What is biodiversity?

The study of biological and landscape diversity is a comparative young trend in modern science.

The term "biodiversity" is commonly used to describe the number, variety and variability of living organisms. In a broad sense, the term covers many different parameters and is synonymous with "life on Earth".

In broad scientific use the term "biodiversity" was included in the 1972 Stockholm UN conference on the environment. Environmentalists managed to convince the political leaders of the world community that the protection of wildlife should be a priority in the implementation of any human activity on Earth. Twenty years later, in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, the UN Conference on environment and development adopted the Convention on biological diversity. This document was signed by more than 180 countries, including Russia. In Russia, the active implementation of the Convention began after its ratification by the State Duma in 1995.

In my article I would like to consider the biodiversity of such a region of Russia as the North Caucasus.

This amazing Caucasus!

The North Caucasus is a region of Russia with a very complex landscape composition and several climatic zones. Depending on such diverse landscapes, formed and unique nature.

There are high mountains with glaciers on the tops and forests with broad-leaved trees, coniferous trees on the slopes and Alpine meadows, as well as fast-flowing mountain rivers. In the vastness of the steppe stretches with feather grass and oases, characteristic of the subtropical zone.

The North Caucasus has unique natural resources, which have no analogues anywhere in the world. The species diversity of the Caucasus is extremely rich and is represented by a high concentration of biodiversity not only at the species level but also at the ecosystem level. For example, the flora of the Caucasus includes more than 6000 thousand species, and only 433 of them are common in the surrounding plains and do not rise above the lower zone of the mountains.

Plants

Flora in this region is about 6000 species, including many endemics. This snowdrops bortkevicha and bracts poppy, Caucasian blueberries. Among the trees and shrubs found dogwood, thorns, wild cherry, cherry plum, sea buckthorn, hornbeam, hooked pine. Even here there are fields of crimson Bukovica, pink daisies, mountain virgins. Also in the region of the North Caucasus grow valuable species of medicinal plants: madder and wormwood Tauride.

Due to the large number of plant species and biodiversity, nature reserves and natural parks, reserves and ecological zones have been established.

Animals

In the North Caucasus live chamois and wild goats, lynx and deer, ROE deer and bears. In the steppe there are jerboa and hares-hares, hedgehogs and hamsters. Predators are here to hunt the wolf, weasel, Fox, squirrel. Wild cats and Martens, badgers and wild boars live in the forests of the Caucasus. In the parks you can find squirrels who are not afraid of people and take treats.

Bison, elk, beaver, Persian leopard in the past were exterminated throughout the North Caucasus. The bison and the beaver are acclimatized again, the moose settled independently as a result of natural expansion of the area in southern Europe. In addition, 7 new species of mammals for the region were imported: raccoon dog, raccoon-striped, American mink, spotted deer, common squirrel, Altai marmot, muskrat. But of these, the American mink did not take root, and the Altai marmot destroyed.

Birds

In this region there are many species of birds: eagles and meadow Harriers, kites and Kamenka, quails and larks. Nearby rivers live ducks, pheasants, Wagtails. There are migratory birds, and there are those who live here all year round.

Insects

There are about 8 thousand species of beetles, the number of species of Diptera is estimated at about 3-5 thousand, Lepidoptera identified more than 2 thousand species and the number of them as further research is likely to increase significantly. Especially characteristic is the abundance of grasshoppers (98 species) and crickets (24 species).

Accident    

Once I happened to meet on my way such amazing insects as a stag beetle and Caucasian ground beetle (see photo). Surprisingly beautiful insects listed in the Red book. We admired the ground beetle from the side, did not even touch it. But I did the wrong thing with the bug. I was only 7 years old at the time, and I foolishly decided to touch the antler of a stag beetle, and it bit into my finger with its horns, grabbing it with a death grip. I was terribly scared and even cried in pain. Thanks to my mom. She guessed to spit on his belly, and he immediately opened his horns and let go of my finger. And we let him wander further down the tree trunk. And I've become more respectful of bugs.

The world of nature in the North Caucasus is unique and inimitable. It impresses with its diversity and splendor. Only this value should be kept, especially from people who have already caused a lot of harm to the nature of this region.

  Sources:

https://pandia.ru/text/78/496/6042.php

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Кавказские_горы

The article uses photos from the family archive and Internet