Öztürk, Münir Ege University - Faculty of Science - Biology Department, Turkey , Tatlı, Âdem Dumlupınar University - Faculty of Science And Arts - Biology Department, Turkey , Özçelik, Hasan Süleyman Demirel University - Faculty of Science and Arts - Biology Department, Turkey , Behçet, Lütfi Bingöl University - Faculty of Sciences and Arts - Biology Department, Turkey

General Characteristics of Flora and Vegetation Formations of Eastern Anatolia Region and Its Environs (Türkiye)

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Eastern Anatolia and its environs are included in the Irano-Turanian phytogeographical region of Türkiye. The region abounds in highest mountain ranges (average 1900 m) of the country some of which are of quarternary age and volcanic character. Many rivers of historical and international importance like Euphrates, Dicle, Murat, Karasu and Aras. Tigris, Aras and Çoruh flow through the region. It experiencens a typical continental climate. Soils are generally of alluvial, colluvial, chestnut-brown, regosal and basaltic types. The area embodies over 8 million ha of meadows and grasslands which is 41% of Türkiye’s total pasturelands as such cattle raising is very high in this area. Forest vegetation is represented mainly by Pinus sylvestris, Quercus libani, Q. longipes, Q. brantii, Q. macranthera, Juniperus excelsa and Betula pendula. Most of these are highly degraded. Plant cover is rich in Irano - Turanian elements but we find Mediterranean and Euro-Siberian elements too to some extent, richest families being Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Poaceae, Lamiaceae, Caryophyllaceae and Apiaceae richest genera being Astragalus, Verbascum, Centaurea, Ranunculus, Alyssum, Vicia, Silene, Dianthus, Veronica and Trifolium. The number of endemics is very high, being around 950. And also the region has gene centers of genera Astragalus, Gypsophila, Cousinia, Acanthophyllum etc. The some typical associations one comes across in this area are; Triseto-Pinetum sylvestris, Trifolio-Pinetum sylvestris, Ballato-Rhamnetum pallasii, Caragano- Minuartietum lineatea, Hippophaetum rhamnoidis, Typho-Juncetum inflecii, Hordeetum violaceumii, Deschampsio-Ranunculetum brachylobus, Hordeeto-Ranunculetum comosae and Polygon- Primuletum auriculatae. Dominantly vegetation of the region is steppe. The are a lot of natural plant taxa using local people.

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Eastern Anatolia , Flora , Vegetation , Biodiversity , Geobotany , Endemism , Türkiye.

Süleyman Demirel University Faculty of Arts and Science Journal of Science

48