Foreword
The Caucasus ecoregion covers a total area of 580000 km2 and
spans the boundaries of six countries – including the whole
area of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Northern Caucasus
part of Russia, northeastern Turkey, and part of northwestern
Iran. As one of the most biologically rich regions on Earth, the
Caucasus is ranked among the planet’s 25 most diverse and
endangered hotspots.
The Caucasus is also one of WWF’s Global 200 vulnerable
ecoregions, identified as globally outstanding for
biodiversity.
The Caucasus is a hotspot of plant and animal diversity and
endemism. Located at a biological crossroads, species from
Central and Northern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle
East, and North Africa mingle with endemics found nowhere
else.
As part of the Caucasus ecoregion Armenia has its unique
value. It is located in the north-eastern part of the Armenian
Plateau and occupies 29740 km2 at altitudes ranging from 380
to 4095 meters above sea level. The geographical location,
geological complex structure, vertical zonation and location
of the country at the intersection of different floral - faunal
provinces have contributed to formation of rich biodiversity
and different types of natural ecosystems. To imagine the
wealth of the flora it is worthwhile to mention that more than
Dr. Mamikon Ghasabyan,
Director
2
Armenian Siciety for the Protection of Birds
half of the flora of the Caucasus (out of 6500 species), 3500
species of wild-growing vascular plants and the diversity
of ecosystems and landscapes includes various elements
ranging from sand deserts and wormwood semi-deserts to
subalpine and alpine meadows with numerous transitional
associations occurring in Armenia, which occupies only 6.7
% of the whole territory of the Caucasus. By density of high
vascular plant species Armenia with more than 100 species
per sq. km has one of the leading positions in the world. The
number of lower plant species and microorganisms exceeds
several ten thousands.
Armenia also holds a rich diversity of fauna species: 17000
invertebrate and 541 vertebrate species. It should be
mentioned that Armenia has an extraordinary rich avifauna:
out of 541 species of vertebrate animals occurring in Armenia,
352 are birds. Just for comparison: the whole of Europe has
550 species of birds, the area encompassed by the former
Soviet Union has 750 species, the Caucasus ecoregion has
about 400 species