Akh Gol (8063)
Iran, Islamic Republic of, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Akh Gol
Central coordinates: Latitude: 39.5500, Longitude: 44.7833
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 820 to 820
Area of KBA (km2): 262.25591
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A small fresh to brackish lake and marshes set at 820 m in an amphitheatre of rugged lava hills on the south side of the Aras valley in extreme north-west Iran, 115 km north of Khoy near the border with Armenia. The lake is fed by small springs and local run-off, and drains eastwards into the Aras river c.5 km away. The small western portion of the lake retains water all summer, but the main eastern section dries out in late summer, exposing extensive mudflats. The lake is generally frozen and snow-covered in mid-winter. There are extensive reedbeds Phragmites around the lake's western margins, and a large area of brackish Salicornia flats with scattered clumps of Phragmites and Tamarix on the plains to the east. The hills to the north and south support shrub-steppe vegetation dominated by Artemisia. Livestock are grazed in the area and there is probably some waterfowl hunting. Land ownership is public.
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) KBA identified in the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Caucasus Hotspot (2003, updated 2004). Taxonomy, nomenclature and threat category follow the 2002 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: See box for key species. The site is primarily important for its breeding waterfowl which include many Himantopus himantopus and smaller numbers of five other species of shorebirds. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Habitats
Land use: hunting | rangeland/pastureland
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 50 | |
| Grassland | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: No conservation measures have been taken. Some changes in the area have had adverse effects on the vegetation and avifauna, and further survey is required.
Additional information
References: Scott (1976a).
Contributors: Data-sheet compiled by Dr D. A. Scott, reviewed by Dept of Environment.