Southern Anatolian montane conifer and deciduous forests
Southern Anatolian montane conifer and deciduous forests | |
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Ecology | |
Realm | Palearctic |
Biome | Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub |
Borders | List
|
Geography | |
Area | 76,408 km2 (29,501 sq mi) |
Countries | |
Conservation | |
Conservation status | Critical/endangered[1] |
Protected | 216 km2 (>1%)[2] |
The Southern Anatolian montane conifer and deciduous forests
Lebanon cedar (Cedrus libani) is a characteristic tree.
Geography
The ecoregion covers an area of 29,500 square miles (76,000 km2), in portions of Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Israel.
The ecoregion lies mainly in the
The ecoregion also includes the higher-elevation portions of the
Temperate-climate forests and steppes lie to the north on the Anatolian plateaus. The Mediterranean-climate
Climate
The ecoregion has a montane Mediterranean climate. Average annual precipitation ranges from 800 to 2000 mm. Winter is the wettest season, and summer is the driest. Rain-bearing winds generally come from the southwest winds, and south and west-facing slopes generally have higher rainfall than north and east-facing ones. Average temperatures vary with elevation, and higher elevations experience cool temperatures and regular winter frosts and snows. Proximity to the sea moderates winter temperatures, and interior regions have a more continental climate with colder winters.[1]
Flora
The main plant communities are conifer forests, broadleaf deciduous forests, and alpine meadows and shrublands.
Conifer forests are the most widespread.
Deciduous forests are concentrated in areas with higher rainfall (1,500-2,000 mm) facing the prevailing southwest winds, notably the
The dry alpine meadows are characterized by low-growing subshrubs, tufted herbaceous plants, grasses, and geophytes, including many species of Astragalus.[1]
Protected areas
Protected areas in the Western Taurus include Çığlıkara Nature Reserve, near Elmalı, Antalya Province, which protects 15,889 ha of Cedrus libani forest. The protected area around the coastal mountain of Babadağ, near Fethiye in Muğla Province, includes montane forests of Acer undulatum, which is endemic to the mountain, along with Cedrus libani, Abies cilicica, Pinus brutia, and junipers, and maquis at lower elevations.[3] Other protected areas in the Western Taurus include Sarıkara National Park in the Bey Mountains, Köprülü Canyon National Park on the Köprüçay River, and Üzümdere National Park, Altınbeşik Cave National Park, and Dim Çayı National Park in the mountains above Alanya.
Protected areas in the Central Taurus include Cehennem Deresi National Park and Topaşir National Park.
External links
- "Southern Anatolian montane conifer and deciduous forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Southern Anatolian montane conifer and deciduous forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
- ^ Eric Dinerstein, David Olson, et al. (2017). An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm, BioScience, Volume 67, Issue 6, June 2017, Pages 534–545; Supplemental material 2 table S1b. [1]
- ^ Mansourian, Stephanie & Rossi, Magali & Vallauri, Daniel. (2013). Ancient Forests in the Northern Mediterranean: Neglected High Conservation Value Areas. 10.13140/2.1.5170.4640.