Ecosystem Services and Problems of Reedbed Management in the Ili River Delta

Abstract

A characteristic feature of wetlands in the Ili River delta is the predominance of common reed (Phragmites australis) in the composition of their plant communities. Reedbeds are ecologically valuable ecosystems that play an important role in the nutrient cycle, carbon sequestration, oxygen production and maintenance of biodiversity. The Ili delta, the largest river delta in Central Asia, and its adjacent areas contain four protected areas of different conservation status, including Ramsar wetlands and the State Nature Reserve "Ili-Balkhash" with unique landscapes and biodiversity. At the same time, ecosystems in the Ili delta provide a wide range of ecosystem services and have been used by people for economic purposes for centuries. The main types of ecosystem services of reed wetland coenoses in the delta were investigated and various options for the management of reed communities were analyzed, the existing complexities and conflict potential between biodiversity conservation and the established economic activities of the local population and visiting hunters, fishermen and tourists were described. Some innovative options for more effective and sustainable use of reed biomass for economic purposes and ways of optimal management of reed coenoses, taking into account their functional importance in the maintenance of biodiversity, are proposed.