PLANT FORMATIONS AND MARKS OF THEIR SITE IN UPPER KURA CATCHMENT BASIN (NE Anatolia)

Öz

In this paper, the relations between the plant formations and marks of their site in Kura catchment area, which is connected to the Aras river basin, are treated with the physical geographic features such as geomorphology, climate and soil types and indicated the human effects on the plant communities.

As a whole the study area is in appearance of a plateau which was composed of volcanic materials, volcano-sedimentary, Pliocene and Quaternary lands. The plateau lies with an elevation of 2000-2200 meters and on its surface there are some volcanic cones rising to 3000 meters, such as Cindağı 2957 m., Keldağı 3033 m„ and Kısır dağı 3140 m. At the same time the plateau had been divided by tectonic depressions which were occupied with alluvial plains The depressions, captured by Kura river and its tributaries,are Göle, Ardahan, Hasköy, Hozapin and Çıldır.

The given area is characterized by the continental climate; the winters are very cold and the summers are mild. The mean annual temperatures are about 3°-6° and total annual precipitations are about 500-600 mm. According to the seasons the precipitation maximum in summer (%35-40) and minimum in winter (% 10-15). The elevation and orographic directions prevent the effects of the Btack Sea, occupied on the northern and northwestern part, and cause to important differences at the total of the precipitation. In fact, because of the convenient position more precipitation falls on high mountains slopes. On the other hand the annual precipitation becomes less from the plateau surfaces to the depression plains.

Connected with the main materials, climate and plant formations spread several soil types in the area which are characterized by chernozem, chestnut soils, alluvial and hydromorphic alluvial, brown forest soils and alpine meadow soils. The steep slopes are often covered by the lithosols and erosion is activité on these parts.

Plant formations are spread with various characters in consequences of common effects of the natural enviroment conditions summarized above. In the study area the climate is the first cause of the present composition of the plant formations. The continental climate of the NE Anatolia prevails and coniferous forests are dominant. However, the plant formations can be divided in to four groups as bellow:

1. Grass of meadows and steppe; in the base of the depressions (2000-2100 m.)

2. Upland steppe or anthropogene steppe (2100-2600/2700 m).

3. Subalpine and alpine zone plants (Over 2600/2700 m.)

4. Plnus silvestrls forests (1800-2500/2600 m.)

The forests which are composed of Pinus silvestris are widespread on the upland surfaces and high mountain slopes. But the forests are destroyed and degenerated by various ways and thus most of the natural forests fields became anthropogene steppe. Meadow and steppe formations spread in the base of the depressions and on the upland surfaces of the area. Alpine and subalpine region zone spread on the summit region of the high mountains, such as Cindağı, Yalnızçam, Ulgar, Keldağı, Kısır and Allahüekber mountains (Fig:1). All the dominant species of these plant formations are mentioned in the text.The natural composition of the steppe and subalpine and alpine zone vegetations were most degenerated by the overgrazing.

Anahtar Kelimeler

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KURA NEHRİ YUKARI HAVZASINDA DOĞAL BİTKİ TOPLULUKLARI VE YETİŞME ORTAMI ÖZELLİKLERİ (NE ANADOLU)

Öz

Araştırma alanında veya daha geniş olarak bölgede daha sonra yapılan bitki sosyolojisi ve bitki ekolojisi araştırmalarına dayanılarak havzanın doğal bitki toplulukları yeniden ele alınmış ve yetişme ortamı koşulları açıklanmaya
çalışılmıştır. Bu yazı içinde sunulan doğal bitki örtüsü haritası, yerinde yapılan gözlemlere ve araştırmalara dayanılarak hazırlanmış, bugünkü orman alanlarının dağılış sınırlarını tesbit etmek için "Orman Amenajman Haritaların'ndan gerekli aktarmalar yapılmıştır. Harita üzerinde dağılışa etki eden faktörler (iklim,morfoloji,toprak ve insan) dikkate alınmak suretiyle bitki topluluklarının ayırımı yapılmış, farklı işaret ve simgeler kullanılarak belirtilmeğe çalışılmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

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