Journal of Environmental Biology

Diversity and gradients in cedar forests on

Taurus mountain range (Turkey)

Author Details

Ali Kavgal

(Corresponding author)??????

Southwest Anatolia Forest Research Institute, PK 264 07002 Antalya, Turkey

e-mail: alikavgaci1977@yahoo.com

Andra? Čarni

Institute of Biology, Scientific Research Center of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts and University of Nova Gorica

Publication Data

Paper received:

5 January 2011

Revised received:

22 June 2011

Accepted:

06 August 2011

Abstract

Cedrus libani forests have been under anthropogenic pressure for thousands of years. The unattainable topography of the Taurus mountain range (Southern Anatolia) has prevented cedar in this region from being extirpated, in contrast to its other distribution areas in Syria and Lebanon. Numerical analyses of relev?s confirmed the individuality of associations, as well as the division of C. libani forests into two ecological and floristically different groups/alliances (Abieti-Cedrion and Lonicero-Cedrion). Abieti-Cedrion is distributed in the middle and eastern Taurus whereas Lonicero-Cedrion appears in the Western Taurus. The main gradients of C. libani forests were detected. It was noticed that the distribution and floristic composition of C. libani forests is strongly affected by the geographical factors. Topographical factors are also influential on their distribution. C. libani forests are fundemantal components of the Mediterranean phytogeographical region and floral elements, but under more continental conditions, where the influence of the Mediterranean climate decreased, the proportion of Iran-Turanian and Euro-Siberian floral elements increase, especially towards the east and north, as well at higher altitudes and on steeper sites.

Key words

Cedrus forest, Numerical analysis, Phytogeography, Taurus mountain range

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