1. Introduction

The problem of thorough study, mobilization and effective use of the species of cultivated plants, which are the most important for agricultural production, had been formulated by Vavilov in the late 1920s. Nowadays effective use of genetic resources of the planet is considered as one of the factors of sustainable development of the world, the process of biodiversity reduction being observed everywhere in the last decades, including a reduction of varieties of crop wild relatives (CWR) caused by the anthropogenic factor which represents a serious threat for the world community (Smekalova, 2012).

In treaties of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), it is said that genetic resources of plants are the most important terrestrial resources. Conserving biodiversity is of major importance for food and agriculture and promoting its use in of global food security and sustainable development, for present and future generations (FAO, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2014). At the same time, about 75% of the world genetic variety of crops was lost between 1900 and 2000 (FAO, 2010).

The Global Plan of Action for preservation and steady use of Genetic Resources of Plants for Food and Agriculture was officially approved by the representatives of 150 countries, including Kazakhstan (http://www.un.org/ru/documents/decl_conv/conventions/agenda21_ch14g.shtml).

In 1994, Kazakhstan ratified the convention on biodiversity according to that for preservation and the balanced use of biological diversity. It is necessary to solve the following strategic problems: the preservation of ex situ wild relatives of cultivated plants in regions of their origin; the preservation of a gene pool of local ancient cultivars of crops; the creation of a germplasm bank for rare and endangered plant species. The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation 2011-2020 addresses the challenges posed by threats to plant diversity (CBD, 2010).

In November 2001 the UN International Treaty of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture was adopted (FAO, 2001). This Treaty was directed to the preservation of plant genetic resources, their steady use for food and agriculture; fair distribution of the profits derived from the commercial use of genetic resources as well as of traditional knowledge.

Eight historic-geographic centers of development of cultural flora were allocated by Vavilov (1926), including the Central Asian center. The essential value in its composing belongs to Kazakhstan playing an important role in global biodiversity conservation, including the CWR gene pool. Sinskaya (1966) allocated 5 main geographical areas of historical development of cultural flora, Kazakhstan is situated within the Middle South-West-Asian subregion of the Ancient Mediterranean region (that completely corresponds to Vavilov's Central Asian center). According to Wulf (1987), it is necessary to allocate 16 floristic areas of the globe to include the largest part of Kazakhstan in the East Mediterranean sub-region of the Mediterranean region at the same time. So, Kazakhstan is one of the world centers of speciation of live organisms and plays an important role in the conservation of global biodiversity. In Kazakhstan genetic resources of plant agrobiodiversity of world value are concentrated. They include 194 species of the plants determining the genetic potential of 24 crops. In Kazakhstan there are natural genetic resources of 10 genera of wild fruit plants (Malus Mill., Armeniaca Scop., Pyrus L., Ribes L., Amygdalus L., Vitis L., Pistacia L., Elaeagnus L., Juglans L., and Grossularia Mill.), 7 cereal and technical genera (Linum L., Brassica L., Eruca Adans., Carthamus L., Medicago L., Avena L. and Cannabis L.), and 4 genera of vegetables (Daucus L., Portulaca L., Asparagus L. and Allium L.).

In Kazakhstan among CWR the main attention was paid to studying an apricot and Sivers apple-tree. The most powerful contribution of research was that of academician Dzhangaliyev who demonstrated that Sivers apple-tree possess high intraspecific variety (Dzhangaliyev, 1977; Dzhangaliyev and Salova, 2007). This specific feature of the species is extremely important for receiving new highly productive and steady cultivars. In Kazakhstan, 12 varieties of the apple-tree have been described (Dzhangaliyev, 1977; Ponomarenko, 1986).

Nowadays studies the agrobiodiversity of crops of Kazakhstan, including wild-growing relatives of cultivated cereals, are carried out by scientists (Sitpaeva et al., 2004; Sitpaeva, 2006). So, for Kazakhstan 141 species were described by Sitpaeva (2005), and for 32 species of especially valuable cereals within a steppe part of Kazakhstan the borders of their growth were identified. The gene pool of these plants is already used or can be used for maintenance of cultivated plants and for selection of new crops (cultivars) possessing the improved consumer qualities for ensuring food security of the country.

The analysis of degree of study of wild-growing useful plants of Kazakhstan demonstrated prospects for a comprehensive study of species of the family Amaryllidaceae J.St.-Hil. With the only genus Allium L. (124 species) no more than 21% of species were characterized (Grudzinskaya et al., 2008).

A particular interest for further development of crop production and breeding is represented by the preservation of a CWR gene pool as a source of initial genetic material. Meanwhile, such a CWR seed bank in Kazakhstan was absent. Considering the importance of this problem for the Republic, the scientific-applied program "Botanical diversity of crop wild relatives of Kazakhstan as the source of enrichment and of preservation of the genetic pool of agricultural, biological diversity for the implementation of food program" was developed and realized under the direction of Institute of Botany & Phytointroduction (2013-2015). Its ultimate goal was the creation of CWR seed banks in botanical gardens (Sitpaeva et al., 2014a, b, Sitpayeva et al., 2015).

The aim of the present study was a comprehensive assessment of species composition, diversity of plant communities, and resource potential of the CWR of the Kazakhstani Tien Shan.

The Tien Shan (in Chinese - "heavenly mountains") is one of the largest mountain systems in Central Asia with a length of more than 2500 km and a height of up to 7000 m above sea level (a.s.l.). On the territory of Kazakhstan are almost entirely the North Tien Shan and parts of the Central and Western Tien Shan (Fig. 1). The North Tien Shan is represented by ranges: the Ile, Kungey, Kyrgyz Alatau; Ketmen, Shu-Ile. The Ile and the Kyrgyz Alatau are the highest northern ridges of the Tien Shan, an average height is 4000 m a.s.l. The Central Tien Shan within Kazakhstan starts from the mountain Khan-Tengri (6995 m a.s.l.), at the junction of the borders of China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and it extends to the west by a number of ridges. The largest of them is Terskey Alatau. The heights of the Terskey Alatau range rapidly fall from the top of Khan-Tengri mountain to 4500-4700 m a.s.l. The Talass Alatau range (3500 m a.s.l.) and the mountain ridges of the southwest: Sayram (4220 m a.s.l.), Ugam (3560 m a.s.l.), Karzhantau (2839 m a.s.l.), Boraldaytau (1860 m a.s.l.) belong to the West Tien Shan. On the western outskirts of the West Tien Shan is the Karatau ridge (the highest point is 2176 m a.s.l.) (Kazakhstan, 1969; Relief of Kazakhstan, 1991; Republic of Kazakhstan, 2006).

The climate of the Kazakhstani part of the Tien Shan mountain system is dry, unstable, formed in winter under the influence of polar air masses, and in summer by tropical air masses. It is influenced by the Arctic air masses and the Siberian anticyclone. The heights of the mountain ranges and the diversity of the relief affect the arrival of heat and moisture. Therefore, in the autumn and spring in the foothills of the Tien Shan, there are often frosts; in the summer months, sultry winds often blow. The dry continental climate of the northern plains in the mountains is replaced by a moderately humid continental climate. Winter is long, from October to April-May; summer is short.

The mountainous regions of Kazakhstan are characterized by altitudinal distribution and high biodiversity, richness of vegetation and by rather high endemism (Baitulin, 2006).

The natural zones of the Tien Shan vary in accordance with the altitudinal zonality. A great variety of natural conditions and characteristic features of the Tien-Shan mountain ranges have led to the fact that the same belts are located at different heights. Highaltitude boundaries of the natural zones in the West Tien Shan are higher in comparison with the North Tien Shan by 100-200 m. They are affected by the aridity of the climate with lower humidity. Soil types and vegetation cover vary, depending on altitudinal zonality.

Based on botanical and geographic zoning, Kazakhstan's Tien Shan is divided into two provinces: Jungar-North-Tien-Shan and Mountainous Central Asian, which are located within the limits of the Iranian-Turan sub-region of the Sahara-Gobi desert region (Rachkovskaya et al., 2003).

Mountain ecosystems in the south of Kazakhstan have 930 species of medicinal plants (64%) and saturation with species is 4.4 per 1000 km² (Grudzinskaya et al., 2014). Kazakhstan's West Tien Shan is a valuable and unique source of the gene pool of biodiversity of natural fruit and walnut plantations; 295 wood and shrub species grow in the composition of walnut forests (Ivaschenko, 2009; Dzhangaliyev et al., 2006).

The research was carried out during 2013-2014; in 2013 the Karatau mid-mountains, the ranges of the West Tien Shan, and the Kyrgyz Alatau; and in 2014 - the ranges of the North Tien Shan were the sites of botanical research to identify plant species, their pattern of distribution, the reserve of raw materials, as well as the CWR seed collection, for their deposit into the seed bank.

2. Material and methods

In the performance of the study classical botanical research methods were used. The main method, used during the field research was route-reconnaissance. The laboratory processing of initial material was performed in strict accordance with all requirements, and the herbarium samples were stored in the Herbarium. Herbarium collection of the Institute of Botany & Phytointroduction (AA) were studied in order to identify the spread of CWR in the research area. For the identification of the collected materials fundamental floristic summaries were used, covering the territory of Kazakhstan: "Flora of Kazakhstan" (1956-1966), "Illustrated Guide for Identification of the Plants of Kazakhstan" (1969-1972), "Manual for Identification of Plants of Central Asia and Kazakhstan" (1968-1987).

The names of plant species, genera, and families were quoted in accordance with summaries by the APG Ⅳ system (2016) and Internet recourses of Plantarium (http://www.plantarium.ru) and The Plant List (http://www.theplantlist.org/). In classifying ecobiomorphs, the methodological guidance and terminology by Serebryakov (1964) and Bykov(1980, 1983) were used.

The vegetation was studied using traditional methods of geobotanic field research, including the geobotanical description of the main vegetation communities and the landscape and ecological profiling with the use of topographic maps and space imagery (Lavrenko and Korchagin, 1959-1976; Bykov, 1978; Berlant, 1997). At some points, position was registered by GPS device, and the detailed geobotanical description was compiled of the main plant communities representative of the area.

The research of plant resources was performed by a route method with the use of topographic maps of different scale. The density of the reserve of raw materials was determined by establishing the test plots with the further extrapolation of the obtained data to the entire area and the projective cover. For recording of the raw material reserves of thickets, the test plots were laid out ranging in size from 1 to 10 sq. m. The number of test plots varied from 15 to 25 depending on the area and the evenness of distribution of the species within the plant community.

In each test plot the number of generative stems (primary output) was counted, they were cut, weighed and, in this way the density was determined of the reserve of raw materials. Then the magnitude of operational reserve, the volume of possible annual stocks, subject to the period of restoration of the studied species, were estimated. The data obtained during the field work were processed statistically (Methodology for the assessment of medicinal plant reserves, 1986). All the obtained data were statistically processed and summarized in the inventory spreadsheet. The operational stock of raw material on key sites was documented in a similar way.

Survey to identify the distribution and the raw material reserves that formed commercial thickets was conducted in South Kazakhstan within the limits of the Karatau and the West Tien Shan mountains in July and August 2013. For herbal species of medicinal plants in which the aboveground part serves as raw material, the assessment of the resources of raw materials was carried out during the flowering period (July); for Rosa species fruits, the resources of raw material were calculated in August. Survey of the resources in the ranges of the North Tien Shan Mountains were carried out a month later in August-September 2014.

3. Results 3.1. Flora

Identification of CWR and the precise locations of their growth were the main objectives of this study. On the basis of the seeds collected for the Seed bank of the Institute of Botany & Phytointroduction, the regional lists of CWR were formed (Table 1).

The list of CWR includes 289 species belonging to 39 families and 145 genera. The leading 8 families are as follows: Poaceae (81 species), Rosaceae (50), Fabaceae (27), Lamiaceae (18), Asteraceae (18), Caprifoliaceae (11), Polygonaceae (10), Amaryllidaceae (10). Thus, 225 species are accumulated in these families, which is 77.8% of the total number of the Tien Shan CWR.

The taxonomical structure of CWR flora of the West Tien Shan and the Karatau range is represented by 191 species from 29 families and 96 genera. The greatest species diversity was found among the following families: Poaceae (59 species); Rosaceae (40); Fabaceae (19); Asteraceae (13); Lamiaceae (11); Amaryllidaceae (7); Polygonaceae (5); Caprifoliaceae (5). Thus, the composition of the leading 8 families unites 159 species.

In spite of the fact that the quantitative distribution of species among the families is extremely uneven, it should be noted that many of the listed families take the leading positions as a part of regional flora (Asteraceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae). The other 21 families possessed only 32 species of CWR. The quantitative structure of families is insignificant: from 3 species (Berberidaceae, Hypericaceae) and 2 species (Apiaceae, Asparagaceae, Brassicaceae, Elaeagnaceae, Ephedraceae, Grossulariaceae, Solanaceae) up to 1 species (12 families). The distribution of the CWR of the West Tien Shan and the Karatau by genera were also uneven. Genera Rosa L. (9 species), Bromus L. (9) Crataegus L. (8) and Allium L. (7) contained the greatest number of species (33). Genera Poa L. and Artemisia L. were each represented by five species: genera Festuca L., Cerasus Hill, Trifolium L., Lonicera L. and Mentha L. were each represented by four species each one. In general, the listed genera unite 63 species. The greatest cumulative number of the CWR was noted at the genera containing 2-3 species (31 genera - 75 species that makes up 39.3% of the total number of species). The number of the genera only containing one species was 53 (27.7%).

The studied ridges of the North Tien Shan possess a rather high degree of botanical diversity that allows them to be considered as the important objects of concentration of CWR in Kazakhstan.

The taxonomical structure of CWR flora of the North Tien Shan is presented by 32 families belonging to 124 genera and 215 species. The species structure of the leading 8 families of the CWR unites 167 taxa. The quantitative distribution between families was found to be uneven. The greatest species variety of CWR was represented in the following families: Poaceae (64 species); Rosaceae (31); Fabaceae (19); Lamiaceae (16); Asteraceae (13); Caprifoliaceae (9); Amaranthaceae (8); and Polygonaceae (7).

The remaining 24 families are represented by 1-4 species uniting 48 CWR. The greatest number of species (14) was concentrated in 11 families each having 2 representatives.

The distribution of the CWR by genera was also uneven. The greatest number appeared in the following genera: Allium L. (8 species), Lonicera L. (7), Rosa L. (6), Stipa L. (6), Artemisia L. Bromus L., Crataegus L., Poa L. (5 species in each one); Leymus Hochst., Elymus L., Rubus L., Trifolium L. (4). In total, in these genera there were 63 species (29.3%). Other genera containing from 1 to 3 species were presented by 152 species, and one-species genera dominated (81).

The quantitative content of the families of the CWR of the North Tien Shan ridges was distributed as follows: 24 families were found in the Ile and Kungey Alatau and also in Ketmen; 21 families were found in the Kyrgyz Alatau. Only 14 families were found in the ShuIle mountains. The sequence of arrangement of the families in the Ile, the Kungey Alatau, the Ketmen ridge and also the Kyrgyz Alatau was characterized by similarity of 4 leading families: Poaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, and Lamiaceae. The structure of the leading families of the CWR of the Shu-Ile mountains was also headed by the Poaceae family as well, as in the above listed regions. However, subsequent places were taken by other families: Lamiaceae and Asteraceae. The low-mountain type of the landscape of the Shu-Ile range, in comparison with the other ridges of the North Tien Shan, explained the insignificant content and features of the composition of the CWR.

The quantitative representation of the genera of the CWR in regions demonstrated the picture which was similar to families' distribution: the greatest number of genera were in the Ile and the Kungey Alatau (81 genera), in the Ketmen ridge (73), in the Kyrgyz Alatau (64). In the Shu-Ile mountains the number of genera was 37.

The analysis of distribution of species among the floristic areas also reflected the representation of the greatest number of the CWR in the large mountain territories. In the Ile, the Kungey Alatau and in the Ketmen ridge 105 species were found; in the Kyrgyz Alatau 103 species were found, and in the Shu-Ile mountains only 48 species were found.

Comparison of the family structure of the CWR of the ridges of the North (32 families with 215 species) and the West Tien Shan (29 families with 191 species) testified to a similar hierarchical order of the distribution of 3 leading families (Poaceae, Rosaceae and Fabaceae) (Fig. 2). The sequence of the arrangement of the following 4 families (Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Caprifoliaceae, Polygonaceae) may change; however, they keep the leading positions among the first 10 families (Fig. 3). The domination of the Poaceae family (20 species) was usual for the Shu-Ile mountains and the subsequent families such as Lamiaceae (6 species), Asteraceae (5), Amaryllidaceae (4), and Fabaceae (4) were characterized by low species saturation.

Among the identified CWR, are the species included in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan (2014): Pistacia vera L., Rheum wittrockii C. E Lundstr., Armeniaca vulgaris Lam., Malus sieversii (Ledeb.) M. Roem., Allium pskemense B. Fedtsch., Allochrusa gypsophilloides (Regel) Schischk., Sorbus persica Hedl., Vitis vinifera L., Artemisia cina Berg ex Poljak. According to the IUCN Red List, M. sieversii is listed as a vulnerable species: P. vera, A. pskemense, A. cina are categorized as "Possibly Threatened" species (http://www.bgci.org/threat_search.php?).

3.2. Vegetation

The diversity of habitats causes the forming of vegetation communities with the participation and sometimes the domination of CWR.

With respect to the ranges of the West Tien Shan, Kyrgyz Alatau and Karatau, the greatest floristic and phytocoenotic diversity was noted in the intermountain valleys and in river floodplains, where the meadow vegetation provides the high abundance of forage (Elymus repens, Elymus hispidus, Bromus inermis, Lathyrus pratensis, Vicia cracca, Dactуlis glomerata, Trifolium repens), and resource plants (Mentha longifolia, Hypericum perforatum, Allium spp.). In the gallery forest the diversity of wild fruit plants such as Sievers apple, Regel pear, the species of hawthorn, apricot, rowan (M. sieversii, Pyrus regelii Rehder, Crataegus spp., A. vulgaris, Sorbus spp.) is high; mulberry and mahaleb cherry (Morus nigra, M. alba L., Cerasus karabastaviensis) are found as single plants. The shrub thickets are formed by buckthorn, blackberry and dogrose (Elaeagnus rhamnoides, Rubus caesius, Rosa spp.) (Sitpaeva et al., 2014a, b).

In the West Tien Shan ranges the CWR of grain cultured plants (Taeniatherum caput-medusae, Aegilops cylindrica, Bromus spp., Hordeum murinum subsp. leporinum) are confined to dry steppe slopes in the low mountainous belt.

In the steppe communities the following forage plants are dominant: Festuca valesiaca, Stipa spp., Helictotrichon hookeri, Phleum phleoides, Poa angustifolia. In the Karatau ridge are found highly abundant populations of A. cylindrica, A. triuncialis, Hordeum bulbosum in the composition of sagebrush (Artemisia karatavica Krasch. et Abolin ex Poljakov) communities, and in the grass layer of the maple and ash tree (Fraxinus sogdiana Bunge, Acer tataricum subsp. semenovii (Regel & Herder) A.E.Murray) woodlands. Along the banks of streams in the gorges the species of onion were noted (Allium altissimum, A. sativum). In the interstitial hollow, there are hawthorns (Crataegus spp.), woodlands with the participation of shrubs (Rosa spp., Cerasus erythrocarpa, Cerasus tianschanica) and grasses (E. hispidus, B. inermis, H. bulbosum).

The populations of almond (Amygdalus spp.) and plum (Prunus sogdiana) commonly occur in the shrub communities of the West Tien Shan. Ephedra equisetina is dominant on the patches of rock deposits. The woodlands of pistachio (P. vera) are encountered along the dry slopes of the south-eastern and the south-western expositions in the low mountainous areas of the West Tien Shan; the most north locations are discovered in the west of the Kyrgyz Alatau range.

The geobotanic research of the North Tien Shan ranges revealed the high phytocoenotic diversity and the domination of many species of CWR. The typical steppes are only preserved within the limits of the Ketmen, Terskey, Kungey Alatau ranges. The dominants of steppes are the valuable rangeland grasses: Stipa capillata, F. valesiaca, Helictotrichon desertorum, Koeleria pyramidata, Agropyron cristatum with the participation of motley grass (Salvia dumetorum Andrz. ex Besser, Achillea millefolium, Medicago falcatа). In the Terskey Alatau range there are steppe grasses: Stipa kirghisorum, F. valesiaca, H. hookeri.

Big bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum) and fescue are dominants of meadow steppes. In the middle mountain belt, the role of shrubs of the genera Rosa L., Cotoneaster Medik. are important. On the north slopes of the Terskey Alatau range, the shrub belt (Rosa spp., Cotoneaster melanocarpus, Berberis sphaerocarpa) is prominent; in the river valleys there are E. rhamnoides thickets and meadows (P. phleoides, Melica transsilvanica, Fragaria viridis, Origanum vulgare, Ziziphora clinopodioides, etc.) (Dimeyeva et al., 2016).

In the Ile Alatau range apple forests (M. sieversii) are encountered with hawthorn (Crataegus almaatensis) and maple trees. In the underbrush layer there are Rosa beggeriana, B. sphaerocarpa, Lonicera humilis. In the grass layer there are meadow species (Achillea millefoilum, Trifolium pratense, Tanacetum vulgare). The apricot forests (A. vulgaris) grow on southern, eastern and western stony slopes. In the grass layer M. transsilvanica, Dactylis glomerata, O. vulgare, H. perforatum, etc. are distributed. The shrub communities (Rosa spp., Rubus idaeus) are common in the midmountainous belt.

The underbrush of fir tree (Picea schrenkiana Fisch. & C.A. Mey.) and mixed forests form shrubs: (Lonicera spp., Rosa albertii, Cotoneaster oliganthus, Sorbus tianschanica, Ribes meyeri); forage and medicinal species are in the grass layer (Poa pratensis, Lathyrus gmelinii Fritsch, Z. clinopodioides, Thymus pulegioides subsp. pannonicus).

In the gallery forests the shrub layer is formed by B. sphaerocarpa and E. rhamnoides. In the floodplain meadows various species of CWR were identified: Salvia deserta, Melilotus officinalis, Trifolium hybridum, Agrostis gigantea, A. millefolium, O. vulgare, Medicago falcata, Rumex confertus, Dactylis glomeratа, Poa trivialis, etc.

Fescue, bunch grass-forb steppes and meadows prevail in the high mountainous belt. The alpine meadows are kobresia-forb (Alchemilla retropilosa Juz., A. sauri Juz., Allium atrosanguineum Schrenk., Deschampsia koelerioides Regel., Kobresia capillifolia (Decne.) C.B.Clarke, K. humilis (C.A. Mey. ex Trautv.) Serg.). In the sub-alpine belt there are steppes (F. valesiaca, Helictotrichon tianschanicum (Roshev.) Henrard, H. desertorum (Less.) Pilg., Poa versicolor Besser) and grass-forb meadows (Alchemilla sibirica Zamelis, Geranium collinum Stephan ex Willd., G. albiflorum Ledeb., Alopecurus pratensis, P. pratensis).

In the Shu-Ili low mountain range the dominant and subdominant plants of the vegetation cover are the forage species: steppe grains (Agropyron сristatum, K. pyramidata, Stipa sareptana, S. capillata, F. valesiaca, P. phleoides), meadow grasses and forbs (Agrostis gigantea, B. inermis, Calamagrostis epigeios, E. repens, Leymus multicaulus, Achnatherum splendens, M. falcata, M. officinalis, Mentha arvensis, Glycyrryza uralensis). Onion species are encountered in communities with low abundance (Allium angulosum, A. caesium, A. galanthum, A. turkestanicum), as well as C. tianschanica, Ephedra intermedia, A. cylindrica.

3.3. Resources

As a result of resource research in the West Tien Shan ranges, it was established that the thickets of production importance are formed only by some of the identified species. In doing so, certain species, with a characteristic of a high crop rate do not form thickets, but grow in small groups or, sporadically, with single plants.

In the Karatau and the West Tien Shan ranges reserves of the airdry raw material were identified and recorded of 9 species of CWR from the families of Hypericaceae Juss. (2 species), Lamiaceae (3), Rosaceae (4): M. longifolia, O. vulgare subsp. gracile, Z. clinopodioides, Hypericum scabrum L. (Karatau range); Rosa alberti, R. beggeriana, R. kokanica (Regel) Juz., Rosa platyacantha (Karatau and Karzhantau); H. perforatum (Karzhantau) (Table 1). For local pharmacy chain, it is possible to recommend species of Rosa L., Hypericum L., M. longifolia, O. vulgare subsp. gracile, Z. clinopodioides (Karatau and Karzhantau ranges).

As a result of our resource research in the North Tien Shan ranges, the reserves of the air-dry and fresh raw materials were recorded of 10 species from the families of Rosaceae (5 species), Lamiaceae (3), Polygonaceae (1), Berberidaceae (1): Rosa spp., B. sphaerocarpa, A. vulgaris, Cotoneaster multiflorus Bunge, M. sieversii, Z. clinopodioides, O. vulgare, M. longifolia, Rumex tianschanicus (Tables 2 and 3).

Among the resource species of CWR identified in the North and West Tien Shan A. vulgaris which grows outside Kazakhstan (in China), considered a rare species with a decreasing habitat (Red Data Book of Kazakhstan, 2014). The species is valuable because of the rich genetic pool. The fruit is rich in vitamins C, B, P, carotene, microelements, tanning substances, mineral salts, and starches. They are edible in fresh, dry and processed form; the seeds are the surrogate of almond. The nectar bearing plant is suitable as a soil stabilizer and is valuable for the selection of the late-blooming, frost and drought resistant species (Plant resources of the USSR, 1987). In our research area A. vulgaris was found in the composition of the arborous and shrub communities of the Ketmen mountains in the gorges of the Big and Small Kyrgyzsai, the gorge of the Sumbe River at the altitude from 1419 to 1525 m a.s.l., with the participation of Malus Mill., Berberis L., Rosa L., Cotoneaster Medik., etc. The operational reserve of A. vulgaris in the gorge of the Big Kyrgyzsai comprised 5.9 metric tons of fresh fruit.

The species with greatly decreasing quantity include M. sieversii (Red Data Book of Kazakhstan, 2014); the valuable rootstock and parent plant of the numerous cultured kinds, characteristic with form diversity, especially in terms of size, colour and taste of fruit, growing outside Kazakhstanein the mountains of Central Asia and West China (Dzhangaliyev, 1977; Ponomarenko, 1977). M. sieversii was identified in all gorges of the Ketmen mountains at the altitudes from 1438 m to 1591 m a.s.l. The operational stock of fresh fruit M. sieversii in the gorge of Tereksay comprised 6.4 metric tons. The natural populations of A. vulgaris and M. sieversii can be recommended as reserve plots for the collection of seed and growth materials.

4. Discussion

Research of the CWR in the Tien Shan and other territories of Kazakhstan were carried out for the first time. During the implementation of the Program, all floristic districts of Kazakhstan were examined (29 in total). The article discusses the region of Kazakhstan's Tien Shan, within 6 districts. During the survey period, 289 species of seeds were collected in these areas (Table 1). This is not the whole list. Previous field research based on the screening of the Herbarium (AA) and floristic lists of separate ranges of the Tien Shan revealed 389 species. The collection of seeds is a long careful process, which continues to the present. We produced distribution maps for each collected species (Fig. 4).

Field studies of floristic diversity of the crop wild relatives (CWR) of the North Tien Shan at the species and genus level is higher compared with the ranges of the West Tien Shan (Fig. 5).

As shown by our field research, the greatest floristic and phytocoenotic diversity was noted in the intermountain valleys and in the floodplains, where the meadow vegetation forms high abundance of forage, and medicinal plants. In the gallery forests the diversity is high of wild fruit plants such as Sievers apple, Regel pear, the species of hawthorn, apricot, cherry and mulberry. The shrub thickets are formed with sea-buckthorn, raspberry, and species of wild rose.

In the ranges of the Tien Shan Mountains, the CWR of the grain crops are usually confined to dry steppe slopes in the low mountainous belt. The populations of almond and plum distributed in the arborous and shrub thickets of the West Tien Shan occupy small areas; the woodlands of pistachio inhabit dry slopes in the lower mountainous areas of the West Tien Shan and in the west part of the Kyrghyz Alatau range.

In the researched territory of the Karatau and the West Tien Shan mountains we recorded operational reserves of the air-dry raw materials of 9 species (M. longifolia, O. vulgare subsp. gracile, Z. clinopodioides, H. scabrum, H. perforatum, R. alberti, R. beggeriana, R. kokanica, R. platyacantha). For local pharmacy network needs the species of Rosa L., M. longifolia, O. vulgare subsp. gracile, Z. clinopodioides, H. scabrum can be recommend.

In the researched area of the North Tien Shan we recorded reserves of air-dry and raw materials of 10 species such as B. sphaerocarpa, A. vulgaris, C. multiflorus, M. sieversii, Z. clinopodioides, O. vulgare, M. longifolia, R. tianschanicus, Rosa laxa, R. platyacantha. For the local pharmacy network needs we recommend the species of Rosa L., C. multiflorus, Z. clinopodioides, O. vulgare, M. longifolia. The production plants of R. tianschanicus, B. sphaerocarpa are promising for industrial harvesting.

The recorded reserves of raw materials and the natural populations of the Red Book species of A. vulgaris and M. sieversii should be used as reserve plots for the collection of seed and planting material. For the preservation of populations of identified resource species, it will be necessary to observe the recommended volume of possible annual processing and recommendations for the rational use of productive areas subject to the restoration period of each species. The rest of the CWR species, for which even the limited raw material stocks for a small territory are recorded, represent the unique genetic material of biological diversity formed in the studied regions of Kazakhstan.

5. Conclusions

Analysis of the distribution of CWR by mountain ranges of the Kazakhstani part of the Tien Shan demonstrated the greatest number of plant species concentrated there. The identified variety of a valuable gene pool of CWR confirms Vavilov's points of view about the existence of the Central Asian historic and geographic center of development of cultural flora.

Three State National Nature Parks (Sairam-Ugam, Ile-Alatau, Kolsay Kolderi), three State Nature reserves (Karatau, AksuZhabagly, Almaty), and the Museum-reserve Tanbaly-Tas cover a part of the Kazakhstan's Tien Shan Mountains where undisturbed natural ecosystems with valuable CWR are preserved.

The program on CWR ended in 2015. Since then, the seed bank in our Institute has been replenished after each field season. Currently it holds 3082 samples of 820 species of wild flora of Kazakhstan, including CWR, rare and endemic plants.

Declaration of Competing Interest

No conflict of interest.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the organizers and supporters of the International Workshop on Plant Diversity and Conservation of the One Belt and One Road Countries (Sept 2018, Yunnan, China) for their commendable work in convening a successful meeting. This research was undertaken in the programme "Botanical diversity of crop wild relatives of Kazakhstan as the source of enrichment and of preservation of the genetic pool of agricultural, biological diversity for the implementation of food program", funded by Ministry of Education & Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Appendix A. Supplementary data

Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pld.2019.10.003.