Scientists from West Kazakhstan University (WKU) named after M. Utemisov have discovered a new plant species. This was announced by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan on June 20, 2024, Zakon.kz reports.
The ministry specified that an international scientific expedition "Inder-2024" was conducted at WKU. The expedition included Professor Alexei Laktionov from the Department of Fundamental Biology at Astrakhan State University named after V. Tatishchev, and Mikhail Knyazev, head of the Laboratory of Experimental Ecology and Plant Acclimatization at the Botanical Garden of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
"Specialists in botany, zoology, and ecology from Kazakhstan and Russia conducted joint research on the ecosystem and biodiversity of the Inder Salt Dome region. During the expedition, they carried out botanical, biogeographical, and geobotanical studies, describing biotopes... As a result of the botanical research, a potentially new plant species from the genus Astragalus (Astragalus L.) was discovered. This finding is a significant contribution to science, emphasizing the importance of preserving and studying Kazakhstan's biodiversity," the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan stated in a press release.
Additionally, for the first time in 70 years, the herpetofauna list of the Inder Mountains was reliably supplemented with a new species – the grass snake.
"It was found in a karst depression filled with water in the northwestern part of Lake Inder. Previously, it was found around Lake Inder in 1949-1950," the press release stated.
The ministry noted that the Inder Salt Dome area is of high scientific value and is a candidate for creating a new specially protected natural area.
"The main goal of the expedition was to select areas with minimal anthropogenic impact on natural ecosystems to create a new transboundary specially protected natural area in the West Kazakhstan and Atyrau regions of Kazakhstan," the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan added.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
June 20, 2024