Land use changes and raptor conservation in steppe habitats of Eastern Kazakhstan

摘要: Steppe habitats in central Asia have suffered important land use changes during this century which are similar to those that been pointed out as the causes of decline steppe birds western Europe. During June 1999 we conducted road surveys raptors Eastern Kazakhstan detect specific and community responses changes. We detected 11 species raptors. Kestrels (Falco naumanni tinnunculus) were most common grasslands agricultural landscapes, harriers (Circus pygargus macrourus) dominant saline steppes eagles (Aquila nipalensis) dry steppes. There fewer than grassland habitats. Ground-nesting negatively affected by four never zones. Raptor abundance patterns differed between natural human-transformed habitats, where a patchy distribution was detected. The future raptor communities seems uncertain although progressive abandonment intensive agriculture may benefit sensitive human presence. long-term conservation vertebrate depend upon maintenance ecologically socially sustainable grazing systems. # 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.