From an ecological perspective, the study of biological diversity is a key element for maintaining the sustainability of ecosystems and for developing and implementing effective conservation and natural resource management strategies. Lake Alakol, a slightly saline, endorheic lake in Kazakhstan, is a unique natural object with rich biodiversity. According to research results, diversity indices such as Simpson (0.99), Shannon (3.48), Margalef (0.78), have similar values, which indicates a sufficient variety of macrophytes. Four ecological groups were identified, with a significant number being hygrophytes (Hg) - 30 species and hygromesophytes (HgM) - 26 species. The hydrophytic index of Lake Alakol was 0.7, which indicates the sustainability of the aquatic flora and a high proportion of true aquatic plants. Among the life forms, perennials (75 species) and annuals (16 species) predominate, which is explained by the morphological and anatomical characteristics of aquatic plants and determines their adaptation to the aquatic environment. Thus, ecological study of macrophytes of Lake Alakol can offer important data for devising successful management and conservation strategies for water basins and their surrounding environment.
The inland waters of Northern Kazakhstan are important components of the ecosystems of this region and have unique characteristics. Endorheic steppe lakes are important ecosystems with significant ecological value. They play an important role in maintaining biodiversity, they provide water resources for living organisms, they serve as breeding and migration sites for various animal species, and their zooplankton communities have a key role in the trophic web of these waters. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to study the diversity of zooplankton communities in some small steppe lakes in the northern part of Kazakhstan (Pavlodar, Kostanay, North Kazakhstan, and Akmola regions), which have different environmental conditions. Sampling to study the species diversity of zooplankton in the steppe water bodies of Northern Kazakhstan was carried out from 13 areas, 12 of which are plain lakes, and 1 of which is a reservoir, and sampling was performed in 2021 and 2022 during in the spring, summer, and autumn periods. Within the research period of 2021–2022, between 6 and 36 species of zooplankton were found in small steppe lakes. A total of 92 taxa were found. Rotifers (46 taxa) were found to have the richest number of species representatives. Cladocera were represented by 21 taxa, and Copepods by 25 taxa. All studied steppe lakes in the northern part of Kazakhstan are characterized by high specificity in terms of taxonomic composition, since the similarity indices did not exceed 0.632. According to cluster analysis, the studied samples of water bodies are divided into five clusters, in which lakes with a relatively similar taxonomic composition are combined. The halophile species (e.g., Arctodiaptomus salinarus) indicate water salinization. Our results confirm the applicability of the use of zooplankton in assessing water quality and the current ecological state of aquatic ecosystems.
Увеличение антропогенной деятельности является главным фактором, вызывающим изменения в климате, атмосфере, биосфере и криосфере Земли, которые непосредственно или косвенно влияют на экосистемы на локальном, региональном и глобальном уровнях. До промышленной революции загрязняющий фактор был связан с природными причинами, но с наступлением промышленной революции в 19 веке наша экосистема начала подвергаться загрязнению в разы больше. Увеличение загрязнения приводит к таким последствиям как засуха, увеличение пустыни, глобальное потепление, таяние ледников и др.
10 December 2025 in Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity
Akhatayeva D, Kutsev M, Vesselova P, Inelova Z, Osmonali B, Aitzhan M, Zaparina Y, Shadmanova L, Boros E. 2025. Genetic polymorphism of Populus pruinosa and Populus euphratica in Kazakhstan based on ISSR markers. Biodiversitas 26: 6120-6129. The genus Populus (Salicaceae) in Kazakhstan is represented by 13 species, although the exact number of species, including varieties and hybrids, has not been clearly established. Among them, Populus pruinosa and Populus euphratica are native species with rapidly declining population sizes and shrinking habitats. Comprehensive studies on their biology and genetic diversity in Kazakhstan have not reported so far. This study aimed to assess genetic diversity, compare patterns of differentiation, evaluate the relationship between genetic variation and ecological conditions in natural populations of both species. Genetic variability was assessed using the ISSR method, and statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA. Samples from six natural populations in southern Kazakhstan (three populations of P. pruinosa and three of P. euphratica) showed distinct interspecific differentiation and variable genetic diversity. P. pruinosa populations had higher allelic diversity (h = 0.114-0.153) and expected heterozygosity (0.107-0.139) than P. euphratica (h = 0.041-0.085). Greater genetic diversity in P. pruinosa indicates stronger adaptive potential to arid environments. A moderate correlation was found between genetic and geographic distances (r = 0.597). The findings highlight P. pruinosa superior ecological adaptability. Both species are recommended for targeted conservation and restoration of arid ecosystems in Kazakhstan.