Fraxinus sogdiana Bunge (family Oleaceae) is a rare, relict species, with a disjunctive distribution range. The species is listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan. The aim of this study was to determine anatomical features and identify the phytochemical composition of F. sogdiana growing in different soils in Kazakhstan. The research objects were vegetative organs collected in the Temirlik River Valley of the Almaty region (the State National Nature Park “Sharyn”) and the Boralday River Valley of the Turkestan region (the Syrdarya–Turkestan Regional Nature Park) in 2020–2022. A comparative anatomical analysis of the vegetative organs of F. sogdiana revealed similarities and differences between the specimens studied. The level of significance was taken at 5%. The main feature identified in the anatomical structure of the F. sogdiana leaves was the presence of large special motor cells in the upper and lower epidermis. A study of the phytochemical composition identified the ten most important biologically active substances with antimicrobial, antitumor, diuretic, and antioxidative properties. In the study areas, soils were different in terms of conditions and time of soil formation. The soil profile of the floodplain terrace of the Temirlik River was found to be stratified with alternating interlayers of light loamy and sandy loam granulometric composition with inclusions of pebbles; differentiation of the soil profile into genetic horizons was poorly pronounced. The soil profile of the floodplain terrace of the Boralday River had a clear differentiation into genetic horizons.

Populus pruinosa is listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan. The habitats of the species are associated with the floodplains of desert rivers, including the Syr Darya and the Ili. The reduction in tugai forests is associated with changes in the hydrological regimes of rivers, the reduction in groundwater, fires, and grazing. The aim of this research is to advance our knowledge of the woodlands and forests of P. pruinosa in Kazakhstan by analyzing the cenoflora and forestry characteristics, conducting ecological niche modeling to select suitable habitats for ecological restoration, and identifying rehabilitation strategies. The vegetation was studied using traditional methods of geobotanic field research in 2021 and 2022. Ecological niche modeling includes the calculation of all the environmental variables that are significant for the species, taken in their optimal ranges, and identifying the intersection of all the favorable conditions. To identify these variables, geographically linked meeting points of the studied species, climatic and soil conditions, relief characteristics identified by the SRTM and raster sets of the environmental variables (WorldClim), and distances to watercourses and settlements were accepted for consideration. A total of 102 environmental variables were used.

Incarvillea semiretschenskia (B. Fedtsch.) Grierson is listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan as a rare relic, narrowly endemic species of the Shu-Ile low mountains (Kazakhstan). The aim of this research was to advance our knowledge of the ecological conditions of its habitats, the floristic composition of plant communities, and molecular phylogeny, as well as to identify threats to the species’ existence. The ecological conditions of I. semiretschenskia habitats are rocky slopes and intermountain valleys of the low mountains in the altitude range from 812 to 1075 m asl with light chestnut mountain soils of little development, having a light granulometric composition and containing insignificant amounts of organic matter. We revealed 164 species of vascular plants in the communities of I. semiretschenskia, including five endemics and five species from the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan. Anthropogenic factors associated with grazing, fires, and limestone mining were identified as leading to a decrease in the number and density of populations. New insights into the relationship and time of diversification in the genus Incarvillea are gained through the use of several accessions of I. semiretschenskia and I. potaninii Batalin in the phylogenetic study. Preliminary fingerprint analysis shows relatively high genetic variability within populations of I. semiretschenskia. This unique relic species has survived since the Miocene epoch and exists to this day only in the Shu-Ile low mountains. To preserve this rare species, measures are proposed to create plant micro-reserves to provide ex situ collections and ensure future in situ restoration efforts.

Xylosalsola chiwensis (Popov) Akhani & Roalson is listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan as a rare species with a limited distribution, occurring in small populations in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. The aim of this study is to deepen the understanding of the ecological conditions of its habitats, the floristic composition of its associated plant communities, the species’ morphological and anatomical characteristics, and its molecular phylogeny, as well as to identify the main threats to its survival. The ecological conditions of the X. chiwensis habitats include coastal sandy plains and the slopes of chinks and denudation plains with gray–brown desert soils and bozyngens on the Mangyshlak Peninsula and the Ustyurt Plateau at altitudes ranging from −3 to 270 m above sea level. The species is capable of surviving in arid conditions (less than 100 mm of annual precipitation) and under extreme temperatures (air temperatures exceeding 45 °C and soil surface temperatures above 65 °C). In X. chiwensis communities, we recorded 53 species of vascular plants. Anthropogenic factors associated with livestock grazing, industrial disturbances, and off-road vehicle traffic along an unregulated network of dirt roads have been identified as contributing to population decline and the potential extinction of the species under conditions of unsustainable land use. The morphometric traits of X. chiwensis could be used for taxonomic analysis and for identifying diagnostic morphological characteristics to distinguish between species of Xylosalsola. The most taxonomically valuable characteristics include the fruit diameter (with wings) and the cone-shaped structure length, as they differ consistently between species and exhibit relatively low variability. Anatomical adaptations to arid conditions were observed, including a well-developed hypodermis, which is indicative of a water-conserving strategy. The moderate photosynthetic activity, reflected by a thinner palisade mesophyll layer, may be associated with reduced photosynthetic intensity, which is compensated for through structural mechanisms for water conservation. The flow cytometry analysis revealed a genome size of 2.483 ± 0.191 pg (2n/4x = 18), and the phylogenetic analysis confirmed the placement of X. chiwensis within the tribe Salsoleae of the subfamily Salsoloideae, supporting its taxonomic distinctness. To support the conservation of this rare species, measures are proposed to expand the area of the Ustyurt Nature Reserve through the establishment of cluster sites.

This article presents a spatial assessment of rangeland productivity, forage resources, and the potential carrying capacity of saiga (Saiga tatarica (L., 1766)) habitats within the Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve (Kazakhstan). This research integrated field geobotanical surveys, remote sensing data, and spatial modelling approaches. During fieldwork conducted in July 2025, 44 geobotanical descriptions were completed. Long-term Sentinel-2 imagery (2015–2025), spectral vegetation indices, and ensemble machine learning algorithms (Random Forest and Gradient Boosted Decision Trees) were used to model rangeland productivity. The study area includes 16 types of rangelands. The forage resource base is primarily formed by dry-steppe communities dominated by Stipa, Festuca, and Artemisia. At the same time, halophytic vegetation containing Atriplex, Bassia, and Halocnemum provides additional forage resources under arid and saline conditions. The total annual forage reserve was estimated at 3,308,921.2 centners, and the potential annual carrying capacity was calculated at 363,033 saiga individuals across 313,868 ha. These values represent the theoretical forage-carrying capacity of the territory and should not be interpreted as actual population estimates. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating remote sensing, field observations, and machine learning methods for assessing forage resources and spatial heterogeneity of rangeland ecosystems in the steppe regions of Kazakhstan.

The results of the steppe zone ecosystems investigation in Western Kazakhstan are presented. Theclassification of the main types of terrestrial ecosystems of the desert steppes subzone, divided by the forms of macrorelief(elevated plains, river valleys, sand massifs) and grouped into categories according to the type of water regime (automorphic,semihydromorphic, hydromorphic), is presented. Within the automorphic category, one zonal class of ecosystems hasbeen distinguished: cereal-wormwood desert steppes on light chestnut soils. The semi-hydromorphic category includesecosystems of wormwood-halophytic-cereal steppe meadows on meadow-chestnut soils. The hydromorphic categoryof river valleys is characterized by ecosystems of floodplain forest-meadow and tree-shrub tugai on floodplain meadowsoils.