Euxine–Colchic broadleaf forests
| Euxine-Colchic broadleaf forests | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Euxine-Colchic deciduous forests ecoregion along the southern coast of Black Sea, shown in yellow. | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Palearctic |
| Biome | temperate broadleaf and mixed forests |
| Borders | |
| Geography | |
| Area | 73,828 km2 (28,505 sq mi) |
| Countries | |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | Critical/endangered[1] |
| Protected | 784 km2 (1%)[2] |
The Euxine–Colchic broadleaf forests is an ecoregion of temperate broadleaf and mixed forests along the southern shore of the Black Sea.[3] The ecoregion extends along the thin coastal strip from the southeastern corner of Bulgaria in the west, across the northern coast of Turkey, to Georgia in the east, where it wraps around the eastern end of the Black Sea.
Sub-regions
The ecoregion is divided into two sub-regions, chiefly based on the amount of precipitation.
The understory of evergreen broadleaf shrubs is characteristic for both sub-regions. Notable species in the understory include various rhododendrons such as
Colchian forests
The Colchic or Colchian forests are found around the southeast corner of the Black Sea in Turkey and Georgia in and around the
The Colchic region has high rainfall, averaging 1,500–2,500 millimetres (59–98 inches) annually,[5] with a maximum in excess of 4000 mm, and is home to some of Europe's temperate rainforests.[1]
A 2023 study suggested that deforestation has resulted in more flooding and landslides in the region.[4]
Euxinic forests
The drier Euxine or Euxinic forests lie west of the Melet River,[6] which meets the Black Sea in the city of Ordu, and extend across the Bosporus along the Black Sea coast of European Turkey to Bulgaria.[citation needed]
The Euxine forests receive an average of 1000 to 1500 mm precipitation annually.[5]
The Bulgarian part of the ecoregion lies within Strandzha Nature Park, where it borders on and transitions into the Balkan mixed forests ecoregion. Rare habitat types include coastal sand dunes and peatlands.[citation needed]
Fauna
Large mammals native to the ecoregion include
The ecoregion is habitat for many migrating, wintering, and breeding birds. It is on a bird migratory pathway known as the
Protected areas
Much woodland has been converted to arable land to grow crops such as hazelnut, tea, citrus fruit, and bamboo.
There are
References
- ^ a b c d "Euxine-Colchic deciduous forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
- ^ PMID 28608869.) Supplemental material 2 table S1b.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link - ^ "Euxine-Colchic Broadleaf Forests". One Earth. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
- ^ ISSN 1402-2001.
- ^ a b c d "Euxine-Colchic Broadleaf Forests". One Earth. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
- ISBN 978-1-4081-0475-0.
- ^ "Camera trapping of medium and large-sized mammals in western Black Sea deciduous forests in Turkey".
- ^ "The Black Sea-Eastern Mediterranean flyway of the globally threatened European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur)".
- ^ "Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands". UNESCO World Heritage List. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 24 April 2022.