The book gives a complete account of the biogeography, animal and plant ecology and natural conservation in Turkmenistan.
This region within the former USSR borders on Iran and Afghanistan and includes both deserts and arid mountains. Turkmenistan, and especially the mountains of Kopetdagh, is an extremely important region for historical biogeography, as a corridor and filter between the Mediterranean region, the Middle East and the great deserts of Asia.
This remote area was studied exclusively by Soviet scientists and all information was published in Russian. This book is the first to bring data on the biogeography and conservation of Turkmenistan to the general scientific community.

Zusammenfassung
An account of the biogeography, animal and plant ecology and natural conservation in Turkmenistan. This region includes deserts and arid mountains, and is important for historical biogeography as a corridor and filter between the Mediterranean region, the Middle East and the deserts of Asia.

Inhalt

1. Introduction: One Hundred Years of Natural History in Turkmenistan; V. Fet. 2. Landscapes of Turkmenistan; A.G. Babaev. 3. Climate of Turkmenistan; N.S. Orlovsky. 4. Paleogeography of Turkmenistan; K.I. Atamuradov. 5. Desertification of the Arid Lands of Turkmenistan; N.G. Kharin. 6. Vegetation of the Deserts of Turkmenistan; I.G. Rustamov. 7. Flora of Kopetdagh; D. Kurbanov. 8. Kopetdagh-Khorassan Flora: Regional Features of Central Kopetdagh; G.L. Kamakhina. 9. Vegetation of Southwest Kopetdagh; G.N. Fet. 10. Trees, Shrubs, and Semishrubs in the Mountains of Turkmenistan; K.P. Popov. 11. Ecosystem Structure of Subtropical Arid Pistachio Woodlands in Southern Turkmenistan; R.I. Zlotin. 12. Biogeographic Position of Khorassan-Kopetdagh; V. Fet. 13. Vertebrates in the Red Data Book of Turkmenistan; A.K. Rustamov, O. Sopyev. 14. Ecology of the Bearded Goat (Capra aegargus Ersleben, 1777) in Turkmenistan; V.M. Korshunov. 15. Ecology of Birds in the Karakum Desert; A.K. Rustamov. 16. Ecological Structure of Bird Population in the Transcaspian Region: Cartographic Analysis and Problems of Conservation; E.A. Rustamov. 17. Kidney Structure and its Role in Osmoregulation in Desert Birds; M.A. Amanova. 18. On the Evolution of the Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus L.) in Middle Asia; A.V. Solokha. 19. Zoogeographic Analysis of Reptiles of Turkmenistan; N.N. Shcherbak. 20. Reptiles of Kopetdagh; Ch. Ataev, A.K. Rustamov, S. Shammakov. 21. Geographic Variability of Phrynocephalus rossikowi Nik. (Reptilia: Agamidae) in Turkmenistan and Adjacent Regions; M.L. Golubev, V.V. Manilo, A.A. Tokar. 22. Formation of Fish Populations in the Artificial Water Bodies of Turkmenistan (the Amudarya River Drainage; V.B. Salnikov. 23. Arthropods Inhabiting Rodent Burrows in the Karakum Desert; V.A. Krivokhatsky. 24. Zoogeography of Coleoptera in Turkmenistan; O.L. Kryzhanovsky, K.I. Atamuradov. 25. Zoogeography and Ecology of Buprestids (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from Kopetdagh and the Adjacent Regions of Southern Turkmenistan; M.G. Volkovich, A.V. Alexeev. 26. Fauna, Zoogeography, and Ecology of Orthoptera of Turkmenistan; T. Tokgaev. 27. Encyrtid Wasps of Turkmenistan (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae); S.N. Myartseva. 28. Zoogeography and Ecological Aspects of the Formation of Horse Fly Fauna (Diptera: Tabanidae) in Turkmenistan; R.V. Andreeva. 29. Anti-Lions (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) of Turkmenistan; V.A. Krivokhatsky. 30. Fauna and Zoogeography of Spiders (Arachnida: Aranei) of Turkmenistan; K.G. Michailov, V. Fet. 31. Fauna and Zoogeography of Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) in Turkmenistan; V. Fet. 32. Zoogeography of Molluscs of Turkmenistan; Ya.I. Starobogatov. Index.