By the Decree of the President of the country Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the year 2023 was declared "Year of Heydar Aliyev" in the Republic of Azerbaijan. Great Leader is a rare personality who appreciated nature and greenery and always remembers its protection. The second volume of the "Red Book" of the Republic of Azerbaijan was published on the basis of the Order of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev. The third volume, which is currently in its final stage, will be an important contribution to the "Year of Heydar Aliyev". In connection with the implementation of the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated November 28, 2022, the botanic scientists of our country will also make a significant contribution to the third edition of the "Red Book".
Azerbaijan's natural vegetation is exposed to anthropogenic influences, and the number of valuable plant individuals decreases or is completely destroyed. This is gradually showing its negative impact on the ecosystem. Taking into account all this, for the revision of the Red list of Azerbaijan and the implementation of scientific research works, various cities and regions of Azerbaijan (regions of Nakhchivan AR, botanical-geographical regions of the Greater Caucasus, northeastern and Karabakh economic regions of the Lesser Caucasus, including Shusha, Fizulu, Aghdam, Zangilan, and Kalbajar territories, all territories belonging to the Southern region, including each National Park) expeditions were organized and the current status of rare plants was studied. In these expeditions, in addition to planned research, separate reports were prepared on rare plants, almost every expedition contained 5-10 rare plants, their abundance, role in vegetation, habitat, reasons for their decline, trends, and information for measures to use to protect them was collected.
For the first time in 1989, only 140 of the 400 species were included in the first edition of the "Red Book" of Azerbaijan, and in the second edition in 2013, 266 higher, 20 primitive, and 14 mushroom species were included. But these are not all the species that need protection. So, the results of research conducted by scientists show that this list has increased twice. First of all, because there are 121 rare Azerbaijani and Caucasian endemics distributed in Karabakh, which has been occupied for 30 years and is famous for its unique flora, most of them need to be included in the 3rd edition. Only 58 out of 121 Karabakh species were evaluated in the 2nd edition.
Mainly employees of the Institute of Botany, but also botanists working in other institutions (Baku State University, Nakhchivan State University, Departments of Botany of Ganja State University, Departments of Biology and Ecology of Azerbaijan State Agrarian University, Institute of Bioresources of Nakhchivan Division, etc.) have compiled new lists of species, which are in danger of disappearing. The evaluation and mapping of each species which names are included in the IUCN Red List were carried out by the scientists of the Institute of Botany.
If we pay attention to the general lists, it can be seen that more than 200 species, which have not been included in the Red List of Azerbaijan, are in the status of rarity in new books.
As early as 1989, the IUCN Council began this work and created an extensive system for listing endangered plants, easily assigning categories and criteria, and classifying species at high risk of global extinction. Since 1994, IUCN Red Lists have been used to clarify the categories and criteria of threatened species, and they have been modified several times during almost 30 years. During the compilation of the Red List, the order of correspondence was followed and a standard format was used to indicate the categories and criteria.
In order to carry out these evaluations in accordance with international standards, as well as to increase their tolerance limit, to ensure in situ (cultivation in the area of distribution) recovery, studies should be carried out to reveal regularities of taxa limit factors and the number dynamics, and future 1-year data sheets should be prepared. Also, there are dozens of plants under special threat in the regions, which are in danger of disappearing only for that area, and measures to prevent this should also be implemented. For this, the rare plants of the regions are studied separately, measures are taken to protect at least the species raised to the level of rarity. This issue has always been in the center of attention in all public formations, and various practical measures have been taken and are still being taken from time to time.
Our latest research shows that at least 10% of higher plants are now rare and endangered. There are many relics from ancient times, endemic plants of the Caucasus, and only Azerbaijan. A large number of them are food, fodder, medicinal, technical, spicy, decorative, and important, so they are massively collected from nature and become rare. Intraspecies systematics reflecting the gene pool of those species should be developed, limit factors in situ conditions, the reasons for increasing the risk of tolerance should be studied and they should be regularly evaluated ecologically. The only way to prevent them is to cultivate useful plants and export the product.
It should be noted that all this was done only by botanists, their scientific potential played a big role. As a result, summarizing the list of rare plants prepared by each botanist separately, it is concluded that 25 species limited to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and not included in the "Red Book" of the Nakhchivan Republic, 33 from the Ganja-Kazakh territory, 121 endemic species from Karabakh, more than 60 species limited only by local flora, 11 from the Greater Caucasus, etc. have been considered appropriate to include to the 3rd edition of the "Red Book" of Azerbaijan. In addition, there are newly designated species for the Caucasus, the only center of distribution of which is the flora of Azerbaijan (Allium grande by PhD in biology V.N. Karimov, Cerinthe alpinanemone caucasica, Helasciadium nodiflorum by doctor of biological sciences, professor S. Ibadullayeva, Thymus hymalis, etc.) and it was considered important to include them in the new list. It is believed that more than 150 species have been included in the pink list, along with the species included in the 3rd edition of the "Red Book" of Azerbaijan, and restrictions should be placed on their collection.
Thus, by botanists and mycologists of Azerbaijan, CR (Critically Endangered) - 94 species; EN (Endangered) - 116 species; VU (Vulnerable) - 146 species; NT (Near Threatened) – 70 species; LC (Least Concern) – Less Threatened – 8 species; A total of 449 species, including DD (Data Deficient) - 13 species and NE (Not Evaluated) - Unevaluated species - 2 species, were submitted to the third new edition of the "Red Book" of Azerbaijan. The book is currently in the printing stage.
Sayyara IBADULLAYEVA, general director of the Institute of Botany, doctor of biological sciences, professor
