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Wetlands types

Concerning wetland type, it can be pointed out that Aydar-Arnasay lakes widely represent various types of inland wetlands. Among all inland wetlands included in the Ramsar classification for wetland types, the following types were found on these lakes:

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  M - Permanent rivers/streams/creeks; includes waterfalls;
  
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  CEU eTD Collection
  O - Permanent freshwater lakes (over 8 ha), includes large oxbow lakes. These wetlands are found in some parts of the Arnasay lake, approximately 2-3 thousand hectares;
  
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  P - Seasonal/intermittent freshwater lakes (over 8 ha), includes floodplain lakes. These wetlands are found in some parts of the territory between Arnasay and Tuzkan lakes;
  
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  Q - Permanent saline/brackish/alkaline lakes. These wetlands represent the major part of the lakes;
  
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  R - Seasonal/intermittent saline/brackish/alkaline lakes and flats. These wetlands represent small part of the lakes;
  
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  W - Shrub-dominated wetlands; shrub swamps, shrub-dominated freshwater marshes, shrub carr, alder thicket on inorganic soils (Wetlands International 2006).
  

Among human-made wetlands the following types were identified on the addressed site:

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  1 - Aquaculture (e.g., fish/shrimp) ponds;
  
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  3 - Irrigated land; includes irrigation channels and rice fields;
  
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  4 - Seasonally flooded agricultural land (including intensively managed or grazed wet meadow or pasture);
  
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  5 - Salt exploitation sites; salt pans, salines;
  
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  6 - Water storage areas; reservoirs/barrages/dams/impoundments (generally over 8 ha) (Wetlands International 2006).
  

The Aydar-Arnasay wetlands also include hunting and fish farm facilities. Active measures are taken to improve the lakes’ habitat and farming efficiency as well as actions aimed to conserve various species. Besides, these lakes are extensively used for recreational purposes. Reed vegetation is used by the local population for building some temporary constructions. It is very important to note that the ecological character of the wetlands in these lakes directly depends on the interaction with local communities and indigenous people (Wetlands International 2008b).
The Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (2008) summarizes that in 2000-2003 international counts of wintering waterbirds were conducted in these lakes. During the last five years scientific research has been carried out on the cadastres of flora and fauna, some national and international scientific reports about the Aydar-Arnasay wetlands were published. The State Committee for Nature Protection and Academy of Sciences of the Uzbekistan has elaborated projects directed at scientific research, management and protection of the Aydar-Arnasay lakes (Wetlands International 2008b).

CEU eTD Collection
To sum up, the Aydar-Arnasay lakes system represents a place of great significance concerning the wetlands of international importance as well as place of fisheries development. Therewith, situated in the crossroads of the East-Asian Australian and Central-Asian Indian flyways, these lakes is a valuable place of large-scale wintering of waterbirds.

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