Altai-Sayan Montane Forests

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Katon-Karagai National Park, Kazakhstan.
© WWF-Canon / Hartmut JUNGIUS

About the Area

This Global ecoregion is made up of 6 terrestrial ecoregions: Sayan Alpine meadows and tundra; Great Lakes Basin desert steppe; Altai montane forest and forest steppe; Sayan montane conifer forests; Sayan Intermontane steppe; and Altai alpine meadow and tundra.

The Altai-Sayan ecoregion is a mosaic of coniferous forests, intermontane steppes, and alpine meadows. This, in combination with the climatic diversity (areas east of the mountains receive ample rainfall; those to the west, in the ‘rain shadow’ of the mountains, are semi desert), makes the mountain complex exceptionally rich in plant varieties and endemism - 120 out of 2,500 vascular plant species are strictly endemic.

Uvs Lake, at the centre of Great Lakes Basin desert steppe, experiences the hottest, coldest, and driest conditions of any place on Earth at similar latitudes.

The Altai Mountain range runs through the point at which Kazakhstan, Russia, China and Mongolia meet. Considered a major centre of diversity for North Asian montane flora, the Altai boasts 974 plant species, 60 of which are endemic.

The Sayan Montane Conifer Forests, also called Taiga forests, include the mid-elevation zone of the Altai-Sayan mountain range, the tallest mountain system in Siberia. These forests have high biodiversity because they are the transitional zone for vegetation, including plants from 2 types of habitat. This is where Siberian taiga and Mongolian steppe meet. Three types of taiga forests can be found in this ecoregion.

Size:
862,000 sq. km (333,000 sq. miles)

Habitat type:
Temperate Coniferous Forests

Geographic Location:
Central Asia: China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia

Conservation Status:
Vulnerable

Local Species

The region's mammal species include the Altai argali (Ovis ammon ammon), snow leopard (Panthera unci), Siberian ibex (Capra sibirica), Altai pikas (Ochotona spp), wolf (Canus lupis), brown bear (Ursus arctos), manul cat (Felis manul), Mongolian gazelle (Procapra guttorosa), and the lynx (Felix lynx).

The Altai snowcock (Tetraogallus altaicus) can be found below 3,000 metres. Rare plants include Isoetes lacustris, Brunnera sibirica, Erythronium sibiricum, and the 2 rare species of monkshood (Aconitum spp).

The lakes and marshes of Great Lakes Basin desert steppe are home to many endangered birds, including the rare snowy-white Eurasian spoonbill, which nests here during the summer. Six of the worlds 15 crane species live in reserves in the area.

There are at least 26 species of orchid and 35 species of ferns present in the Altai steppe. Lichen and moss diversity is also unusually high.

A total of 13 species of birds are found in the Altai Tundra, including golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetus), imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca), peregrine (Falco peregrinus), black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus), and relict gull (Larus relictus).
/ ©: WWF-Canon / Hartmut JUNGIUS
Mongolian gazelle (Procapra gutturosa), Daurian Steppe, Mongolia.
© WWF-Canon / Hartmut JUNGIUS

Featured species

The argali (Ovis ammon ammon) is the world’s largest wild sheep. They weigh around 65-180 kg. In general, argalis have a light brown coat with white legs and a white rump patch. Although both sexes have horns, those of the male are much larger and more impressive. The corkscrew horns wind forwards and are of a formidable weight; those of mature Altai argali males weigh 20 - 22 kg. Males also have a ruff of white hair around the neck and a pronounced crest along the back, which adds to their impressive appearance.

These sheep graze on grasses, herbs and sedges; herds may migrate to higher elevations during the summer months in search of fresh pasture. Argalis are highly gregarious animals, found in large single-sex herds that may number up to 100 individuals.

The Altai argali is threatened by habitat loss and hunting, being highly prized by hunters. It is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

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Threats

Forest clearance, plant collection, trampling by hikers, and hunting occur along the banks of larger rivers and in heavily populated areas such as the Kusnetsk Basin, Salair, Alatau Kuznetsk and southwestern Altai. Increasing human water use and drought have caused water levels to drop in some parts of the ecoregion.

Extensive wildfires have been known to engulf huge amounts of forest. In addition, alpine and sub alpine areas suffer from overgrazing and associated erosion.

Air and ground pollution from the local mining industry and non-ferrous metal works in eastern Kazakhstan is a concern to the integrity of the Altaisky and Katunsky nature reserves as well as surrounding lands.

WWF’s work

The pace of development in the region poses a severe threat to Altai-Sayan's unique biodiversity. WWF’S work focuses on the establishment of a network of core protected areas. Liaison with authorities in Russia, China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan is proving successful: regional governors in Russia, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan have increased the territory covered by protected areas, in some cases by as much as 20%.

Species conservation is another priority: WWF has targeted 2 ‘flagship’ species - the snow leopard and Argali sheep. Both are threatened by habitat fragmentation, increased poaching and illegal trade in body parts. WWF has focused on raising awareness of the threats, developing a conservation strategy, and promoting law enforcement. Efforts are also underway to reproduce an insurance scheme currently operating elsewhere in Russia that compensates farmers for loss of livestock to snow leopards.

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Photos and graphics © WWF or used with permission. Text available under a Creative Commons licence.