Goyungyrlan (20726)
Turkmenistan, Central Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2006
National site name: Goyungyrlan
Central coordinates: Latitude: 41.3868, Longitude: 58.1217
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 50 to 136
Area of KBA (km2): 35.02085
Protected area coverage (%): 0.00
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Goyungyrlan lakes system is located 180 km to the southwest of Dashoguz city, to the southwest of the Shasenemskiy Zakaznik. The area of the lakes is 24,700 hectares, the maximal depth is 16.4m. The site consists of a series of reservoirs connected by channels which receive part of the collection/drainage water from the Ilyalinskiy collector channel. In the southwest the lakes are surrounded by the Goyungyrlan hills, and in the east and north by desert.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: 67 species of bird have been recorded but is probable that more than 100 species actually occur. This breaksdown into migrants - 34 species, passage-nesting - 20 species and non-migrants - 13 species. Passeriformes dominate with 20 species, followed by Falconiformes - 12 species, Charadriiformes - 11 species and Anseriformes - 7 species. The total number of water birds is about 30 species. The site is important for migration for both water birds and terrestrial birds. Spring migration lasts from March to the middle of May, autumn migration from September to November, some species winter. Pelecanus crispus, Falco cherrug, Aegypius monachus, Falco naumanni, Chlamydotis undulata and Coracias garrulus are listed on the IUCN Red List and the Red Data Book of Turkmenistan (1999). Pelecanus onocrotalus, Aquila chrysaetos, Circaetus gallicus only appear in the Red Data book of Turkmenistan (1999). Criterion А1 applies for: Falco cherrug. Non-bird biodiversity: The flora of Lake Goyungyrlan includes 250 species of higher plants. In wetter areas tugai vegetation occurs, in other areas xerophilous species. In areas adjacent to the lake (eg at Shahsenem) more than 500 species of insects have been recorded, including Collembola - 5 species, Thysanura - 4 species, Blattoptera - 4 species, Isoptera - 3 species, Orthoptera - 21 species, Dermoptera - 1 species, Psocoptera - 2 species, Homoptera - 66 species, Coleoptera - 314 species, Hepidoptera - 33 species, Hymenoptera - 21 species, and Diptera - 31 species (Soyunov, 1991). 2 species of Amphibian occur, and 14 species of Reptile: turtles - 1, lizards - 10 and snakes - 3 species. Excluding bats, 24 species of Mammal occur: predators - 12, rodents - 5, ungulates - 5 species.
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture (10%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Desert | 10 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 85 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Currently the ecosystem of the IBA is considered to be in a safe condition. The greatest threats are illegal hunting of waterfowl and illegal fishing.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Ataýew, K., Amanow, A., Gajyýew, A. (2005) Vertebrate animals of Gaplangyr reserve and adjoining territories. A science and technics in Turkmenistan. Ashgabat. № 8.20-27 (in Turkmen). Ataýew, K., Amanow, A., Arazow, J. (2006) Vertebrate of Zengibaba lakes. Science and technics in Turkmenistan. Ashgabat № 6. 11-19 (in Turkmen). Kucheruk V.V. (2005) Duplicidentates and rodents of Central Asia deserts. – Мoscow . GEOS..328 p. (in Russian). Mansimov М.R., Glazovskiy, V.A. (1990) Irrigation-waste lakes of Dashoguz area. Problems of desert development . №5. p.72-74. (in Russian). Soyunov O. (1991) Complexes of insects of Northern Karakum . Ashgabat. Ylym. 456 p. (in Russian). Rustamov А.К. (1954) Birds of Karakum desert. Ashgabat, Publishing house of AN TSSR. 344 p. (in Russian). Rustamov A.K., Ptushenko, Е.S. (1959) Faunistic materials on ground vertebrates of the western and northeast Karakum. Turkemen State University. Ashgabat. № IX. p.101-146. (in Russian). Atamuradov H. (1999) Red Data Book of Turkmenistan. Vol.1. p. 256-257. (in Russian).