Semenov’s Fir-tree
Status: VU. A relic endemic of the Western Tien Shan. Ornamental.
Description. An evergreen tree of the first magnitude: up to 30 m in height and up to 1 m in diameter at breast height, with a lifespan of up to 300-350 years. The crown is narrow-pyramidal, columnar, arrow-shaped, or umbrella-shaped. Needles up to 4 cm long, solitary, flat, linear, weakly two-tipped, with slightly twisted bases, dark green above, and with two wide light blue stomatal bands below; on vegetative branches, they are straight or slightly curved, while on generative branches, they are curved, broader, and firmer; needles live up to 15 years. Cones are oval-cylindrical, 8-10 cm long and 3-4 cm wide. Scales are more or less broadly wedge-shaped with a hollowly curled upper edge. Seeds have a short wing, not exceeding 1.5 times their length.
Biological features. Mesophyte, shade-tolerant. Reproduces by seeds and layering. Seed regeneration in mixed stands with spruce is satisfactory, weak in walnut-dark coniferous forests. In pure fir stands, regeneration is extremely rare. It grows slowly in the first years and begins to bear fruit at 50-60 years.
Distribution in general and in the country. Western Tien Shan, slopes of the At-Oinok, Uzun-Akhmat, and Chatkal ranges, as well as a small area in the Talas region (Besh-Tash River gorge) and Suusamyr Aala-Tuu, the easternmost gorges of Kyzyl-Kol and Chichkan.
Habitat. The belt of dark coniferous forests at an altitude of 1300-2800 m above sea level; predominantly on the slopes of northern and northeastern exposure, together with Schrenk's spruce. At the lower boundary of its distribution in walnut-dark coniferous forests, also along the valleys of mountain rivers in combination with various trees and shrubs. The area of optimal development of fir forests is the middle mountains, within absolute heights of 2000-2500 m.
Population. In the Kyrgyz Republic, fir forests have been preserved over an area of 3.7 thousand hectares; over the past 10 years, the area of plantations has increased by 0.5 thousand hectares, although pure plantations are extremely rare.
Limiting factors. Unsystematic logging in the past. Forest fires, overgrazing. Mycotic disease - cenangium cancer.
Cultivation. Cultivated in many botanical gardens.
Existing conservation measures. Protected in the territory of the republic since 1975 according to the resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Kyrgyz SSR. Listed in the Red Book of the USSR (1984), Red Book of the Kyrgyz SSR (1985). The species is protected in the Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve.
Recommended conservation measures. Organize botanical reserves in areas of highest concentration of the species.
Ak karagai
Semenov’s, or Tien Shan, Fir-tree
Abies semenovii B. Fedtsch.
Status: VU. It is a narrowly distributed relic species endemic to the West Tien Shan. It is found on the slopes of At-Oinok, Uzun-Akhmat, Chatkal, Talas (Besh-Tash River gorge), and Suusamyr (only in the western part) Mountain Ranges, at altitudes of 1,300-2,800 m above sea level. Usually occurs in mixed communities; the area of the forest with predominance in Kyrgyzstan is 3,700-4,200 ha, with significant water-control and anti-erosion value of forests. Reproduction is generative and by layering, with the age of fruiting being 50-60 years. Propagation is satisfactory in Picea-Abies communities, weak in Juglans-Abies communities, and absent in pure Abies plantations. It is an ornamental tree and is cultivated in many botanical gardens. Limiting factors include uncontrolled felling in the past, conflagrations, excessive pasturage, viral infections, and mycosis (by fir sooty-bark Cenangium abietis (Pers.) Rehm. (Discomycetes)). It is necessary to annex areas adjacent to Sary-Chelek Nature Reserve with the most valuable Abies plantations and to create forest reservations in Koro-Karagai, Bugu-Ter, and Kan-Djailoo localities in the Toktogul district.