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THE SEASONAL DYNAMICS OF DESERT STEPPE TYPE MEADOWS
IN HATAY (TURKEY)
ATAMОV, V.V.‘, R f m ’JKBURC, i f and AKTOKLU, E'"
llarrari University, Science and Art Faculty, Department o f Biology, Urfa - TURKEY.
**Uarran University, Faculty o f Agriculture, Department o f Field Crops, Urfa - TURKEY.
’"Mustafa Kemal University, Science and Art Faculty, Department o f Biology, Hatay - TURKEY
The flat land vegetation in Hatay (Turkey) has been exposed to a powerful anthropogenic
degradation. In the past, the Amik Plane was completely under water (Amik Lake). However, in
following years it has been dried for farming purposes. Today, this land has been converted to a field
in which some culture plants such as cotton plant
{Gossypiumg
orange (
Citrus sinensis),
mandarin
{Citrus reticulata
), wheat (
Triticum aestivum
), olive
{Olea curopaca),
com
(Zea mays)
arc grown.
The M.K.U. (University o f Mustafa Kemal) Selam Field that forms a part o f this land is one o f a few
in which the natural vegetation of the land is conserved. The vegetation in this conserved field is
desert steppe type. The widespread formations in this vegetation are
Hordeumctum, Cresscetum,
Aikagieta-Prosopiseto-ephemerctum
and
Ammic/o-ephemereturn.
These formations also include
species such as
Hordeum bulbosum
l,.,
H. murinum
L.,
Lolium rigidum
Ciaudm,
Bromus teriorum
L ,
Avena stcrilis
U ,
Ercmopna capillaris
R.MHI.
Mrdieago arabica
(L)Huds.,
M. minima
(LjBari.,
Alhagi mannifera
Desv.,
Prosopis farcta
(Banks.
Si
So!.)Macbridt\
Cressa cretica
L.t
Ammi majus
L.,
Petrosimonia brachiata
(Pallas)Bunge (1). In addition to these species, it is possible
to see some other species tliat form temporary seasonal micro groups. Among these species are,
Ornithogalum umbellatum
L.,
Ranunculus chins DC., R. cornutus DC., Adonis annua
L.,
Papaver
dubiwn
L.,
Capsclla bursa-pastoris
(L.)Medik.,
Convolvulus dorycnium
L.,
Rttmex tuberosus
L.
subsp.
tuberosus
,
Euphorbia macroclada
Boiss.,
Polygonum aviculare
L.,
Petrosimonia brachiata
(Pallas)Bunge,
Malcolmia flexusa
Sibth.,
Cichorium inthyhus
L.,
Plantago coronopus
L. subsp.
corоnopus
(2).
The soil-climate condition o f the field shows subtropic properties. In winter, the temperature is
high enough for the germination o f ephemerous seeds and rains start around the middle o f autumn.
As a result, at the end o f autumn ephemerous seeds start to germinate. These plants remain dominant
throughout winter and spring and form a green cover for about 5 months. From the end o f May to
the end o f November, ephemerous start to dry out and green color turns into pale. However, among
these piants that has a longer vegetation period continue to develop. These plants include the
following species;
Cressa cretica
,
Alhagi mannifera
,
Prosopis farcta, Ammi majus.
Before the
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