Aral Region ; Biocenosis ; Biota ; Ecosystem ; Former USSR ; Human impact ; Irrigation ; Salinisation ; Soviet Central Asia ; Vegetation degradation
The development of irrigated agriculture in the Aral Sea basin determined the replacement of natural desertic ecosystems with agrocenoses over the area of 7.2 million ha. The process that is the most expressed is underflooding, accompanied with soil
salinization, which becomes main ecological factor at some coastal areas. At present the area affected by ecotonization of ecosystems in the Aral region is likely to exceed half of the total region's area.