Ecosystems in the Caucasus
The Caucasus boast a wide array of ecological systems (ecosystems) concentrated into a relatively small area. Major ecosystems include forests, high mountains, dry mountains, steppe, semi desert, wetlands and cliff and rock communities.
Forest Ecosystems
Covering approximately 20% of the region, forest ecosystems are the most important biological for biodiversity conservation.
The broadleaf forests of the Caucasus are highly diverse and are dispersed according to elevation, soil conditions, and climate. Such forests consist mainly of oriental beech, oak, hornbeam and chestnut. Of the 17 oaks found here 14 are endemic (not found anywhere else).
Dark coniferous forests are found in the mountains of the western part of the Lesser Caucasus Range, and on both sides of the western and central parts of the Greater Caucasus Range. They grow in wide bands generally from 900 to 2, 150m in altitude.
Growing mainly on steep, rocky slopes, pine stands play an important role in protecting soil from erosion processes. More arid open woodlands form on dry, rocky slopes in the eastern and southern Caucasus and are mosty composed of juniper and pistachio species. The lowland forests are found in floodplains and on low river terraces, generally growing on alluvial, swampy or moist soils.
Predators in forest ecosystems include jackal, Caucasian brown bear, Caucasian pine marten and Caucasian wild cat. Ungulates in forest ecosystems include Roman boar, red deer, North Caucasian roe deer and Caucasian bison.
Some forest types are home to distinct species or subspecies of animals, for example, among insectivores there are unique species of Caucasian shrew, Raddie’s shrew and Volnukhin’s shrew. Several bird species found in mountain forests are clearly distinct Caucasian subspecies, including buzzard and northern goshawk. Subspecies of owls include Tengmalm’s owl and tawny owl, as well as Eurasian green and great spotted woodpeckers.
High Mountain Ecosystems
Alpine habitats in the Caucasus Mountains are divided into sub-alpine and alpine regions. The greatest diversity of plant species among high mountain ecosystems is found in the sub-alpine areas, where high meadow grasses are interspersed with sparse forests of dwarf trees.
About 1,000 vascular plant species are found in the Greater Caucasus high mountains, around half of which are endemic. Meadow vegetation is widespread in alpine ecosystems, usually from 2,500 to 3,000m above sea level.
Caucasian rhododendron thickets grow in peat soils on moist slopes in the Greater Caucasus Range, as well as in the northern part of the Lesser Caucasus Mountain Chain. Many of the endemic species in the region are found among rock and scree communities, of which approximately 80% are endemic.
Three protected species of goats live in the high mountains: the west and East Caucasian turs and the bezoar goat. Both species of tur are endemic to the Caucasus region. The regionally rare chamois is also found in high mountain areas, along with many bird species.
Mediterranean and Anatolian-Iranian shrub lands are prevalent in the foothills from 1,500 to 2,000m, and can go as as high as 2,500m. Brush vegetation communities and other plants are quite diverse and include many species which are locally endemic.
Historically, tigers, wild horses and gazelles were found in these dry mountain communities.
Today however, the mammals found in the dry mountain shrub lands include south Caucasian mountain fox, Syrian bear, bezoar goat and mouflon. Caucasian black grouse and snow cock are found in some shrub living communities, along with chukar, black vulture, alpine cough, and twites.
Steppe Ecosystems
Steppe vegetation used to be widespread on the Caucasus isthmus but today only fragments of the once extensive steppe communities have survived.
Steppe vegetation is intermixed in many areas with semi-desert and open woodlands. Highland steppe communities are more diverse in species composition than is found in plain steppes.
Highland steppe is distributed primarily in the dry regions, for example, on Mount Elbrus and in Dagestan from 1,500 to 2.000m. Highland steppe vegetation also covers volcanic highlands in Southern Georgia and in Armenia.
Common kestrel, little bustard and other birds are of prey are commonly seen soaring over in steppe in search of pigmy ground squirrels and other small rodents. White winged and calandra larks, sand lizards, large whip snakes and Orsini’s vipers are an integral part of steppe communities.
Semi-desert ecosystems
Semi-deserts were widespread in the lowlands and foothills of the eastern part of the Caucasus isthmus but agricultural development, irrigation and winter grazing practices have significantly altered the landscape in this area.
The few semi-deserts that have been preserved are either predominantly wormwood or salt semi-deserts. Wormwood semi-deserts are distributed in the plains of eastern part of the Caucasus and saltwort semi-deserts are distributed over a large territory in certain areas of the plain.
Regions of rocky highland desert are found in the Araks valley in southern Armenia. A broad strip of this desert type runs through the Sahara, southern Iran and Afghanistan; its northern tip reaches into the Caucasus.
Wormwood and saltwort semi deserts are important habitat for the extremely rare goitred gazelle.
Wetland ecosystems
Wetland ecosystems are found at almost all elevations in the Caucasus from marshes in river deltas, to swamps, lakes and creeks in alpine regions.
The majority of wetland vegetation covers large areas along the rivers and the coastal zones of the Black, Azov and Caspian seas.
Flora in wetlands range from aquatic vegetation in lakes, to swamp floodplain, brush and forest ecosystems to sphagnum-sedge swamps in the Colkheti lowlands. This area also provides critical transit and feeding grounds for migrating songbirds, water wolf, shorebirds and predatory birds.
Of the same importance is the coast of Caspian Sea, which is stopover area for migrating birds in spring and autumn. Millions of birds feed here and many over winter along the west coast of the Caspian Sea.
The Manych-Gudilo Reservoir and Terek and Kuban floodplains in the North Caucasus Plain are important nesting areas as well as links along seasonal migration routes for a great number of egrets, cormorants, pelican and wader birds.
