CR

Zygophyllum bucharicum

Declining

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Zygophyllum bucharicum faces severe threats from agricultural expansion and intensive grazing in its limited Central Asian range. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat conversion, while overgrazing by livestock degrades the specialized desert plant communities it depends upon. Climate change poses an additional threat through increased aridity and altered precipitation patterns in its already marginal desert habitat.

Threat summary

Habitat

This critically endangered shrub inhabits arid desert and semi-desert regions of Central Asia, typically growing in sandy and saline soils. It occurs in specialized desert plant communities adapted to extreme aridity and high salinity levels.

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Zygophyllum bucharicum classified as Critically Endangered?
Zygophyllum bucharicum is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Zygophyllum bucharicum faces severe threats from agricultural expansion and intensive grazing in its limited Central Asian range. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat conversion, while overgrazing by livestock degrades the specialized desert plant communities it depends upon. Climate change poses an additional threat through increased aridity and altered precipitation patterns in its already marginal desert habitat.
Where does Zygophyllum bucharicum live?
Zygophyllum bucharicum occurs in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Zygophyllum bucharicum?
The main threats to Zygophyllum bucharicum are 2.3, ai-1, ai-2, and ai-3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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