1. Heavenly Plant Explorations in the Celestial Mountains of Kazakhstan John and Hilary Birks NBF 8 th December 2009

2. Where Why How & When How does one identify Tian Shan plants? General ecological setting Northern Tian Shan Western Tian Shan Conclusions Acknowledgements

3. Where Kazakhstan (=Kazakstan) Extends from Caspian Sea in the west to China in the east, and from Siberia in the north to the Tian Shan in the south Twice as large as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan together. 2.7 million km 2 – ninth largest country in the world, about the size of western Europe

4. Population 17.2 million; one of the least densely populated places on Earth (6.3 people per km 2 ) Broad ethnic mix – 40% Kazakhs5% Ukrainian 38% Russian2% Uzbekian 6% German2% Tartar 100 other ethnic groups – Koreans, Greeks, Poles, Jews, Turks, etc. We visited the Tian (=Tien) Shan mountains in Kazakhstan

5. Tian Shan – massive mountain range mainly in Kyrgyzstan and NW China, with northern and western spurs extending to Kazakhstan

6. Tian Shan is Chinese for Celestial Mountains, sometimes written as ‘Tien Shan’. Tien is the older romanisation of the Chinese word and is not in general use any more. Tian Shan has replaced the original Kyrgyz name Tengri-Tag meaning ‘Mountains of the Spirits’ or ‘Mountains of Heaven’. Tian Shan – Celestial Mountains – Mountains of Heaven Hence ‘Heavenly plant explorations in the Celestial Mountains of Kazakhstan’

7. Tian Shan is biggest of the three major mountain ranges of the former Soviet Union Total length is 2800 km and 800 km wide Four different chains within the Tian Shan all running west-east - Central - Northern - Western- Inner Visited Western and Northern Tian Shan Central Tian Shan is the highest, reaching 7439 m (Pik Pobedy or Peak of Victory) and 7010 m (Khan-Tengri). Most central and northern mountains above 7000 m. Eastern Tian Shan is mainly in China – many magnificent peaks. Majority of summits are 4500-5000 m, many passes between 3500 and 4500 m, and more than 30 peaks over 6000 m.

8. Very well glaciated due to high altitude and abundant snow. Has 7787 glaciers, with the biggest (South Engilchek) 60 km long. Not retreating quite as rapidly as Sino-Himalayan glaciers (12.5% since 1965). Old and dynamic geological history. Former marine sediments folded during the Caledonian and later by Hercynian and Alpine orogenies and modified by high temperatures and pressures to various metamorphic bedrocks. Limestone is relatively rare, shale and slate are common.

9. Climate is strongly continental with January temperatures often below -20°C, mean July temperature of 20°C, and long summers. Snow-line about 3500-4500 m. Most distinguished animal is the elusive snow leopard (Panthera uncla). Thought to be about 450 animals in Tian Shan, about 60% of world’s population. Steve Winter

10. Why Very rich flora consisting of European, Siberian, Chinese, Mongolian, and Himalayan elements, plus some endemics. Plant geographical ‘meeting-point’. Over 5000 species recorded. Much unspoilt alpine areas. New adventures!

11. How and When GreenTours Expedition 6-21 June 2008 London → Almaty 4x4 land-cruisers in Northern Tian Shan Overnight train (!) Almaty → Zhambyl and Dzhabagly Horses (!!) into and within Aksu-Dzhabagly Reserve (est. 1923), Central Tian Shan 4x4 land-cruisers in Northern Tian Shan Almaty → London Almaty Zhambyl

12. How does one Identify Tian Shan Plants? With great difficulty! Flora of Kazakhstan (3 volumes) 1978-1987 – long out of print and impossible to find. Also in Russian and no pictures! Also: Pavlov 1980Ivaschenko 2008Ivaschenko 2005

13. The key is … Anna IvaschenkoVladimir Kolbintsev

14. Two outstanding local botanists and all-round natural historians

15. General Ecological Setting Strong east-west gradient in precipitation and in precipitation seasonality. Major differences between northern Tian Shan and western Tian Shan in terms of tree-line composition and structure. 1. Northern Tian Shan, near Almaty Mildly Asian monsoon climate with summer precipitation About 800 mm yr -1 Tree-line about 2500 m

16. Miehe et al. (2007) Conifer forest ‘islands’ in Central Asian Mountains (Picea, Larix, boreal conifer forest)

17. Picea schrenkiana with Sorbus tianschanica and near tree- line prostrate Juniperus sibirica

18. 2. Western Tian Shan near Aksu-Dzhabagly No monsoon influence, climate driven by Westerlies Winter precipitation, dry summers About 300 mm yr -1 (‘Mediterranean’ climate) Tree-line formed by Juniperus semiglobosa Tree-line about 1900 m

20. Above Juniperus semiglobosa, prostrate junipers (J. turkestanica) dominate and merge into alpine tundra at about 2000 m Juniperus turkestanica

21. Open forests in arid mountain areas often consist of Juniperus e.g. Utah, Idaho, parts of Oregon (USA); Mediterranean mountains (e.g. Crete, Greece); parts of Armenia, Iran, and Turkey; Hindukush; Karakoram; and parts of central Nepal and Tibet Plateau. Climate diagrams from areas of open Juniperus forests. All have summer aridity. Miehe & Miehe (2000)

22. South-facing slope, 3300-3500 m, Jomosom, central Nepal. Annual precipitation <300 mm Miehe & Miehe (2000)

23. Open rocky, well-drained slopes Much destroyed in many parts of Eurasia Lower-limit moisture limited, heavily influenced by humans Upper-limit possibly temperature limited May have been more widespread on Tibetan Plateau in early Holocene

24. In ravines and sheltered seepage areas in western Tian Shan, local stands of Betula turkestanica and B. talassica, closely related to B. utilis of Himalaya. Betula turkestanica

25. Betula talassica

26. Balance between Juniperus-dominated slopes and Pinus wallichiana or Picea smithiana-dominated slopes within a mountain range can be a result of aspect alone. Critical threshold. Karakorum Schickhoff (2005)

27. 1.Major differences in tree-line species between northern and western Tian Shan related to monsoonal or westerly influences. 2.Tree Juniperus forests characteristic of summer-dry climates not only in central Asia but in Europe and USA. Also in Patagonia where Austrocedrus chilensis (looks like a juniper!) dominates in semi-arid areas between steppe and mountain Nothofagus slopes. 3.Local occurrences of Betula spp. in moist areas in western Tian Shan – relics of a once more widespread distribution?

28. Northern Tian Shan

29. 1.Forested zone2050-2480 m Picea schrenkiana forest with Sorbus tianschanica and prostrate Juniperus sibirica near tree-line at about 2500 m Also species-rich meadows and river gravels and lake-shore vegetation

30. 2.Sub-alpine zone2480-2890 m Species-rich grasslands and meadows, and scattered scrub, often amongst rocks and on cliffs Dracocephalum, Aquilegia, Primula, Cortusa, Anemone, Leontopodium, Ranunculus, Pedicularis, Alchemilla, Viola, Trollius

31. 3.Alpine zone2890-3550 m Grasslands, cliffs, screes, and snow-beds Saussurea, Saxifraga, Draba, Androsace, Gentiana, Papaver, Oxygraphis, Primula, Astragalus

32. Western Tian Shan

33. 1.Steppe zone725-1500 m Dry grassland and steppe, dry rocks Delphinium, Phlomis, Ephedra, Cousinia, Salvia, Onosma, Rosa, Eremurus, Astragalus

34. 2.Forested zone1500-1875 m Open Juniperus semiglobosa and J. seravschanica woodlands with some Betula talassica and B. turkestanica Campanula, Linum, Aconitum, Codonopsis, Swertia, Pyrola

35. 3.Sub-alpine zone1900-2300 m Species-rich steppe, grasslands, and meadows, some Juniperus turkestanica, snow-beds, cliffs, and screes Iris, Allium, Ligularia, Eremurus, Linum, Tulipa, Corydalis, Trollius, Gagea

36. 4.Alpine zone2300-2800 m Grasslands, snow-beds, cliffs, screes, and wind- exposed areas Androsace, Saxifraga, Parrya, Primula, Erigeron, Astragalus, Veronica, Papaver, Hedysarum

37. Conclusions 1.Very diverse and challenging flora – many plant- geographical elements. 2.Very rich flora – saw over 420 ‘photo-worthy’ species new to us. Total flora over 700 species in 16 days. On a species seen per day basis, richer than Himalaya. 3.Vast wonderful mountain ranges – much still to be discovered. Added one Draba to Kazakhstan flora! 4.Horses are a (not particularly comfortable) way of getting round in such mountain areas.

38. 5. Wonderful fauna – marmots, ibex, bears, pikas, vultures, etc.

39. 6. Eastern Tian Shan in China rarely visited by western botanists. Howard-Bury 1990Konta & Shimizu 1995

40. Acknowledgements Anna IvaschenkoPaul Green Vladimir KolbintsevJoan & Liam McCaughey Ian HedgeCathy Jenks Sulik & Tora