COST Action E 52 - vTI - Bund.de

characTerIsTIcs aNd ForesT maNaGemeNT
Geographically, Turkey is mainly divided into three phytogeographical regions and the diversity of
the species is depending on this division. These floristic regions are:
a) The Euro-Siberian Floristic Region: Black Sea and Marmara Geographical regions are Euro-
Siberian phytogeographical regions with vegetation types of broadleaved deciduous forests,
humid and sub-humid forests, dry forests and pseudomaquis and maquis. In the eastern Black
Sea region, oriental beech is in mixture with Picea orientalis, Alnus barbata, Castanea sativa and
Abies nordmanniana. In the mid section of Black Sea region, productive beech forests are found
together with Castanea sativa, Alnus barbata, Prunus spp., Carpinus betulus and Rhododendron
flavum. At the low elevations of the western Black Sea region, oriental beech is in mixture with
Tilia spp., Pinus brutia, Laurus, Castanea sativa and Carpinus betulus while Pinus sylvestris, Abies
bornmulleriana, Rhododendron flavum, Taxus baccata, Quercus spp., Prunus spp., Acer spp.,
Cornus spp. generate the species mixture with F. orientalis at higher elevations. In the Marmara
region, oriental beech Castanea sativa, Carpinus betulus and Quercus spp. are a typical species of
low elevations and Abies spp., F. orientalis, Pinus nigra are characteristic at high elevations.
b) Mediterranean (Aegean-Mediterranean) Floristic Region: This region occupies the northern
coasts of the Marmara Sea, all of Mediterranean region and sub-region of the Aegean Geographical
region. Mediterranean mountain forests are diverse. In the Mediterranean belts (800 – 1,200 m)
oriental beech and hornbeam are present as a small group in the Amanos Mountains.
c) Irano-Turanian Floristic Region: This region covers all central, eastern and south eastern Anatolia.
Dry oak and Scots pine forests are the main vegetation types of this floristic region. There are
some small patchy oriental beech groups in this floristic region (Zencirci et al. 1998).
Oriental beech is the only broadleaved tree in Turkey which has been part of the National Breeding
Program. The main purpose of oriental beech breeding is to enhance the height and volume growth,
together with maintaining the quality of stem. The natural distribution area of oriental beech has
been divided geographically into two main breeding zones based on the climatic and ecological
conditions (Atalay 1992). The border between the Black Sea coastal and inland regions is along the
first coastal mountains parallel to the Black Sea, where the climate changes slightly from maritime
towards continental. The borderline follows township administration boundaries, except for Taşova
which is divided by the Kelkit River.
Tab. 1: Oriental beech breeding zones in Turkey (KOSKI, ANTOLA 1993), Fig. 2
Breeding zones
(Sub zones)
Region
Altitude
(m a. s. l.)
1 (1.2) Black Sea Region Coast (mid zone) 500 – 900
1 (1.3) Black Sea Region Coast (High elevation zone) 901 – 1,300
2 (2.3) Black Sea Region Inland (High elevation zone) 1,100 – 1,500
3 (3.1) Marmara Region * (low elevation zone) 0 – 500
3 (3.2) Marmara Region * (mid zone) 501 – 1,000
3 (3.3) Marmara Region * (high elevation zone) 1,001 – 1,500
4 (4.1) Amanos Mountains Region (gene conservation area)
(high elevation zone)
1,100 – 1,500
* Thracia is not in the breeding zones, it is only for seed production.
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