Diversity patterns and conservation priorities in the "Mountains of Central Asia" biodiversity hotspot

The biodiversity hotspot concept prioritises regions where exceptional concentrations of endemic vascular plant species coincide with high vulnerability, thereby guiding global conservation efforts. Within this framework, the biodiversity hotspot “Mountains of Central Asia” (MoCA) represents a particularly important but still understudied region. A systematic literature review on plant diversity and productivity shifts across MoCA identified agricultural land use and climate change as the main drivers of vegetation change, while highlighting the strong influence of orographic heterogeneity. The review also revealed that Kyrgyzstan’s croplands remain poorly studied, despite increasing evidence that they may serve as secondary habitats for rare plant species. To address this gap, vegetation surveys were conducted in summer 2024 across three representative cropland regions in Kyrgyzstan using standardised transects, vegetation classification, and RGB and multispectral drone imagery. The study established a baseline assessment of the country’s segetal flora and demonstrated that regional species pools and the proximity of adjacent slopes strongly shape species composition. Large lowland croplands were characterised by higher proportions of non-native species, whereas small high-mountain croplands supported numerous subendemic taxa closely associated with cropland–slope ecotones. In summer 2025, the cropland–slope ecotone was investigated in greater detail in a high-mountain valley. Habitat characteristics and species composition showed that subendemic species were concentrated in small-scale slope habitats rather than along flat field margins, identifying slope-associated ecotones as key conservation areas within agricultural landscapes. The findings underline the need for region-specific management. Sustainable intensification and control of non-native species may improve productivity in lowland croplands, while the heterogeneous structure of high-mountain croplands should be maintained to conserve their species-rich segetal flora. Integrating topographic heterogeneity into agricultural landscapes may provide similar biodiversity benefits in mountain regions worldwide.

Level thesis:degree_level

thesis.doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher

Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel

Year

2026

Author dc:creator

• Altstadt, Maximilian

Contributors dc:contributor

• Kühling, Insa
• Donath, Tobias W.

• Segetal flora
• Ecotones
• Biogeography

Repository record source_url

https://macau.uni-kiel.de/receive/macau_mods_00008741

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:macau.uni-kiel.de:macau_mods_00008741