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Biodiversity and conservation challenges in the Kura–Caspian aquatic system and their implications for ecosystem services and the green economy
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This review pulls together research on the Kura River and Caspian Sea, showing that pollution, plastic waste, overfishing, and shrinking water levels are threatening fish, sturgeon, seals, and riverside plants. These declines matter beyond wildlife: they weaken the fisheries, clean water, and coastal protection that local communities and economies depend on, so protecting nature and planning smarter water and fishing policies go hand in hand.
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.
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Hydroecological degradation of the Kura River through water quality pressures and its implications for ecosystem services and local green economy development
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Azerbaijan's Kura River, a major source of drinking water and irrigation, gets increasingly salty and polluted as it flows downstream, with pollution levels rising more than eightfold in some stretches. A simple sand and charcoal filter made water look clearer, but researchers stress this does not mean the water is actually safe to drink. The findings highlight the need for better wastewater treatment and pollution monitoring to protect water supplies people depend on.
Microplastic Pollution and Coastal Anthropogenic Pressure in the Caspian Sea Basin Through Systematic Review and Secondary Data Analysis
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Tiny plastic fibers and fragments are showing up along the Caspian Sea coastline, including in protected nature areas, as this region sees more tourism, shipping, and waste, and scientists say we still don't know enough about it because most research has focused on just one part of the sea. This matters because microplastics can end up in the fish and seafood people eat from this region, but this study (which combines a review of past research with new field observations) shows we need much more monitoring before we can fully understand the health risks.
Different land uses influenced on characteristics and distribution of microplastics in Qarasu Basin Rivers, Gorgan Bay, Caspian Sea
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Researchers surveyed microplastics in sediments and fish from rivers in the Qarasu Basin flowing into the Caspian Sea across three land use types: forest, residential, and agricultural. Agricultural areas showed the highest microplastic concentrations in both sediments and fish, and 87% of all fish examined contained microplastics.
Biodiversity Dynamics and Ecological Stressors in the Caspian Sea: Integrating Pollution, Climate Change, and Microbial Interactions
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A comprehensive review of the Caspian Sea from 2010 to 2025 documents a 38% decline in bottom-dwelling animal diversity alongside microplastic contamination of up to 3,200 particles per kilogram of sediment in the southern basin, compounding pressures from oil pollution, overfishing, and a shrinking sea level. The findings show that the world's largest inland water body is experiencing rapid, multi-stressor ecosystem collapse that will require coordinated international management to reverse.
Assessment of microplastic contamination in some commercial fishes of the southern Caspian Sea and its potential risks
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Researchers examined microplastic contamination in the digestive tracts of 384 fish from four species collected across 11 sites in the southern Caspian Sea. Evidence indicates that nearly 69% of fish contained microplastics, with fibers being the most common type, highlighting widespread plastic pollution in this important inland sea and potential risks to both aquatic life and human seafood consumers.
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