Key protected habitats of Siberian crane Grus leucogeranus in Yakutia (North-EasternRussia) as the territory of regional conservation of the biodiversity and sustainable ecosystem functioning
GermogenovN.I1,2., SleptsovS.M.1, EgorovN.N.1, BysykatovaI.P.1, VladimirtsevaM.V, .1SolomonovN.G.1,2
Institute for Biological Problem of Cryolithozone under Siberian Branch of RussianAcademy of the Science1
North-EastFederalUniversity named after M.K. Ammosov2
The Siberian crane is endangered species protected at the international level. At the present, this species is conserved in the form of two populations - fading West-Siberian population (breeding in the tundra of the Ob river lower reaches were are about 10 individuals wintering in Iran) and relatively prosperous Eastern Siberian population (inhabiting the northeastern sub-arctic tundra in Yakutia and wintering mostly in Poyang Lake Nature Reserve in downstream of Yangtze River where it reaches 4-4.5 thousand individuals).The key habitats of the Siberian cranes in Yakutiaare located in theirbreeding area, in areas of the non-breeding bird summer staying, andalong the main flyway which runs from the LenaRiverto East through the Verkhoyansk mountain ridge and the Middle Aldan basin. Among them, at least 19are protected territories with the different statuses.Their total area exceeds 170 km2, accounting for almost 20 % of the System of Specially Protected Nature Areas of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) (SPNA) established by the recommendation of the Institute's in 1994.So, the Siberian crane’s main breeding and summering grounds are protected by 2 State Nature Reserves (SNR) and 1 Resource Reserve of RepublicImportance (RRR)in the tundra zone.Areas of intensive migration and transit stops ofcranes in the forest-tundra and innorthern forests are under protection of 1 NaturalPark, 9 RRR and 2 Resource Reserves of theLocal Importance (RR) and 1 SNRand 3 RRR in the middle taiga. This network of Siberian crane’s protected habitats plays an important role in biodiversity conservation and sustainable functioning of the ecosystem providedby regional System of Protected Areas and 2 State Nature Reserves under the protection of which is almost one third of the Republic square.This is due to the many-functioningofSPNTforming Network of Siberian Crane Key Habitats. Their territory protects not only the Siberian cranes and their habitats but other rare plants and animalspecies and breeding and moulting waterbirds, ungulate calving sites,fish fauna and fur-bearing animalsreproduction areas.Typical undisturbed and unique natural complexes and ecosystems, habitat and traditional lifestyle of indigenous peoples of the North arestayingconservedbythisway.