Caspian Sea >> Biodiversity
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The complex history of the Caspian Sea formation has lead to a variety of
different habitats. Like Australia, the Caspian Sea became isolated thousands of
years ago. This isolation led to the speciation of many rare animals in
particular the sturgeon.
The sturgeon species existed 200 million years ago
at the same time as dinosaurs and can therefore be called living fossils. At
that time sturgeon inhabited many ancient seas. Later on in the process of
evolution, possibly due to competition with bony fish species, the sturgeons
started to become extinct but managed to survive in the Caspian Sea. This
gigantic lake contains more than 90% of the world resources of sturgeon.
Furthermore, the Caspian Sea is also home to many other rare species of
crustaceans and mollusks.
Due to its unique and diverse habitats, the Caspian
Sea has become home to many rare species of flora and fauna. In connection with
an increase of the Caspian Sea level during the period of 1994 – 1996, habitats
for rare species of aquatic vegetation have drastically decreased. This can be
attributed to a general lack of seeding material in newly formed coastal lagoons
and water bodies.
Many rare and endemic plant species of Russia are
associated with the intra-zonal communities of the Volga delta and riparian
forests of the Samur River delta as well as to the Sarykum barkhan which is a
unique refuge for flora adapted to the loose sands of the ancient Central Asian
Deserts. The principal limiting factors to successful establishment of plant
species are hydrological imbalances within the surrounding deltas, water
pollution, and various land reclamation activities. The water level change
within the Caspian Sea is an indirect reason for which plants may not get
established. This affects aquatic plants of the Volga delta, such as:
Aldrovanda veiculosa and Nelumbo caspica. About 11 plant species
are found in the Samur River delta, of which some form a unique liana forest
that dates back to the Tertiary period.
Species and habitats
Animals of the Caspian Sea
Rare species in danger of extinction
Biodiversity Database
©2009 CaspEcoProject Management and Coordination Unit
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Tel. No.: (+7 7172) 798317; 798318; 798320, 798307, E-Mail: MSGP.MEG@undp.org
