Ali Kavgaci

Long-term post-fire succession of Pinus brutia forest in the east Mediterranean

We studied post-fire long-term regeneration of a south-western Turkey (Antalya region) forest using the synchronical approach. We analysed species richness patterns and vegetation diversity. Species were grouped according to plant functional types and special emphasis was given to seeders and resprouters. We recorded two plant species richness peaks, with the highest richness immediately following the fire and with the second peak 7 years after disturbance. Beta diversity decreased over time but also showed two peaks. The results of our floristic survey show that the majority of species are present from the beginning of the succession and suggest that Pinus brutia forests of the east Mediterranean basin recover through autosuccession. However, changes in species richness and β diversity indicate successional changes and thus we cannot completely support the model of direct recovery.

DIVERSITY AND ECOLOGICAL DIFFERENTIATION OF OAK FORESTS IN NW THRACE (TURKEY)

Quercus robur, Q. frainetto, Q. cerris and Q. petraea that predominate in forests in the Thrace region, a bridge between the Balkans and Anatolia, were sampled, elaborated and classified. The ecological conditions were estimated by bio-indicator values. Oak forests can be divided into four groups: Q. robur-Fraxinus angustifolia forests thriving in floodplains, Q. petraea forests found at higher altitudes, Q. frainetto-Carpinus orientalis forests appearing in the warmest and driest sites and Q. frainetto forests on more humid sites. It was established that the most important topographic factor is altitude, while slope and aspect are of minor importance.

Diversity of Floodplain Forests in the Igneada Region (NW Thrace - Turkey)

Diversity of Floodplain Forests in the Igneada Region (NW Thrace - Turkey) The work deals with the floodplain forests of the Igneada region (NW Trace, Turkey). 69 relevés were sampled from wet to mesic sites according to the Braun-Blanquet approach and analyzed using different multivariate methods. The dataset was divided into five groups (associations), which demonstrate the diversity of forests in the region. In the wettest sites, forests dominated by Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus angustifolia appear; on wet and nutrient rich sites along rivers there are forests dominated by Ulmus laevis and Fraxinus angustifolia; on wet and less nutrient rich sites Ulmus minor and Fraxinus angustifolia appear; on humid sites Fraxinus angustifolia and Carpinus betulus forests thrive and on mesic sites Carpinus betulus forests appear. The ecological conditions are estimated by bioindicator values and the gradient from wet and nutrient rich forests to mesic and nutrient poor forests is presented by numerical analysis. The species richness and geo-elemental structure for each community is evaluated. Finally, a syntaxonomical scheme is proposed and the following associations were determined Leucojo aestivi-Fraxinetum angustifoliae, Fraxino angustifoliae-Ulmetum laevis, Smilaco excelsae-Fraxinetum angustifoliae (Alno-Quercion roboris, Populetalia albae) and Geranio robertiani-Carpinetum betuli, Trachystemo orientalis-Carpinetum betuli (Castaneo-Carpinion betuli, Rhododendro pontici-Fagetalia orientalis) all within Querco-Fagetea. V delu obravnavamo vegetacijo poplavnih gozdov v Igneadi (SZ Trakija - Turčija). Opravili smo 69 popisov gozdov, ki se pojavljajo na mokrih, vlažnih in mezofilnih rastiščih. Gozdna vegetacija je razdeljena na pet skupin (asociacij), ki predstavljajo raznolikost teh gozdov v regiji. Na dobro namočenih rastiščih se pojavljajo gozdovi, kjer dominirata vrsti Alnus glutinosa in Fraxinus angustifolia; na mokrih in bogatih rastiščih najdemo gozdove vrst Ulmus laevis in Fraxinus angustifolia, na namočenih, vendar manj bogatih se pojavljajo gozdovi vrst Ulmus minor in Fraxinus angustifolia; na vlažnih rastiščih uspevajo gozdovi vrst Fraxinus angustifolia in Carpinus betulus, gozdovi vrste Carpinus betulus pa uspevajo na mezofilnih rastiščih. Ekološke razmere so bile opredeljene z bioindikatorskimi vrednostmi, gradient vlažnosti pa je predstavljen na podlagi numeričnih analiz. Primerjava obsega tudi bogastvo vrst različnih združb in njihovo geoelementno sestavo. Predlagana je tudi sintaskonomsko uvrstitev obravnavanih združb: Leucojo aestivi-Fraxinetum angustifoliae, Fraxino angustifoliae-Ulmetum laevis, Smilaco excelsae-Fraxinetum angustifoliae (Alno-Quercion roboris, Populetalia albae) in Geranio robertiani-Carpinetum betuli, Trachystemo orientalis-Carpinetum betuli (Castaneo-Carpinion betuli, Rhododendro pontici-Fagetalia orientalis) vse v okviru razreda Querco-Fagetea.

Cedar forest communities in Western Antalya (Taurus Mountains, Turkey)

Abstract The most extensive and magnificent forests of Cedrus libani A. Rich. in the world are on the Taurus Mountains in Turkey. They cover an area of about 400,000 hectares. C. libani forms either pure stands or mixed stands with other tree species, such as Abies cilicica, Pinus nigra, P. brutia, Quercus species (Q. cerris, Q. infectoria, Q. libani etc.), Juniperus excelsa and J. foetidissima. In this work, the floristic composition of the cedar forests in Western Antalya has been investigated and the ecological factors have been measured. The main forest types have been established and correlated with the ecological factors. In total, 201 relevés were analyzed by numerical methods and classified into five groups of C. libani forests and one group of Q. coccifera scrublands. It was observed that the topographical gradient mainly determines the differentiation patterns of cedar forests in Western Antalya.

Vegetation of temporary ponds in cold holes in the Taurus mountain chain (Turkey)

The work deals with vegetation zonation in temporary ponds within cold holes in the Western Taurus mountain chain. There are two main factors that cause differentiation within the studied vegetation: one relates to the microtopography, the other to altitude. In the bottom of temporary ponds, marsh vegetation of Ranunculo argyrei-Tanacetea argentei (Sedo nani-Convolvuletalia galactici) appears (an endemic class vicariant to Scheuchzerio-Caricetea fuscae); in the intermediate zone, the vegetation is dominated by therophytes of Stellarietea mediae (Thero-Brometalia) and in the upper part, there is vegetation of hygrophilous grassland communities of Molinio-Arrhenatheretea (Potentillo-Polygonetalia). This zonation of communities can be found at lower altitudes (up to 1600 m); whereas at higher altitudes, the intermediate zone dominated by therophytes gradually disappears and then also the hygrophilous grasslands. The work also provides a description of new syntaxa, to wit: Ranunculo argyrei-Tanacetea argentei, Sedo nani-Convolvuletalia galactici, Rorippo aureae-Eleocharidion quinqueflorae, Sedo nani-Ranunculetum argyrei, Trifolio caudati-Hordeion geniculati, Taeniathero caput-medusae-Hordeetum geniculati, Alopecuro vaginati-Trifolion resupinati and Ornithogalo lanceolati-Elymetum repentis.

Classification and phytogeographical differentiation of oriental beech forests in Turkey and Bulgaria

Floristic differentiation of the oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) forests in Turkey and Bulgaria was investigated and the role of geographical and topographical factors in this differentiation was assessed. After geographical and ecological stratification of the available 922 relevés, 288 remained. Classification, by applying cluster analysis, resulted in seven vegetation units defined by species composition which represent the geographical and ecological variation of Fagus orientalis forests. DCA ordination was applied to these units by passively projecting their chorological structure, as supplementary variables. For more detailed interpretation of vegetation types with similar geographic distribution patterns, PCA was applied by passively projecting the chorological elements, life-forms and topographical factors as supplementary variables. Seven vegetation units representing the geographical and ecological variety of Fagus orientalis forests were described. Four vegetation units represent the core area of Fagus orientalis distribution on the western and middle coast of the Black Sea region (Euxine region); the remaining three types represent the distribution in the eastern Black Sea region (Colchic region), the distribution in western and southern Anatolia under the influence of the Mediterranean climate and the distribution in the transitional zone from the Euxine region to the continental parts of Inner Anatolia, respectively. The four vegetation types in Euxine region reflect the decreasing effect of Black Sea towards Inner Anatolia, as well as altitudinal differences, except the forest type representing forests on calcareous sites. The other three vegetation units represent ravine, lowland to montane and altimontane forests in Euxine region. Fagus orientalis forests could be distinguished by their floristic composition, their chorological elements and life-forms spectra, which reflect a geographical and ecological gradients.

Recent land-use and land-cover changes and its driving factors in a fire-prone area of southwestern Turkey

During the last decades, contrasted trends in forest fires among countries around the Mediterranean basin have been observed. In the northern/western countries, Land Use-Land Cover (LULC) changes led to more hazardous landscapes, with consequent increases in fires. This contrasted with fire trends in southern/eastern countries. The recent incidence of large fires in some of the latter prompted the question of whether they are now following the path of their neighbors decades earlier. In this study, we investigated recent LULC changes in southwestern Turkey, focusing on those that could affect fire, and the factors driving them. To this end, LULC maps at different time steps (1975, 1990, 2000 and 2010) were obtained from Landsat images, together with relevant socioeconomic data. Generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) were applied to assess the effects of socioeconomic and geophysical factors on the dominant LULC changes over time. Over the whole period studied, the most important LULC changes were deforestation followed by afforestation. Deforestation was positively related to high livestock density and proximity to villages and increased forest interfaces with other LULC types. We found no evidence that LULC changes were making the landscape more hazardous as there was a net decrease in fuels biomass and the landscape became more fragmented over time. However, despite the area being heavily used and relatively fragmented, large fires can occur driven by severe weather.

Applicability of European landscape typology in Turkey (Çakırlar Watershed case/Antalya)

Abstract The aim of this study is to put forward Turkey as a case study of the applicability of the European approach to landscape characterisation studies at the local scale within the context of the European Landscape Convention. For this purpose, a classification of landscape types with the help of LANMAP typology is suggested at the European scale in a basin in Turkey where there are obvious differences in terms of landscape characteristics. In particular, this study examines the usability of a countrywide thematic database when making this classification. It is understood that a mapping system as well as a common nomenclature of types of land covered at the country scale is insufficient for the suggested methodology for Europe. Later, results of the continuation of a classification system at the local scale for landscape characterisation are discussed, and some deficiencies of LANMAP when characterising the landscapes at this scale are mentioned.

Diversity and gradients of vegetation of Sivrihisar Mountains (Eskisehir-Turkey)

Abstract This study was carried out to determine the plant communities and understand the main topographical driving factors of floristic differentiation in the Sivrihisar Mountains (Eskişehir Province). Vegetation samplings were carried out according to the Braun-Blanquet approach. The relevés were stored in the TURBOVEG database management program. Hierarchical classification was carried out in PC-ORD program with Ward’s method and Euclidean distance as a resemblance measure. The diagnostic species were identified by a fidelity measure in the JUICE program. The results of the classification were visualized by ordination techniques in the CANOCO package by using principal component analysis. In conclusion, except for the degraded forest community, all the 7 steppe and 1 scrub plant communities studied were identified and described as new associations. Also, a syntaxonomical scheme for the vegetation of Sivrihisar Mountains was suggested.

Nomenclatural remarks to the classification of plant communities along post-fire succession

Abstract This paper contains the original diagnoses of new syntaxa and typifications of existing names of syntaxa from paper “Classification of plant communities along post-fire succession in Pinus brutia stands in southern Antalya (Turkey)” that was published in Turkish Journal of Botany. As journal has only on-line version according to ICPN descriptions are not valid. We described syntaxa: Eryngio falcati-Securigerion securidacae all. nova, Ajugo chiae-Lactucetum serriolae ass. nova, Phlomido grandiflorae-Cistetum salvifolii ass. nova, and Arbuto andrachnes- Quercetum cocciferae ass. nova and selected nomenclatural type for Querco- Phillyreetum mediae Barbero & Quézel 1976.