Biodiversity Profile of Afghanistan - Disasters and Conflicts - UNEP
Biodiversity Profile of Afghanistan - Disasters and Conflicts - UNEP
Biodiversity Profile of Afghanistan - Disasters and Conflicts - UNEP
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9 Eco-region Status<br />
Ecosystems.can.be.characterized.by.three.primary.<br />
attributes:. composition,. structure. <strong>and</strong>. function..<br />
Ecosystem. composition. relates. primarily. to. the.<br />
species.that.are.present.in.an.ecosystem.<strong>and</strong>.their.<br />
population.sizes..Ecosystem.structure.relates.to.the.<br />
spatial. arrangement. <strong>of</strong>. species. on. the. ground..<br />
Vertical. structure. refers. primarily. to. the. growth.<br />
form.<strong>of</strong>.the.dominant.plants.(e.g.,.trees,.shrubs,.<br />
grass). while. two-dimensional. structure. refers. to.<br />
the.recurring.spatial.patterns..Ecosystem.function.<br />
relates. primarily. to. how. an. ecosystem. transfers.<br />
energy.<strong>and</strong>.materials.<strong>and</strong>.addresses.issues.such.as.<br />
hydrological.control,.pollution.<strong>and</strong>.productivity..<br />
There. is. little. current. information. allowing. an.<br />
objective. <strong>and</strong>. accurate. determination. <strong>of</strong>. how.<br />
<strong>Afghanistan</strong>’s.ecosystems.are.faring.with.respect.<br />
to.composition,.structure.<strong>and</strong>.function..However,.it.<br />
is.possible.to.assess.subjectively.<strong>and</strong>.roughly.how.<br />
each.<strong>of</strong>.the.WWF.eco-regions.rank.in.each.category..<br />
Table.6.ranks.ecosystem.attributes.subjectively.for.<br />
the.11.eco-regions.that.are.extensively.represented.<br />
in.<strong>Afghanistan</strong>..The.assessment.refers.to.the.entire.<br />
eco-region.<strong>and</strong>.does.not.address.localized.effects,.<br />
for.example,.along.rivers.or.near.settlements..<br />
for Global Environment Management (NCSA) for <strong>Afghanistan</strong><br />
A.number.<strong>of</strong>.patterns.are.evident.in.this.table:<br />
•. The. species. composition. <strong>of</strong>. all. eco-regions.<br />
has. been. significantly. reduced. through. a.<br />
combination. <strong>of</strong>. overgrazing,. fuel. collection.<br />
<strong>and</strong>.exploitation.by.large.herbivorous.animals..<br />
Open.woodl<strong>and</strong>.types.have.probably.been.<br />
most. affected,. over. millennia. <strong>of</strong>. habitat.<br />
alteration..The.species.composition.<strong>of</strong>.alpine.<br />
regions.has.probably.been.least.affected..<br />
•. Ecosystem.structure.has.been.most.affected.<br />
in.forest.<strong>and</strong>.open.woodl<strong>and</strong>.types.as.a.result.<br />
<strong>of</strong>.tree.cutting..To.a.lesser.extent,.the.structure.<br />
<strong>of</strong>.semi-deserts.has.been.affected.by.shrub.<br />
collection.<strong>and</strong>.cutting.<strong>of</strong>.Pistacia.trees..Deserts.<br />
have. little. structure. to. begin. with. <strong>and</strong>. are.<br />
therefore.not.significantly.affected.<br />
•. Ecosystem.function.is.very.difficult.to.assess,.but.<br />
it.appears.that.highly.altered.forests.have.been.<br />
most.affected.<strong>and</strong>.deserts.the.least.affected..<br />
The. effects. <strong>of</strong>. accelerated. loss. <strong>of</strong>. monsoon.<br />
influenced.forest.on.ecosystem.function.is.not.<br />
known,.but.expected.to.be.significant..<br />
Table.6. Subjective.Classification.<strong>of</strong>.Human.Impact.on.Composition,.Structure.<strong>and</strong>.Function..<br />
. . . . <strong>of</strong>.WWF-US.Eco-regions.in.<strong>Afghanistan</strong><br />
IMPACTS ON ATTRIBUTES OF AFGHAN ECO-REGIONS<br />
Composition<br />
Forests<br />
Structure Function<br />
East Afghan Montane Conifer Forests High High Medium<br />
Baluchistan Xeric Woodl<strong>and</strong>s<br />
Open Woodl<strong>and</strong>s<br />
Very High Very High High<br />
Central Afghan Mountains Xeric Woodl<strong>and</strong>s High Very High High<br />
Paropamisus Xeric Woodl<strong>and</strong>s<br />
Semi-Desert<br />
High Very High Medium<br />
Afghan Mountains Semi-Desert Medium High Medium<br />
Badkhiz(Badhgis)-Karabil Semi-Desert High High High<br />
Central Persian Desert Basins High Medium Low<br />
Registan-North Pakistan S<strong>and</strong>y Desert<br />
Montane Grassl<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> Shrubl<strong>and</strong>s<br />
High High High<br />
Pamir Alpine Desert And Tundra Medium Medium High<br />
Hindu Kush Alpine Meadow High Medium Medium<br />
Ghorat-Hazarajat Alpine Meadow Medium Medium Medium<br />
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