environment, whilst the export value of apples from the top ten appleproducing countries is over US$3 billion a year (FAO, 2008). More poignantly, Malus sieversii germplasm collected in the 1990s from Kazakhstan is currently being used by the USDA Agricultural Research Service to improve disease resistance in current apple cultivars (Forsline et al., 2003). So far, researchers have discovered Malus sieversii samples that show resistance to apple scab, fire blight, drought and numerous soil pathogens (Pons, 2006). These research findings once again highlight the global importance of conserving the wild relatives of domesticated fruit and nut trees. Twenty-three of the trees and shrubs evaluated are Critically Endangered. Species recovery plans using both in situ and ex situ methods need to be developed and implemented urgently. Close collaboration between different agencies in neighbouring countries may be required for transboundary species. Eighteen of the species are Data Deficient (DD). For a number of species this is because of scientific institutions’ lack of capacity to conduct basic surveys. A number of potentially threatened species have not been surveyed since before Soviet times and their current conservation status is not known. Other DD species require collaboration with experts in China, Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan in order to establish their conservation status. The Red List of Trees of Central Asia CENTRAL ASIA R u s sia Tab yl R u s si a Astana Esil Oral Karaganda Zhayy a Alta iM oun tain s Irtish KAZA K H S T A N Lake Balkhash Aralsk SyrDar Aral Sea ya Ile a UZB s p ia n Bukhara EK Bishkek IS KYRGYZSTAN TA S ea TURKMENISTAN Ashgabat Kop etd Tashkent N Naryn Tien Shan Mountains Samarkand TAJIKISTAN Am uDa r Garagum Kanaly ag Mo unt ain s ya Dushanbe A f g h a nis ta n Kushka I ran 0 300 600 900 0 186 372 558 C hin a Pam ir M oun tain s C Almaty 1200 Kilometres 744 Miles 11 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia THE RED LIST OF TREES OF CENTRAL ASIA Abies semenovii B.Fedtsch. CR B1ab(v) Kyrgyzstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop Endemic to Kyrgyzstan, this species has a very narrow distribution range. It is restricted to two localities (Talas and Chatkal) with an extent of occurrence less than 100 km². Threats include cutting and disease. Ammopiptanthus kamelinii Lazkov CR B2ab(iii,v) Kyrgyzstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop A recently described species, A. kamelinii (Lazkov, 2006) was previously included in Ammopiptanthus nanus (Popov) Cheng. Endemic to Kyrgyzstan, the species has a very limited distribution restricted to Kavak-Too Mountain between 1,600– 2,000 m above sea level. Threats include mining, fossil exploration, poor regeneration and natural hazards. The total number of individuals in Kyrgyzstan is around 3,000–4,000. Amygdalus bucharica Korsh. VU B2ab(iii,v) Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop Endemic to Central Asia, this species is in decline in Uzbekistan. Main threats are grazing, collection of fruit for almond oil and poor regeneration caused by intermittent fruiting. Amygdalus ledebouriana Schlecht. EN B1ab(iii) Kazakhstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species is endemic to east Kazakhstan in the Altai and Tarbagatai mountain ranges. It occurs on mountain slopes and along river valleys. The extent of occurrence is less than 100 km2. Threats include cutting, habitat reduction and the collection of fruit and flowers. The flowers are particularly in demand for international women’s day. The nuts are used for almond oil production. Armeniaca vulgaris Lam. EN B1ab(iii) China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The wild apricot, the origin of all cultivated apricots, is considered very rare in all three Central Asian countries where it 12 naturally occurs. In Kazakhstan, it is only known from three localities: Talgar, Turgen and Torkulak. Threats to the species include construction, development of tourist resorts, cutting for fuelwood, harvesting of fruit and the collection of germplasm by both national and international plant-breeding companies. The distribution of wild apricot in China needs to be determined. Atraphaxis muschketowi Krassn. EN B1ab(iii) Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species has a very restricted range in Central Asia. In Kazakhstan it only occurs between the Kaskelen and Talgar gorges where individuals are sparsely distributed. Expanding tourism and other recreational activities threaten localities. Berberis iliensis Popov VU B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) Kazakhstan, China Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop This Berberis species is restricted to the Ili River basin in Kazakhstan and China. The small fragmented sub-populations are threatened by water extraction, cutting and fire. Berberis karkaralensis Kornilova & Potapov CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) Kazakhstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop A narrow endemic restricted to central Kazakhstan in the Kent and Karkaraly mountains. Although the species occurs in protected areas it continues to be threatened by tourism, grazing and natural fires. Betula jarmolenkoana Goloskokov CR B1ab(iii,v)+ B2ab(iii,v) Kazakhstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop A narrow relict endemic restricted to three river basins (Kokpa, Tekes and Bayankol/Narynkol) in one mountain range. Declines in the extent of habitat have been observed, primarily because of fire. Betula kirghisorum Sawicz CR B2ab(v) Kazakhstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop Although known from four localities, including the Siberian The Red List of Trees of Central Asia lowlands of Kustanai province and the Chingiz Tau Mountains in eastern Kazakhstan, the species has a very restricted area of occupancy (less than 10 km²). The total population is less than 1,000 individual trees and regeneration is poor. Betula pamirica Litv. VU B2ab(v) Tajikistan (possibly Kyrgyzstan) Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop This birch species is restricted to the Pamir-Alai range in Tajikistan (possibly also Kyrgyzstan) at altitudes between 2,500– 3,300 m. The species is scarce, declining and only known from five localities (Darvaz, Vanj, Rushan, Gunt and Shokhdara). The species is considered to be a synonym of B. tianschanica Rupr. by some taxonomists. Betula schugnanica (B.Fedtsch.) Litv. CR B2ab(v); C1 Tajikistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop This birch species is endemic to the Gorno-Badakhshan range in Tajikistan at altitudes between 2,000–2,500 m. It is restricted to four localities (Shabdara, Gunt, Rushan and Darvaz) with a total population size of less than 250 and declining. The species is considered to be a synonym of B. tianschanica Rupr. by some taxonomists. Betula talassica Poljakov EN B2ab(iii) Kazakhstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species is restricted to two localities in Kazakhstan: the Aksu River basin and rivers in the Karatau mountain range. Although some protection is afforded to the Aksu subpopulation, as it is located in a protected area, declines have been observed in the Karatau range. The species is sometimes treated as a synonym of B. pendula Roth. Betula tianschanica Rupr. EN A2ac; B2ab(ii,iii) Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species occurs in river basins and valleys of western Tien Shan (Ugam, Pskem and Chatkal). Populations are fragmented and in decline, threatened by livestock, avalanches and tourism. Calligonum calcareum Pavlov CR B2ab(iii,v) Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species is restricted to a specific soil type in the Sokh River basin. It is threatened by over-grazing and cutting. Its timber is highly valued for tandoori cooking. Calligonum elegans V.P.Drobow EN B2ab(iii,v) Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species is restricted to a narrow ecological niche in the Sokh River basin, southern Ferghana. It is threatened by cutting and grazing. Calligonum matteianum V.P.Drobow EN B2ab(iii,v) Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species is restricted to a narrow ecological niche in Bukhara province. Threats include cutting and grazing. Calligonum molle Litv. EN B2ab(iii,v) Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species is restricted to a narrow ecological niche in the Bukhara province. Threats include cutting and grazing. Calligonum paletzkianum Litv. VU B2ab(iii,v) Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species is found along the Uzbekistan/Turkmenistan border and is restricted to a narrow ecological niche. The sparsely distributed populations are threatened by grazing and collection for firewood. Calligonum triste Litv. CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop In Kazakhstan this species is only known from one locality, the Pri-Aral Moyunkum. It is threatened by the drainage of the Aral Sea, desertification and soil salination. The species is considered endangered in Turkmenistan although details on its distribution are not known. 13 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia Crataegus darvasica Pojark. CR B2ab(iii,v) Tajikistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop This very rare endemic hawthorn is only found in south-west Darvaz of Tajikistan. It is in decline because of over-grazing and cutting. Lonicera paradoxa Pojark. EN B2ab(iii,v) Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop This honeysuckle species is considered to be extremely threatened in all the Central Asian countries where it occurs. Threats include cattle grazing and tourism. Crataegus necopinata Pojark. CR B2ab(iii,v) Tajikistan (possibly Afghanistan) Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species occurs in the Darvaz Range and downstream of the Vanj River in Tajikistan, although it may also occur in neighbouring Afghanistan. The species is threatened by cutting for timber. Malus niedzwetzkyana Dieck. EN B2ab(iii,v) Afghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop A very rare species in Central Asia, with individuals sporadically distributed in fragmented populations. Threats include loss and degradation of habitat because of agricultural expansion and development, genetic erosion (grafting of commercial varieties and hybridization) and over-grazing. As a wild relative of domesticated apple the species is of global importance as an international genetic resource. Crataegus knorringiana Pojark. CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) Kyrgyzstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species has a very limited distribution with only one locality, a ravine in the Alai Mountains. Human disturbance, over-grazing and cutting threaten the species. Juniperus schugnanica Komarov VU A2ad Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species is endemic to eastern Tajikistan (GornoBadakhshan) and the adjacent area of Kyrgyzstan in the Pamir-Alai Range. The fragmented populations are restricted to valleys and gorges and are threatened by cutting for firewood. Populations in the vicinity of settlements are most threatened with observed declines of over 30% in the last 20 years. Lonicera karataviensis Pavlov CR B2ab(iii) Kazakhstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species is only known from two localities in the Karkara gorge in Kazakhstan. The total population is 600–700 individuals and although the populations occur in a protected area the species is still threatened by tourism development. A recent taxonomic revision in Kyrgyzstan described populations previously thought to be L. karataviensis as L. sovetkinae. 14 Malus sieversii (Ledeb.) M.Roem. VU A2acde China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop As with M. niedzwetzkyana, threats include loss and degradation of habitat because of agricultural expansion and development, genetic erosion (grafting of commercial varieties and hybridization) and over-grazing. In Kazakhstan its habitat has declined by over 70% in the last 30 years. Molecular genetic work strongly indicates that Malus sieversii is one of the main progenitors of domesticated apples (Harris et al., 2002) and is therefore a species of significant global importance. With most commercial apple cultivars having a narrow genetic base it is imperative that the wide genetic diversity in this species is conserved both in situ and ex situ. Picea schrenkiana Fisch. et. Mey. prostrata K.Isakov VU B2ab(iii,v) Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop This alpine form of P. schrenkiana has a very narrow altitudinal range (2,800–3,100 m). There are only seven known localities in the northern Tien Shan. Threats include cattle grazing, cutting and climate change. There is taxonomic uncertainty about the distinctness of this form in Kyrgyzstan. The Red List of Trees of Central Asia Polygonum toktogulicum Lazkov CR B2ab(iii) Kyrgyzstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop This species has a very limited distribution with an area of occupancy less than 1 km². It grows close to a large settlement and is threatened by over-grazing. There are only approximately 2,000 individuals of this species. Populus berkarensis Poljakov CR D Kazakhstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop A narrow endemic, with a total population of less than 50 individuals. It grows in mountain gorges and rocky slopes at altitudes of 1,000–1,200 m. Very little is known about rates of decline or threats. Prunus tadzhikistanica V.I.Zapryagaeva EN B2ab(iii,v) Tajikistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop A species endemic to western Pamir (the Gisar mountain range) between 1,800–2,000 m. Threats include cutting and agricultural expansion. Pyrus cajon V.I.Zapryagaeva EN B2ab(iii,v) Tajikistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop A rare endemic of Gorno-Badakhshan province, this wild pear species is threatened by agricultural expansion. Pyrus korshinskyi Litv. CR B2ab(iii,v) Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop This wild pear is known from only a few fragmented subpopulations. It is threatened by over-grazing, fruit harvesting and the collection of saplings for rootstock. Pyrus tadshikistanica V.I.Zapryagaeva CR B2ab(iii,v) Tajikistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop Restricted 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, Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop This wild currant species has a very limited distribution with only two known localities. Threats include fruit collection and livestock grazing. Rhus coriaria L. VU B2ab(iii) Tajikistan, Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species has a very limited and fragmented distribution and is threatened by over-grazing. Sibiraea tianschanica (Krassn.) Pojark. CR B2ab(iii) Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species is listed in the national Red Data books of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. It has a very limited distribution and has not been collected for several years. Threats include agricultural expansion, tourism and housing developments. Rosa pavlovii Chrshan. CR B2ab(iii) Kazakhstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop Considered as a distinct species by Kazakh botanists, this narrow endemic occurs at only a few localities in north-east Kazakhstan. It grows in wet meadows alongside the river Irtish (Dzhangaliev et al., 2003). It is in decline and threatened by housing 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) Kazakhstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop In Kazakhstan there are only three known localities, in the Betpak-Dala Desert and the Syrdarga Kara-Tau. Threats include habitat degradation and cutting. The species may occur in Kyrgyzstan. 15 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia Sophora korolkovii Koehne CR B1ab(ii,iii)+2ab(ii,iii) Kyrgyzstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop Although considered to be a synonym of Styphnolobium japonicum (L.) Schott (ILDIS, 2007), Kyrgyz botanists consider this to be a distinct species of Sophora. With a very limited distribution Sophora korolkovii is threatened by grazing, construction and mining. Swida darvasica (Pojark.) Sojak CR B2ab(iii,v) Tajikistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species has a very limited distribution and is threatened by agricultural expansion, cutting and over-grazing. Zygophyllum bucharicum B.Fedtsch. CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) Uzbekistan (possibly Tajikistan) Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop Growing along the border of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and restricted to a narrow ecological range the species is threatened by over-grazing. Zygophyllum darvasicum Boriss. CR B2ab(iii,v) Tajikistan (possibly Afghanistan) Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species is endemic to Gorno-Badakhshan; in the Dervas Range and by the Pange River. It is very scarce and threatened by cutting. It may also occur in Afghanistan but its current status there is not known. SPECIES EVALUATED AS NEAR THREATENED Fraxinus sogdiana Bunge NT China (west Xinjiang), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop This species of ash, which grows along rivers in open deciduous forest, is threatened in Kazakhstan. Threats in Central Asia include cutting for timber and changes to water regimes. Juglans regia L. NT Afghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop Although recent palaeontological evidence for walnut in the Fergana Valley (Kyrgyzstan) suggests that walnut may be anthropogenic in origin rather than native to the region (Beer et al., 2007) the evaluation has taken a precautionary approach because of the global significance of the walnut forests in Central Asia and their importance as an international genetic resource. Juniperus seravshanica Kom. NT Uzbekistan, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop Although widespread in Central Asia declines have been observed in the region, particularly in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The timber is favoured for saunas and the species is also threatened by over-grazing and fires. Populus pruinosa Schrenk NT Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop Although the species has a wide distribution it has a very narrow ecological range, restricted to river banks in arid areas. The species is threatened by changes in water regime (irrigation and hydroelectric power stations), cutting and agricultural conversion. Pistacia vera L. NT Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop Although widely distributed throughout Central Asia the pistachio is threatened by fruit collection, livestock grazing and cutting. 16 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia SPECIES EVALUATED AS DATA DEFICIENT Amygdalus susakensis Vassilcz. DD Kyrgyzstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species is only known from its type specimen. There are no recent data and its taxonomic status is uncertain. Astragalus kokaschikii Gamajun DD Kazakhstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop This taxon is only known from one locality in the Betpak-Dala Desert in central Kazakhstan. Although a very narrow endemic, no information is known on patterns of decline or threats. Its taxonomic status is uncertain as it is considered by some to be a synonym of Astragalus krascheninnikovii Kamelin (ILDIS, 2007; IPNI, 2007). Astragalus tscharynensis Popov DD Kazakhstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species is recorded from the Boguta Mountains in the Charyn River basin. No collections of the species have been made in the past 100 years and it may no longer exist in the wild. Exhaustive surveys are required to determine its true status and whether it is extinct. Atraphaxis teretifolia (Popov) Kom. DD Kazakhstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop This rare relict species only occurs in the Betpak-Dala Desert. Its distribution is less than 100 km² but there is no information on declines or threats. Calophaca soongorica Kar. et Kir. DD China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop In Kyrgyzstan the species is known from one locality in the BeshAral National Park. Its status in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and China is not known. Cercis griffithii Boiss. DD Distribution unknown Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop In Central Asia the species is known to occur on the border between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, although very little is known about its status. Records indicate that it may also occur in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India; this requires verification, however. Cotoneaster karatavicus Pojark. DD Kazakhstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The current status of this narrow endemic, restricted to the Karatau mountain range in southern Kazakhstan, is not known. Crataegus ambigua C.A. Mey. DD Kazakhstan, Russia Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop Known from only one locality in Kazakhstan, the conservation status of this species in Russia is not known. Daphne altaica Pall. DD Kazakhstan, Russia Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop In Kazakhstan the species is known to occur in the Altai, Manrak and Tarbagatai Mountains and is considered threatened by fire and grazing. Its status in Russia is not known. Hedysarum scoparium Fisch. et C.A.Mey. DD China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The status of this species in Mongolia and China is not known. Malacocarpus crithmifolius (Retz.) C.A.Mey. DD Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop Although threatened in Kazakhstan the status of this species in Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Iran is not known. 17 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco DD China, Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop Although the species is threatened in Uzbekistan its status in China is unknown. Pyrus asiae-mediae (Popov) Maleev DD Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The species has not been seen since it was originally described and may actually be extinct. Its taxonomic status is not clear. Sibiraea altaiensis (Laxm.) Schneider DD Kazakhstan, Russia Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop Although threatened in Kazakhstan the status of the species in Russia is not known. Sorbaria olgae Zinserl. DD Uzbekistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop This species is considered to be extinct in Uzbekistan. Extensive fieldwork and exhaustive surveys are required for confirmation. Sorbus turkestanica (Franch.) Hedl. DD Tajikistan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop Herbarium 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 in Tajikistan. Zygophyllum kaschgaricum Boriss. DD China, Kyrgyzstan Assessor: Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop The status of the species in Kyrgyzstan and China is not known. 18 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia SPECIES EVALUATED AS LEAST CONCERN Abelia corymbosa Regel et Schmalh. Widespread distribution across western Tien Shan in Central Asia. Aflatunia ulmifolia (Franch.) Vasscilcz. Although rare in Kazakhstan the species is widespread and common in Kyrgyzstan. Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. Widespread in Europe and Central Asia. Amygdalus petunnikovii Litv. Although the species has a limited distribution in Central Asia there are no immediate threats. The species tends to grow on inaccessible cliffs and in both Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan the populations are located in protected areas. Berberis kaschgarica Rupr. The species is restricted to high altitude areas in Kyrgyzstan and China. Although the extent of occurrence is less than 10 km² there 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 species has 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.Schneid Widespread in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Crataegus pontica C.Koch Widespread in Central Asia. Diospyros lotus L. Widespread distribution including Central Asia, the Mediterranean and the Caucasus. Euonymus koopmannii Lauche Widespread in western Tien Shan. Euonymus verrucosus Scop. Widespread distribution including Russia, Eastern Europe and Tajikistan. Ficus carica L. A widespread species. Jasminum humile L. Although considered to be Endangered in Tajikistan the species is 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 and Afghanistan. Ledum palustre L. Although rare in Kazakhstan the species is widespread in the Russian Altai. Platanus orientalis L. Very widespread, ranging from the east Mediterranean throughout the Middle East to the south-east provinces of the Euro-Siberian region. Populus nigra L. Widespread in Europe. Punica granatum L. Although threatened in Central Asia by over-grazing, the species has a wide distribution that includes the Mediterranean, Iran, Turkey and the Caucasus. 19 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia Quercus robur L. Widespread in Europe. Restella alberti (Regel) Pobed. Although the species has a restricted distribution in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, there are no immediate threats. Most of the populations in Uzbekistan are in a protected area. Ribes janczewskii Pojark. Although rare in Kazakhstan and the Gorno-Badakhshan province of Tajikistan the species is widespread in the other Central 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 widely distributed in Central Asia and the Mediterranean. Ziziphus jujuba Mill. Widespread distribution including China and the Caucasus as well as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. 20 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia SPECIES NOT EVALUATED The following trees and shrubs are listed in the Red Data Book of Turkmenistan (Atamuradov et al., 1999) but have yet to be globally evaluated according to the IUCN Red List categories and criteria (IUCN, 2001). Although these species are threatened in Turkmenistan it is unlikely that the majority will be threatened globally 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 to Turkmenistan) 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) 21 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia REFERENCES Atamuradov, Kh. I., Karyeva, O., Shammakov, S. and Yazkulyev, A. [Eds.] (1999) The Red Data Book of Turkmenistan, Vol. 2 (Plants). Ministry of Nature Protection of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Fisher, R.J., Schmidt, K., Steenhoof, B. and Akenshaev, N. (2004) Poverty and Forestry: A Case Study of Kyrgyzstan with Reference to Other Countries in West and Central Asia. FAO Livelihood Support Programme, Working Paper 13. FAO, Rome, Italy. Beer, R., Kaiser, F., Schmidt, K., Ammann, B., Carraro, G., Grisa, E. and Tinner, W. (2007) Vegetation History of the Walnut-fruit Forests in Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia): Natural or Anthropogenic origin? In: Reconstruction of the Holocene Vegetation and Fire History in the Different Forest Types of Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia, pp. 44–82. PhD thesis, University of Bern, Switzerland. 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. Conservation International (2008) Biodiversity Hotspots: Mountains of Central Asia. Conservation International, Washington, DC, USA. Available at: http://www.biodiversity hotspots.org/xp/hotspots/central_asia/ [accessed 3 September 2008]. Hansen, M.C., DeFries, R.S., Townshend, J.R.G., Carroll, M., Dimiceli, C. and Sohlberg, R.A. (2003) Global Percent Tree Cover at a Spatial Resolution of 500 meters: First Results of the MODIS Vegetation Continuous Fields Algorithm. Earth Interactions, 7, 1–15. Cornet J.G. and Rajapbaev, M. (2004) Criteria and Indicators for the Sustainable Management of Juniper Forests in South Kyrgyzstan. Nancy, Ecole Nationale du Génie Rural, des Eaux et des Forêts, Commission of the European Communities, Artcha JUMP Project. 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. Davis, S.D., Heywood, V.H. and Hamilton, A.C. (1995) Centres of Plant Diversity: A Guide and Strategy for their Conservation. Vol. 2: Asia, Australia and the Pacific. WWF and IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. Dzhangaliev, A.D., Salova, T.N. and Turekhanova, P.M. (2003) The Wild Fruit and Nut Plants of Kazakhstan. In: Wild Apple and Fruit Trees of Central Asia (eds Janick, J., Forsline, P., Dickson, E., Way, R. and Thompson, M.), Horticultural Review, 29, 305–371. FAO (2006a) People, Forests and Trees of West and Central Asia: Outlook for 2020. FAO Forestry Paper No. 152. FAO, Rome, Italy. FAO (2006b) Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005: Progress Towards Sustainable Forest Management. FAO Forestry Paper No. 147. FAO, Rome, Italy. FAO (2008) FAOSTAT Database. FAO, Rome, Italy. Available at: http://faostat.fao.org/ [accessed 10 September 2008]. 22 Hawkes, J.G. (1998) Back to Vavilov: Why Were Plants Domesticated in Some Areas and Not in Others? In: The Origins 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: Version 3.1. IUCN Species Survival Commission. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. The Red List of Trees of Central Asia Jashenko, R. (ed.) (2006) Strict Nature Reserves of Central Asia. Nature Protected Areas of Central Asia No. 1. Tethys, Almaty, Kazakhstan. Juniper B.E. and Mabberley, D.J. (2006) The Story of the Apple. 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. 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 Human Development and Human Security. UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, Bratislava, Slovak Republic. Lazkov, G.A. (2006) New Species of Genus Ammopiptanthus S. H. Cheng (Fabaceae) from Kyrgyzstan. Novitates Syst. Plantarum Vascularum, 38, 134–142. (in Russian) Lazkov, G.A. (pers. comm.) Collated by G.A. Lazkov from Opredelitel Rastenyi Sredney Asii (Synopsis of plants from Central 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 and Action Plan. Ministry of Environmental Protection, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. MNPT (2002) Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Turkmenistan. Ministry of Nature Protection of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Newton, A.C. and Oldfield, S. (2008) Red Listing the World’s Tree Species: A Review of Recent Progress. Endangered Species Research, 6, 137–147. Pons, L. (2006) Remarkable Kazak apples: Their Resistance to Disease May Boost an Entire Industry. Agricultural Research, January, 4–6. Safarov, N. (2003) Republic of Tajikistan: National Strategy and Action Plan on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity. Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan. 23 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia ANNEX 1 IUCN RED LIST CATEGORIES AND CRITERIA EXTINCT (EX) A taxon is Extinct when there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. A taxon is presumed Extinct when exhaustive surveys in known and/or expected habitat, at appropriate times (diurnal, seasonal, annual), throughout its historic range have failed to record an individual. Surveys should be over a time-frame appropriate 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 in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalized population (or populations) well outside the past range. A taxon is presumed Extinct in the Wild when exhaustive surveys in known and/or expected habitat, at appropriate times (diurnal, seasonal, annual), throughout its historic range have failed to record an individual. Surveys should be over a time-frame appropriate to the taxon’s life cycle and life form. DATA DEFICIENT (DD) A taxon is Data Deficient when there is inadequate information to make a direct, or indirect, assessment of its risk of extinction based on its distribution and/or population status. A taxon in this category may be well studied, and its biology well known, but appropriate data on abundance and/or distribution are lacking. Data Deficient is therefore not a category of threat. Listing of taxa in this category indicates that more information is required and acknowledges the possibility that future research will show that threatened classification is appropriate. It is important to make positive use of whatever data are available. In many cases great care should be exercised in choosing between DD and a threatened status. If the range of a taxon is suspected to be relatively circumscribed, and a considerable period 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 evaluated against the criteria. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (CR) A taxon is Critically Endangered when the best available evidence indicates that it meets any of the criteria A to E for Critically Endangered (see Section V), and it is therefore considered to be facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. THE CRITERIA FOR CRITICALLY ENDANGERED, ENDANGERED AND VULNERABLE ENDANGERED (EN) A taxon is Endangered when the best available evidence indicates that it meets any of the criteria A to E for Endangered (see Section V), and it is therefore considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (CR) A taxon is Critically Endangered when the best available evidence indicates that it meets any of the following criteria (A to E), and it is therefore considered to be facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild: VULNERABLE (VU) A taxon is Vulnerable when the best available evidence indicates that it meets any of the criteria A to E for Vulnerable (see Section V), and it is therefore considered 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 size reduction of ≥90% 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 (d) actual or potential levels of exploitation (e) the effects of introduced taxa, hybridization, pathogens, pollutants, competitors or parasites. NEAR THREATENED (NT) A taxon is Near Threatened when it has been evaluated against the criteria but does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable now, but is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future. LEAST CONCERN (LC) A taxon is Least Concern when it has been evaluated against the criteria and does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable or Near Threatened. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category. 24 2 An observed, estimated, inferred or suspected population size reduction of ≥80% over the last 10 years or three generations, whichever is the longer, where the reduction or its causes may The Red List of Trees of Central Asia not have ceased OR may not be understood OR may not be reversible, based on (and specifying) any of (a) to (e) under A1. 3. A population size reduction of ≥80%, projected or suspected to be met within the next 10 years or three generations, whichever is the longer (up to a maximum of 100 years), based on (and specifying) any of (b) to (e) under A1. 4. An observed, estimated, inferred, projected or suspected population size reduction of ≥80% over any 10 year or three generation period, whichever is longer (up to a maximum of 100 years in the future), where the time period must include both the past and the future, and where the reduction or its causes may not have ceased OR may not be understood OR may 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, 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. C. Population size estimated to number fewer than 250 mature individuals and either: 1. An estimated continuing decline of at least 25% within three years or one generation, whichever is longer, (up to a maximum of 100 years in the future) OR 2. A continuing decline, observed, projected, or inferred, in numbers of mature individuals AND at least one of the following (a-b): (a) Population structure in the form of one of the following: (i) no subpopulation estimated to contain more than 50 mature individuals, OR (ii) at least 90% of mature individuals in one subpopulation. (b) Extreme fluctuations in number of mature individuals. D. Population size estimated to number fewer than 50 mature individuals. E. Quantitative analysis showing the probability of extinction in the wild 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 indicates that it meets any of the following criteria (A to E), and it is therefore considered 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 size reduction of ≥70% 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 (d) actual or potential levels of exploitation (e) the effects of introduced taxa, hybridization, pathogens, pollutants, competitors or parasites. 25 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia 2. An observed, estimated, inferred or suspected population size reduction of ≥50% over the last 10 years or three generations, whichever is the longer, where the reduction or its causes may not have ceased OR may not be understood OR may not be reversible, based on (and specifying) any of (a) to (e) under A1. 3. A population size reduction of ≥50%, projected or suspected to be met within the next 10 years or three generations, whichever is the longer (up to a maximum of 100 years), based on (and specifying) any of (b) to (e) under A1. 4. An observed, estimated, inferred, projected or suspected population size reduction of ≥50% over any 10 year or three generation period, whichever is longer (up to a maximum of 100 years in the future), where the time period must include both the past and the future, AND where the reduction or its causes may not have ceased OR may not be understood OR may 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 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 500 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 any of the following: (i) extent of occurrence 26 (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. C. Population size estimated to number fewer than 2500 mature individuals and either: 1. An estimated continuing decline of at least 20% within five years or two generations, whichever is longer, (up to a maximum of 100 years in the future) OR 2. A continuing decline, observed, projected, or inferred, in numbers of mature individuals AND at least one of the following (a-b): (a) Population structure in the form of one of the following: (i) no subpopulation estimated to contain more than 250 mature individuals, OR (ii) at least 95% of mature individuals in one subpopulation. (b) Extreme fluctuations in number of mature individuals. D. Population size estimated to number fewer than 250 mature individuals. E. Quantitative analysis showing the probability of extinction in the wild is at least 20% within 20 years or five generations, whichever is the longer (up to a maximum of 100 years). VULNERABLE (VU) A taxon is Vulnerable when the best available evidence indicates that it meets any of the following criteria (A to E), and it is therefore considered 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 size reduction 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 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia (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 size reduction of ≥30% over the last 10 years or three generations, whichever is the longer, where the reduction or its causes may not have ceased OR may not be understood OR may not be reversible, based on (and specifying) any of (a) to (e) under A1. 3. A population size reduction of ≥30%, projected or suspected to be met within the next 10 years or three generations, whichever is the longer (up to a maximum of 100 years), based on (and specifying) any of (b) to (e) under A1. 4. An observed, estimated, inferred, projected or suspected population size reduction of ≥30% over any 10 year or three generation period, whichever is longer (up to a maximum of 100 years in the future), where the time period must include both the past and the future, AND where the reduction or its causes may not have ceased OR may not be understood OR may 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. 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 2000 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. 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. C. Population size estimated to number fewer than 10,000 mature individuals and either: 1. An estimated continuing decline of at least 10% within 10 years or three generations, whichever is longer, (up to a maximum of 100 years in the future) OR 2. A continuing decline, observed, projected, or inferred, in numbers of mature individuals AND at least one of the following (a-b): (a) Population structure in the form of one of the following: (i) no subpopulation estimated to contain more than 1000 mature individuals, 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 the following: 1. Population size estimated to number fewer than 1000 mature individuals. 2. Population with a very restricted area of occupancy (typically less than 20 km2) or number of locations (typically five or fewer) such that it is prone to the effects of human activities or stochastic events within a very short time period in an uncertain future, and is thus capable of becoming Critically Endangered or even Extinct in a very short time period. E. Quantitative analysis showing the probability of extinction in the wild is at least 10% within 100 years. Source: IUCN (2001) 27 The Red List of Trees of Central Asia The Red List of Trees of Central Asia For further information please contact: Fauna & Flora International 4th Floor, Jupiter House, Station Road, Cambridge, CB1 2JD United Kingdom Tel: + 44 (0) 1223 571000 Fax: + 44 (0) 1223 461481 E-mail: info@fauna-flora.org Web: www.fauna-flora.org www.globaltrees.org BGCI Descanso House 199 Kew Road, Richmond Surrey, TW9 3BW United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)20 8332 5953 Fax: +44 (0)20 8332 5956 E-mail: info@bgci.org Web: www.bgci.org