Dez river marshes and plains (8121)
Iran, Islamic Republic of, Middle East
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1d
Year of last assessment: 2010
National site name: Dez river marshes and plains
Central coordinates: Latitude: 31.8333, Longitude: 48.6333
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 30 to 90
Area of KBA (km2): 192.53968
Protected area coverage (%): 88.62
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A 55-km stretch of the Dez river, several associated oxbow lakes, and the adjacent marshy plains of Deh Noh and Ahu Dasht (8,000 ha of wetlands), c.35-90 km north of Ahwaz. The river forms a deep channel with steep earth banks. Dense riparian forest (Tamarix and Populus euphraticus) up to several hundred metres wide lines the river and surrounds the lakes which also have some Phragmites beds. The adjacent plains, largely under wheat and other crops, are dotted with shallow marshy depressions and meandering creeks which flood in winter.
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: See boxes for key species. The wetlands are very important for wintering surface-feeding ducks, geese (including Anser erythropus), Pelecanus crispus and Threskiornis aethiopicus. This stretch of river is the only known haunt of Anhinga rufa in Iran while the reeds around the oxbow lakes form one of the very few sites in Iran where Turdoides altirostris is known. The riverine thickets support a typical Mesopotamian bird fauna, with large breeding populations of Hypocolius ampelinus and Passer moabiticus, but also several species (e.g. Columba palumbus, Turdus merula, Parus major) more typical of Zagros oak forest. Other notable species include Eudromias morinellus, Ceryle rudis, Halcyon smyrnensis and Petronia xanthocollis. At least 133 species have been recorded in the area. Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals: a few tens of Dama mesopotamica (E) still survive in the forest along the river; this is the only known truly wild population in the world. Other species include Gazella subgutturosa (rare).
Delineation rationale: 2010-04-16 (BL Secretariat): the boundary of this IBA has been extended slightly to the north in order to merge with AZE site 'Dezful' (for IRANIAN SHREW Crocidura susiana, whose type locality lies approximately 12 km N of the current IBA boundary), thus expanding its area from 22,834 ha to xxx ha.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | forestry | nature conservation and research (80%) | rangeland/pastureland
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 15 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 30 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 40 | |
| Shrubland | 15 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: A Protected Region of 18,812 ha was established in 1960 to protect the dwindling habitat of the deer. Some 3,837 ha of this reserve were re-notified as a Wildlife Park in 1970. The reserve was reduced to 15,873 ha in the early 1970s, and re-notified partly as a Wildlife Refuge (5,240 ha) and partly as a Protected Area (10,633 ha). Parts of the riparian forest have been degraded by the grazing of livestock and cutting for fuel. The cultivated plains are much disturbed by farming and hunting, and the wetlands are reported to have become very polluted in recent years.
Additional information
References: Firouz et al. (1970), Scott (1976a,b,c, 1980), Scott and Carp (1972), Summers et al. (1987).
Contributors: Data-sheet compiled by Dr D. A. Scott, reviewed by Dept of Environment.