NEW SPECIES REGISTERED WITH THE PROJECT
In the project on " Protection of Turkey's Steppe Ecosystem and its Sustainable Management" carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), inventory studies in the field of biodiversity, socio-economic and socio-cultural values, current grazing activities and animal husbandry have been completed.
Having started in 2017, the project is being carried out in Şanlıurfa Tek Tek Mountains National Park, Kızık Kuyu Wildlife Development Site and Karacadağ Steppe. Within the scope of inventory studies started and completed in these areas, new species have been registered for Şanlıurfa.
NEW SPECIES REGISTERED
As a result of flora studies carried out in Karacadağ, Kızıl Kuyu Wildlife Development Site and Tek Tek Mountains National Park, 47 taxa including an endemic one for Karacadağ, 29 taxa in the one of which is endemic for Kızıl Kuyu, and 11 taxa for Tek Tek Mountains were recorded as new species, respectively.
In addition to the findings important in terms of genetic diversity, new species were registered also from graminae and pulses previously non-registered in Tek Mountains National Park and Kızıl Kuyu Wildlife Development Site.
4 NEW WHEAT SPECIES RECORDED IN TEK TEK MOUNTAINS
The registration of 4 new wheat species in the Tek Tek Mountains and the new records for lentils, chickpeas and pine forests, further increase the value of these areas as protected areas. Findings that include the possibility that new records from both graminae and pulses are the primary ancestors give hope for our country.
NEW BIRD SPECIES ALSO REGISTERED
In the project, important records have been achieved not only in terms of plants but also in terms of birds. Among the bird species, 15 species in Kızıl Kuyu Wildlife Development Area, 11 species in Tek Tek Mountains National Park and 21 species in Karacadağ have been recorded as new species.
STEPPE ECOSYSTEMS TO BE STRENGTHENED
With the project, through management of sites effectively protected, the integration of steppe biodiversity into production landscapes is aimed. The project will promote the development of biodiversity in these areas and encourage the creation of ecological networks between the sites. In this way, protection of Turkey's steppe ecosystems will be strengthened.