| Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests | |
|---|---|
 Sisangan National Forest,Mazandaran Iran | |
 Hyrcanian mixed forests (purple) | |
| Ecology | |
| Biome | Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests |
| Borders | |
| Bird species | 296[1] |
| Mammal species | 98[1] |
| Geography | |
| Area | 55,100 km2 (21,300 mi2) |
| Countries |
|
| Conservation | |
| Habitat loss | 51%[1] |
| Protected | 10.30%[1] |
| Official name | Hyrcanian Forests |
| Criteria | Natural: (ix) |
| Designated | 2019(43rdsession) |
| Reference no. | 1584 |
| Region | Western Asia,Caucasus |
TheHyrcanian forests (Persian:جنگلهای هیرکانی;Azerbaijani:Hirkan meşələri) are a zone of lush lowland and montane forests covering about 55,000 square kilometres (21,000 mi2) near the shores of theCaspian Sea inIran andAzerbaijan. The forest is named after the ancient region ofHyrcania. TheWorld Wide Fund for Nature refers to theecoregion as theCaspian Hyrcanian mixed forests. Since 5 July 2019, the Hyrcanian Forests have been designated aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site.[2] In September 2023, the heritage site expanded to incorporate portions of the forest located in Azerbaijan.[3]
In Iran, the Hyrcanian ecoregion comprises a long strip along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea and the northern slopes of theAlborz mountains. It covers parts of five provinces, from east to west:North Khorasan,Golestan (421,373 hectares (1,041,000 acres) being its south and southwest plus eastern regions of the Gorgan plain),Mazandaran,Gilan andArdabil.
TheGolestan National Park spans the boundary of Golestan and Mazandaran provinces. In the Mazandaran province, where the Hyrcanian forest is estimated at 965,000 ha (3,730 mi2), 487,195 ha (1,881 mi2) are used commercially, 184,000 ha (710 mi2) are protected and the rest are regarded as forest lands or over-used forests. The total of the forest woods used in this province is estimated at 770,551 cubic metres (27,211,800 ft3). The Kojoor, Dohezar and Sehezar forest watersheds are in Mazandaran province,Gilan province (these forests are graded from 1 to 3 with an area of 107,894 ha (417 mi2); 182,758 ha (706 mi2) and 211,972 ha (818 mi2), respectively. The commercial utilization is 184,202 m3 (6,505,000 ft3) and the non-commercial utilization is 126,173 m3 (4,455,800 ft3). The Masooleh, Ghaleh Roodkhan and Astara forest watersheds are in Gilan province) andArdabil Province. At higher elevations to the south, the ecoregion grades into theElburz Range forest steppe.
In southeasternAzerbaijan the ecoregion spans through theLankaran Lowland and theTalysh Mountains.
The ecoregion's climate ishumid subtropical at lower altitudes; at mid-altitudes it hasoceanic features, while in the mountains it ishumid continental. Summer is a humid but low-precipitation season. Alborz is the highest mountain range in the Middle East and it captures, byrelief precipitation anddew point mists, much of the evaporation of the southern Caspian Sea. Annual rainfall ranges from 900 mm (35 in) in the east to 1,600 mm (63 in) in the west, making the forests much lusher than the desert, semi-desert, and steppe regions which it borders.
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The natural forest vegetation is temperatedeciduousbroadleaved forest. 32.7 percent of volume of Hyrcanian forest is of oriental beech (Fagus orientalis). A main feature of the region is the lack ofconifers; only relics of coniferous species are present, which include European yew (Taxus baccata), junipers (Juniperus spp.), Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens var.horzontalis) and Chinese arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis).
The Caspian Sea coastal plains were once covered by chestnut-leaved oak (Quercus castaneifolia), European box (Buxus sempervirens), black alder (Alnus glutinosasubsp. barbata), Caucasian alder (Alnus subcordata), Caspian poplar (Populus alba var.caspica) and Caucasian wingnut (Pterocarya fraxinifolia), but these forests have been almost entirely converted to urban and agricultural land. (Mosadegh, 2000; Marvie Mohadjer, 2007)
The lower slopes ofTalysh and Alborz Mountains below 700 metres (2,300 ft) harbor diverse humid forests containing chestnut-leaved oak, European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica), Caucasian zelkova (Zelkova carpinifolia), Persian silk tree (Albizia julibrissin), and date-plum (Diospyros lotus) along with shrubs holly (Ilex hyrcana),Ruscus hyrcanus,Danae racemosa andAtropa pallidiflora,[4] and lianasSmilax excelsa andHedera pastuchovii[5] (Mosadegh, 2000; Marvie Mohadjer, 2007). Persian Ironwood is endemic to the Talysh Mountains and northern Iran and nearly pure stands of the tree can be particularly dramatic, with lichen-covered branches twisting together and only dead leaves in the deep shade of the forest floor. In addition, the ironwood's yellow leaves turn a faint lilac in the fall.[6]
At the medium elevations between 700 and 1,500 metres (2,300 and 4,900 ft), oriental beech is the dominant tree species in this cloudy zone in pure and mixed stands with other noblehardwoods such as chestnut-leaved oak, Caucasian oak (Quercus macranthera), European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), Oriental hornbeam (C. orientalis) and sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa).[7] From its floristic composition, these beech forests are linked with European forests and with affinities to the beech forests of the Balkans. However, local conditions ofaspect andedaphic factors, such as soil moisture and depth, are all of importance in determining the composition of the vegetation, which leads to the establishment of different beech subcommunities. (Mosadegh, 2000; Marvie Mohadjer, 2007)
Upper mountain and subalpine zones are characterized by Caucasian oak, Oriental hornbeam,shrublands andsteppes.Alpine tundra and meadows occur at the highest elevations.[8]
Other native tree species include Caspian locust (Gleditsia caspica), velvet maple (Acer velutinum), Cappadocian maple (Acer cappadocicum), European ash (Fraxinus excelsior), Wych elm (Ulmus glabra), wild cherry (Prunus avium), wild service tree (Sorbus torminalis) and lime tree (Tilia platyphyllos).
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TheCaspian tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) was once the apex predator of the biome before its extinction. The remaining large mammals include the Persian/Caucasian leopard (Panthera pardus tulliana),Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx),brown bear (Ursus arctos),wild boar (Sus scrofa),wolf (Canis lupus),golden jackal (Canis aureus),jungle cat (Felis chaus),Caucasian badger (Meles canescens), andEurasian otter (Lutra lutra).[5][9]
This ecoregion is the main green resting area for birds migrating between central-northernRussia andAfrica and thus is a key habitat for many bird species. Notable birds seen here are the greylag goose (Anser anser), white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons), little bustard (Tetrax tetrax), glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), red-breasted goose (Branta ruficollis), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus), cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis), squacco heron (Ardeola ralloides), greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), white-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala), and Caspian snowcock (Tetraogallus caspius).[5]
The Hyrcanian forests are thought to have served as arefugium for certain species during changing climatic conditions. TheIranian edible dormouse (Glis persicus) is anendemic of this ecoregion, and is thought to have evolved when mid-Miocene climatic change led to the fragmentation of the ancestralGlis population, with one such population fragment surviving in these forests and evolving into a new species.[10] The batMyotis hyrcanicus is likely also endemic to this region.[11] The region is also known to preserve a unique lineage ofbicolored shrew (Crocidura leucodon) that diverged from the other lineages during the mid-Pleistocene, about 1 million years ago.[12] ThePersian mountain salamander (Paradactylodon persicus) is an aquatic salamander endemic to high rainfall regions of the Hyrcanian forest. It is primarily known from its aquatic larvae which live in permanent streams with forest cover. This is a very understudied species and very few adults have ever been found. It is under threat from habitat loss due to logging, agricultural development, and urban sprawl.[13]
The diversity and endemism of the species make the Caspian Hyrcanian forests a priority and unique feature for species conservation.[14] Habitats are threatened by conversion into tea, vegetable, fruit, and vine plantations, unsustainable forestry and poaching.
Protected areas in Azerbaijan include:
Protected areas in Iran include:
Media related toCaspian Hyrcanian mixed forests at Wikimedia Commons
