NEPA Biodiversity Profile of Afghanistan An Output of the National Capacity Needs Self-Assessment for Global Environment Management (NCSA) for Afghanistan June 2008 United Nations Environment Programme Post-Conflict and Disaster Management Branch First published in Kabul in 2008 by the United Nations Environment Programme. Copyright © 2008, United Nations Environment Programme. This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. UNEP would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source. No use of this publication may be made for resale or for any other commercial purpose whatsoever without prior permission in writing from the United Nations Environment Programme. 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Design and Layout: Rachel Dolores & Matija Potocnik Table of Contents Foreword................................................................................................................................................................................6 Author’s.Note.........................................................................................................................................................................8 Executive.Summary...............................................................................................................................................................9 1. Introduction...................................................................................................................................................................11 2. What.is.Biodiversity?.......................................................................................................................................................11 3. Why.is.Biodiversity.Important.to.Afghanistan?................................................................................................................12 4. Afghanistan’s.Human.Population...................................................................................................................................12 5. Topography,.Climate.and.Hydrology............................................................................................................................13 6. Biogeography.and.Ecological.Classification................................................................................................................15 7. Afghanistan’s.Land.Cover..............................................................................................................................................19 8. Afghanistan’s.Eco-regions.............................................................................................................................................20 8.1. Closed.Forest.Vegetation................................................................................................................................. 20 8.1.1.East.Afghan.Montane.Conifer.Forests.(PA0506)...................................................................................... 20 8.1.2.Baluchistan.Xeric.Woodlands.(PA1307).................................................................................................. 21 8.2. Open.Woodland.Vegetation............................................................................................................................ 22 8.2.1.Central.Afghan.Mountains.Xeric.Woodlands.(PA1309)........................................................................... 22 8.2.2.Paropamisus.Xeric.Woodlands.(PA1322)................................................................................................. 22 8.3. Semi-Desert.Vegetation.................................................................................................................................... 22 8.3.1.Afghan.Mountains.Semi-Desert.(PA1301)................................................................................................ 23 8.3.2.Badkhiz.(Badghis)-Karabil.Semi-Desert.(PA1306)..................................................................................... 23 8.3.3.Central.Persian.Desert.Basins.(PA1313)................................................................................................... 23 8.3.4.Registan-North.Pakistan.Sandy.Desert.(PA1326)..................................................................................... 23 8.4. Subalpine.and.Alpine.Vegetation.................................................................................................................... 24 8.4.1.Karakoram-West.Tibetan.Plateau.Alpine.Steppe.(PA1006)...................................................................... 24 8.4.2.Pamir.Alpine.Desert.And.Tundra.(PA1014)............................................................................................... 24 8.4.3.Hindu.Kush.Alpine.Meadow.(PA1005)..................................................................................................... 24 8.4.4.Ghorat-Hazarajat.Alpine.Meadow.(PA1004)........................................................................................... 24 9. Eco-region.Status...........................................................................................................................................................25 10. Afghanistan’s.Wetlands..................................................................................................................................................26 11. Afghanistan’s.Riparian.Areas.........................................................................................................................................27 12. Afghanistan’s.Species....................................................................................................................................................27 12.1.Mammals......................................................................................................................................................... 28 12.2.Birds.................................................................................................................................................................. 29 12.3.Reptiles............................................................................................................................................................. 30 12.4.Amphibians...................................................................................................................................................... 31 12.5.Fish................................................................................................................................................................... 31 12.6.Invertebrates.................................................................................................................................................... 32 12.7.Plants................................................................................................................................................................ 32 12.8.Lichens.and.Fungi............................................................................................................................................ 33 13. Afghanistan’s.Species.at.Risk.........................................................................................................................................34 13.1.IUCN.Red.List.of.Threatened.Species................................................................................................................ 34 13.1.Convention.on.the.International.Trade.in.Endangered.Species.of.Wild.Flora.and.Fauna.(CITES).................... 34 14. Afghanistan’s.Endemic.Species.....................................................................................................................................35 15. Afghanistan’s.Protected.Areas.......................................................................................................................................35 15.1.Band-i-Amir.National.Park................................................................................................................................. 37 15.2.Ajar.Valley.Wildlife.Reserve.............................................................................................................................. 39 15.3.Ab-i-Estada....................................................................................................................................................... 40 15.4.Dasht-i-Nawar.................................................................................................................................................. 41 15.5.Hamun-i-Puzak................................................................................................................................................. 43 15.6.Kol-i-Hashmat.Khan.........................................................................................................................................