Biodiversity and conservation challenges in the Kura–Caspian aquatic system and their implications for ecosystem services and the green economy

Abstract

The Kura River, its riparian habitats, the Kura delta and the Caspian Sea form an interconnected ecological system that supports freshwater and marine biodiversity while also providing ecosystem services with economic and social value. This study integrates two independently prepared 2026 research projects on riverside flora and fauna and on fish and other aquatic animals, and develops their observations within an ecosystem-services and green-economy framework. The source projects identified Tugai riparian vegetation, riverine fish communities, sturgeons and the Caspian seal as important components of regional biodiversity and emphasized pollution, overfishing, habitat degradation, plastic waste and climate-related water change as major pressures. A structured qualitative synthesis was combined with targeted verification against recent peer-reviewed literature and institutional sources. The analysis shows that biodiversity loss cannot be treated as a separate conservation issue because ecological degradation can weaken fisheries, habitat regulation, bank stability, nature-based recreation and other services on which water-dependent economic activity relies. Recent Caspian research further indicates that cumulative stressors and falling water levels threaten sturgeon and seal habitat as well as fisheries and coastal infrastructure. Conservation therefore has a green-economy dimension: sustainable harvest rules, habitat restoration, pollution prevention, circular waste systems, responsible aquaculture and adaptive protected-area planning can protect natural capital while supporting resilient livelihoods. The study concludes that biodiversity protection in the Kura–Caspian system should be integrated with water, fisheries and economic planning rather than addressed through isolated species-level interventions.