Climate change impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem-based adaptation mechanisms in Azerbaijan

Abstract

Climate change is altering ecosystems, species distributions and the services that support human well-being, while habitat loss and unsustainable resource use intensify ecological vulnerability. This narrative review examines the major pathways through which warming, hydrological change and extreme events affect biodiversity and identifies adaptation mechanisms relevant to Azerbaijan. The paper synthesizes authoritative global assessments, peer-reviewed literature and selected national policy documents, with emphasis on forests, mountain ecosystems, freshwater habitats, agricultural landscapes and nature-based solutions. The reviewed evidence links climate stress to habitat modification, range shifts, altered seasonal processes, water scarcity and increasing pressure on ecosystem services, although local impacts depend on land use, exposure and species-specific sensitivity. Ecosystem-based adaptation offers opportunities through habitat restoration, ecological connectivity, water and soil conservation, sustainable forestry and biodiversity-sensitive land management. These measures require careful ecological design because poorly located tree planting or other single-purpose interventions may create trade-offs for water resources and native species. For Azerbaijan, integrating biodiversity monitoring into climate planning, aligning adaptation investments with watershed-scale risk, and involving local communities are practical priorities. The review concludes that protecting ecological function is both a conservation objective and an economic resilience strategy. Its contribution is a context-specific policy synthesis rather than a new quantitative assessment of climate impacts.