Karnabchul Steppe (20685)
Uzbekistan, Central Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1d, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2006
National site name: Karnabchul Steppe
Central coordinates: Latitude: 39.6105, Longitude: 65.3970
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 284 to 469
Area of KBA (km2): 1708.40192
Protected area coverage (%): 70.22
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The IBA is situated 30 km south of the city of Navoi. Karnabchul is a foothill plain of the Zeravshan ridge, which stretches southwards from Zirabulak and Ziadin mountains. A mountain stream arising in the Zirabulak Mountains crosses the area; the latter is cut with shallow scours, rivulets, and drying beds of temporary streams abounding with small pebbles and crushed stone. There are also salt-marsh depressions and takyrs deprived of any vegetation, and a huge salt marsh named Shorsai. The soil surface mainly consists of loamy-sand and loamy small crushed-stone desert sierozem and gray-brown gypsum soils showing varying levels of salinity.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: The avifauna consists of 90 species, including 51 nesting species. A large number of species use this area for resting and feeding during migration. The most diverse are waterbirds, with 38 species noted - 11 species are Anseriformes; 13 shorebirds; 4 gulls and terns; 4 Rallidae; 5 Ciconiiformes and 2 species of crane. Five species are included in the IUCN Red Data Book: Falco cherrug, Falco naumanni, Aegypius monachus, Circus macrourus and Chlamydotis undulata. In addition Aquila chrysaetos, Hieraaetus pennatatus, Circaetus gallicus and Pterocles alchata are included in the Red Data Book of Uzbekistan. It is important to emphasize the key role of this site for the protection of Chlamydotis undulata. The number in Karnabchul reaches several dozen during the nesting period. Non-bird biodiversity: Twenty-seven mammals inhabit the area. The main species are rodents - Citellus fulvus, Spermophilopsis leptodactylus, Allactaga sewertzovi, Allactaga elater, Dipus sagitta, Rattus turkestanikus, Mus musculus, Rhambomys opimus, Meriones lenducus, Ellobius talpinus, Cricetulus migratorius. Also recorded are: Lepus tolai, Vulpes corsac, Felis libyea, Vormela peregusna, Crocidura suaveoleus, Erinaceus auritus and Pipistrellus pipistrellus. Reptiles: Teratoscincus scincus, Gemnodactillus bedtschenkoi, Agama sanguinolenta, Phrynocephalus helioscopus, Phrynocephalus interscapularis, Varanus griseus, Eremias lineolata, Eremias grammica, Eryx tataricus, Taphrometopon lineolatum, Coliber karelini, Coluber tyria, Naja oxiana, and Testudo horsfieldi. Two species are included in the IUCN Red List (Varanus griseus and Testudo horsfieldi). Amphibians are represented by two species: Bufo viridis and Rana ridibunda. The vegetation cover is mainly comprised of wormwood and ephemeral formations. The dominant species are Aretmisia diffusa, Carex pachystylis and Poa bulbosa.
Delineation rationale: Coordinates and area of this IBA were calculated with ArcGIS.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: The IBA includes various key habitats: desert, saline lakes and marshlands, shrubs. The area is used for grazing.
Land use: agriculture (75%) | nature conservation and research (25%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 18 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 9 | |
| Desert | 63 | |
| Shrubland | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: In the 1950s intensive artificial planting of saxaul was carried out under a government scheme. As a result in the 1980s a significant part of Karnabchul has been taken over by saxaul forest. In recent years illegal collection of fire wood by local people has destroyed all saxaul forest. Since the early 1990s, the condition of the site has been declining due to uncontrolled grazing which affects the distribution and number of birds. For the last 15 years there has been commercial collecting of Testugo horsfieldi. Also commercial hunting of Houbara bustard by foreigners is organized.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |