The vacation for a student of the Department of Natural Sciences at Baitursynuly University began with participation in an international project.
Daniil Khristinets is a second-year student (Biology program) and a member of the KRU birdwatching club.
As an intern, from May 19 to June 15, our student participated in the international project PyroDiv - The Influence of Pyrodiversity on Biodiversity in Temperate Grassland Ecosystems.
The aim of the project is to study the relationship between fire regimes and biodiversity in the steppes of Kazakhstan.
A student from KRU, together with specialists from the Kazakhstan Association for Biodiversity Conservation (KABC) and scientists from Kazakhstan and Germany, studied how land abandonment and reduced grazing affect pyrogenic diversity in Central Kazakhstan (Akmola and Karaganda regions). They also examined the role of the pyrogenic behavior of herbivores (saigas and domestic horses) in regulating these processes.
Using remote sensing data (1985–2023) and ungulate telemetry, the scientists quantitatively assessed pyrogenic diversity and its impact on the biodiversity of plants, birds, mammals, and some groups of insects.
The results of the project will help develop strategies for the conservation and restoration of steppe landscapes.
Our students' participation in international projects has been made possible thanks to the close cooperation between our university, the birdwatching club, and the ASBC.
