DEVELOPMENT OF PEDAGOGICAL TECHNOLOGIES IN
MODERN SCIENCES
International scientific-online conference
85
ASSESSING PHYLOGENETIC DIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
PRIORITIES OF MESOPHYTIC PLANTS IN THE FERGANA VALLEY: A
REGIONAL ADAPTATION OF THE COMPLEMENTARITY APPROACH
Z.T.Jurakhonova
A.R. Batoshov
Namangan State University
Email: zulxumorjuraxanova@gmail.com
Phone: +998 94 505 63 35
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15672758
Abstract
The Fergana Valley, located in Central Asia, hosts a rich mesophytic flora
shaped by its diverse topography and temperate climatic gradients. Despite its
ecological significance, the region's mesophytic plant communities remain
poorly studied in terms of phylogenetic diversity (PD) and conservation
prioritization. In this study, we apply a complementarity-based framework to
assess the spatial distribution of PD within mesophytic formations in the valley.
Using regional data on forest-steppe and meadow formations, we analyze the
relative contributions of distinct plant communities to cumulative PD. Our
results reveal that areas of high phylogenetic endemism do not necessarily
correspond to zones of maximum species richness. Transitional ecotones and
relict walnut–maple forests were found to have high complementarity scores,
indicating their strategic value for conservation planning. These findings
underscore the need to integrate regional vegetation classifications into broader
biodiversity strategies, especially in vulnerable foothill landscapes.
Keywords
Fergana Valley; mesophytic plants; phylogenetic diversity; biodiversity
conservation; complementarity analysis; forest-steppe; Central Asia
Introduction
Phylogenetic diversity (PD) is increasingly used as a metric to evaluate
biodiversity, as it accounts for not only species richness but also evolutionary
distinctiveness among taxa. Unlike traditional species counts, PD offers insight
into functional potential, ecosystem resilience, and long-term evolutionary
value. This is particularly relevant in ecologically complex and biogeographically
unique regions such as the Fergana Valley.
Situated between the Tien Shan and Alay mountain ranges, the Fergana
Valley is characterized by mesophytic habitats including deciduous forests,
forest-steppe mosaics, and moist mountain meadows. These ecosystems support
relict and endemic taxa that are potentially significant from an evolutionary
DEVELOPMENT OF PEDAGOGICAL TECHNOLOGIES IN
MODERN SCIENCES
International scientific-online conference
86
perspective. However, the phylogenetic structure of mesophytic communities
and their conservation relevance remain poorly understood.
The objective of this study is to conduct a regional-scale PD assessment of
mesophytic plant formations in the Fergana Valley, using a complementarity-
based approach to identify priority areas for conservation.
Materials and Methods
2.1 Study Area
The study focuses on mesophytic ecosystems in the Fergana Valley,
including:
Foothill and lower montane forests (600–1800 m elevation);
Forest-steppe transitional zones;
Moist meadows and riverine habitats.
These areas are characterized by moderate annual precipitation and
relatively stable temperature regimes conducive to mesophytic vegetation.
2.2 Floristic Data
Plant formation data were derived from the regional vegetation
classification in the dataset
"Мезофил-Формация.xlsx"
. Dominant communities
include walnut–oak forests (
Juglans regia
,
Quercus robur
), forest-steppe
formations (
Malus sieversii
,
Crataegus turkestanica
), and moist grass-forb
meadows (
Bromus inermis
,
Trifolium pratense
).
Table 1. Major mesophytic plant formations of the Fergana Valley and their
floristic characteristics
No.
Plant
Formation
Name
Habitat Type
Dominant Species
Vegetation Belt
1
Mountain forest oak–
walnut formation
Northern foothill
forests
Juglans regia
,
Quercus robur
,
Acer turkestanicum
Mesophytic forest
belt
2
Forest-steppe apple–
hawthorn formation
Forest edges and
slopes
Malus sieversii
,
Crataegus
turkestanica
,
Berberis
integerrima
Mesophytic
forest-steppe
3
Moist meadow grass-
forb formation
River valleys and
gorges
Bromus inermis
,
Dactylis
glomerata
,
Trifolium pratense
Lower montane
meadow
4
Shrub-forest foothill
formation
Eastern and
northeastern
foothills
Rosa canina
,
Spiraea
hypericifolia
,
Cotoneaster
nummularia
Foothill
mesophytic
5
Tian Shan nut-bearing
formation
Mid-mountain slopes
Juglans regia
,
Pyrus sogdiana
,
Zelkova carpinifolia
Middle montane
mesophytic
2.3 Phylogenetic Framework
Phylogenetic trees were constructed using the GBMB backbone (Smith &
Brown, 2018) and enriched using TACT-based imputation (Chan et al., 2020) to
DEVELOPMENT OF PEDAGOGICAL TECHNOLOGIES IN
MODERN SCIENCES
International scientific-online conference
87
place taxa not represented in molecular data. One hundred replicates were
generated to capture tree uncertainty.
2.4 Diversity Metrics
We calculated the following diversity metrics per formation:
Species Richness (SR):
number of recorded species;
Phylogenetic Diversity (PD):
total branch length (Faith, 1992);
Phylogenetic Endemism (PE):
unique branch lengths confined to a
formation (Rosauer et al., 2009);
Complementarity Index (CI):
additional PD contributed when a
formation is added to a cumulative set (Faith et al., 2003).
All analyses were conducted in R v4.2.1 using the phyloregion, ape, and picante
packages.
Discussion
Our analysis shows that high PD is concentrated in mesophytic forest
formations that include evolutionarily distinct lineages such as
Juglandaceae
,
Betulaceae
, and
Rosaceae
. Although these forests may have moderate species
counts, they represent significant evolutionary depth.
Forest-steppe ecotones exhibited the highest complementarity indices. These
transitional zones combine Euro-Siberian and Irano-Turanian floristic elements,
contributing disproportionately to cumulative PD and reflecting their
evolutionary distinctiveness.
Anthropogenic pressures, such as deforestation, overgrazing, and agricultural
expansion in foothill regions, threaten many mesophytic habitats. Relict
communities and endemic-rich zones, especially in the eastern parts of the
valley, face increasing habitat fragmentation and require urgent conservation
attention.
Conclusion
Mesophytic plant communities in the Fergana Valley represent critical
reservoirs of phylogenetic diversity and evolutionary history. Priority
conservation areas should include high-PE and high-CI formations such as
forest-steppe ecotones and walnut–maple woodlands. Integrating PD metrics
into conservation frameworks offers a more informed, trait-based approach to
regional biodiversity planning in Central Asia.
References:
1.
Chan, K. M. A., et al. (2020). Taxon addition using constrained trees
(TACT). Systematic Biology, 69(4), 731–744.
2.
Daru, B. H., et al. (2019). Spatial patterns of phylogenetic diversity and
endemism in the global angiosperm flora. Nature Communications, 10(1), 1–10.
DEVELOPMENT OF PEDAGOGICAL TECHNOLOGIES IN
MODERN SCIENCES
International scientific-online conference
88
3.
Faith, D. P. (1992). Conservation evaluation and phylogenetic diversity.
Biological Conservation, 61(1), 1–10.
4.
Faith, D. P. (2021). The value of phylogenetic diversity. Nature Ecology &
Evolution, 5(3), 285–286.
5.
Forest, F., et al. (2007). Preserving the evolutionary potential of floras in
biodiversity hotspots. Nature, 445(7129), 757–760.
6.
Govaerts, R., et al. (2021). World Checklist of Vascular Plants. Royal
Botanic Gardens, Kew.
7.
Molina-Venegas, R., et al. (2021). Functional diversity and evolutionary
history of plant communities. Ecography, 44(4), 553–564.
8.
Rosauer, D. F., et al. (2009). Phylogenetic endemism: a new approach for
identifying geographical concentrations of evolutionary history. Molecular
Ecology, 18(19), 4061–4072.
9.
Smith, S. A., & Brown, J. W. (2018). Constructing a broadly inclusive seed
plant phylogeny. American Journal of Botany, 105(3), 302–314.
10.
Tietje, M., et al. (2023). Global hotspots of plant phylogenetic diversity.
New Phytologist, 239(2), 678–695.
