Cbd third National Report Armenia (English version)

Decisions on Taxonomy

◊ Has your country developed a plan to implement the suggested actions as annexed to decision IV/1? (decision IV/1)
No
No, but a plan is under development	X
Yes, a plan is in place (please provide details below)
Yes, reports on implementation available (please provide details below)
Further information on a plan to implement the suggested actions as annexed to decision IV/1.
In “Biodiversity monitoring and taxonomy” section of UNDP/GEF “Needs assessment for the establishment of primary capacities for biodiversity” project (2002Ã.) they evaluated the present state of taxonomy studies in the country; the technical capacities and necessary measures for their implementation. The development and implementation of action plan in taxonomy as an individual program has been identified in Government Resolution # 1849 (2005). In NAS Institutes of Zoology and Botany they implement taxonomy surveys of animals and certain groups of plants; however, those activities are not regulated and have secondary importance to solve specific applied issues.

◊ Is your country investing on a long-term basis in the development of appropriate infrastructure for your national taxonomic collections? (decision IV/1)
No	X
Yes (please provide details below)
Further information on investment on a long-term basis in the development of appropriate infrastructure for your national taxonomic collections.
In the country there are animals’ collections in the Institute of Zoology of NAS (zoology museum; collection of invertebrates; bones’ collection); Nature Museum of Armenia: Yerevan State University and private collections. The richest and only scientifically important state collections are in the Institute of Zoology. For around 15 years the state did not provide any funding. Occasionally lump-sum investments have been provided (2003-2004). The majority of the plants has been destroyed in 1990s during the economic and energy crisis and there is gradually diminishing funding for maintenance and rehabilitation of herbarium collections.

◊ Does your country provide training programmes in taxonomy and work to increase its capacity of taxonomic research? (decision IV/1)
No
Yes (please provide details below)	X
Further information on training programmes in taxonomy and efforts to increase the capacity of taxonomic research.
The training of personnel in biodiversity is performed in the relevant faculties of state and private university (Yerevan State University; Armenian State Pedagogical University), where general and special courses are taught, during which they envisage only preliminary acquaintance with the elements of taxonomy, key principles of classifications; decisive keys and skills of determination. The further training is done in post-graduate and doctoral courses of those university and academy. However, during last 5 years there has been no masters’ or doctoral graduates in the line of taxonomy. 9 candidates of science and 1 doctor of science have completed their scientific degree. The situation becomes critical, as the average age of the classification specialists is close to 60. Due to low remuneration and insufficient financial prospects the young generation lacks desire to become a specialist of taxonomy. The insufficiency of financial, human and technical resources constrains the possibilities of taxonomy studies. With the efforts of 8-10 classifiers of classification and geography division of plants of the Institute of Botany of NAS they continue to develop and publish the multi-volume “Flora of Armenia”. At present they work over 11^th volume that will complete the inventory of vascular plants in Armenia (around 3500 species and sub-species). At present there are not classification activities of various taxonomy groups of vascular plants (family, tribe, elatives, etc.).

◊ Has your country taken steps to ensure that institutions responsible for biological diversity inventories and taxonomic activities are financially and administratively stable? (decision IV/1)
No	X
No, but steps are being considered
Yes, for some institutions
Yes, for all major institutions

28. ^2 Is your country collaborating with the existing regional, subregional and global initiatives, partnerships and institutions in carrying out the programme of work, including assessing regional taxonomic needs and identifying regional-level priorities? (decision VI/8)
No
No, but collaborative programmes are under development
Yes, some collaborative programmes are being implemented (please provide details about collaborative programmes, including results of regional needs assessments)	X
Yes, comprehensive collaborative programmes are being implemented (please provide details about collaborative programmes, including results of regional needs assessment and priority identification)
Further information on the collaboration your country is carrying out to implement the programme of work for the GTI, including regional needs assessment and priority identification.
Based on the contracts signed between scientific-research organizations of the Russian Federation and the Institute of Hydroecology and Ichthyology of NAS they perform water-biological and fish joint surveys in hydro-ecosystems of Armenia, Russia and border countries. A protocol has been signed about “Joint programs” between Hydro-chemistry service of Federal Service of Hydro-meteorology and environmental monitoring of the Russian Federation and Institute of Hydroecology and Ichthyology of NAS, within the framework of which parallel with the joint surveys of the rivers and lakes of Russia and Armenia they envisage exchange of young specialists and doctoral students, publication of joint scientific articles and collections. They have established and run a joint experimental center of the Institute of Zoology of NAS of Armenia and Institute of Parasitology of NAS of Russian Federation, the results of the projects of which are included into 4 volumes. The Institute of Zoology has concluded agreements on scientific cooperation with a range of foreign institutions – in Poland, Check Republic, Sweden, Russia and USA. Within these agreements they implement surveys of Armenian fauna on the levels of species and genetics. The Institute of Botanic participates to the following international projects in the area of classification: - development of the overview of the Caucasus flora (together with Russian NAS, Saint-Petersburg); - taxonomic surveys of high class plants’ critical tribes (jointly with New-York botanical park, USA).

29.  Has your country made an assessment of taxonomic needs and capacities at the national level for the implementation of the Convention? (annex to decision VI/8)
No
Yes, basic assessment made (please provide below a list of needs and capacities identified)	X
Yes, thorough assessment made (please provide below a list of needs and capacities identified)
Further comments on national assessment of taxonomic needs and capacities.
In the first Armenian biodiversity report and within UNDP/GEF “Needs assessment for the establishment of primary capacities for biodiversity” (2002) project they have analyzed the present state of study, maintenance and use of biodiversity; identified the needs and obstacles; development possibilities and perspectives, including in taxonomy. From the present capacities one can mention the existence of the relevant institutions; highly qualified staff and scientific schools; to a certain extent also scientific-technical base and scientific links and rich collections. From the identified needs one can mention: expansion and deepening of classification activities on genetic and ecosystem levels; training of the specialists for individual non-studied taxons of plants and non-studied or less studied classification groups of animals; insufficient and disproportional study of fauna (only 30%); expansion of international cooperation on the genetic level for taxonomy surveys and especially for education and training of personnel.

 Is your country working on regional or global capacity building to support access to, and generation of, taxonomic information in collaboration with other Parties? (annex to decision VI/8)
No	X
Yes, relevant programmes are under development
Yes, some activities are being undertaken for this purpose (please provide details below)
Yes, many activities are being undertaken for this purpose (please provide details below)
Further comments on regional or global capacity building to support access to, and generation of, taxonomic information in collaboration with other Parties.

 Has your country developed taxonomic support for the implementation of the programmes of work under the Convention as called upon in decision VI/8? (annex to decision VI/8)
No
Yes, for forest biodiversity (please provide details below)
Yes, for marine and coastal biodiversity (please provide details below)
Yes, for dry and sub-humid lands (please provide details below)
Yes, for inland waters biodiversity (please provide details below)
Yes, for mountain biodiversity (please provide details below)
Yes, for protected areas (please provide details below)	X
Yes, for agricultural biodiversity (please provide details below)
Yes, for island biodiversity (please provide details below)
Further comments on the development of taxonomic support for the implementation of the programmes of work under the Convention.
In NAS Institute of Zoology they have implemented and continue to implement the following themes: - study of invertebrates fauna of Armenia, as a basis for the evaluation and development of specially protected area of the republic (2002-2005); - study of bio-ecological peculiarities of vertebrates of Armenian fauna, as a basis for the evaluation and development of specially protected area of the republic (2002-2005); - study of bio-ecological peculiarities of vertebrates of Armenian fauna in specially protected area with the purpose of evaluation of their present state and conservation (2005-2008); - study of rare and extinguishing species of Armenia’s invertebrates as a basis for the establishment of Armenia’s Red Book. Within “Natural resources management and poverty reduction” project in regard of development of management plans of “Sevan” and “Dilijan” national parks they have implemented inventory and taxonomy support of flora and fauna. They have also inventoried the biodiversity of “Khosrov” state reserve.

 Has your country developed taxonomic support for the implementation of the cross-cutting issues under the Convention as called upon in decision VI/8?
No	X
Yes, for access and benefit-sharing (please provide details below)
Yes, for Article 8(j) (please provide details below)
Yes, for the ecosystem approach (please provide details below)
Yes, for impact assessment, monitoring and indicators (please provide details below)
Yes, for invasive alien species (please provide details below)
Yes, for others (please provide details below)
Further comments on the development of taxonomic support for the implementation of the cross-cutting issues under the Convention.
The scientists provide with taxonomy support to the selection of biodiversity monitoring indicators, as well as identification of the state of alien species. Taxonomy surveys are being performed during evaluation of consequences of economic and other type of activities, in particular in regard of performing environmental expertise.