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HALOPHYTIC PLANT DIVERSITY OF SOUTH AEGEAN COASTAL ZONE IN TURKEY

A. GUVENSEN AND M. OZTURK

Abstract: Halophytic flora of approximately 2500 km long Aegean coastal zone situated between Dikili (Izmir) and Fethiye (Mugla) was investigated. In all 78 plant taxa were determined from this area. Families with highest number of taxa were Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Fabaceae and Plumbaginaceae with dominating genera like: Limonium, Chenopodium, Plantago, Tamarix and Juncus. The representative species recorded were Arthrocnemum fruticosum, Halimione portulacoides, Halocnemum strobilaceum, Hordeum marinum var. marinum, Juncus acutus, J. maritimus, Limonium bellidifolium, L. sieberi, Petrosimonia brachiata, Polypogon monspeliensis, Salicornia europaea, Suaeda prostrata subsp. prostrata and Tamarix species. The percentage distribution of the phytogeographical elements was; 15.38 % Mediterranean, 8.98 % Euro-Siberian, 3.85 % Irano-Turanian, 2.56 % East-Mediterranean, 2.56 % Cosmopolite, 14.1 % Common and 52.7 % Imperfectly known. Halophyte types showed following distribution; Hygrohalophytes (42.3 %), Euhalophytes (26.92 %), Psammohalophytes (20.52 %) and Xerohalophytes (10.26 %). Physical and chemical analysis of soils and ground water showed that Na⁺ is the dominant soluble cation whereas Cl^- is the dominant soluble anion. Impact of biotic stresses on the halophytic flora was also noted.

Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey