Atanasovsko Lake (402)
Bulgaria, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1d, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2005
National site name: Atanasovsko ezero
Central coordinates: Latitude: 42.5863, Longitude: 27.4542
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 189
Area of KBA (km2): 72.08711
Protected area coverage (%): 99.84
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A hyper-saline lake on the Black Sea coast, just north of the suburbs of the town of Burgas. Most of the lake is now a complex of evaporation saltpans, with smaller settling pools for salt-extraction. Smaller freshwater marshes, including a system of canals overgrown with marsh vegetation, surround the lake. The banks of the saltpans are covered by Salicornia, while the freshwater areas are fringed by beds of Typha and Phragmites. Most of the area is used for salt production, but traditional and non-intensive production methods continue to be used (`Other' land-use, below).
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 lake is a very important staging, wintering and breeding area for migratory waterbirds, including globally threatened species such as Numenius tenuirostris, Pelecanus crispus, Branta ruficollis, Aythya nyroca and Aquila clanga. It is also a major migratory bottleneck site, where huge numbers of soaring raptors and waterbirds pass overhead in autumn. The commonest such species are as follows (minimum and maximum seasonal totals over the 1990-1996 period are given): Pelecanus onocrotalus (17,645-37,228), Ciconia nigra (2,781-4,574), Ciconia ciconia (80,592-204,423), Pernis apivorus (13,406-23,052), Buteo buteo (14,441-30,662), Aquila pomarina (9,009-25,796) and Falco vespertinus (438-3,110). Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Anser erythropus (max. 1 in winter), Marmaronetta angustirostris (one winter record), Oxyura leucocephala (max. 10 in winter), Haliaeetus albicilla (max. 2 on passage), Circus macrourus (7-20 per season on passage), Aquila heliaca (2-4 on passage), Falco naumanni (max. 3 on passage), Crex crex (max. 3 pairs breeding). Significant proportion (³1%) of national population breeding at site: Tadorna ferruginea.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (1%) | nature conservation and research (100%) | urban/industrial/transport (1%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 14 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 14 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 29 | |
| Artificial - Aquatic | 29 | |
| Grassland | 14 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Some problems are bird mortality from collision with powerlines, as well as possible expansion of the airport (which might increase bird-scaring activities, to reduce the risk of collision with aircraft), and intensification of salt-production methods (`Other' threat, above). The management plan for Atanasovo lake was prepared by the Ministry of Environment under the Bulgarian-Swiss Biodiversity Conservation Programme.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |