Ecoregion in China and Kazakhstan
The Emin Valley (Chinese : 额敏谷地 ; pinyin : Émǐn gǔdì China–Kazakhstan border , in Central Asia . It has an area of about 65,000 square kilometres (25,000 sq mi). Its main waterway is the Emil River .
Administratively, the Emin Valley occupies areas of Tacheng Prefecture in the Xinjiang Region of north-western China; and in East Kazakhstan Province of eastern Kazakhstan.
Ecology
The Emin Valley has a steppe ecosystem of mostly grasslands ; with two saline lakes , Alakol and Sasykkol ; and mountains with temperate climates.
The Emin Valley Steppe is a Palearctic ecoregion in the Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands Biome . It lies within the vast and larger Eurasian Steppe .[ 1]
WWF ecoregion "Emin Valley" (PA0806) (in purple)
Hydrology
Orographically , the Emil Valley is an endorrheic basin . In the north, the Tarbagatai Mountains separate it from the Lake Zaysan basin, which is part of the basin of the Irtysh River, eventually draining into the Arctic Ocean . In the southeast, another series of mountain ranges separate it from the Dzungarian Basin (Gurbantünggüt Desert ).
The Emin Valley's main watercourse is the Emin (Emil) River , which flows in the general western direction, receiving numerous streams flowing from the Tarbagatai Mountains and carrying their water to Lake Alakol.
Lake Alakol and Lake Sasykkol , situated in the western (Kazakhstan) part of the valley, are the homes of the rare Dalmatian pelican and relict gull .
See also
References
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