Sains Malaysiana 42(10)(2013): 1439–1447

Determination of Environmental Factors and Indicator Plant Species for Site Suitability Assessment of Crimean Juniper in the Acipayam District, Turkey

(Penentuan Faktor Persekitaran dan Spesies Tumbuhan Penunjuk bagi Penaksiran Kesesuaian Tapak bagi Juniper Crimea di Daerah Acipayam, Turki)

Serkan Gülsoy & Kürşad Özkan

Department of Forest Engineering , Faculty of Forestry

Süleyman Demirel Üniversity, 32100 Isparta, Turkey

Received: 14 April 2013/Accepted: 12 May 2013

ABSTRACT

The present study was carried out to find the environmental and biotic indicators for site suitability of Crimean juniper (Juniperus excelsa L.) in the Ac?payam district, Turkey. Data were collected from 100 sample plots. Environmental variables (elevation, slope, radiation index, topographical position, landform characteristics and parent material) and plant species were recorded at each sample plot. Generalised addictive model (GAM) and indicator species analysis (ISA) were applied in order to model the distribution of Crimean juniper and determine the indicator species within its range. The results of the applied GAM analysis and the distribution model obtained showed that most suitable sites for the occurrence of Crimean juniper are the areas in the higher zones (supra and mountain Mediterranean zones) covered by limestone. The results obtained from indicator species analysis (ISA) confirmed the applied GAM results, in the sense that thermo-Mediterranean plant species such as Arbutus andrachne, Cercis siliquastrum, Cotinus coggyria, Pistacia terebinthus and Styrax officinalis are the negative indicator plant species for Crimean juniper while its positive associates from supra- and mountain-Mediterranean elements are Berberis crataegiana, Lonicera etrusca var. etrusca, Juniperus feoettidissima and Phlomis armeniaca. These findings are crucial to predict the suitable sites for the utilization of Crimean juniper in afforestration efforts by field managers in degraded and forestless areas of the Acipayam district.

Keywords: Habitat suitability; Mediterranean region; plant distribution; reforestation

ABSTRAK

Kajian ini telah dijalankan untuk menentukan penunjuk persekitaran dan biotik bagi kesesuaian tapak bagi juniper Crimea (Juniperus excelsa L.) di daerah Ac?payam, Turki. Data telah dikumpul dari 100 plot sampel. Variabel persekitaran (ketinggian, kecerunan, indeks radiasi, kedudukan topografi, sifat bentuk tanah dan bahan induk) dan spesies tumbuhan telah direkodkan di setiap plot sampel. Model adiktif umum (GAM) dan analisis spesies penunjuk (ISA) telah digunakan untuk memperagakan taburan juniper Crimea dan menentukan spesies penunjuk dalam julatnya. Hasil daripada analisis penggunaan GAM dan peraga taburan yang telah didapati menunjukkan bahawa tapak yang paling sesuai bagi kewujudan juniper Crimea adalah di kawasan zon tinggi (zon supra dan pergunungan Mediterranean) yang dilitupi oleh batu kapur. Hasil yang diperoleh daripada analisis spesies penunjuk (ISA) mengesahkan hasil daripada penggunaan GAM, dalam erti kata spesies tumbuhan termo-Mediterranean sepertiArbutus andrachne, Cercis siliquastrum, Cotinus coggyria, Pistacia terebinthus danStyrax officinalis adalah spesies tumbuhan penunjuk negatif bagi juniper Crimea manakala sekutuan positif daripada unsur supra- dan pergunungan Mediterranean adalahBerberis crataegiana, Lonicera etrusca var. etrusca, Juniperus feoettidissima dan Phlomis armeniaca. Penemuan ini adalah penting untuk meramal tapak yang sesuai bagi penggunaan juniper Crimea dalam usaha penghutanan oleh pengurus lapangan di kawasan tanpa hutan dan hutan miskin bagi daerah Acipayam.

Kata kunci: Kesesuaian habitat; penghutanan semula; taburan tumbuhan; wilayah Mediterranean

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*Corresponding author; email: srkngulsoy@gmail.com