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Background
Information |
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Endemic
Plant Species of Turkish and Syrian
SE-Mediterranean Coastal Mountains (Amanos and Alaouite).
Larger Photos and additional Information in separate Windows.
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[
ECONOMY & SOCIETY ] [ PROGNOSES ] [
Cit. LITERATURE ] |
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Flora
& Vegetation |
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- The Vegetation of the westerly exposed downward slopes of the Amanos
Mtn. between Osmaniye and Dörtyol is dominated by Euro-Siberian
floral elements of Euxinian origin in the montane belt. This type of
vegetation reminds especially of south-european forest vegetation.
Nearly 100% of the determined Euro-Siberian elements are identical with
species of the Pontos Mtn. Black Sea region and the central part of
the Balkan Peninsula. In literature mentioning the flora and vegetation
of the Amanos Mtn., the exceptional high portion of endemics have been
emphasized.
- Before the research
project LöKAT
started
its investigations, the causal reasons of the extensive appearance of
the extrazonal vegetation were still unknown.
Hitherto presumptions
comprehended mesophilous late tertiary relict vegetation (cf. Harald
Kürschner 1984,
p. 91) as well as an early post-glacial immigration (cf. Peter
Davis 1971 ). In general a favouring of precipitation
is assumed. Because of the exceptional extensive occurrence of this
extrazonal vegetation Mayer & Aksoy
(1986) pointed out the undistinctive relictic character
of this Euxinian vegetation type.
- Above
Dörtyol, middle montane forest belts on soils derived from different
limestones, are dominated primarily byQuercus
cerris andCarpinus
orientalis. In the higher montane belt, up to the timberline,
on paleozoic sandstone formations,Fagus
orientalis is the leading species with the highest cover values.
However, generally on soils derived from sandstone, the oriental beech
can be observed in westerly exposed valleys at the lower middle montane
belt below 400 m a.s.l. As an understory of thePinus
brutia-forest in the hilly (colline) belt, frequently Quercus
cerris is a dominant species with a high total estimate. Together
with Carpinus orientalis, the mentioned oak is a very common
species of shady slopes of the hilly landscapes above Dörtyol.
- The most extensive
research in the Amanos Mtn. regarding vegetation ecology has been carried
out in the past by Yildirim Akman.
He published his results 1973.
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Economy & Society
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- The growth of population in the fertile coastal plain between
the mediterranean sea and the Amanos Mtn. range exceeds by far the country's
average. In addition to the still dominating agriculture of nowadays,
the reinforced development of industrial production and tertiary industry
can be observed. With utilization of modern irrigation technologies,
the extensive agriculture changes increasingly to industrial operated
citrus and vegetable cultures. Nevertheless, woodland pasture (especially
summer pasture) are of high importance for the hilly landscape and the
montane deciduous mixed forests.
- The increasing density of population and the increasing standard
of living caused an increasing demand on recreation facilities.
An opinion poll, carried out by Türker Altan
(1976), showed that nearly 74% of the inhabitants of larger
settlements of the coastal plain area would like to spend their summer
vacation in the forested mountainous landscapes with its favorable
climatic conditions. Twenty years after the above mentioned questioning
of Altan, many more people would prefer to spend their summer holidays
under favorable mountainous temperate conditions.
Especially the westerly exposed downward slopes of the Amanos Mtn.
are influenced by the most recent economic and social development.
Former areas for summer pasture (Yaylas, cf. Yahyali
Yayla are growing to large summer settlements with increasing
tendency of expansion (cf.Topaktas
Yayla. The infrastructural development of potential recreation
areas are already reaching the upper montane belt.
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Prognoses
for the Development of Landscapes under Human Impact |
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- The westerly exposed slopes of the Amanos Mtn. range between the
seaport of Iskenderun (located southerly of Dörtyol), and Osmaniye
(located at the northermost edge of the Cukurova Plain), is subject
to rapid alternation of site conditions. The potential Euxinian flora
and vegetation is increasingly displaced by east-mediterranean species
with a wide amplitude of growth conditions. As a result, a decrease
of species diversity can be observed. Especially endemic species
are endangered by extinction. Mainly the middle montane belt
is afflicted with the impoverishment of species.
- As a result of the revaluation of attractive montane landscapes for
recreational purposes, an irreversible destruction of habitat conditions
for a unique flora and vegetation (and assumedly Fauna) can be detected.
It is an unfavorable development with increasing tendency. Infrastructural
development (e.g. roads, electricity) of former inaccessible mountainous
landscapes are leading to expansion of settlements. Former summer
pastures are turned into summer settlements..
- Hitherto realized afforestations (nearly exclusively with Pinus
brutia) take into account mainly the interests of the wood-consuming
forest industry. As a result of frequent forest fires, the potential
leaf-bearing trees (hardwood) of Euxinian origin are displaced by worthless
east-mediterranean shrub formations..
- Infrastructural measures,
woodland pasture and intensive agricultural influence on landscapes
with high relief energy are resulting in
soil erosion of large expansion
with presumably dramatic
results for water supply of agriculturally used coastal areas. Particularly
these effects have to be validated on the background of irrigation systems
for agricultural purposes, strongly dependent on regular water supply
as run off from the Amanos Mtn. range.
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Cit.
Literature |
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- AKMAN, Y. (1973a) Contribution à
l'étude de la flore des montagnes de l'Amanus (I-III).- Communications
de la Faculté des Sciences de l'Université d'Ankara, Serie C,
Tome 17 C: 1-70. (Artenliste; List of Species)
- AKMAN, Y. (1973b) Aperçu préliminaire sur les conditions
phyto-écologiques de la chaine de l'Amanus dans la region du Hatay
(I-III).- Communications de la Faculté des Sciences de l'Université
d'Ankara, Serie C, Tome 17 C: 75-164. (Bioklima, Böden, Flora;
Bioclimate, Soils, Flora)
- ALTAN, T. (1976) Dogal Peyzaj Elemanlarinin
Rekreasyona Uygunlugunun Saptanmasi Için Matematiksel Bir Degerlendirme
Yönteminin Arastirilmasi ve Güney Kiyi Bölgesine Ugulanmasi.-
Ç. Ü. Ziraat Fakültesi Peyzaj Mimarligi Bölümü,
Adana. (159 pp. turkish)
- DAVIS, P.D. (1971) Distribution Patterns
in Anatolia with Particular Reference to Endemism.- In: DAVIS, HARPER
& HEDGE (eds) Plant Life of South-West Asia.- Published by the Botanical
Society of Edinburgh.
- KÜRSCHNER, H. (1984) Der
östliche Toroslar (Mittlerer Taurus) und angrenzende Gebiete.-
Beih. zum Tübinger Atlas des Vorderen Orients (TAVO), Reihe A,
Nr.15.- Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, Wiesbaden. (146 pp)
- MAYER, H. & H. AKSOY (1986) Wälder
der Türkei.- Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart - New York.
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©
Harald Kehl, all rights reserved
Formerly TU-Berlin · Fac.VII · Inst. of Ecology
last updated on
23.06.2021
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