| Eastern Anatolian deciduous forests | |
|---|---|
 landscape at Ovacık, Tunceli | |
 location map of the Eastern Anatolian deciduous forests | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Palearctic |
| Biome | temperate broadleaf and mixed forests |
| Borders | |
| Geography | |
| Area | 81,628 km2 (31,517 sq mi) |
| Countries | Turkey |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable |
The Eastern Anatolian deciduous forests ecoregion is located in the mountains of eastern Turkey. It is a Palearctic ecoregion in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome.
The ecoregion covers an area of 81,628 km2, [1] which includes the Anti-Taurus Mountains, the western part of the eastern Anatolian Mountains, and the headwaters of the Euphrates River. [2]
The Anatolian diagonal runs through the northern and western portion of the ecoregion. The diagonal is a biogeographic feature which marks the easternmost limit of many Central Anatolian species, and the western limit of many eastern Anatolian species. 390 plant species are confined to the diagonal itself. [2]
The climate is dry and continental, with extreme winter cold and heavy snowfall. Average annual precipitation ranges from 600 to 1,000 mm. The Mediterranean climate regions of the eastern Mediterranean lie to the south and southwest. The climate of the Black Sea region to the north is more humid and moderate. [2]
Forests and woodlands are the most widespread plant communities, interspersed with steppe and shrublands. Forests typically have an open canopy and a grassy understory. The predominant trees are deciduous oaks, including Quercus brantii, Q. libani, Q. boissieri , and Q. ithaburensis ssp. macrolepis. Other forest communities include Quercus robur ssp. pedunculiflora forests and montane Pinus sylvestris forests. Platanus orientalis is predominant in valley forests. Relict forest of alder (Alnus spp.), sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa), maple (Acer spp.). and the shrub Lonicera caucasica are found in humid enclaves. [2]
Other woody plant communities include wild rose shrublands dominated by Rosa pimpinellifolia and Rosa canina , and low woodlands of dwarf juniper (Juniperus communis ssp. nana) with an understory of Convolvulus calvertii . [2]
Areas of steppe are interspersed among the forests and woodlands, and anthropogenic steppe has expanded where woodlands and forests have been degraded or destroyed. Steppe of Artemisia fragrans is common at lower elevations. Steppe of herbs and low shrubs, including Astragalus spp., Gundelia tournefortii, Noaea mucronata, Thymus spp., and Salvia cryptantha , is found in oak forest clearings. These are known as tragacanthic steppe, after tragacanth, a natural gum derived from several species of Astragalus that grow there. High mountain steppes are predominantly of herbaceous plants, like Achillea vermicularis, Ajuga chia, Helianthemum nummularium, Malcolmia africana , and Marrubium parviflorum . Other steppe types are dominated by grasses. [2]
Native mammals include brown bear (Ursus arctos), wolf (Canis lupus), lynx (Lynx lynx), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra asiatica), bezoar ibex (Capra aegagrus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), and river otter (Lutra lutra). [2]
Birds include the chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar) and grey partridge (Perdix perdix).
Protected areas in the ecoregion include Munzur Valley National Park, Mount Nemrut National Park, and Şeytan Dağları National Park.
The Sierra de la Laguna pine–oak forests are a subtropical coniferous forest ecoregion, found in the Sierra de la Laguna mountain range at the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico.
The Zagros Mountains forest steppe is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in Western Asia. The ecoregion extends along the Zagros Mountains, stretching from eastern Turkey and northern Iraq to southern Iran.
The Northern Anatolian conifer and deciduous forests is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion located in northern Anatolia, Turkey.
The Eastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous-broadleaf forests, also known as the Eastern Mediterranean conifer-broadleaf forests, is an ecoregion in the eastern Mediterranean Basin. It covers portions of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Israel, Palestinian territories, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
The Mediterranean woodlands and forests is an ecoregion in the coastal plains, hills, and mountains bordering the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean in North Africa. It has a Mediterranean climate, and is in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.
The Mediterranean dry woodlands and steppe is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion of North Africa. It occupies interior plateaus and mountain ranges of the Maghreb region, lying generally between the coastal Mediterranean woodlands and forests to the north and the Sahara to the south.
Mediterranean conifer and mixed forests is an ecoregion, in the temperate coniferous forest biome, which occupies the high mountain ranges of North Africa. The term is also a botanically recognized plant association in the African and Mediterranean literature.
The Apennine deciduous montane forests are a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in the Apennine Mountains of Italy. The development of these forests is ensured by the high rainfall in the Apennines, combined with a temperate-cool climate. Because of climate change, the presence of silver fir, although still widespread, has been dramatically reduced in favour of beech.
The Central Anatolian deciduous forests, also known as the Central Anatolian woodlands and steppe, is a Palearctic ecoregion of the Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest biome. It is located in Central Anatolia, Asian Turkey.
The Central Anatolian steppe is a Palearctic ecoregion in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome. It covers an area of 24,934 km2.
The Eastern Anatolian montane steppe is a temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion. It is located in the Armenian Highlands, covering parts of eastern Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, southern Georgia, and northwestern Iran.
The Southern Anatolian montane conifer and deciduous forests ecoregion, in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, is in the eastern Mediterranean Basin.
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.
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, 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.
The Crete Mediterranean forests is a terrestrial ecoregion that encompasses the Greek island of Crete.
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.
The Northeastern Spain and Southern France Mediterranean forests is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It occupies the Mediterranean coastal region of northeastern Spain, Southern France, the Balearic Islands and a small part of Italy.
The Alps conifer and mixed forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in central Europe. It extends along the Alps mountains through portions of France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Slovenia. The ecoregion extends from the lower slopes of the Alps to its peaks, which include Mont Blanc, at 4,809 m (15,778 ft) the highest peak in the Alps.
The Azerbaijan shrub desert and steppe is a deserts and xeric shrublands ecoregion in western Asia. It lies in the lowlands west of the Caspian Sea, and covers portions of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Iran.
The Mediterranean High Atlas juniper steppe is a montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion in Morocco. It extends along the High Atlas range of northwestern Africa's Atlas Mountains.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) Supplemental material 2 table S1b.