| Gissaro-Alai open woodlands | |
|---|---|
 Ugam River, in Tashkent Province of Uzbekistan | |
 Ecoregion territory (in purple) | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Palearctic |
| Biome | Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands |
| Borders | List |
| Geography | |
| Area | 168,090 km (64,900 sq mi) |
| Countries | List |
| Coordinates | 40°45′N 70°15′E / 40.75°N 70.25°E / 40.75; 70.25 |
The Gissaro-Alai open woodlands ecoregion (WWF ID: PA0808) covers the western foothills winding around two western offshoots of the Tian Shan Mountains in western Tajikistan, and parts of eastern Uzbekistan and western Kyrgyzstan, in Central Asia. The woodlands are typically of Juniper trees and shrubs, fitting the altitude zone situated between the desert valley floor (mostly on the west), and the tree line, above which the mountain ridges are glaciated and barren.
Location and description
The ecoregion winds its way around two chains of mountain ranges that extend westward from the Tian Shan Mountains. The northern chain is a direct extension of the Tian Shan, the southern chain is composed of (from west to east) the Gissar Range, the Zarafshan Range, the Turkestan Range, and the Alay Range. Collectively the southern chain has been referred to as the Pamir-Alay. In between the two mountain chains is the Fergana Valley. To the east are the Pamir Mountains. The snow line is lowest in the west (3,400 metres (11,200 ft), and highest in the east (4,540 metres (14,900 ft)).
The higher elevations in the Pamir-Alay are in the Pamir alpine desert and tundra ecoregion, and heavily glaciated. To the west, and at lower elevations, is the Alai-Western Tian Shan steppe ecoregion.
Climate
The climate of the ecoregion is Humid continental climate - Hot, dry summer sub-type (Köppen climate classification Dsa), with large seasonal temperature differentials and a hot summer (at least one month averaging over 22 °C (72 °F), and mild winters. The driest month between April and September does not have more than 30 millimeters of precipitation.
Flora and fauna
Flora communities reflect altitude zones. Below 1800-2000 meters the desert foothills are characterized by sagebrush (Artemisia), bulbous bluegrass (Poa bulbosa), and sedges (Carex pachystilis). At higher elevations are meadows and grasslands dominated by fescues (Festuca alaica). Junipers (Juniperus seravschanica, Juniperus turkestanica, Juniperus tibetica, Juniperus communis and J. semiglobosa), wild fruit trees (cherry, pears, apples), nut trees (almonds, pistachios), Larix griffithii, Pinus roxburghii, Pinus hwangshanensis, Picea schrenkiana, Shorea robusta, Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata, Tsuga dumosa, Taxus sumatrana, Betula utilis, Alnus nepalensis, Betula alnoides, Betula utilis, Picea brachytyla, Juglans regia, Larix gmelinii, Larix sibirica, Larix × czekanowskii, Betula dahurica, Betula pendula, Pinus koraiensis, Pinus sibirica, Pinus sylvestris, Picea obovata, Abies sibirica, Quercus acutissima, Quercus mongolica, Ginkgo biloba, Prunus serrulata, Prunus padus, Tilia amurensis, Salix babylonica, Acer palmatum, Populus tremula, Ulmus davidiana, Ulmus pumila, Pinus pumila, Haloxylon ammodendron, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Tamarix ramosissima, Prunus sibirica, Cathaya argyrophylla, Taiwania cryptomerioides, Cyathea spinulosa, Sassafras tzumu, Davidia involucrata, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Glyptostrobus pensilis, Castanea mollissima, Quercus myrsinifolia, Quercus acuta, Machilus thunbergii, Tetracentron, Cercidiphyllum japonicum, Emmenopterys henryi, Eucommia ulmoides, Ziziphus spina-christi, Ziziphus nummularia, Olea europaea, Balanites aegyptiaca, Cupressus sempervirens, Vachellia tortilis, Salix alba, Populus nigra, Quercus coccifera, Pinus nigra, Ceratonia siliqua, Arbutus unedo, Erica arborea, Laurus nobilis, Vachellia flava, Prosopis cineraria, Pinus halepensis, Toona ciliata, Aerva javanica, Prunus amygdalus, Corylus avellana, Pistacia atlantica, Quercus brantii, Quercus robur, Quercus petraea, Picea abies, Abies alba, Alnus glutinosa, Fagus sylvatica, Taxus baccata, Acer pseudoplatanus, Malus sylvestris, Viburnum lantana, Fraxinus excelsior, Tilia cordata, Aesculus hippocastanum, Rhamnus cathartica, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus minor, Populus alba grow along with steppe grasses and shrubs of Cotoneaster, rose, and honeysuckle (Lonicera).
Protections
Significant protected areas in the ecoregion include:
References
- ^ "Gissaro-Alai open woodlands". World Wildlife Federation (WWF). Retrieved December 28, 2019.
- "Map of Ecoregions 2017". Resolve, using WWF data. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
- Kottek, M.; Grieser, J.; Beck, C.; Rudolf, B.; Rubel, F. (2006). "World Map of Koppen-Geiger Climate Classification Updated" (PDF). Gebrüder Borntraeger 2006. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
- "Dataset - Koppen climate classifications". World Bank. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
External links
Media related to Gissaro–Alai open woodlands at Wikimedia Commons
