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Scientists discovered a new plant species in Kazakhstan

According to the department, the expedition was attended by a professor from the Department of Fundamental Biology of Astrakhan State University. V. Tatishcheva Alexey Laktionov, head of the laboratory of experimental ecology and plant acclimatization of the Botanical Garden of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Mikhail Knyazev.

Specialists in botany, zoology and ecology from Kazakhstan and Russia conducted joint research on the ecosystem and biodiversity of the natural complex of the Indera salt-dome region. During expeditionary field work, scientists conducted botanical, biogeographical and geobotanical research, describing the biotopes.

The main goal of the expedition was to select areas with the least anthropogenic impact on natural ecosystems to create a new transboundary specially protected natural area in West Kazakhstan and Atyrau regions.

“Based on the results of botanical research, a presumably new species of plant from the genus Astragalus (Astragalus L.) was discovered. This discovery is a significant contribution to science, highlighting the importance of preserving and studying Kazakhstan's biodiversity. And also, for the first time in 70 years, the list of herpetofauna of the Indera Mountains was reliably supplemented with another species - the water snake. It was found in a karst depression filled with water in the northwestern part of Lake Inder. Previously, it was found in the vicinity of Lake Inder in 1949-1950,” the ministry said. 

The press service added that the territory of the Indera salt-dome region is of high value for science and is a candidate for the creation of a new specially protected natural area.

Photo: press service of the MP of the Republic of Kazakhstan