# Tugay

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Riparian gallery forest habitats in central Asia

"Tugai" redirects here. For other uses, see [Tugai (disambiguation)](/source/Tugai_(disambiguation)).

For other uses, see [Tugay (disambiguation)](/source/Tugay_(disambiguation)).

Tugai vegetation along the [Syr-Darya](/source/Syr-Darya) in [Kazakhstan](/source/Kazakhstan), [Central Asia](/source/Central_Asia).

**Tugay**[a][b] is a form of [riparian](/source/Riparian_zone) [forest](/source/Forest) or [woodland](/source/Woodland) associated with [fluvial](/source/Fluvial) and [floodplain](/source/Floodplain) areas in arid climates. These [wetlands](/source/Wetlands) are subject to periodic inundation, and largely dependent on floods and groundwater rather than directly from rainfall. Tugay habitats occur in [semi-arid](/source/Semi-arid_climate) and [desert climates](/source/Desert_climate) in [Central Asia](/source/Central_Asia). Because Tugay habitat is usually linear, following the courses of rivers in arid landscapes, Tugay communities often function as [wildlife corridors](/source/Wildlife_corridor). They have disappeared or become fragmented over much of their former range.[1][2]

[Euphrates poplar](/source/Euphrates_poplar) trees and [tamarix](/source/Tamarix) bushes at the [Ekhiin-Gol Oasis](/source/Bayankhongor_Province#Geography) in the [Gobi Desert](/source/Gobi_Desert).

## Distribution

See also: [Central Asian riparian woodlands](/source/Central_Asian_riparian_woodlands) and [Tarim Basin deciduous forests and steppe](/source/Tarim_Basin_deciduous_forests_and_steppe)

The centre of the range of Tugay vegetation is the [Tarim Basin](/source/Tarim_Basin) in north-western [China](/source/China), where the Tarim Huyanglin nature reserve in the middle reaches of the [Tarim River](/source/Tarim_River) holds the largest areas of intact Tugay forests, with a 1993 estimate of about 61% of the total. The [Central Asian](/source/Central_Asia) countries hold another 31%, with smaller areas remaining in the [Middle East](/source/Middle_East) and [Pakistan](/source/Pakistan).[1] Tugais also occur in the [Caucasus](/source/Caucasus).[3]

[Eastern imperial eagle](/source/Eastern_imperial_eagle) nest in a tugai forest in [Georgia](/source/Georgia_(country)).

## Vegetation

Close to rivers and where [groundwater](/source/Groundwater) levels are shallow, the vegetation is usually dominated by [poplars](/source/Populus) (especially *[Populus euphratica](/source/Populus_euphratica)*)[3] and [willows](/source/Willow) such as *[Salix songarica](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Salix_songarica&action=edit&redlink=1)*. Where the forest has been disturbed, other species such as [tamarisk](/source/Tamarix_ramosissima), [sea-buckthorn](/source/Hippophae_rhamnoides) and [oleaster](/source/Elaeagnus) will grow. Herbaceous plants include [reeds](/source/Reed_(plant)), [common spike rush](/source/Eleocharis_palustris), [jointleaf rush](/source/Juncus_articulatus), [fleabane](/source/Pulicaria), [cocklebur](/source/Cocklebur) and [thorn apple](/source/Datura_stramonium). Grass tugai vegetation is dominated by *[Phragmites australis](/source/Phragmites_australis)*, *[Calamagrostis](/source/Calamagrostis)* and *[Typha](/source/Typha)*.[2] Where the groundwater is deeper, [oaks](/source/Quercus) and [elms](/source/Ulmus_minor) will dominate.[4] The principal causes for the loss of tugai vegetation include dam construction, tree cutting, grazing, and agriculture.[2]

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** From [Bashkir](/source/Bashkir_language): туғай, [romanized](/source/Romanization_of_Bashkir): *tuğay*

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Also spelt or romanized as *Tugai*, *Tughay*, *Tugae*, *Tougaï*, *Toogay*, etc.

## See also

- [Bosque](/source/Bosque), an analogous forest type in arid and semiarid regions of the southwestern United States

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-thevs_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-thevs_3-1) Thevs, Niels (2005). ["Tugay vegetation in the middle reaches of the Tarim River – Vegetation types and their ecology"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180901044402/https://botanik.uni-greifswald.de/). *Archiv für Naturschutz und Landschaftsforschung*. March 2005: 63–84. Archived from [the original](http://www.botanik.uni-greifswald.de/) on 2018-09-01. Retrieved 2013-03-30.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Treshkin_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Treshkin_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Treshkin_4-2) Treshkin, S.Y.; Kamalov, S.K.; Bachiev, A.; Mamutov, N.; Gladishev, A.I.; Aimbetov, I. (1998). *Present status of the tugai forets in the lower Amu-Dar'ya Basin and problems of their protection and restoration. Pages 43-53 in Ecological Research and Monitoring of the Aral Sea Deltas. A Basis for Restoration*. Paris, France: UNESCO.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Geptner1972_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Geptner1972_5-1) Heptner, V. G.; Sludskij, A. A. (1992) [1972]. [*Mlekopitajuščie Sovetskogo Soiuza. Moskva: Vysšaia Škola*](https://archive.org/stream/mammalsofsov221992gept#page/83/mode/2up) [*Mammals of the Soviet Union. Volume II, Part 2. Carnivora (Hyaenas and Cats)*]. Washington DC: Smithsonian Institution and the National Science Foundation. pp. 1–732.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** British Petroleum. 2002. "Ecological Baseline Report". BTC Pipeline ESIA, Azerbaijan. Retrieved 2013-03-30.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tugay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tugay) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tugay?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.