Natural Heritage Value of Xinjiang Tianshan and Global Comparative Analysis

J. Mt. Sci. (2012) 9: 262–273 DOI: 10.1007/s11629-012-2214-z

XU Xiaoliang1,2,YANG Zhaoping1*, Adayi Saiken1,2, Shao Rui1,2, LIU Xinyu1,2

1 Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China; 2 Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

*Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Xinjiang Tianshan is a serial natural 2011, there were 180 natural and 27 mixed World property that has been nominated for World Heritage Heritage sites inscribed on the World Heritage List. status. This paper presents a systematically The Tianshan Mountains lie in the hinterland of comprehensive and comparative analysis of the Eurasia and have the potential to be inscribed on heritage resources of Xinjiang Tianshan according to the natural World Heritage List in the future the World Heritage criteria. Its biological, ecological (IUCN 2004). However, as yet, there is no natural and aesthetic values, which are of global importance, World Heritage site in this large area. are documented. It is concluded that Xinjiang Tianshan meets the world heritage criteria (vii) and UNESCO defined aesthetic, geological, (ix). Xinjiang Tianshan is compared with other ecological and biological characteristics as four mountain world heritage sites, mountains in Central criteria for the evaluation of natural World Asia, the Tianshan Mountains outside China, and with Heritage nominations (UNESCO 1972). Chen et al. the protected areas of the Tianshan Mountains on the (2002) analyzed the world heritage value of panda Tentative List for World Heritage Sites, so as to habitat according to its biodiversity and as the provide objective data for the world heritage important habitat for rare and endangered species. application. Cao et al. (2003) examined the natural World Heritage values of the Three Parallel Rivers of Keywords: Xinjiang Tianshan; Natural Heritage; Yunnan Protected Areas, considering their Heritage characteristics; Heritage values; contribution to the understanding of the earth’s Comparative analysis evolution, important geological processes and natural landscapes. Song et al. (2009) Introduction discriminated several concepts under the principle of integrity in the context of World Heritage, including integrity, trans-boundary properties, Natural World Heritage is recognized globally serial properties and property extension. Xiong et as the pinnacle among natural protected areas in al. (2008), following a global comparative analysis view of aesthetics, geo-science and bio-ecology and of the natural heritage values of different kinds of it is often a preferred destination for the inter- South China Karst according to criterion viii, continental travel and international tourists. As of argued the outstanding global values of South China Karst. Yang et al. (2010) carried out a global Received: 9 June 2011 Accepted: 31 January 2012 comparative analysis of the aesthetic, ecological

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and biological values of Kanas natural heritage to Longitudinally, The Tianshan Mountians are argue that it meets natural World Heritage criteria. divided into the South, the Mid, and the North Thus, there are precedents for the research of the Tianshan Mountains. The length of the mountain type presented here. ranges within China is 1,760 km, accounting for more than two thirds of the total length. The mountain ranges within China have an average 1 Introduction to the Study Area and elevation over 4,000 m (Hu et al. 2004). The Research Methods nominated property of Xinjiang Tianshan is made up of Tomur, Bogda, Bayinbluk and Karajun- 1.1 General introduction to the study area Kuerdening, which are respectively located in the South Tianshan Mountains, the North Tianshan The Tianshan mountain system is one of the Mountains, the Uldus Basin which is the most seven large mountain systems in the world. The typical down-faulted basin of the Tianshan, as well Tianshan mountain ranges extend across China, as the Yili Valley (Figure 1). The nominated Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, from the property covers unique geological and landform Xingxingxia Gobi desert in Hami, China in the east, features, typical arid mountain ecosystems and to the Kyzyl-Kum Desert in Uzbekistan in the west. peculiar landscapes elements. Thus, it has great The east-west extension of the system is 2,500 km. potential for successful application for natural The average width of the mountains from north to World Heritage status. Such an application was south is 250~350 km, with the widest point more initiated in 2009. than 800 km. The Tianshan Mountains are surrounded by six deserts on three sides: the 1.2 Research methods Gurbantunggut Desert, the Atyrau Desert, the Moyinkumu Desert, the Karakum Desert, the 1.2.1 Field investigation Kyzyl-Kum Desert and the world’s second largest mobile desert, the Taklamakan Desert. The Rare and endangered species and natural Tianshan Mountains are the largest mountain landscape types have been studied with data from ranges in the arid temperate zone. over 2 years’ field investigation throughout the The Tianshan Mountians are composed of a nominated property, and the historical data as well series of mountain ranges and inter-montane as the number of animal and plant species, and basins. According to zonal distribution, the vegetation types. mountain ranges can be divided into the East 1.2.2 Comprehensive analysis Tianshan Mountains in China and the West Tianshan Mountains in neighboring countries. The ecosystems, the vertical natural zones,

Figure 1 Distribution of Natural Heritage Sites in the Tianshan Mountains (Derived from nominations to the World Natural Heritage list) (Data sources: http://whc.unesco.org/ , http://unep-wcmc.org/)

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biodiversity, and the natural landscapes and glaciers and rivers in Xinjiang Tianshan, which natural heritage features of the Xinjiang Tianshan constitute a huge water source in the desert areas were analyzed systematically. and provide plentiful water resources for the development and evolution of mountain 1.2.3 Geographical comparison ecosystems. Xinjiang Tianshan covers 5 climate A comparative analysis was undertaken with zones, including the warm temperate zone, other mountain World Heritage sites, other temperate zone, cold temperate zone, frigid zone mountains in Central Asia, the Tianshan and permanent snow zone of extremely high Mountains outside of China and the protected mountains, and 4 different zones according to the areas of the Tianshan Mountains on the Tentative annual precipitation; these are the wet, semi-wet, List of World Heritage sites, which led to the semi-arid and arid zones. Various combinations of conclusion that the natural heritage values of the heat and water have resulted in the development of Xinjiang Tianshan are irreplaceable. diverse vegetation and abundant biological groups, eventually resulting in the formation of various mountain ecosystems in the desert areas. Xinjiang 2 Features of Xinjiang Tianshan Tianshan includes 7 first-level habitats of IUCN/SSC, mainly including forest, grassland, 2.1 Biological and ecological features shrubby lands and wetlands, which can be divided into 22 second-level habitats. There are 9 Xinjiang Tianshan is located in the vegetation types in Xinjiang Tianshan, which can biogeographic province of Pamir-Tianshan be subdivided into 25 vegetation sub-types and 82 Highlands according to the Udvardy biogeographic groups, forming the most abundant area of regionalization (Udvardy 1975). It is representative diversity in the world’s temperate arid region. of the Mountains of Central Asia, one of (2) Integrated mountain vertical natural zones Conservation International’s (CI) 34 Global Biodiversity Hotspots, and the Centres of Plant There are typical integrated montane vertical Biodiversity defined by IUCN/WWF. Xinjiang natural zones in Xinjiang Tianshan, and the Tianshan is also an important part of the Middle nominated properties of Tomur and Bogda Asian Montane Steppe and Woodlands ecoregion typically represent the vertical natural zones of the of WWF Global 200 ecoregions, which typically warm-temperate arid region and of the temperate represents Tianshan montane conifer forests, mountains. The height difference of Tomur Tianshan montane steppe and meadows, and nominated property is about 6,000 m, from 1,450 Tianshan foothill arid steppe. Besides, it is an m at the bottom to 7,443 m on the top, in a important bird breeding ground in the Taklimakan horizontal distance of only 70 km. From top to Desert Conservation Area, which is among the 218 bottom, this area has an ice and permanent snow local bird sanctuary (EBAs) recognized by bird zone, alpine cushion vegetation belt, alpine conservation organizations (BIC). The main meadow belt, sub-alpine meadow belt, montane ecological and biological features are as follows: steppe belt, temperate desert grassland belt and warm temperate desert zone (Climbing Scientific (1) Typical mountain ecosystem in the world’s Expedition Team of Chinese Academy of Sciences, temperate arid zone 1985) (Figure 2). In Bogda nominated property, the Xinjiang Tianshan is the only huge mountain horizontal distance from the ice and permanent range surrounded by two deserts in the world, that snow belt to the edge of the desert belt is only 80 is, Two Deserts Embracing One Large Mountain. km, while the vertical difference is nearly 5,000 m. The special geographical pattern of one mountain The site includes an ice and permanent snow belt, surrounded by two deserts on the north and south, alpine cushion vegetation belt, alpine meadow belt, the geographical location giving rise to an inland, sub-alpine meadow belt, montane forest belt and dry continental climate, and the mountain-basin montane desert zone (Figure 3). topography make Xinjiang Tianshan unique among (3) Abundant biodiversity the world’s mountain ecosystems. There are many

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Figure 2 Vertical natural zones of the Tomur region

Figure 3 Vertical natural zones of the Bogda region

Xinjiang Tianshan is an eco-region with animals endemic to the Tianshan Mountains, relatively abundant species in the Pamir-Tianshan accounting for 11.82% of the total wild vertebrates. Highlands of the Udvardy Biogeographic Province. (4) Important habitat for rare and endangered There are 106 families, 635 genera and 2,622 species species of wild vascular plants, and 36 orders, 90 families, 276 genera and 550 species of wild Xinjiang Tianshan was an important biological vertebrates, including 102 species of mammals, refuge in the hinterland of Eurasia during the 370 species of birds, 32 species of reptiles, 6 Quaternary Ice Age. It hosts 110 species of rare and species of amphibians and 40 species of fishes. endangered wild plants. Of them, 18 species are on There are 118 species of plants endemic to the the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2010): Tianshan Mountains in the nominated property, Picea schrenkiana, Larix sibirica, Juniperus accounting for 4.5% of the total wild vascular sabina, Juniperus pseudosabina, Populus plants in the nominated property, and 65 species of pruinosa, Juglans regia, Betula tianschanica,

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Sorbus tianschanica, Malus sieversii, Armeniaca steppe, wetlands, red canyons and desert and Gobi. vulgaris, Ammopiptanthus nanu, Zygophyllum The main features of these landscapes are as kaschgaricum, Fraxinus sogdiana, Centaurium follows: pulchellum, Myosotis alpestris, Berberis (1) Magnificent size kaschgarica, Cistanche deserticola, Tulipa sinkiangensis. Sixteen species are protected under Xinjiang Tianshan extends across 1,760 m from the Convention on International Trade in east to west with a vertical difference of 7,597 m. Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora From Tomur Peak (7,443 m) in the west part of the (CITES, 2011): Cistanche deserticola, Neottia mountains to Bogda Peak (5,445 m) in the east, a camtschatea, Corallorhiza trifida, Listera ovata, grand and graceful skyline is constituted, which lies Listera tianschanica, Epipactis helleborine, in the expansive desert and forms one of the iconic Epipactis palustris, Epipactis xanthophaea, landscapes of China. Xinjiang Tianshan is famous Goodyera repens, Coeloglossum viride, as Mountains in the Paradise in Chinese. The Platanthera minutiflora, Orchis roborovskii, magnificent scale of its natural landscapes can be Orchis latifolia, Orchis umbrosa, Orchis cruenta, compared with any other great mountains in the Orchis fuchsii. There are about 430 species of rare world. and endangered wild animals, of which 414 are on (2) Numerous landscape types the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2010), There are numerous types of landscape such as Panthera uncial, Mustela altaica, Vormela monomer of high quality in Xinjiang Tianshan. peregusna, Lutra lutra, Ovis ammon, Ochotona Around the Tomur-Khan Tengiri mountain knot, iliensis, Aythya baeri, Aquila heliaca, Aquila there is concentration of majestic high peaks and clanga, Haliaeetus leucoryphus, Falco cherrug, grand glaciers. The Tomur Great Canyon boasts Grus leucogeranus, Vipera ursinii, and 10 on the various typical landscapes including steep and List of Appendix I, including Ursus arctos, Lutra precipitous cliffs and other elements which looks lutra, Panthera uncia, Aquila heliaca, Haliaeetus like old castles, labyrinths, towers and a fleet of albicilla, Falco rusticolus, Falco peregrinus, Falco sailing boats. The landscape in the Tomur Great pelegrinoides, Grus leucogeranus, Vipera ursinii, Canyon is vivid and changeable, fully representing and 36 on the List of Appendix II of CITES (2011), the beauty of red-layered canyon. There are groups including Canis lupus, Lynx lynx, Felis manul, of small and large lakes spotted throughout the Felis silvestris, Ovis ammon, Ciconia nigra, Bayinbluk wetland with rivers winding through Platalea leucorodia, Pandion haliaetus, Milvus them. In Karajun, forests and meadows alternate korschun, Accipiter gentilis, Accipiter badius, with one another and the picturesque landscape Accipiter nisus, Accipiter virgatus, Circus cyaneus, possesses the beautiful colors of the flowery Circus macrourus, Circus aeruginosus, Circus grassland. pygargus, Buteo rufinus, Buteo hemilasius, Buteo buteo, Buteo lagopus, Aquila chrysaetos, Aquila (3) Variety of landscape elements rapax, Aquila clanga, Haliaeetus leucoryphus, There are abundant landscape resources in Aegypius monachus, Gyps himalayensis, Xinjiang Tianshan, including snow peaks, glaciers, Gypaegus barbatus, Falco cherrug, Falco meadows, forests, steppes, rivers and lakes, red subbuteo, Falco columbarius, Falco naumanni, canyons and also expansive Gobi and vast deserts, Falco tinnunculus, Grus grus, Anthropoides virgo, which form globally distinctive landscape patterns Otis tarda. that are unique all over the world. (4) Abundant combinations 2.2 Natural landscape features Xinjiang Tianshan possesses intact vertical Xinjiang Tianshan is the most representative of vegetation belts on a large scale, including glaciers integrated montane landscapes in the world’s arid and snow peaks, alpine meadows, sub-alpine desert region. The outstanding landscapes include meadows, cypress brush, spruce forests, mixed snow peaks and glaciers, rivers and meanders, conifer and broadleaved forests, wild fruit forests, alpine lakes and colorful meadows, forests and valley forests, brush and desert grassland which

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together form a multitude of landscape landscapes. The nominated property represents the combinations. The landscapes are obviously values of aesthetics, biology and ecology of the different on a medium scale, with snow peaks and temperate arid mountains. canyons, meadows and forests, forests and steppes, grasslands and brush, brush and desert 3.1 Aesthetic values interspersed, giving rise to a mixture of colors with white snow peaks and glaciers, colorful meadows, Xinjiang Tianshan shows the most typical green forests and red canyons, forming an intricate montane integrated landscapes in the world’s arid mosaic of many hues. The distribution of forests regions as it is in the hinterland of Central Asia, far and meadows depending on micro-relief seasonal away from the oceans and surrounded by expansive changes and meteorological phenomena enrich the deserts. Trending in an east-west direction, the views. A wide variety of landscape combinations Tianshan Mountains lie to the south of the are present on a small scale. Such a rich Guerbantonggute Desert and to the north of the assemblage of natural combinations is scarce in Taklimakan Desert, forming a unique natural other places in the world, making Xinjiang landscape with one mountain system surrounded Tianshan one of the symbolic landscapes of China. by two huge deserts. From Tomur Peak (7,443 m) (5) Strong contrasts in the west to Bogda peak (5,445 m) in the east, Xinjiang Tianshan forms a graceful skyline in the Because of the orientation of the mountains Central Asia deserts. The natural landscapes of and the direction of the monsoon, the north slope Xinjiang Tianshan are featured by numerous of Xinjiang Tianshan is relatively wet and the south landscape types of high quality, abundant and slope is relatively dry. The landscapes on the north changeable combinations, and strong contrasts and south slope are completely different; for between different types of landscape. The beauty of example, the forests on the north slope of Xinjiang Xinjiang Tianshan not only lies in its abundant Tianshan appear as belts, while on the south slope landscape elements, like grand snow peaks, elegant they are distributed as plots. Besides, the forests and meadows, clear rivers and lakes, and landscapes of the western and eastern parts are grand red canyons, but also in the unique obviously different. The Yili valley in the west is the landscapes and natural beauty resulting from its wettest region in the Tianshan Mountains, with a special location in the expansive deserts. The huge lower forest line of 1,100 m, whereas the forest line contrast of the desert rocks on the south slope and in the east rises to more than 2,000 m. The the verdant forests and meadows is impressive, as topographic relief of Xinjiang Tianshan is more few places in the world combine this kind of huge than 4,000 m, which has formed complete vertical difference so markedly, such as extreme hot and montane natural landscape belts. The north slope cold, dry and wet, desert and greenery, the grand of Xinjiang Tianshan is covered by vegetation while and the graceful. The Tianshan Mountains are not that on the south slope is desert; the climate in the only mountains that reach above the sky in China west part is wet while the climate in the east part is and Central Asia, but also provide a green passage dry. The large difference between the geographical for Silk Road. Since ancient times, many myths and features of the cold high mountains and hot deserts legends, poems and songs, and music and drawings forms globally peculiar integrated montane natural have shown people’s great admiration for the beauty in the world’s arid region. Tianshan Mountains. Up to now, Xinjiang Tianshan is still one of the most iconic landscapes in China. 3 Natural Heritage Values 3.2 Biological and ecological values Xinjiang Tianshan is a composite of unique physical geographical features and outstanding Xinjiang Tianshan is the outstanding natural environments of the Tianshan Mountains, representative of the spatial distribution and including geological features and landforms, evolutionary laws of montane ecosystems, and the biodiversity, biological evolution and natural ecological and physiological processes of the

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evolution and development of biological mountains that lie in a frigid, sub-tropical or populations in the Pamir-Tianshan Highlands, as tropical region when considering their general defined by Udvardy (1975). physical geographical features, biodiversity, As the typical representative, Xinjiang ecosystems and natural landscapes. Thus, it is Tianshan shows the integrated properties of huge incomparable. Xinjiang Tianshan meets criteria (vii) mountain ecosystems in the world’s temperate arid and (ix) of the criteria of World Heritage, and is region, encompassing intact mountain vertical incomparable with mountain World Heritage sites natural belts in a temperate arid region. It is an that have been nominated based on other criteria. outstanding representative of mountain After primary selection, 18 mountain World ecosystems globally, including glaciers, rivers and Heritage sites are compared with Xinjiang lakes, forests, steppe, oases and deserts, presenting Tianshan (Table 1). the processes of formation of vertical natural belts Compared with these 18 mountain World in warm temperate and temperate arid mountains Heritage sites, Xinjiang Tianshan has the largest and fault valleys inside the Tianshan Mountains. vertical difference, and is the only property with Furthermore, Xinjiang Tianshan exhibits the temperate desert at the base. Xinjiang Tianshan distribution of features and principles of evolution has intact montane vertical natural belts and of mountain biodiversity in the temperate arid abundant landscape resources, combining unique region under the effects of the spatial variability of physical geographical features that display the water resources and heat according to the elevation, huge differences of mountains in the temperate slope and aspect of the mountains. arid region; for example, desert landscape on the The modern biota, geographical elements and south slope and verdant forested landscapes on the the phenotype and physiological features of north slope, wet landscapes in the west and dry Xinjiang Tianshan typically represent the landscapes in the east, and cold high mountains ecological processes of climate change from hot and hot desert, which is globally distinctive. and wet to warm and wet and, finally, to cold and According to Udvardy’s Biogeographical dry because of the mountain uplift, glacial retreat Provinces, Xinjiang Tianshan is in the and the westward shrinkage of the ancient biogeographical province of Pamir-Tianshan Mediterranean sea. It also outstandingly represents Highlands of the Palaearctic. The biogeographical the evolutionary processes of the vegetation from provinces represent different ecological processes tropical forests to sub-tropical forests and, finally, and biodiversity features, which are irreplaceable grasslands. Even more outstandingly, it represents and cannot be compared one with another. Besides, the evolutionary biological processes by which the the unique ecosystem developed in Xinjiang original warm and wet biota were replaced by Tianshan, dominated by conifer forests, montane modern dry Mediterranean biota. forests in the Tianshan Mountains and dry grasslands in the piedmont of the Tianshan Mountains, is irreplaceable. 4 Comparative Analysis of the Heritage Values 4.2 Contrast with other mountains in the Central Asia 4.1 Contrast with mountain World Heritage (1) Pamir sites The natural landscapes of Pamir give rise to As to mountain World Heritage sites impressive views of landforms and the most elsewhere, Xinjiang Tianshan is a huge mountain striking features are the expansive plateau in the system and other small mountain World Heritage eastern part and the high mountains with deeply- sites cannot compare with it. Among large carved valleys in the west. Because of the much mountain World Heritage sites on the World more abundant precipitation, there are more Heritage List, Xinjiang Tianshan lies in the diverse plants in Xinjiang Tianshan where the temperate dry desert zone in the hinterland of intact montane vertical natural belts have been Eurasia, which is completely different from more fully developed. The plateau landscapes of

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Table 1 Eighteen mountain World Heritage sites compared with Xinjiang Tianshan No. Property Criteria met Main aesthetic and biological and ecological features The beauty of this property is outstanding, with mountains overlapping each other and glaciers and lakes distributed randomly 1 Los Glaciares (vii)(viii) among them. The Argentina Lake is also located in this area with a length of 160 km. The national park lies in the drainage area of the Nahanni River. Nahanni National 2 (vii)(viii) There are canyons, waterfalls and unique limestone caves and many Park other special geological landforms. In the parks, rugged mountain peaks, glacial fields, glaciers, alpine Canadian Rocky 3 (vii)(viii) meadows, lakes, waterfalls, expansive karst caves and deep valleys Mountain Parks are interlaced. The park shows extraordinarily wonderful natural landscapes and Kluane/Wrangell- unique natural beauty, and it covers the largest area of non-polar St Elias/Glacier vii)(viii) 4 glaciers in the world, including over 350 valley glaciers and about Bay/Tatshenshini- (ix)(x) wave glaciers. This region is the most active area of earthquakes in Alsek North America. The two parks present grand natural landscapes, which cover the watershed dividing three oceans. This region is the transition area of Waterton Glacier montane and steppe communities, and also plays an important part 5 International (vii)(ix) in the mingling of the gene pool in the south and north parts of the Peace Park Rocky Mountains. The region is an important passage for transnational migration of wildlife and genes. The Valley of Flowers National Park lies in a valley of the Himalayan Nanda Devi & Mountains with unique landscapes, alpine meadows with many 6 Valley of Flowers (vii)(x) kinds of flowers and the original mountain landscapes complement National Parks each other. Nanda Devi National Park is maintained well and is an important habitat for some rare and endangered mammals. Sagarmatha Various mountains, glacial rivers and valleys are distributed 7 (vii) National Park throughout the area and Everest is the dominant peak (8, 848 m). Virgin Komi Forests lies in the permafrost region in the Ural Mountains. With an area of 3, 280, 000 hectares, it is the largest Virgin Komi 8 (vii)(ix) area of virgin forests in Europe. The region provides information for Forests the effects of the natural development of taiga forests on biodiversity. Lake Baikal is the oldest and deepest lake in the world. The lake (vii)(viii) itself and the basin where the lake is located are both extremely 9 Lake Baikal (ix)(x) beautiful. Geological movements of Lake Baikal still occur. Besides, Lake Baikal has outstanding abundant biodiversity. Golden Mountains The Altai region is an important centre of biodiversity, where many 10 (x) of Altai rare and endemic species have been nurtured. Since the last glaciation, ecological succession in the region has 11 Western Caucasus (ix)(x) resulted in abundant biodiversity. The grand view of the North Wall of Jungfrau, Monch and Eiger are impressive in the north of the High Alps, while mountains, river valleys and two glaciers constitute the natural beauty of the south Jungfrau-Aletsch- (vii) 12 part of the High Alps. In the alpine and subalpine regions, the Bietschhorn (viii)(ix) diverse ecosystems have not suffered from human occupation, and great examples of the affects of global climate change can be found in this area. The uniqueness of the Yellowstone National Park lies in the fact that Yellowstone (vii)(viii) it covers the largest hot springs, grand canyon, waterfalls, and large- 13 National Park (ix)(x) scale wildlife communities, and is a huge intact ecosystem in the temperate zone in the Northern Hemisphere. The park is famous for its spectacular grand canyon, a twisting many-coloured gorge. Typical natural landscapes include plateau, plain, desert, volcanic hills, magma, streams, waterfalls and the Grand Canyon (vii)(viii) 14 famous White River. Because of the different depths carved by National Park (ix)(x) rivers, various ecological environments have developed at different heights, which represent five kinds of ecosystems in the seven ecological cycles in North America. -Continued-

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The Park is composed of temperate rainforest, alpine meadow and snow peaks lying along the ocean. Inside the park, there is the largest temperate rainforest in the world. The various topographical Olympic National landforms from coast to glaciers, and various vegetation belts 15 (vii)(ix) Park affected by rich precipitation, form one of the most important habitats for diverse species along the Pacific Ocean. Rainforests along the coast are the most verdant and may have the largest biomass world-wide. Natural landscapes of this park are unique. Mountains are wreathed Great Smoky by mists that spread over virgin forests. Furthermore, the park is (vii)(viii) 16 Mountains one of the distribution regions of Tertiary relic plants, and its (ix)(x) National Park relative large area makes it an outstanding example of the evolution of biota in such an ecosystem. Valleys are the main landscape in this region, and high mountains separate them, of which Mili Xueshan, Baimang Xueshan and Haba Three Parallel Xueshan present the grandest views. Under the combined effects of (vii)(viii) 17 Rivers of Yunnan geology, climate and topography, the region has been experiencing (ix)(x) Protected Areas distinct ecological processes, which provide favorable condition for the evolution of high biodiversity and benefit the development of temperate biological communities in the Palearctic Realm. The closed salt lake system of Uvs Nuur Lake is of great 18 Uvs Nuur Basin (ix)(x) importance for international research in the natural sciences because of its special climate and hydrological systems.

* Data sources：http://whc.unesco.org/en/list

Pamir and these vertical natural belts are not Altai Highlands of the 193 biological provinces and comparable. belong to the mixed mountain system. Among the In the region of Middle Asian Montane Steppe WWF Global 200 ecoregions, the Altai Mountains and Woodlands of the Global 200 Ecoregion, the lie in the ecoregion of Altai-Sayan Montane ecoregions in Xinjiang Tianshan are Tianshan Forests, including Altai montane forest and forest montane conifer forests, Tianshan montane steppe steppe, Altai alpine meadow and tundra, while and meadows, and Tianshan foothill arid steppe, Xinjiang Tianshan is located in the ecoregion of while the Pamir Plateau belongs to the Pamir Middle Asian Montane Steppe and Woodlands. alpine desert and tundra ecoregion (IUCN, 2005). The Altai Mountains and Xinjiang Tianshan are The two regions belong to different ecoregions and, located in different biological provinces and thus, have different biological communities and ecoregions of WWF Global 200 and have corresponding ecological processes. completely different patterns of biodiversity and ecological processes and, thus, cannot be compared. (2) Altai Mountains (3) Karakoram Range and the Kunlun The average height of the Altai Mountains is Mountains much below that of Xinjiang Tianshan. It also has smoother slopes and fewer glaciers compared with The vertical vegetation belts of the Karakoram Xinjiang Tianshan. On the south slope of the Altai Range are xerophytic, dominated by montane Mountains, intact vertical natural belts are also grasslands, and lack sub-alpine forests and developed, but the forests are dominated by mixed meadows. The vertical belts, from top to bottom, forests of Siberian Spruce, Swedish Birch, Siberian are an ice and permanent snow zone, alpine brush, Larch and juniper, while the forests of Xinjiang meadow belt, sub-alpine steppe belt, montane Tianshan are dominated by snow spruce. The two steppe belt, and montane desert belt, all of which forest landscapes cannot be replaced by each other. are typical alpine desert landscapes. The vertical According to the Unified System of Natural vegetation belts of the Kunlun Mountains are Regions of Land and Freshwater Lakes of the xerophilous vegetation types and they have been World for the Purpose of Conservation (Udvardy intensely desertified. The vertical natural 1975), the Altai Mountains lie in the Palaearctic landscapes, from top to bottom, are cold alpine Realm of the 8 biological realms, located in the desert, alpine brush, meadows, sub-alpine steppe,

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Table 2 Protected areas in the Tianshan Mountains on the Tentative List of World Heritage Main biological and ecological Property Nation Criteria met Main aesthetic features features The main landscapes include grasslands, There are 7 vertical natural zones, forests, meadows, snow with forests, sub-alpine meadows peaks, waterfalls, Western Tien- (vii)(viii) Kyrghyzstan and alpine meadows dominant. valleys and streams. Shan (ix)(x) There are 676 species of high plants Valley landforms are and 204 species of vertebrates. well developed with cliffs interspersed with basins. The vertical natural zones in this region including five belts: desert, true prairie, larch forests, alpine Typical vertical natural Western Tien- (vii)(viii) meadows and ice and permanent landscapes of Kazakhstan Shan (ix)(x) snow belts. mountains in the desert There are 2, 000 species of high areas. plants and 293 species of vertebrates. The vertical natural zones in this region including four belts: low- The natural beauty is mountain desert zone, alpine steppe mainly composed of Northern Tyan- zone, sub-alpine steppe zone and montane steppes, Kazakhstan (x) Shan alpine meadow zone. forests and plains on There are 1, 200 species of high the front of the plants and 215 species of mountains. vertebrates. Vegetation is greatly The forests are widely spread. “Altyn- Emel” (vii) affected by the warm Kazakhstan There are 634 species of high plants National Park (viii)(ix) and wet currents from and 282 species of vertebrates. the Atlantic. There are three vertical natural zones, including montane steppes, The main natural Mountains of the mixed forests of larches and beauty can be found in Western Tien Uzbekistan (viii)(x) conifers and alpine meadows. the mixed forests of Shan There are 1, 186 species of high wild fruit and meadows. plants and 292 species of vertebrates. *Data sources: http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/ montane desert grasslands and montane deserts, deserts of the 14 biological regions. The two regions which are also desert grassland landscapes. The are in different biogeographical provinces from vertical vegetation belts of Xinjiang Tianshan are Xinjiang Tianshan, and are incomparable with each more inclined to be mesophytic with montane other. forests and meadows developed relatively well. The vertical natural landscapes of Xinjiang Tianshan 4.3 Contrasts with the protected areas on are completely different from those of the the Tentative List of World Heritage in Karakoram Range and Kunlun Mountains. the Tianshan Mountains outside China According to the Unified System of Natural Regions of Land and Freshwater Lakes of the So far Tianshan Mountains have no natural World for the Purpose of Conservation (Udvardy property on the World Heritage List. However, 5 1975), both the Karakoram Range and Kunlun protected areas in countries that border Xinjiang Mountains lie in the Palaearctic Realm of the 8 Tianshan have been on the Tentative List of World biogeographical realms and, on a small scale, Heritage since 2010 (Table 2). Xinjiang Tianshan belong to the Tibetan of the 193 biogeographical and the above-mentioned five protected areas provinces, and the cold-winter deserts and semi- outside China have similar vegetation types and

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altitudinal natural belts. The 5 protected areas regions under the effects of global climate change. outside China have abundant rare and endangered (6) Xinjiang Tianshan presents the most species as well as numerous endemic species, while typical and intact montane vertical natural zones in Xinjiang Tianshan has the highest peaks of the a short horizontal distance in the temperate arid Tianshan Mountains and vast vertical space for the region, which is unique worldwide. altitudinal natural belts and Tianshan montane ecosystems, and it displays the integrity of the natural belts and mountain ecosystems of the arid zone. Thus, 5 Conclusions and Discussion Xinjiang Tianshan outstandingly represents the biological evolution, in space, of the Pamir-Tianshan According to the analysis of the natural Highlands bio-geographical province. heritage features and heritage values and a global The nominated properties of Xinjiang comparative analysis, using a comprehensive Tianshan have great altitudinal difference, so do analysis of the region’s attributes and geographical with, the south and north slopes, and the east and comparison, Xinjiang Tianshan meets criteria (vii) west parts of the mountains, which provides and (ix) of natural World Heritage. enough space for a variety of beautiful landscape. (1) Criterion (vii): contain superlative natural Thus, the nominated properties of Xinjiang phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty Tianshan is the region where the landscape and aesthetic importance. Xinjiang Tianshan is the monomer is the most abundant, types of landscape typical representative of integrated mountain are the most numerous and the combination of natural beauty in the temperate arid regions, and landscapes is the best in the Tianshan Mountains. has remarkable landscape diversity and spectacular In view of the landscape differences, and the natural beauty. complete continuity and succession of landscapes (2) Criterion (ix): be outstanding examples, as well as the wholeness of landscape, the representing significant on-going ecological and nominated properties of Xinjiang Tianshan are biological processes in the evolution and only a small part in the whole Tianshan Mountains. development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and In conclusion, the global uniqueness of marine ecosystems and communities of plants and Xinjiang Tianshan is as follows: animals. Xinjiang Tianshan is the most typical (1) The Tianshan Mountain Range is the representative of the mountain ecosystems in the largest latitudinal mountain range worldwide, and temperate arid desert regions, and has intact Xinjiang Tianshan is the only huge mountain range vertical natural zones in an arid region, so it is an in the world that is surrounded by two large deserts. outstanding example of the biological succession of This special geographical pattern is unique in the communities in mountain ecosystems in the arid world. regions in the context of global climate change. (2) The huge vertical difference in Xinjiang Xinjiang Tianshan is the outstanding representative Tianshan nominated property is 6,063 m. When of the biological and ecological processes of the combined with the extremely different physical Pamir-Tianshan Highlands biogeographical geographical features, this outstanding example of province. Xinjiang Tianshan also possesses the integrated mountain natural beauty of the abundant species and is a significant habitat for temperate arid desert regions is incomparable. many rare, endangered and endemic species. (3) Xinjiang Tianshan is the most outstanding In conclusion, Xinjiang Tianshan has representatives of the biological and ecological Outstanding Universal Values aesthetically, processes in the Pamir-Tianshan Highlands biologically and ecologically and is worth to be biogeographical province. designated as a natural World Heritage site. (4) Xinjiang Tianshan is the most representative of mountain ecosystems in the temperate arid desert regions. Acknowledgements (5) Xinjiang Tianshan is an outstanding example of the succession of the biological communities of the mountain ecosystems in arid The paper is supported by the Chinese

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Academy of Sciences Visiting Professorship for Science and Technology in providing guidance Senior International Scientists (Grant No. concerning world natural heritage criteria. The 2010T2Z17), Special Funding of Russia, Ukraine authors are grateful for Ablimitt and Zhao Xingyou, and Belarus, Bureau of International Co-operation researchers from Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2011. The authors Geography of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and would like to acknowledge the assistance of James Professor Haiying affiliated with the Xinjiang Thorsell and John Mackinnon, experts from the Normal University in providing objective data World Conservation Union (IUCN) and Professor concerning species of Xinjiang Tianshan. Liang Yongning from Kunming University of

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