Annex
9. Dr. Ahmad Savari
Status of Biodiversity in I.R. IRAN
In the name of God
1.General
In I.R. IRAN the biological diversity has long been recognized as an important
national and important national and international environmental issue and this dates back
to the first international symposium on conservation of nature in Ramsar, named Ramsar
convention. Since then, the variability among living organisms from all other aquatic
systems and the ecological complexes of which they are part including within species ,
between species and ecosystems are assessed in coastal and marine areas of the Southern
Caspian.
Our national beleif is that “ biodiversity” is a necessity ; not a luxury and our
national strategy is to study biodversity at its three levels, genetic diversity
( population , individuals , chromosoms , genes and nucleutide ) , organismal diversity
( kingdoms , phyla , familie , genera, species , subspecies , population and
individuals) and ecological diversity ( kingdoms , phula , familie , genera, species ,
subspecies , populations and individuals ) and ecological diversity ( biomes , bioregion ,
land scapes , ecosystems , habitats , niches).
We believe that biodiversity not only provides direct benefits like
food , medicine , and energy , it also affords us a life support system . Biodiversity is
required for the recycling of essential elements , such as Carbon, Oxygen, and Nitrogen.
It is also responsible for mitigating pollution , protecting water sheds , and combating
soil erosion.
2.Scientific Research and Organization
To fulfil our national aim and strategy , many govermental and non- governmental
organizations and centers have been established .
these include :
- Ministry of Jehad , Dept. of fisheries , research centres , four centres two in Gilan
and other two in Mazandaran provinces .
- Department of Environment with 3 marine stations along the coast
- Ministry of Energy with Khazar Research Center at Sari, Mazandaran province .
- Ministry of Road and Transportation ( Port and Shipping Organization &Dept. Of
Meteorology) with offices and stations in all three provinces of the Caspian.
- Scientific organizations ; A number of universities having marine science Depts. Offer
different courses on the biodiversity and protection of the Caspian environment.
Universities like Gilan , Noor, Babolsar, Gorgan and with many environmental aspects of
Caspian.
- NGOS and private sectors
Many NGOs and private sectors are active in the study of the Caspian
biodiversity. They can provide consultancy and help to the Caspian biodiversity.
They can provide consultancy and help to the governmental institutions.
3. Biodiversity experts
Accordingly many environmental experts educated inside or outside the country are
carrying out the work of biodiversity assessment . A rougn estimate of their number comes
about 250-300 people.
4.Research projects
Many projects have already been undertaken and some are currently in progress by
the nationed scientific institutions. They can be classified as follows:
- Projects at national level : Four major projects have already been carried out
concerning the biodiversity of the southern regions of Caspian Sea. Two of them namely “
fauna and flora “ and “the pollution load “ were conducted in the coastalregions (
less than lom depth). The other two called “ hydrology and hydrobiology of the southern
Caspian “ and “ the Caspian marine resources “ were concerned with the off shore
water down to the depth of 900 m. The hydrology and hydrobiology project is a major one
run almost 5 years with cooperation are Fisheries Research contres and Department of
Environment.
- Projects at institutional level : All mentioned centres carry out annual project
concerning biodiversity and bioresources of the coastal and off shore water of the
Caspian.
An average of 15 projects per centre is a good estimate.
Projects at student level : Most universities of the region run MSc.
and Ph.D Courses. The M.Sc. and Ph. D. Projects are mainly conducted on the biodiversity
of the Southern Caspian. We have supervised some of these projects especially in Anzali
Lagoon and Gordan Bay.
5. Biodiversity and living resources.
The outcome of conducted research so far indicated that the Caspian is the habitat
for a large variety of flora and fauna . The biological diversity of the Caspian Sea and
its coastal zone makes the region one of the most valuable ecosystem of the world. The
rate of biological endemism in the Caspian is extremely high and it has a large
representative from almost all the major phyla on earth. The Caspian Sea with its
diversified habitats , ranges from vast river systems to extensive wetland systems to
extensive wetland systems , support diverse flora and fauna with high natural productivity
.
The coastal flora is represented by 357 species of higher plants
belonging to 185 genera and 35 families . The most common families are : Asteraceae ( 18
%) , Chenopodiaceae ( 13%) , Fabaceae (11%) , and also herbaceous species ( 86 % ) ,
Shrubs ( 6% ) and also herbaceous species (86 % ), Shrubs ( 6%) and trees (0.5 %)
Throughout the entire Caspian Sea has a poor zooplankton diversity but
it has the representative of Arctic, Mediterranean and the endemic species, with about 100
species. In the Southern Caspian sea the major zooplankton groups to: Rotifera, Cladocera,
Copepoda, Mysidacea and miscellaneous Planktons.
The Phytobenthos in the Caspian are about 64 species which include 22
species of red algae, 13 species of brown algae and 29 species of green algae, abundant at
water depth up to 15-25 m.
There are more than 500 species of zoobenthos in the Caspian with the
main groups including Gastropods , Bivalves, Molluscs, Oligochaetes and Chironomids.
The Caspian Sea fishes are less varied compared to the open ocean
regions . The Caspian fishes are about 125 species belonging to 17 families , mostly carp
(33%), gobies (28%) and shads (14%) . More than 40 species or groups of fishes are used
commercially in the Caspian the most inportant of which are sturgeon and kutum fisheries.
Five species and two subspecies of sturgeon exist in the Caspian, belonging to the genera Huso
and Acipenser.
Besides the main groups mentioned, the Caspian Sea Phoca Caspica is
the only mammals in the Caspian Sea and distributed throughout the entire Caspian Sea .
The inventory list of Caspian species with an emphasis on the Southern
species are presented in annex 1.
Table 1. List of Iranian Caspian Mammals
Table 2. List of Iranian Caspian Birds
Table 3. List of Iranian Caspian Fishes
Table 4. List of Caspian Invertebrates
Table 5. Coastal protected regions of Iranian side of Caspian Sea
6. Protected Areas
The most important habitats of the Southern regions of the Caspian Sea are located
in two main areas: Firstly, Anzali complex which is situated in a coastal lagoon, and
secondly Gordan Bay which is a coastal Bay. Anzali complex is the most important wetland
in the Southern Caspian region. Average length is about 30 Km. And widith 3-12Km. It
covers 4860 ha of protected and 15000 ha of International area. The lagoon and its
tributaries are habitats of 12 families, 34 genus and 41 species of fishes . Three species
of amphibians and some reptiles including snakes and lizards and a total of 15 species of
birds. A few species of mammals have also been seen in the coastlines including otter,
Marten and shrew,
Vegetation cover of the wetland could be divided in to four major
guoups:
- swamp plants
- emerging plants
- submerging plants
- floating plants
Gorgan Bay is situated in the south eastern part of the Caspian Sea,
and forms a cape running into the sea for a distance of 60 km. Covering an area of 40000
ha it is surrounded by land in three sides. The Miankaleh peninsula is situated at the
northern part of Gorgan Bay . Major groups of phytoplankton include Cyanobacteria and
chrysophyta and that of zooplankton copepoda and other nine group.
Vegetation fall into two groups of marginal species , dominated by
fragmites and two floating species.
About 17 species of invertebrates , 4 species of crustacean and a
number of worms have been identified in the Bey. Atotal of 15 species of fish have also
been identified including Mullet, carp, pike . In the adjacent areas , there are 260
species of birds out of which 90% are migratory species. Caspian Seal also resides in the
bay.
Factors threatening the coastal habitats.
Threatening factors are derived from the economical development and social degradations
they include;
- habitat destruction brou 9ht about by many factors especially rising sea-level
- Over exploitation
- Pollution
- Global climate change
- Invasion by introduced species
The direct threats are often driven by underlying social conditions,
including:
- Increased per-capita consumption
- Poverty
- Rapid population grouwth
- Unsound economic and social policies
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