Structural and Distributional Evaluation of Forest Ecosystems in Turkey
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Journal of Environmental Biology January 2010, 31, 61-70 (2010) ©Triveni Enterprises, Lucknow (India) For personal use only Free paper downloaded from: ww w. jeb.co.in Commercial distribution of this copy is illegal Structural and distributional evaluation of forest ecosystems in Turkey Ibrahim Atalay 1 and Recep Efe* 2 1Department of Geography, Buca Faculty of Education, Dokuz Eylul University, 35150, Buca, Izmir, Turkey 2Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Balikesir University, 10145, Balikesir, Turkey (Received: February 15, 2009; Revised received: May 20, 2009; Accepted: September 10, 2009) Abstract: Turkey has very rich ecosystems and habitats in which various types of vegetation communities and fauna are found. These properties of Turkey depend on its geographical position, different climatic region, mountainous topographical conditions and climatic changes occurred during the Pleistocene. Several field works have been conducted during the period of 1975-2008. The field observations and analyses of data reveal that Turkey’s forests can be divided into six main forest ecosystems (Black sea region, Marmara transitional region, Mediterranean region, Mediterranean transitional region, Inner and Eastern anatolian region, Southern anatolian region) in terms of floristic composition, forest productivity and climatic properties. Key words: Forest ecosystem, Turkey, Black Sea region, Miditerranean region PDF of full length paper is available online * Corresponding author: [email protected] Introduction humid and cold humid climates. Mediterranean climate prevails in Turkey possesses a rich variety of vegetation due to its the western and southern part of the Turkey. Continental climate geomorphologic features and vaieties of ecological conditions. prevails in the inner and eastern part of Turkey (Atalay et al ., 2008; Turkey is located at the intersection of phytogeographic regions of Ozturk et al ., 2008; Atalay and Efe, 2008). Turkey has various soil Mediterranean, Euro-Siberian and Irano-Turanian (Atalay, 1994, types due to the diffrent climatic regimes, landforms, parent material. 2002; Guner et al ., 2000; Yilmaz et al ., 2003). Their distinctive Geomorphological features and climatic variations produce major vegetation reflects differences in climate, geology, topography, soils contrasts in soil types between the interior and the periphery. and floristic diversity and human impact. Ninety percent of the forests Spodosols occur mainly in the mountainous areas in the northern in Turkey are ‘natural’ in origin and contain over 450 species of Turkey which is favourable to the growth of forest formation including trees and shrubs (Kayacik and Yaltirik, 1971; Akman, 1995; Colak both decidious and conferous forests. Alfisols occur on the karstic and Rotherham, 2006). Turkey has 21.2 million ha of forest, covering land on the Mediterranean cost. Aridisols are characteristic of the 27% of the land surface of the country. Most of these forests occur driest parts of the country, mainly in the semiarid zones of southeast in the mountains. About, 53.3% of the forests in Turkey are composed Anatolia and central Anatolia. Broad-leaved deciduous forests and of broadleaf species, 42%of coniferous species and 4.5% mixed humid-cold coniferous forests occur on the asidic soils on the northern coniferous and broadleaf forests (Louis, 1939; Mayer and Aksoy, Anatolia (Atalay, 1994). This paper reviews the structural and 1986). Furthermore, the mountainous landscapes of Turkey, with distributional features and ecology of the forests in Turkey. This their remarkable bioclimatic, geomorphological and pedological study is based on the published literature and extensive field diversity, support a great many different high mountain vegetation investigations to determine the existing ecological properties of the types (Ozturk et al ., 1991; Atalay, 2002; Parolly, 2004). forests. Turkey, which takes place on Alpine-Himalayan orogenic Materials and Methods belt has high and mountainous topography. There are two main The study was carried out all over Turkey and based on orogenic belts: Northern Anatolian Mountains in the north and Taurus mostly field investigations. Field studies were conducted several Mountains in the south. Isolated volcanic cones higher than 3000 m times in the years between 1975 and 2008. The forest management in altitude are found in the Inner and Eastern part of Anatolia. Horst maps also have also been used to determine the distribution of and graben systems are common in the western and eastern species. Anatolia. Orogenic belts have been deeply dissected by the rivers flowing into seas. These various topographic forms are responsible Published books and scientific articles on forest vegetation for the formation of different habitats. Three main climatic types prevail in Turkey were reviewed. Meteorological data obtained from Turkish in Turkey. The northern part of the Anatolia is under the effect of State Meteorological Service were interpreted in order to determine Special Issue - Forest, Forestry and Environment in Turkey Journal of Environmental Biology January & March 2010 Guest Editor - Professor Dr. Munir Ozturk 62 Ibrahim Atalay and Recep Efe the effect of climate on the distribution of forests in Turkey. Linear begins at the seashore and continues as high as 1700 m. The tree vegetation transects lines were established in several areas along composition of these forests varies depending on altitude. Quercus the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea cost in order to find out the petrea ssp . iberica (Steven ex Bieb.) Krassilin, Castenea sativa impact of aspect. Various studies have been carried out in Turkey Mill., Acer leatum, Acer cappadocicum var. stenocarpum Yalt. , on the forests. These studies are mostly on forest management, and Zelkova carpinifolia (Pall. ) Dippel , Tilia spp. and Pterocarya botanics. A few ecological studies in different regions of Turkey fraxinifolia (Lam.) Spach. are other broadleaf species in the oriental were conducted (Atalay, 2002; Yaltirik, 1973; Mayer and Aksoy, 1986). beech forests especially on the altitudes between 500 and 1200 m. It has a rich broadleaf understory, including species such as Results and Discussion Rhododendron spp ., Laurocerasus officinalis Mill. , Ilex aquifolium The vegetation of Turkey is classified according to L., Hedera helix L. and Buxus sempervirens L. (Atalay, 1984; ecoregions and biomes. Main climatic conditions and the dominanttree Atalay, 1992b). species were taken into consideration in the classification of the On the other hand, oriental spruce, Picea orientalis ( L.) forest formations. On the other hand, each phytogeographical region Link. becomes dominant species at an elevation of 1200 to 1500 m. fits the main zonobiomes or main climatic regions. Climate Besides pure oriental beech forests, the other mixed forests geomorphology and aspect influence the distribution of the vegetation. combination of beech and oriental spruce; Fagus orientalis Lipsy+ The mountainous regions form a separate ecological environment Picea orientalis ( L.) Link. + Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. subsp. and altitudinal belts are common along the mountains. The forest of barbata (C.A.Mey.) Yalt.; Fagus orientalis Lipsy + Castanea sativa Turkey can be divided into six main ecoregions (Atalay, 2002; Mill; Fagus orientalis Lipsy, Castanea sativa Mill + Tilia rubra D.C. Atalay and Efe, 2008). subsp caucasica (Rupr.); Fagus orientalis Lipsy + Abies (I) Forests of Black Sea region: Black Sea ecoregion extends nordmanniana (Link.) Spach.; and Abies nordmanniana (Link.) from Istiranca Mountains in the west to the Artvin, Georgian border Spach.+ Fagus orientalis Lipsy+ Picea orientalis ( L.) Link are found. in the east. Black Sea region that characterized by mild-humid and They have a rich understory of ferns and vines (Atalay, 1994, cold-humid climates prevail in the north of Turkey. The mean annual 2002). temperature varies between 14 to 10 oC along the coastal belt up to Middle Black sea region: The natural forest of the subregion is 1000 m. The average temperature is about 10-6 oC between 1000 deteriorated and degraded considerably due to densely populated and 2000 m. The eastern part of the region is highly humid with an rural settlements. Productive Fagus orientalis Lipsky forests are average of 1,500-2,500 mm annual precipitation. The western part common on the upper part of the Canik mountains in the vicinity of of the region is less humid and receives between 1,000 and 1,500 Akkus. Oriental beech forests occupy the southern part of Bafra mm of average annual precipitation. All seasons are rainy but the district is composed of Castanea sativa Mill. , Alnus glutinosa (L.) amount of the rainfall of the seasons varies. The mean annual Gaertn. subsp. barbata (C.A.Mey.) Yalt. , Alnus glutinosa ssp. precipitation is over 1000 mm and humid and perhumid climatic glutinosa Mill. , Prunus spp. and Carpinus betulus L. The understory conditions prevail in the region. But, these semiarid subhumid of such forests covered by mainly thick vegetation composed of conditions are dominant in the valleys such as Çoruh, Gökirmak, Rhododendron spp. Kelkit and Devrez which are located backward section of the region. The most arid part of the region is the Yusufeli district and its vicinity Western Black sea subregion: Coastal mountain ranges, deeply in the Çoruh valley. During the summer period the northern slopes dissected river valleys such as Gökirmak, Devrez and backward of the