Belek, Turkey Photograph by © WWF-Canon/Michel GUNTHER   Turkey Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests   31,500 square miles (81,600 square kilometers) -- about the size of Maine Vulnerable

· From Cultivation to Conservation
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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From Cultivation to Conservation

This part of Turkey is known for the cultivation of many wild plant species that are now common in our pantries and on our dinner tables. More than 30 species of wild wheat are grown here, along with barley, chickpeas, lentils, apricots, figs, cherries, and many types of nuts. Ornamental flowers such as the tulips, crocuses, snowdrops, and lilies have been cultivated from wild species as well. Unfortunately, such practices have caused widespread habitat loss, and this ecoregion is in dire need of protection.

Special Features

This ecoregion’s high plateau ranges from 2,600 to 4,950 feet (800 to 1,500 m) above sea level, with some mountain peaks reaching as high as 11,150 feet (3,400 m). Large areas of deciduous scrub, open forest, and treeless steppe represent the remains of the original forest habitat, which was once more continuous and dense. About 3,200 vascular plants species grow here, and at least 725 of them are endemic. Oak trees dominate the forests, including Turkey oak and Lebanon oak, with steppe vegetation increasing to the east. The fragrant artemisia is a common plant in grassier areas. In the spring, the rolling landscape is carpeted with a profusion of colorful flowers, including daisies, crocuses, violets, and poppies.

	Both male and female chamois have black horns that grow 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm) long. They are set closely together, rising straight up and then bending abruptly backward to form hooks.

Wild Side

The Anti-Taurus Mountains and the high plateau of the upper Euphrates River, the areas that comprise this ecoregion, have more than 160 endemic species. Much of the extraordinary biodiversity dates back to the last Ice Age, when plants and animals from the north migrated south, seeking warmer climates. This ecoregion’s birds are often part-time residents—Turkey is an important stop on migratory routes among Asia, Europe, and Africa. Fallow deer and moufflon (from which sheep were domesticated) can both be found here, as can the sure-footed chamois. Sticking close to rocky cliffs, chamois make quick getaways over rough, steep terrain, their main defense against predators such as wolves and lynx.

Cause for Concern

Several hydroelectric projects are planned for the Munzur Valley. The inundation resulting from dams will submerge areas containing high plant diversity. Aside from the Munzur Vadisi Milli Park, this ecoregion is largely unprotected from habitat destruction. And thousands of years of deforestation and erosion have already dramatically affected the forest cover here.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.