Aegean and Western Turkey sclerophyllous and mixed forests

Last updated
Aegean and Western Turkey sclerophyllous and mixed forests
Cape Sounion AC.JPG
Landscape at Cape Sounion
Ecoregion PA1201.svg
Map of the ecoregion
Ecology
Realm Palearctic
Biome Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub
Borders
Geography
Area126,377 km2 (48,794 sq mi)
Countries
Conservation
Conservation status critical/endangered
Protected23,189 km2 (18%) [1]

The Aegean and Western Turkey sclerophyllous and mixed forests is an ecoregion in the lands around the Aegean Sea. The ecoregion covers most of mainland Greece, the Greek Aegean Islands (except for Crete), the western coast of Turkey, the southern Vardar river valley in North Macedonia, the southern Struma river valley at the extreme south-western corner of Bulgaria. [2]

Contents

The ecoregion has a Mediterranean climate, and is in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.

Flora

The predominant plant communities are maquis, low shrublands, and pine forests.

Maquis is woody shrubland characterized by low trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. Maquis species include strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), Arbutus andrachne , sweet bay (Laurus nobilis), olive (Olea europaea), carob (Ceratonia siliqua), Erica arborea , Balanites aegyptiaca , Phoenix canariensis , Vachellia tortilis , Cupressus sempervirens , Salix alba , Populus nigra , Pinus nigra , and Spartium junceum . Maquis includes many aromatic plants, particularly species in the mint family (Lamiaceae). [3]

Low shrublands, known in Greek as phrygana, are characterized by low aromatic shrubs and herbs, including Euphorbia acanthothamnos, Thymus capitatus , and species of Ballota, Cistus, Helichrysum, Phlomis , and Salvia . Phrygana is common on limestone (calcareous) soils, and in areas subject to frequent fires and heavy grazing. [4] [5]

Kermes oak (Quercus coccifera) and holm oak (Quercus ilex) are found in maquis, and also form oak woodlands. [3]

Forests of Turkish pine (Pinus brutia) occur in Anatolia, forests of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) are found in central Greece and the Peloponnese and Stone pine (Pinus pinea) grows on stabilized coastal dunes on the Peloponnese. [3]

The oriental sweetgum (Liquidambar orientalis) is endemic to a limited area of southwestern Turkey and the island of Rhodes. [6] The largest remaining stands are near Köyceğiz. [3] Bozpırnal oak ( Quercus aucheri ) is another endemic tree, native to the islands of Rhodes and Kos and adjacent southwestern coastal Turkey. It has sweet, edible acorns which are collected locally for coffee. [6]

Fauna

Mammals in the ecoregion include wild boar (Sus scrofa), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), golden jackal (Canis aureus), wolf (C. lupus), European badger (Meles meles), European hare (Lepus europaeus), northern white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus roumanicus), southern white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor), Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), Caucasian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus), and pine marten (Martes martes). The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), European wildcat (Felis sylvestris), and brown bear (Ursus arctos) are now rare in the ecoregion. [3]

The ecoregion is important habitat for several limited-range bird species, including the eastern olivaceous warbler (Hippolais pallida), olive-tree warbler (Hippolais olivetorum), Rüppell's warbler (Curruca rueppelli), masked shrike (Lanius nubicus), cinereous bunting (Emberiza cineracea), and Cretzschmar's bunting (Emberiza caesia). [3]

Characteristic birds of the maquis include the red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa), rock partridge (A. graeca), chukar partridge (A. chukar), eastern subalpine warbler (Sylvia cantillans), Rüppell's warbler (Curruca ruppeli), cirl bunting (Emberiza cirlus), rock bunting (E. cia), and black-headed bunting (E. melanocephala). [3]

Krüper's nuthatch (Sitta krueperi) is associated with Turkish pine forests in the ecoregion and neighboring ones. Other birds of the pine forests include common European forest species like the Eurasian wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), common blackbird (Turdus merula), common chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), coal tit (Periparus ater), Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), great tit (Parus major), short-toed treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla), Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius), and common chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs). [3]

Birds associated with the liquidambar forests of western Anatolia include the common nightingale (Luscinia megarhyncos), olivaceous warbler, and Cetti's warbler (Cettia cetti).

Protected areas

As of 2017, 23,189 km2, or 18%, of the ecoregion was in protected areas. [1] Protected areas in Greece include Otea, Parnassus, Parnitha, and Sounion national parks. Protected areas in Turkey include Dilek Peninsula-Büyük Menderes Delta, Marmaris, and Spil Dağı national parks, and Köyceğiz-Dalyan Special Environmental Protection Area.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Mediterranean conifer–sclerophyllous–broadleaf forests</span> Ecoregion in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin

The Eastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous-forests, also known as the Eastern Mediterranean conifer-forests, is an ecoregion in the eastern Mediterranean Basin. It covers portions of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Israel, Palestinian territories, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illyrian deciduous forests</span> Terrestrial ecoregion of Europe

The Illyrian deciduous forests is a terrestrial ecoregion in southern Europe, which extends along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It belongs to the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, and is in the Palearctic realm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyrrhenian–Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests</span> Ecoregion in Southern Europe

The Tyrrhenian-Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests is an ecoregion in southern Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, the Dalmatian Islands of Croatia, and Malta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub</span> Habitat defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature

Mediterranean forests, woodlands and scrub is a biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. The biome is generally characterized by dry summers and rainy winters, although in some areas rainfall may be uniform. Summers are typically hot in low-lying inland locations but can be cool near colder seas. Winters are typically mild to cool in low-lying locations but can be cold in inland and higher locations. All these ecoregions are highly distinctive, collectively harboring 10% of the Earth's plant species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anatolian conifer and deciduous mixed forests</span> Ecoregion in Southwestern Anatolia, Turkey

The Anatolian conifer and deciduous mixed forests is an ecoregion located in southwestern Anatolia, Turkey. It has a Mediterranean climate, and is part of the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Greece</span>

The wildlife of Greece includes the diverse flora, fauna, and funga of Greece, a country in southern Europe. The country is mostly mountainous with a very long, convoluted coastline, consisting of peninsulas and many islands. The climate ranges from Mediterranean through temperate to alpine, and the habitats include mountains, hills, forests, rivers, lakes, coasts and cultivated land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crete Mediterranean forests</span>

The Crete Mediterranean forests is a terrestrial ecoregion that encompasses the Greek island of Crete.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwest Iberian Mediterranean sclerophyllous and mixed forests</span>

The Southwest Iberian Mediterranean sclerophyllous and mixed forests is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It occupies the southwestern Iberian Peninsula, encompassing coastal lowlands and mountains in portions of Portugal and Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iberian sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forests</span>

The Iberian sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forests is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It occupies the interior valleys and plateaus of the Iberian Peninsula. The ecoregion lies mostly in Spain, and includes some portions of eastern Portugal.

References

  1. 1 2 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.
  2. "Ecoregions of Bulgaria" . Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Aegean and Western Turkey sclerophyllous and mixed forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
  4. Filippi, Olivier (2019). Bringing the Mediterranean into your Garden". Filbert Press, 2019.
  5. "F7.3 Eastern Mediterranean spiny heath (phrygana)" European Red List of Habitats - Heathland Habitat Group, 05/01/2016.
  6. 1 2 "Aegean and Western Turkey Sclerophyllous and Mixed ForestsAegean and Western Turkey Sclerophyllous and Mixed Forests". One Earth. Retrieved 30 August 2024.