Current State of Ecosystems and Their Recreational Use of the Burabai National Park (Northern Kazakhstan)

EurAsian Journal of BioSciences Eurasia J Biosci 13, 1231-1243 (2019) Current state of ecosystems and their recreational use of the Burabai National Park (Northern Kazakhstan) Farida Akiyanova 1*, Aksholpan Atalikhova 1, Zulfira Jussupova 1, Aliya Simbatova 1, Adlet Nazhbiev 1 1 Institute of Geography and Environmental Research, “Astana” International Science Complex 8, KAZAKHSTAN *Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract The subject of study is the area of the Burabai National Park (53°05’00”N 70°18’00”W) located in the north of Kazakhstan. The article considers the current state of the many natural features of unique park which is included in the national system of specially protected areas. The Park is characterized by atypical mountain-forest landscapes with, for a steppe zone, a high biological diversity, which is a direct result of the area’s geological and geomorphological structure. The central part of the Park is located within the Borovskoy granite massif which is of Middle-Paleozoic origin, with a ring system of faults with which the low-mountain, low-relief relief is associated. The low-mountain topography and rock lithology determine the area’s climate and forest growth. Thus, the geological and geomorphological diversity which is seen here and which is associated with the island’s low mountains and low hills is an important natural factor underlying the landscape diversity. The main objects of geodiversity are individual mountains and cliff rocks of unique and unusual formation, which are included in the national list of natural monuments. The lakes which are of tectonic origin and which are limited to the zones of ring faults are also unique. This made it possible to consider the leading and interrelated components of the natural environment: geological structure; relief; surface water; and soil and vegetation cover. Based on the research carried out, a number of recommendations have been developed which will assist in sustainable nature management with the priority of developing recreation and tourism. Keywords: national park, geodiversity, tourism, ecosystems, rational nature management, biodiversity, North Kazakhstan Akiyanova F, Atalikhova A, Jussupova Z, Simbatova A, Nazhbiev A (2019) Current state of ecosystems and their recreational use of the Burabai National Park (Northern Kazakhstan). Eurasia J Biosci 13: 1231-1243. © 2019 Akiyanova et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. INTRODUCTION included in the SPA system of national importance and has the status of an environmental and scientific One of the guiding principles of the International institution (Decree of the Government of the Republic of Union for Conservation of Nature in the management of Kazakhstan 2017). The main activities seen within the specially protected natural areas (SPAs) is the need to nature park are environmental, scientific, eco- conserve the landscape features of unique geological educational, recreational and related to tourism. and geomorphological objects. One of the territories of The nature park has within its borders a combination Kazakhstan that meets this description is the Burabai of various resources conducive to a healthy lifestyle: the State National Nature Park (hereinafter referred to as fresh air of the conifer forests; lakes with beaches which the “nature park”), which was created on August 12, can be used for water-related recreation in the summer; 2000. hot and sunny summers for open-air activities including The uniqueness of the nature park is associated with sunbathing; mountains which can be used by tourists the presence within the steppe zone of island relict and climbers; rugged terrain for active walking; snowy mountain-forest ecosystems in combination with many winters for skiing; mineral springs with medicinal waters fresh-water lakes and valuable biodiversity. The and therapeutic mud; and fresh groundwater with a geological and geomorphological diversity available complex mix of biologically active micro-components. here is associated with the island’s low mountains and The results of archaeological studies in the area low hills which determine the altitudinal zonality, which show Neolithic artifacts on the shores of the Borovoye is in turn an important natural factor underlying the diversity of the landscape and species. Received: February 2019 The nature park is located in North Kazakhstan, and Accepted: September 2019 its area is 129,500 hectares (Fig. 1). The nature park is Printed: September 2019 1231 EurAsian Journal of BioSciences 13: 1231-1243 (2019) Akiyanova et al. Over the last 20-25 years, active use of the territory for tourist and recreational purposes, accompanied by an excessive anthropogenic pressure on the natural ecosystems, has been observed. The number of visitors is increasing by an average of 10-15% per year and as high as 25% in 2016-2017. This excludes visitors who did not use official accommodation services (Committee on Statistics). Active development of the tourism infrastructure is planned, with a view to increasing the throughput of tourists; and this will further increase the pressure on the ecosystems. In view of the above background, it appears to be a priority that the geodiversity of the nature park should be Fig. 1. The location and territory of the nature park. studied; and the ways in which its biodiversity depends a by Specially protected natural territories (https://ingeo.kz) on the geological and geomorphological structure of the b border of Burabai State National Nature park (compiled area should be identified. It was determined that the by Nazhbiev A. based on open view) conservation and careful use of the objects of geological and geomorphological diversity (geoconservation) is the basis for the conservation of the unique ecosystems of the Burabai nature park. Sustainable use of the objects of geodiversity can be achieved by regulating the recreational pressure on the natural systems of the nature park. MATERIALS AND METHODS Research into the geological diversity of the nature park was based on the published data and maps covering the geology, tectonics and geomorphology of the area. (Abdulkabirova et al. 1988). To study the dependence of ecosystems on geodiversity, decoding was carried out of digital images Fig. 2. The central part of the nature park. Lake Borovoye and the Kokshetau low-mountain massif (photo by authors) taken from space by Ladsat 8, Sentinel in August 2018. Maps of vegetation and landscapes were used (https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/). freshwater lake. As for the period of recorded history, the In order to study the pressure on natural systems, an Borovoye State Forestry section of Russia’s State ecosystem approach was applied, which is a tool for the Property Department of the Akmola and Semipalatinsk integrated management of land, water and biological regions was established in the area in 1898 for the resources, and contributes to their conservation and conservation of the valuable islands of pine forests sustainable use. (Kosovich et al. 2018, Oveisi et al. 2018). The long-term An ecosystem is a dynamic complex of communities development of the recreational and health-improving of plants, animals and microorganisms, as well as potential of the territory of the nature park is evidenced nonliving environments, interacting as a single functional by the fact that the territory around the lakes of the whole (Ivashchenko et al. 2007, Hassen and Asmare Shchuchinsk-Borovoye group was recognized as a 2018). The ecosystem approach is based on E.I. resort of national importance in the former Soviet Union Rachkovskaya’s method. In accordance with the as early as 1920 (Fig. 2). methodology, natural (or conditionally natural) and At present, there are thirty settlements in the area of anthropogenically disturbed ecosystems have been the nature park, including the city of Shchuchinsk, the identified within the area; and divided into terrestrial and Borovoye resort community and rural settlements, as aquatic ecosystems. To distinguish the ecosystem well as sanatoriums, recreation centers, tourist camps categories of the nature park, a local-level classification and camping sites. The total population permanently was used: aquatic - lake and land - according to their residing in the area of the nature park was 72,650 people association with various types of relief (plains, as of January 1, 2018. The population density is almost mountainous areas, low mountains and sublacustrine eight times that of the average density of the Republic of shelf) (Ivaschenko et al. 2007, Farzadnia et al. 2017, Kazakhstan. Analysis of the dynamics of the indicator Kimasi et al. 2019). confirms the increase in population. 1232 EurAsian Journal of BioSciences 13: 1231-1243 (2019) Akiyanova et al. Fig. 4. Okzhetpes mountain, a natural monument (photo by authors) slopes of the valleys of the small rivers dissecting the low-mountain massif are gorge-shaped with a steepness of 30-60° and exposure of the bedrock. The width of the valleys is from 30-50 m to 200 m with narrow floodplains Fig. 3. Geomorphological map of the central part of the and terraced levels. nature park (compiled by Akiyanova F.) On the northern slope of the low-mountain area of Kokshetau, there are several trough-shaped valleys; The identification of ecosystems was carried out and the aerial and satellite images show differences in within an element of form of relief on the basis of the vegetation cover: the mountain slopes are covered by unity of the soil and plants. They access the same living pine forest; and the valleys by forests of mixed conditions within the biota. In accordance with this composition - coniferous and broad-leaved species of approach, the main physiognomic features of the trees. The only part of these valleys where there is no ecosystems of the nature park - the relief inclusive of the vegetation is that part, in the middle reaches, situated rock lithology; the surface water; the soil cover; and the near a river channel; and which is a random pile of vegetation - were studied and mapped.

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