Misha Paltsyn, Science Director, Katunsky Biosphere Reserve, Russia 2001 Scgis Scholar
katunsky@mail.gorny.ru
2001-c_p 2001-s_e
2001 Scgis Scholar Report
Conservation GIS in Altai Mountains, Russia
(from Convis, 2001 "Conservation Geography", Chapter 10, "International")
Misha Paltsyn, Science Director katunsky@mail.gorny.ru
The Altai Mountains, the highest mountain region in Siberia, are located at the nearly exact geographic center of the Eurasian continent, where such countries as Russia, Kazakhstan, China, and Mongolia meet. The Altai Mountains are one of the most interesting places of biodiversity in the temperate zone of the world. About 2,200 plant species grow in the region, among them are 212 rare species, occurring only in this part of the world. Eighty mammal, about 260 bird, and 11 amphibian and reptilian species inhabit Altai. Some of them (snow leopard, argali sheep, manul cat, Altaian snowcock, otter, and others) are
