Boundaries

This ecoregion lies on the Iranian Plateau, and encompasses the Dasht-e Kavir (Great Salt Desert) and Dasht-e Lut (Emptiness Desert). It is bounded by the Elburz Mountains to the north and Zagros Mountains to the southwest. Ecoregions surrounding it include the Turan Plain [450] to the north; Caspian Highlands [446], Namak [447], Esfahan [447], and Upper Tigris & Euphrates [442] to the west; Northern Hormuz Drainages [451] and Baluchistan [701] to the south; and Helmand-Sistan [702] and Upper Amu Darya [631] to the east.  

Topography

The Kavir & Lut Deserts ecoregion comprises a large part of the Iranian Plateau. It has an average altitude over 500 m, surrounded by mountains that exceed 4000 m in some places.

Freshwater habitats

Small rivers (really streams), springs, and qanats provide the fresh waters in this ecoregion. Rivers descending into the plateau from the surrounding mountain ranges carry high levels of soluble salts. Flash floods occur after heavy rainfall in winter over a denuded or desert landscape.

Terrestrial habitats

The ecoregion covers a vast area of rocky desert and semi-desert with  salt flats or playas that act as large terminal sumps. The two major basins are the Dasht-e Kavir in the north and the Dasht-e Lut in the south. Terrestrial habitats range from halophytic communities and sagebrush (Artemisia) steppes to sand dunes and gravel deserts. True sand deserts occur at altitudes between 500 – 1200 m.

Description of endemic fishes

There are no known described endemic species.

Other noteworthy fishes

Transcaspian marinka (Schizothorax pelzami) is the westernmost representative of the schizothoracines, more frequently found in higher mountain ranges of the Himalayas.

Justification for delineation

This ecoregion represents a large central, desert area lying between other basins with more unique faunas.

Level of taxonomic exploration

Fair