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Page 1: NATURAL HERITAGE OF TURKEY - TÜDAVtudav.org/.../uploads/2018/04/Natural_Heritage_of_Turkey.pdfspecies of this kind in central Anatolia is 926, in East Anatolia 724, Southerrı Anatolia
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NATURAL HERITAGE OF TURKEY

Edited byBayram ÖZTÜRK

andSedat YERLİ

Turkish Marine Research FoundationISTANBUL - TURKEY, 2002

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NATURAL HERITAGE OF TURKEY

All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may bereproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted inany form or by any means without the prior permissionfrom the Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TÜDAV).The authors of the book are responsible for the scientificcontent of their respective sections.

© Copyright: Turkish Marine Research Foundation(Türk Deniz Araştırmaları Vakfı) TüDAY.

ISBN: 975-97132-7-6

Citation: ÖZTÜRK, B. and YERLİ, S. (Eds.) 2002. NaturalHeritage of Turkey. Published by Turkish Marine ResearchFoundation, Istanbul, TURKEY.

Publication number: 10.

Available from: Turkish Marine Research FoundationTürk Deniz Araştırmaları Vakfı (TÜDAV)P. O. Box 10 Beykoz / ISTANBUL, TURKEYTel: 00 +90 216 424 07 72Fax: 00 +902164240771e-mail: [email protected] site: www.tudav.org

Printed by: Ofis MatbaaDesign by: Mehmet Ulusel

Front eover photo: The Mediteerranean monk seal,Monachus monachus.Baek cover photo: Oriental spruee, Picea orientalis.

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CONTENTS Page

IntroductionFloraForests and MountainsLakes, Rivers, and WetlandsBirdsAmphibians and ReptilesTerrestrial MammalsMarine Life

47121822263034

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INTRODUCTION

Turkey has a total area of 777,971km2 andextends from Europe to Asia. The European part iscalled Thrace, and the Asian part, Anatolia, is a longpeninsula bounded by the Black Sea in the north andthe Mediterranean Sea in the south. The Asian partof Turkey represents 97% of the total area of thecountry.B[ACKSEA

-Ayan;ık Sino •Kızılırmak

Delta çamb~rnu -Hopa

Z-cw..,

~ TURKEYLake Tuz

DlT

The Çanakkale (Dardanelles) and Istanbul(Bosphorus) Straits are a link between theMediterranean and the Black seas. The total lengthof the Turkish coastline amounts to 8,353km,exeluding islands but ineluding the shores of the Seaof Marmara, which is entirely surrounded by Turkishterritory.

The country is an undulating high plateauextending from West to East. The Southerrı Taurusranges, the transverse mountains on the Aegeancoast, and the upheavals scattered throughoutAnatolia are outstanding features of the landscape.The average altitude is 1,250m, and only 10% of theterritory lies below 250m above sea level.

The country is divided into seven natural unitswith different characteristics. According to relief,elimate, and soil, it can be regrouped into two largenatural areas.

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The coastal regions bear the names of thebordering seas: The Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara,the Aegean Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. Theelimate is relatively humid with an annual rainfallexceeding 600mm. The vegetation cover is mainlyforest. The relief is contrasted with high mountainranges and narrow coastal plains.

The inland regions are sheltered by coastalranges. Their elimate is continental and dry, allowingonly steppe grasslands in the plains. Thetemperatures are contrasted with long and severewinters and relatively warm summers. Mountainsare everywhere in varying proportion from oneregion to anather. Among these regions: CentralAnatolia is at a lower altitude and dry with largebasin sseparated by isolated mountains; EasterrıAnatolia is higher and very hilly with a more severeelimate; South Easterrı Anatolia, the extremenorthward extension of the Syrian plateaus (alongthe Karacadağ mountain and the Mardin range) isoverheated and dry during summer.

Turkey is a country that connects Europe, Asia,and Africa; hence, it has been a passage betweenvarious types of geographical generations. As a resultof the differentiation of the topographic structureand elimatic varieties, the settling of many differentspecies in the region has resulted in an increase in thenumber of subspecies. During the glacier periods thatspread throughout different geologic times, speciesescaped from the adverse conditions and alsabetween the glacier times; many species which comefrom south and east settled down in Anatolia.Therefore, species of flora and fauna are mostlyEuropean, West Asian, North African, andMediterranean. Turkey is a center for terrestrialbiodiversity, and the re are many endemic species inthe region.

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Flora

Anatolia has features that have provided life forvarious kinds of organisms in every period.Consequently, many different kinds of organismshave moved into the regions of Anatolia. Thedifferences in the topographic structure played animportant role in forming macro and microdimatesand provided environments for many types ofmicrodimate species. For instance, a humid andrainy dimate prevails in the Black Sea region ofTurkey; in the southeast, hot and dry weather,prevails, and in the south and west, theMediterranean dimate prevails. Harsh dimates areexperienced in many regions, areas, and in differentaltitudes, with dimate variatiorıs. Thus,environments proper to different groups oforganisms are formed.

.•.. In addition to, cultured wheat (Triticum) and wild wheat (Aegilops) populations aredistributed throughout Turkey. Anatolia is the gen center for Triticum species. (1)

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~ Snowdrop,Galanthus elwesii.Under protection. (2)

Mountains, straits, and other barriers may havelimited the lives of organisms, and increasingisolation conditions have als o formed subspecies andeven species. Mountains, one of the most importantof these barriers, have been a hindrance to manygroups of organisms. Moreover, mountains play animportant role in determining elimate. For example,the Taurus Mountains in the south of Turkey preventthe Mediterranean elimate from reaching inlandareas. The mountain range on the coast of the BlackSea functions in the same way by preventinghumidity from moving inland.

With regards to the flora of Turkey, there are atotal of 9,222 species, yet 8,988 of these are native .

• • .J.;J:' "'i

..•..Soapwort, Saponario mesogitana.Distributed in westerrı andsouthern Turkey. (3)

..•..Saffron crocus, Crocus abantensis.An endemic species.(4)

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To understand Turkey's riehness in flora, it wouldbe useful to compare it with other eountries' flora.

The number of endemie speeies in Turkey is 2991.This is more than the total number of speeies inEngland, whieh is 2000. The reasons for this highlevel of diversity are:

• The topography of Turkey shows an irregularstrueture from east to west and north to south,

• Due to its topographie strueture, several macroand micra dimates have been formed,

• Turkey eonneets two eontinents, funetioning asa bridge,

• Turkey is loeated in the middle of three differentgeographie regions (Europe-Siberia, Iran-Turan,the Mediterranean),

• A variety of soil strueture,• Turkey is a gene center for many speeies,• Some types of domestieated plants originate in

and the environs of Anatolia.

The riehness of flora in Turkey can be explainedin five farnilies and genera as illustrated below:

Families Number Number Endemism Rateof Genera of Speeies (%)

Asteraeeae 133 1156 38Fabaeeae 69 974 39Lamiaeeae 45 546 44Brassieaeeae 85 515 38Poaeeae 142 512 10

Genera Number Endemism Rateof Speeies (%)

Astragalus 391 59Verbaseum 232 79Centaurea 177 62Allium 142 35Silene 129 40

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..•.Cornflower,Centaurea iconiensis.An endemic speciesunder protection. (5)

..•.Lily, Liliummonadelphum.Distributed innortheastern Turkey.it is under protection. (6)

The most significant and interesting factorconceming the flora of Turkey is the rate ofendemism: 33 % of its flora are paleo-erıdernic typesand all of them can survive in old and suitablemicradimate areas. These are Helleborus vesicalius,Graelsia davisiana, Podocytisus caramanicus,Cronanthus orientalis, Linum aretioides, Feruladrudeana, Echinops onopordon, Globulariadavisiana, Asyneuma pulvinatum, Dorystoechashastata, and Rhodothamnus sessilifolius. The otherspecies are rıeo-erıdemic, and have appeared byspeciation mechanisms. The number of endemicspecies of this kind in central Anatolia is 926, in EastAnatolia 724, Southerrı Anatolia 1030, SoutheastAnatolia 236, North Anatolia 480, and WestAnatolia 260.

The recent information about flora of Turkey isshown below:

TAXA Number

of Species

FERNS

GYMNOSPERMS

DICOTYLEDONES

MONOCOTYLEDONES

9022

7593

1517

~ Mandrake,Mandragordautumnalis.Lives in theMediterraneanarea of Turkey.Used formedicinalpurposes. (7)

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Cherry !aurel, Laurocerasus officinalis.Used for medicina! purposes. (8)

..•.Three-!obed sage,Salvia fruticosa. Used formedicina! purposes. (10)

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..•.Arum, Arum euxinum.An endemic species.Under protection. (9)

..•. Com poppy, Papauer rhoeas. Used for medicina!purposes. (11)

~ Muscari,Muscariazureum.An endemicspecies scatteredin Anatolia.Underprotection. (12)

~ Cyclamen,Cyclamenmirabile.An endemicspecies. Und erprotection.(13)

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..•..Austrian pine,Pinus nigra. (1)

..•..Cedar of Taurus,Cedrus libani. (2)

..•..Liquidambar orientalis.(3)

Forests and Mountains

Turkey is a very rich country with respect to itsforests. 18% of Turkey is covered by forests andthese forests have a mixed structure. Natural forestsconstitute 95% of all forests. Turkey is a centre ofgenetic sources for oak, pine, oriental spruce, Piceaorientalis. For example, very old Austrian pines,Pinus nigra, can be found especially in the easterrıBlack Sea region. Theyare approximetly about 35min height, which are slowly becoming extinct in othercountries.

Abies bornmülleriana: Reaching a height of 40m, itcan stili be found in the southerrı Marmara regionand in the western Black Sea.

Cedar of Taurus, Cedrus libani: In south Anatoliaand the Taurus Mountains, the biggest cedarpopulation is found. Same trees are more than 2000years old and theyare und er protection as amonument tree.

Liquidambar orientalis: Found ın southwestAnatolia in small populations.

Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris: In the Cura Mountains,south of the Black Sea, the scots pine can be found.They -have a great economic value in their timberindustry. Same trees are more than 500 years old.

..•..Uludağ fir, Abies bornmülleriana. (4)

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Sweet chestnut, Castanea sativa: In Turkey, sweetchestnuts reaching the age of 1000 years and a heightof 25m can be found.

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~ Oriental spruce,Picea orientalis. (7)

..•..Scots pine,Pinus sylvestris. (5)

..•..Sweet chestnut,Castanea sativa. (6)

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~ Orientalplane tree,

Platanusorientalis.

(8)

Oriental spruce, Picea orientalis: Reaching a heightof SOm and up to a meter in diameter, it is theprincipal tre e found in northeast Anatolian mountainforests and is under protection.

Oriental plane tree, Platanus orientalis: The orientalplane tree is known as a monument tree and most areolder than ı000 years .

..•.Mount Ağrı (Ararat), 5,151 m. (9)

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Turkey's forests are so abundant that birds,mammals, insects, and lizards can frequently be seen.

Turkey is located in the Alpine-HimalayanMountain Belt and has many beautiful mountains,such as Mount Ağrı and Mount Süphan.

Mount Ağrı is the highest mountain in Turkey ata height of 5,151 meters. Wild sheep liye around thefoot of the mountain. Mount Süphan is the secondhighest mountain in Turkey where wild goats liyearound its foot.

Turkey's mountains could be discovered byindividuals interested in activities such as trekking,altitude diving, climbing, and observing wild life.

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..•..Kaçkar Mountains.Turkish scientists areresearching the glacierlakes to examine theecological changes. (l O)

..•..Mount Süphan, 4,157 m. (11)

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~ Butterfly Valley,

Fethiye. (12)

A Case of Ecotourism İn Turkey

Butterfly Valley is close to Fethiye on Turkey'ssouthwest eoast. Most visitors make day trip s to thevalley by boat from the Ölüdeniz Lagoon. A trip takesapproximately 25 minutes.

The valley is a kind of open natural historymuseum of butterflies. it is possible to observe 40noetumal and 35 diumal butterfly speeies in thevalley,

Some of the most speetaeular speeies of butterfliesand moths in the world are widely distributed in theÖlüdeniz and Butterfly Valley, A very rare butterfly,Alexanor sp., is not found in Europe at all, is oftenobserved in the central, Mediterranean, and east partsof Turkey.

Upon arrival to the valley, it is possible to see manyplant speeies that provide food for butterflies. In thevalley, all kinds of butterflies of the Mediterraneaneoastal region liye during eight months of the year.The tiger moth, Euplagia quandripunctaria, is thespeeies responsible for the name of the valley, BetweenJune and Oetober, eolonies eonsisting of manyhundreds of these lovely, eolorful speeies prefer thevalley as their habitat. Although there is no eleetrieity,telephones, hotels, or even roads in the valley, manynature lovers visit the valley simply to observe andexperience this butterfly paradise.

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Another beautiful butterfly in the valley is thegolden yellow, Gonepteryx {arinosa, which is goldenyellow in color as defined in its name.

This species Papilio machaon also commonlyobserved in the valley after March.

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~ Tiger moth,Euplagia quadripunctaria.(13)

~ Golden yellow,Gonepteryx [arinosa. (14)

~ Papilio machaon. (15)

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Lakes, Rivers and Wetlands

Turkey is alsa very rich in internal waters.Statistically, Turkey has 906,118 ha natural lakes;200,000ha dams and ponds; and 145,715km ofrivers in length.

In Turkey 56 wedands are defined as RamsarStatus. Below are same our wedands that haveinternational importance according to the Ramsarcriteria:

Sultan Sazlığı: This region, which is in Develi Plain,Kayseri, is one of the wedands of Turkey that has amaximum protection status. An area of 45,000 ha isallocated as a Wild Life Pratection Area and an areaof 17,200ha as a Nature Protection Area. In 1993,this wedand was dedared as a Natural SIT Area. itis also a reproduction area for many species:cormorant, heran, mallard, common ter n (Sternahirundo), marbled teal (Mermaronetta angustrostris),white headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala), red-crestedpochard (Netta rufina), glossy ibis (PlegadisfalcineUus), white spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), gadwall (Anasstrepera), ferruginous duck (Aythyanyroca), coot (Fulica atra), and squacco heran(Ardeola raUoides) .

..•• Lake Van. (1)

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While ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) livesin this region during the summer, Hamingo(Phoenicopterus ruber), cra ne (Grus grus) and avocet(Recurvirostra avosetta) prefer the region in thespring. In addition, many water birds can be seen inthis wedand during the winter.

Lake Van: With a surface area of 3,547kmı, this lakeis one of the most important habitats for birds. LakeVan is one of the most interesting brackish lakes ofthe world. Pearl mullet, Chalcalburnus tariebi. is theonly endemic fish living in Lake Van. They reachmaturity at approximately three years and liye forseven years. Marbled teal and white-headed duck usethis region as a reproduction area. Great bustard,Otis tarda, can often be seen in this lake.

Tuz Lake: Located in Aksaray, Konya, it is Turkey'ssecond largest lake and the saltiest. The lake's areashows great changes throghout the year. In 1992, thelake was declared as aSIT area. The biggestHamingo colony in Turkey lives in this lake. Lesserkestrel (Falco naumanni), avocet, and greater sandplover (Charadrius leschenaultii) are also seen in thisregion. In winter, white fronted goose (Anseralbifrons) is seen.

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~ Pearl mullet,Chalcalburnustarichi. (2)

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..•• Lake Beyşehir. (3)

~ Doctor Fish. (4)

Beyşehir Lake: Having a surface area of 73,000 ha,this lake is the Turkey's largest freshwater lake andalso has a great importance as a bird habitat. Thered-crested pochard, Netta rufina, spends winterseasons in this region .

Doctor Fish: Striker, Cyprinion macrostomus, andlicker, Garra rufa, fish living in the hot spring poolsin Kangal, Sivas, attack patients' skin, remove crusts,and thus ca use a direct water contact. These fish givepositive results in psoriasis and rheumatical diseasetreatments. The water temperature of the hot springpools, approximately 35° C, has an important role inthis treatment. These are among the world's rarestfish used in medical treatment. Although theyareunder protection, smuggling to other countries iscommon.

Turkey has 26 river basins with a total water flowof 186 billion rrr', Over half of the surface floworiginates from six main basins: Dicle, Fırat, Eastand West Black Sea, Antalya, and WestMediterranean. There are nin e rivers longer than 500km: Kızılırmak, Fırat, Sakarya, Murat, Aras, Seyhan,Dicle, Yeşilırmak, and Ceyhan.

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The annual total discharge of rivers in Turkey is41 billion rrr' into the Black Sea and 36 billion rrr'into the Mediterranean Sea. The Dicle and FıratRivers mn through Iraq and Syria, respectively.

Deltas are very important for biodiversity,especially regarding waterfowls. The deltas formedby the Meriç, Gediz, Büyük Menderes, and KüçükMenderes rivers that flow to the Aegean Sea and theGöksu, Seyhan, Ceyhan Deltas are suitable habitatsfor a large number of different species of waterfowlbecause the Anatolian plain freezes during winter.

..•.The Kızılırmak River.it discharges intothe Black Sea. (5)

~ The Dicle River (Tigris). (6)

..•.A Fish caught in theFırat River (Euprate).Turkey is trying to protectthe river and the fishstocks. (7)

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Birds

Turkey, a ho st country to birds during theirseasonal intercontinental migration, is on the threebig migration routes between Asia, Europe, andAfrica. A total of 430 species of birds can be seen inTurkey.

In East Anatolia, on the North-South migrationroute, birds of prey can mosdy be observed. In theWest, especially in the Istanbul Strait (Bosphorus),the migration of storks and birds of prey is worthwatching. A part of the Siberia-Africa migrants canbe observed in the widest part of the country on theNorth-South direction. In the Black Sea coast,Kızılırmak Delta shelters 320 species of birds, and inthe Mediterranean coast, Göksu Delta hosts 332species of birds.

Turkey is one of the most important regions forbird migration in the world. Every year, dependingon the season, millions of migrants fly through thecountry and while choosing their direction, they say"hello" or "goodbye" to Asia, Europe, and Africa.

Turkey is on the migration route of birds; thus,species diversity is high. These species are classifiedin 18 orders and 65 families. All of these species areprotected by national laws and internationalagreements. The largest threat for Turkey's birdpopulation is the cultivation of drugs.

The night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax, is nowvery rare in same regions. They use wedands,especially at night.

~Night heran,Nycticorax nycticorax. (1)

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..•.. Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis. (2)

Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis, colonies use theislands of Lake Van as nesting areas. Theyare rarelyfound in wetlands.

The grifton vulture, Gyps {ulvus, lives in theTaurus Mountains and in Middle Anatolia. Theirnumber has now decreased significantly.

The Egyptian vulture, Neophron percnopterus,lived throughout Anatolia and were high in numberin the past, but their numbers have since thendecreased.

The black vulture, Aigrupus monachus, is rarelyseen in Anatolia. it is quite a sight to watch this birdgliding with its wings stretched out.

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.•. Crifton vulture,Gyps (ulvus. (3)

..•.. Egyptian vulture,Neophron percnopterus.(4)

.•..Black vulture,

Aegypius monachus. (5)

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.••.Imperia! eagle,Aquila heliaca. (6)

The imperial eagle, Aquila hefiaca, is found inmid-Anatolia as a native species throughout the year.it is also a ra re species.

The white stork, Ciconia ciconia, migratesthrough Turkey, and they can be seen in numbers inthe hundreds of thousands while they use theIstanbul Strait as a migration route. Theyare seenvery rarely in Europe nowadays .

.••.White stark,Ciconia ciconia. (7) The slender billed gull, Larus genei, is a very rare

species. it can only be seen in west Anatolia .

.••.S!ender billed gull, Larus genei. (8)

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The dalmatian pelican, Pelacanus crispus, hassurvive in nurnbers and can be seen in Turkey'swetlands throughout the year .

.•. Dalmatian peliean, Pelacanus crispus and Pelacanus onocrotalus. (9)

The bald ibis that is alrnost extinct, is found onlyin Turkeyand Morocco. These birds lay eggs in thetown of Birecik in southeasterrı Turkey close to theFırat River.

.•. Bald ibis, Geronticus eremita. (10)

Turkey is an ideal country for bird watching. it ispossible to observe birds in forests, wetlands, and insteppes in all seasons of the year.

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Amphibians and Reptiles

Amphibians and reptiles are important group s inTurkey. Amphibians are an evolutionary classbetween fish and reptiles and can survive in waterand partly on land. In Turkey, there are seven speciesbelonging to Urodela (frog with atail) group andfamily of the salamanders, and also ı ı species of fivefamilies from Anura (frog without atail) group.However, within these species, there are manysubspecies. For instance, it is known that there areeight subspecies of terrestrial salamander, recognizedas Mertensiella luschani.

.•. Taurus frog,Rana boltzi. (1)

Taurus Frog, Rana holtziı The taurus frog is amountain frog and its length is 7.Scm. Its skin isusually soft, slim, and flat. The color of its back isdifferent shades of brown, with spots (that mn alongits left and right sides) usually surrounded by aslender light stripe. Its stomach is spotless yellowish,pinkish, or whitish. it is an endemic species that onlylives in Turkey, Karagöl, which is 2,SSOm in altitudeon thetop of the Bolkar Mountains and surroundedwith pasture grasses. it is a protected species .

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There is also a quite rich diversity of reptiles inTurkey. From the group of turdes (Testudinata): fourspecies of two families live in fresh water, two speciesof one family in the sea, two species of one familyonthe ground. There are two subgroups of Squamous(Squamata) group, as lizards (Lacertilia) and snakes(Ophidia). 49 species of eight different families oflizards and 36 species of five different families ofsnakes liye throughout the country.

The two types of snakes that inhabit the regionsof the Black Sea and southeast Anatolia are foundonly in Turkey. Theyare under threat because ofpesticides, but theyare protected species.

Vipera barani: The length of its body is 55cm andtheyare entirely black. There are white spots on thescales at the edges of the mouth. The back isgrayish-brown, and there are thick marks towardsthe neck. Some of these marks form a zigzag pattern.The tip of the tail is yellow.

This species lives in shrubs and is endemic inTurkey. Research finding indicates that they livearound Adapazarı, Silifke, Taurus, and Trabzon. it isunder protection by the European CounciL. Theirnumber is decreasing especially due to smuggling.

.•• Vipera barani. (2)

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.•. Vipera wagneri. (3)

.•. Suphan lizart,Eremias suphani. (4)

Vipera wagneri: The length is 90 cm. Its back is gr ayor brown-beige and with spots. The edges of thespots are thick, and the inside parts are reddish oryellowish-brown. Spots may be separated from eachother or may be merged. The lower side is light todark gray in color.

it lives among rocks with little vegetation, therocky sides of mountains, and plateaus. it is assumedthat this species also lives around the north of thecities of Ağrı and Van, although it has only beenspotted around Kars. Outside Turkey, it is onlyknown in Azerbaijan. it is protected species under allknown international agreements.

Suphan Lizard, Eramias suphani: Its body length is 20cm. Its back color is greenish or brown-gray, andthere are light and thick colors along the left andrihgt sides of the back. The lower part is whitish. Inyoung animals, stripes and points are numerous.

This lizard, which lives in sandy and stony places,is an endemic species. it is distrubuted only aroundthe cities of Van and Bitlis.

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Protection of Sea Turdes..•. Loggerhead turtle,Caretta caretta. (5)

Two speeies of marine turdes can regularly befound along the Aegean and Mediterranean eoast ofTurkey. Theyare the loggerhead turtle, Carettacaretta and the green turtle, Chelonia mydas.

NGOs, government agencies, and loealauthorities have been working together for theprotection of the loggerhead turtle and green turtle.These two species live on the coasts of the Aegeanand Mediterranean and are under proteetion. Themap below shows major nesting sites for these twospecıes.

TURKEY

PATAIIA

MEDITERRANEAN SEA

..•. The 17 major marine turtle nesting areas of Turkey (Yerli & Demirayak, 1996).

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Terrestrial Mammals

In the past 50,000 years, many species ofterrestrial mammals that originated in Europe, Asia,and Africa entered into Anatolia, which completedits own geologic formation 10 million years ago.Today, in Turkey, groups of mammals (Mammalia)are represented by 16 Insectivoras, 32 Chiropteras,2 Lagomorphas, 55 Rodentias, 20 Carrıivoras and15 Artiodactylas. In ancient times, the Asianelephant (Elaphus maximus) lived in Arıatolia. Wildcattle (Bos primigenius), cheetah (Acinonyxjubutatus), lion (Panthera leo), tiger (Pantheratigris), a kind of marten (Martes zibellina), and atype of carrıivore (Genetta genetta) vanished.Anarolian leopard (Panthera pardus) and a kin d ofgazelle (Gazella gazella) are now on the verge ofextinction in Arıatolia due to hunting anddeforesta tion.

..•..Anatolian leopard,Panthera pardus. (1)

While some species of insectivorous are locatedmostly in humid forest areas of Turkey, some othersspread out in well-watered steppe lands. For thatreason, the species such as mole (Talpa europaea)and caucasian shrew (Sorex caucasicus) are seen insome specific localities. However, species such as thewhite toothed shrew (Crocidura leucodon) can be seeneverywhere.

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Bats (Chiroptera) usually liye in caves. Openingcaves to tourism without scientific precautions maydisturb bats. Thus, the protection of bats, which arethe main components of a cave ecosystem, hasbecome a priority issue in Turkey. Since the Egyptianfruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) living on theMediterranean coast damages fruit, these mammalsare sometimes killed. Bechstein bat (Myotisbechsteinii) and Leisler bat (Nyctalus leisleri) are rarespecies that are disappearing because of forest fires.Although pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) andkuhl pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus kuhli) which oftencan be found in settlement areas and in regionswhere pesticide is used, always give birth to twins,theyare under threat.

Although the wild rabbit (Lepus europaeus) ofrabbit group (Lagomorpha) of Turkey is the mosthunted type, they liye in all vegetated regions ofTurkey.

The most fundamental elements in the food chainare rodents (Rodentia). Caucasian pine vole(Microtus majori), one of the Turkish rodents, forestdarmice (Dryomys laniger), and spiny mouse(Acomys cilicicus) are endemic species.

The population of all species are greatly dediningbecause of hunting, except for the fox (Vulpes vulpes)and beech marten (Martes (oina) that havecharacteristic opportunistic of feeding amongcarrıivores (Carnivora) in Turkey. There is no accurateinformation about the situation of pine marten(Martes martes). Brown bear (Ursus aretos), lynx(Felis lynx), caracal (Felis caracal), and wildcat (Fe/issilvestris) are always being hunted for their fur. Wolf(Canis lupus), hyena (Hyaena hyaena), badger (Melesmeles), jackal (Canis aureus), big poppy (Mustelaerminea), and small poppy (Muste/a nivalis) arespecies killed wherever theyare seen since they harmvegetables, fruit, and domesticated animals.

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The otter (Lutra lutra) a half aquatic species, ishunted for its fur and damages fish farms. Aconservation project has been implemented for thisspecies. As a result, some carnivores are vanishingbecause of unconscious hunting, habitat destructionand pollution.

T Wild sheep,Ovis gmelinii anatolıca. (2)

All wild species except for wild boar havedecreased in number because the species of even-toed(Artiodactyla) are the main target of hunters. Thus,theyare now categorized as rare species. Thedomesticated races of Asian camel (Camelus ferus)and African camel (Camelus dromedaries) aresurviving symbolically in some places. A type ofgazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) and chamois(Rupicapra rupicapra) are also disappearing becauseof hunting. A type of wild sheep (Ovis gmeliniianatolica) is under protection in Central Anatolia.This species is a typical member of steppeecosystems.

Thus far, Turkish and international scientists hav~researched mammals of Turkey taxonomically,ecologically, as well as biogeographically. However,some species vanished before their taxonomic identitywas defined. Research into a species of badger (Melesmeles) whose number was reduced, as well assome other species, has become almost impossible.

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143 mammal species are under the protection ofinternational agreements such as the BemCorıventiorı and CITES (Washington Convention)that Turkey has signed.

The bear is one of the carnivores still living inAnatolia. The largest population lives in the East andthe Northeast. In addition, those that used to betamed for public attraction are protected in specialareas to be released into nature again. Thepreservation of bears in Anatolia depends on thesuccess in the protection of woodlands, pine groves,and maquis ecosystems.

Wolves, particularly living in the region of MiddleAnatolia and the Black Sea, are alsa under protection.The survival of these animals, which are one of theoldest indigenous species of Anatolia, depends on theprotection of forest ecosystems. The number of wolveshave deelined throughout Europe and although theyare still common in many areas in Turkey, they need tobe protected in order to conserve the species.

Genetic Conservatiorı of Some DomesticatedMammals

Gökçeada sheep is an isolated race of sheep. Thisspecies is also under protection to main ta in geneticdiversity.

The cat of Van which has blue and green eyes isunique only to the Van region and is under protection.it has been studied so that its genetic characteristicswill not be lost.

The dog of Kangal, which is popular all around theworld, originates in Anatolia's coldest and hardestelimates. Researchers have been continuing the irefforts to protect their genetic characteristics.

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.•..Bear, Ursus arctos (3)

.•..Wolf, Canis lupus. (4)

.•..Gökçeada Sheep. (5)

...•..The dog of Kangal. (6)

.•..The cat of Van. (7)

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..••The Black Sea.

..•• Fish market in theİstanbul Strait, rich indiversity. (1)

..•• The turbot, Psettamaxima released to thesea. (2)

..•• Salma troutta labraxis endemic in the Black Sea.(3)

..•• The Black Sea coast. (4)

Marine Life

Turkey is surrounded by four different seas. Theseare the Black Sea, the Marmara Sea, the Aegean Sea,and the Mediteranean Sea. These seas also containnumerous islands and islets.

Turkish seas are rich in the diversity of fishspecies: the Black Sea has 300 fish species, theMarmara Sea 200, the Aegean Sea 300, and theMediterranean Sea 400 species.

The turbot, is one of the vulnerable species in theBlack Sea, and various state institutions and NGOswork together for the restoration and recovery of thestocks. The release of cultured young fish startedthree years ago in Trabzon (Easterrı Black Sea) as aprotection measure for this species. The fishingseason and methods are regulated.

Sturgeons are among the most endangered speciesin the Black Sea and these species is under protectionalong all of Turkey's coasts. The main threats forsturgeons are overfishing and pollution. There hasbeen some effort to further enhance the protection ofsturgeons in the Black Sea.

Salmo trutta labrax is an endemic species in theBlack Sea. Overfishing and river pollution are themain threats for this species. it is also underprotection, and studies aimed at restoring its stockscontinue.

Marine biodiversity is under threat in the BlackSea due to eutrophication mainly caused by theDanube River, ship-originated pollution, over fishingand invasive exotic species. Turkey plays animportant role in the implementation of theBucharest Convention for the protection of the BlackSea.

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..•.Russian sturgeon, Acipenser guldenstaedti, one of the endangered sturgeon species in the Black Sea. (5)

The Sea of Marmara is a small inland sea ofTurkey. it has two important straits, namely theİstanbul (Bosphorus) and Çanakkale (Dardanelles)Straits. These two straits play a vital role for themarine biodiversity of the Black Sea andMediterranean Sea due to its characteristic as abiological corridor. The two straits are called theTurkish Straits System.

The Marmara Sea is under the threat of a heavypollution load from the Black Sea. Moreover,ship-originated pollution is the most importantpollution source for this sea, and many bays andgulfs are affected by previous ship accidents in theIstanbul Strait. Species diversity is also high in theStraits, and 52 marine species are in the Red DataBook, including the Mediterranean mo nk seal,Monachu5 monachus.

The Marmara Sea is a spawning area for manypelagic migratory fish. However, in recent years,overfishing caused a dedine in the stocks of somespecies, such for sturgeon, turbot, swordfish, tuna,and mackeraL. Currently, the draft Marmara SeaAction Plan considers the problem holistically. ..•. The Marmara Sea

(Turkish Straits System).

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..•. Black coraİ,Gerardia savagliacolonies. (6)

Mitigation of land-based, ship-originated, andindustrial pollution are the priorities for theaction plan.

Black coral, Gerardia savaglia, still survivesbelow a depth of 30m in the Marmara Sea. Thisspecies is under protection in all Turkish waters.

The small spotted shark has an Atlantic origin butalso lives in the Marmara Sea below a depth of SOm.This species can reach a length of 100cm.

The Aegean and Mediterranean coast of Turkey isunder heavy tourism pressure, and its habitatdiversity is severely threatened. The Turkishgovernment realizes that tourism can only developwhen the maintenance of water quality of the seas isproperly managed. Soft tourism, like diving, has alsobeen encouraged in some areas. Exotic species fromother seas, land-based pollution, and overfishing aremajor threats to the marine biodiversity of Aegeanand Mediterranean Seas. In the Aegean Sea, a totalnumber of 3S marine species are under threat.

'i;',.ııtlIM:r.ı..... _ ",.if'

..•. Smail spotted shark, Scyliorhinus canicula. (7)

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The Aegean and Mediterranean seas have anendemic marine phaneograme. This species isNeptune grass, Posidonia oceanica, which is underprotection by law in Turkish waters. The Posidoniameadow has a very important role in the entireMediterranean Sea, where it constitutes a habitat formany species. Thus, Posidonia meadows areconsidered as the most important ecosystems alongTurkish coasts.

However, Neptune grass meadows are dediningdue to coastal infrastrucure, trawling, beach set nets,gill nets, anchoring, and pollution.

Sponges are one of the commercial products fromdeep water, traditonally fished in the Aegean Sea andexported throughout the world. Sponges erıtitledTurkish cup and elephant ear are known all aroundthe world. Sponges are generally black in the naturalenvironment, and theyare bleached after harvestingfor the market .

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..•..The Aegean Sea.

..•..Diving tourism is anew fashion in Turkishriviera. (8)

..•..Posidonia meadows. (9)

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.•..Sponge sold in Bodrum.(10)

.•..A diseased sponge,Jrcinia sp. in Neptunegrass. (11)

.•.. Knobbed triton,Charonia lampas. (12)

Sponges are habitats for many organisms andkinds of shelters for smaIl sea stars, moIluses, andeven nudibranehes. But, in reeent years, the spongepopulation in the Mediterranean Sea has declineddue to an epidemie. Sponge fishing is banned inTurkey for the reeovery of natural stoeks .

Knobbed triton, Charonia lampas, is distributedin the Aegean and Mediteranean eoasts of Turkey.This moIluse speeies is rare and under proteetion bylaw.

Shamefaeed erab, Calappa granulata, is widelydistributed along the Turkish Aegean eoast.

Nudibraneh, gastropod moIluses, are found onroeky beds from 2m down to 40m deep. Twelvenudibraneh speeies are known in Turkish waters sofar.

Red starfish, Echinaster seposıtus, is underproteetion by law in Turkish waters due to itsvulnerability. This speeies ean liye up to a depth of2S0m.

.•.. Shamefaeed erab, Calappa granulata. (13)

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.jj[;.' .cx

..••Hypselodoris valenciennesi.(15)

..•• Red starfish,Echinaster sepositus. (14)

Golden grouper, Epinephelus alexandrinus, is stillfound in Turkish waters and has a stable populationin the easterrı Mediterranean. This fish is a flagspecies for divers and the diving business.

Dusky grouper, Epinephelus guaza, is one of thefish species whose population is dedining due tooverfishing, illegal fishing, and spearfishing. Itsstatus is vulnerable, and effective protectionmeasures should be implemented.

Moray eels, Muraena helena, are silent inhabitantsof the caves and rocky areas in Turkish coastal waters.

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..••Golden grouper,Epinephelus alexandrinus.(16)

• Dusky grouper,Epinephelus guaza. (17)

• Morayeel,Muraena helena. (18)

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..•• Barracuda,

Sphyraena sphyraena. (19)

..•. Sea horse,Hippocampus ramulosus.(20)

..•. Sperm whale, Physetercatodon, in Antalya,the Mediterranean. (21)

Barracuda, Sphyraena sphyraena, can be observedall year round along the Turkish Aegean andMediterranean coasts. These fish are the favorites ofdivers, and big schools can be seen from the surfacedown to a depth of SOm.

Sea horse, Hippocampus ramulosus, can be foundamong Neptune grass from 1-IOm to 2Sm deep. Thisspecies is one of the ra re species and underprotection by law in Turkey.

Marine mammals are top predators of the BlackSea and Mediterranean ecosystems. There are nineodontoceti and one mysticeti species living along theTurkish coasts, and all are under protection by law.Among them, sperm whale, Physeter catodon, isoften seen in the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts.Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus, is also observed inthese seas. The main threat for cetaceans in Turkishwaters are bycatch and pollution. For bycatch andstrandings, a national stranding network wasestablished five years ago.

A female sperm whale was rescued fromswordfish nets in the Aegean Sea in mid 2002.Turkey has drafted and started to implement its ownnational plan for the conservation of cetaceans.

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The Mediteranean monk seal, Monachusmonachus, is one of the rarest animals in the worldand a critically endangered species. This species stillsurvives along Turkish coasts, and effectiveprotection measures have been implementedsuccessfully by local authorities, NGOs, andgovernment agecies.

This species has been protected by law since 1977in Turkey, and after many years the mortality ratehas decreased, while the birth rate has increased.However, the population is still not stable.Therefore, a concerted action plan and its properimplementation is needed for the last monk seals ofEurope.

Cetacean Species in Turkey

Black Marmara Aegean Mediterraneansea sea Sea sea

Phocoena pbocoena + +

Tursiops truncatus + + + +

Delphinus delphis + + + +

Grampus griseus + +

Ziphius cauirostrıs + +

Pseudorca crassidens + +

Ştenella coeruleoalba + +

Globicephala me/as + +

Physeter catodon + +

Balaenoptera physalus + +

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Two new bom pupsin the Cilician basin.The Monk seal is alsoa flag species in theMediterranean Sea. (22)

~ Bottlenose dolphin,Tursiops truncatus,

___""~~ while jumping (23)

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..•..Monk seals swim freely in the Bodrum Peninsula in the Central Aegean Sea af tereffective protection measures. (24)

Turkey has also many islands and islets. Insularecosystems are unique, due to high endemism andfragile habitats.

..•..Spiny lobster,Palinurus elephas,in the cave. (25)

..•.. Gökçeada Island. (26)

Gökçeada in the North Aegean Sea is the biggestisland of Turkey, and around the island spinylobster, Palinurus elephas, is commonly seen.

Islands around the Bodrum Peninsula play animportant role in species diversity and should bestrictly protected due to its isolation from themainland. Many sea weed species liye in theunspoiled, crystal clear waters.

The Mediterranean islands and islets are alsoimportant for marine biodiversity. These islands havespecial algae which is strongly calcified andgerıerally common in mediolittoral zones where itforms encrusted corniches up to 1m wide, namelytrottoirs. These trottoirs prevent coastal erosion.

Protection of marine biodiversity is absolutelynecessary for the sake of future generations. Weknow that marine biodiversity is under threat alongTurkish coasts. We are aware that our seas, lakes,rivers, .gulfs, and bays are very valuable forspecies, habitat, and ecosystem diversity.

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Turkey has already designated certain marineareas for habitat protection and some areas havebeen declared as special protected areas. All ourefforts must be united for marine conservation.Thus, we work in close cooperation with local,national, and international communities.

.•. Stone weed, Lithophyllum lichenoides,found in the Mediterranean islands of Turkey. (28)

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.•. Cystoseira sp. is oneof the key species in theMediterraneanecosystem. (27)

.•. These same smail islands alsa have molluse fossils and marvellous storıe shapes causedby storrns and the influence of waves. (29)

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.•. Sea caves are suitable ahabitats for fish and sponges. These ecosystems should beprotected. More than hundred sea caves have been studied recently. (30)

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The editors would like to thank the following persons andorganizations for their kind support, suggestions,eontributions, and pieture eredits:

Şahika Ertan, Ateş Evirgen, Hüseyin Öztürk, Murat Egi,Bülent Topaloğlu, Ayhan Dede, Arda M. Tonay, Ali CemalGücü, Yıldırım Güngör, Mustafa Sarı, Faruk Akbaş, MehmetAli Akpınar, Bülent Ünver, Sadettin Aşkın, Engin Aygün, AliKüçükosmanoğlu, Kerim Alpınar, Dinçer Gülen, Cevat Gürel,Salih Çelikkale, Mustafa Zengin, Alkım Ün, Serdar Ataol,Okan Can, Gürdoğar Sarıgül, Ali İhsan Gökçen, CüneytOğuz Tekin, Mesut Kaşıkçı, Bedri Kayabal, Cemal Gülas, AliÜstay, Mehmet Atatür, Sadık Erik, Osman Nuri Özkan,Tahsin Ceylan and Fırat Cengiz.

Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Forestry, UNDP, GEF - SmailGrants Programme, Bird Research Association, Trabzon FisheriesResearch Center, Atlas Magazine, BBA Ltd., 2 Tasarım, OfisMatbaa.

Funding provided by: UNDP, GEF - Smail Grants Programme

English edited by: Sibel Sezer and Jay Dobbis.

Edited by: Bayram Öztürk and Sedat Yerli

Editing Assistants: Didem Göktürk, Elif Özgür, Ayşe Lafçı,Şeyda Kaya, Ahmet Ş. Çavuş, Mehtap Kural, Onur Türkeean.

Chapter eontributers:Sadık Erik (Flora),Asaf Ertan (Forests, Mountains, and Birds),İbrahim Baran (Amphibians and Reptiles),İrfan Albayrak (Terrestrial Mammals), andBayram Öztürk, Sedat Yerli and Ayaka Amaha Öztürk(Marine Life).

if you enjoyed this booklet, please write to us and make anysuggestions you might have for the next edition.

Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TÜDAV)P.O. Box 10 Beykoz-İstanbul, [email protected]

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Selected references:

Baran, İ., Atatür, M.K. 1998. Herpetofauna of Turkey.Publication of Ministry of Environment, Ankara. 214 p.

Erik, S., Akaydın, G., Göktaş, A. 1998. Natural Plants ofAnkara. Ankara University Press. 195 p. (in Turkish).

Heinzel, H., Fitter, R., Parslow, J. 1995 Pocket Guide to Birdsof Britain & Europe with North Africa and the Middle East.Harper Collins Puplishers, Hol. 384 p.

Kaya, Z., Kün, E., Güner, A. 1998. National Plan for in situConservation of Plant Genetic Diversity in Turkey. Ministryof Environment, Ankara. 139 p.

Kışlalıoğlu, M., Berkes, F. 1987. Biological Diversity. T.ç.S.Y.,Ankara. 121 p. (in Turkish).

Ministry of Environment. 1992. Turkey's Importance in theWorld of Living Things. Ankara. 34 p.

Öztürk, B., Öztürk, A.A. 1996. On the biology of the TurkishStraits System. Bull. de l'Institut Oceanographique, Monaco,no. special 17:205-221.

Öztürk, B. 1998. Black Sea Biological Diversity, Turkey.UN Publications, New York. 144 p.

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Picture Credits:

Flora1 Cevat Güner, 2-4-7-8-9-10-11-12-13 KerimAlpınar, 3-5-6 Sadık Erik.

Forests and Mountains1-2-4-6-8 Asaf Ertan, 3-7 Cevat Güner,5 Sadettin Aşkın, 9-11 Yıldırım Güngör,10 Murat Egi, 12-13-14-15 Faruk Arbaş.

Lakes, Rivers and Wetlands1-3 Asaf Ertan, 2 Mustafa Sarı, 4 M. A. Akpınar,5-6-7 Bayram Öztürk.

Birds1-2-3-4-7-8 Asaf Ertan, 5 Alkım Ün,6 Okan Can, 9 Gürdoğar Sarıgül,10 Serdar Ataol.

Amphibians and Reptiles1-2-3-4 İbrahim Bartın, 5 Mehmet Atatür.

Terrestrial Mammals1 Cafer Tayyar Türkmen, 2-6 Cevat Güner,3 Ali Üstay, 4 Cemal Gülas, 5 Sadettin Aşkın,7 Anonym.

Marine Life1-2-3-4-6-7-8-9-10-12-14-21-23-24-27-28 BayramÖztürk, 5 Mustafa Zengin, 11 Bülent Topaloğlu,13-15-16-17-18-19-26 Ateş Evirgen,20 Tahsin Ceylan, 25-29, Sadettin Aşkın,22 A.Cemal Gücü, 30 Engin Aygün.

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