The study of medicinal plants and having a protected status is an urgent issue for the conservation of biodiversity in Kazakhstan. Rhaponticum carthamoides (Willd.) Ilijn is a medicinal plant, and its excessive harvesting and destruction of habitats, as well as its conservation status, are of concern. We conducted a study to assess the ecological characteristics of the habitat of the species in the Tarbagatai National Natural Park, calculate the amount of medicinal raw materials, calculate both aboveground and underground phytomass, and calculate biological and operational reserves. A map has been developed to show the distribution of the species and potential harvest sites. In addition, a correlation analysis was performed to understand how population size affects productivity. The results highlight the need for continuous monitoring and protection of endangered species. The conservation of Rhaponticum carthamoides in the Tarbagatai State National Nature Park is currently ensured by its protected status. However, the study emphasizes the importance of developing a sustainable use regime to effectively manage plant resources and ensure their preservation for future generations.

Sibiraea altaiensis (L.) Schneid. is a characteristic species of high-mountain ecosystems in Eastern Kazakhstan, Sibiraea altaiensis experiences intense solar radiation, sharp temperature fluctuations, low humidity, and nutrient-poor soils. This study presents a comprehensive ecological–anatomical analysis of the leaves and stems of S. altaiensis from natural populations of the Katon-Karagay National Park. Anatomical parameters were examined using classical microtechnical methods, morphometry, and statistical approaches. The leaf of S. altaiensis demonstrates a pronounced combination of xeromorphic and oromorphic traits. The leaf blade has a stable thickness, a well-developed cuticle, and a hypostomatic epidermis. A thickened palisade layer and a moderately variable spongy layer, reflecting adaptation to high insolation and limited moisture, characterize the dorsiventral mesophyll. The vascular bundles are reinforced with sclerenchyma, providing mechanical stability under strong winds. The stem is characterized by well-developed xylem, stable dimensions of vascular elements, and a thick periderm, which performs protective and mechanical functions. Correlation analysis revealed coherence among the main anatomical parameters, including leaf thickness, mesophyll structure, vascular bundle size, and xylem development. The weakly acidic, low-mineral soils of the habitats correspond to the moderate plasticity in mesophyll and conducting tissues. Thus, S. altaiensis exhibits a complex of anatomical and morphological adaptations enabling survival under extreme high-mountain conditions of the Kazakh Altai. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the adaptive evolution of Rosaceae taxa in Central Asia and are relevant for further taxonomic and conservation research.

Mountain ecosystems of Kazakhstan host geographically isolated Sibiraea populations, whose taxonomic status is complicated by overlapping morphology, environmental plasticity, and conflicting nomenclatural treatments. We compared 177 adult shrubs sampled at nine elevation-stratified sublocalities nested within three regional analytical groups (two S. altaiensis groups, n = 60 each; one S. tianschanica group, n = 57) using whole-shrub morphology, quantitative leaf anatomy, four soil variables, and a preliminary four-locus DNA-barcode comparison based on eight taxon-level consensus sequences (two taxa × four loci). One-way ANOVA identified regional-group differences in bush width (F(2,174) = 8.89, p < 0.001), vegetative offshoot number (F(2,174) = 21.85, p < 0.001), leaf-blade thickness (F(2,174) = 21.09, p < 0.001), soil pH (F(2,174) = 72.61, p < 0.001), electrical conductivity (F(2,174) = 41.22, p < 0.001), total nitrogen (F(2,174) = 40.21, p < 0.001), and total carbon (F(2,174) = 39.00, p < 0.001). In contrast, plant height and several vascular traits did not differ significantly, and most soil-trait associations were weak (|$\mathsf{\rho }$| ≤ 0.33). Across ITS, matK/KIM, psbA-trnH, and rbcL, the concatenated alignment showed 99.49% identity and an uncorrected p-distance of 0.51%; psbA-trnH (0.97%) and ITS (0.69%) were the most variable loci. The combined evidence demonstrates regional phenotypic and edaphic differentiation but does not establish independent evolutionary lineages because taxon and geography are confounded, and individual-level genetic variation was sparsely sampled. By establishing measurable baselines for demographic monitoring, habitat protection, provenance-based ex situ conservation, and future restoration, the study directly supports the sustainable management and long-term resilience of rare mountain-plant populations in Kazakhstan.

The taxonomic status of the Altai populations traditionally identified as Sibiraea altaiensis remains unresolved, with international databases generally treating the name as a synonym of S. laevigata. At the same time, regional sources retain it for conservation and floristic purposes. Using S. altaiensis as an operational regional name, we established a comparative ecological baseline for six natural populations distributed across the Southern and Western Kazakhstan Altai at 814–2130 m a.s.l. Vegetation was surveyed in July 2024 and July 2025 in ten 10 m × 10 m plots per population using complete vascular plant inventories, Braun–Blanquet abundance–dominance estimates, descriptions of vertical structure, and field assessment of shrub ontogenetic states. Observed vascular plant richness ranged from approximately 35 species at Tautekeli to 78 at Lineinsky; Shubartoc and Ridder contained 76 and 72 species, respectively. Mesophytes constituted 56.3–77.0% of the population floras, demonstrating a predominantly mesic community affinity across contrasting subalpine slopes, river terraces, floodplains, and sparse conifer forest. Sibiraea altaiensis was dominant or structure-forming at every locality, although associated species composition and vegetation architecture varied substantially among habitats. Juvenile plants were not detected at five populations, whereas their occurrence at Lineinsky was insufficiently documented for comparison; this pattern is interpreted cautiously because dense midsummer vegetation and litter may reduce seedling detectability. Floristic richness did not conform to a simple Southern-versus-Western Altai division, indicating that local habitat heterogeneity and vegetation context may be more informative than regional position alone. The study provides a verified descriptive baseline and identifies permanent plot monitoring, early-season recruitment surveys, direct environmental measurements, and integrated molecular taxonomic analyses as priorities for conservation assessment.