Study area

Field surveys and floristic data collection

Herbarium and taxonomic verification

Data analysis and mapping

Assessment under IPA Criteria A and C

IUCN-aligned threat classification and adapted impact assessment

Remote sensing and land cover change analysis

Spatial analysis and boundary delineation

Boundary and spatial extent of the proposed IPA

Floristic composition and species richness

Taxonomic structure

Life forms

Ecological groups

IPA Criterion A (threatened species)

Category A(i)

Category A(ii)

Historical record excluded from the Criterion A assessment

Category A(iii)

Category A(iv)

Woody vegetation and habitat structure

Assessment against IPA Criterion C: habitat condition and threatened ecosystems

Results of the adapted threat-prioritization assessment

Priority threats

Land-cover change results

Long-term change in mapped sandy-habitat extent

Spatial pattern of sandy-habitat contraction

Floristic and biogeographical significance of the Yozyovon sands

IPA Criteria A and C: methodological and regional reflection

Criterion A: significance of threatened and range-restricted taxa

The role of Criterion A(iv) in arid and sandy ecosystems

Criterion C: threatened habitats and ecosystem integrity

Implications for IPA methodology in Central Asia

Drivers of sand-ecosystem degradation

Socioeconomic context and challenges for biodiversity conservation in Central Fergana

Implications for the regional IPA network

Limitations and future research directions

Conflict of interest

Ethical statement

Artificial Intelligence (AI) use

Funding

Author contributions

Author ORCIDs

Data availability