Endemic Plant Species of Turkish and Syrian
SE-Mediterranean Coastal Mountains (Amanos and Alaouite).
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• The Vegetation of the westerly exposed downward slopes of the Amanos Mtn. between Osmaniye and Dörtyol is dominated by Euro-Siberian floral elements of Euxinian origin in the montane belt. This type of vegetation reminds especially of south-european forest vegetation. Nearly 100% of the determined Euro-Siberian elements are identical with species of the Pontos Mtn. Black Sea region and the central part of the Balkan Peninsula. In literature mentioning the flora and vegetation of the Amanus Mtn., the exceptional high portion of endemics have been emphasized.

• Before the research project LöKAT started its investigations, the causal reasons of the extensive appearance of the extrazonal vegetation were still unknown.

  Hitherto presumptions comprehended mesophilous late tertiary relict vegetation (cf. Harald Kürschner 1984, p. 91) as well as an early post-glacial immigration (cf. Peter Davis 1971 ). In general a favouring of precipitation is assumed. Because of the exceptional extensive occurrence of this extrazonal vegetation Mayer & Aksoy (1986) pointed out the undistinctive relictic character of this Euxinian vegetation type.

• Above Dörtyol, middle montane forest belts on soils derived from different limestones, are dominated primarily by Quercus cerris and Carpinus orientalis. In the higher montane belt, up to the timberline, on paleozoic sandstone formations, Fagus orientalis is the leading species with the highest cover values. However, generally on soils derived from sandstone, the oriental beech can be observed in westerly exposed valleys at the lower middle montane belt below 400 m a.s.l. As an understory of the Pinus brutia-forest in the hilly (colline) belt, frequently Quercus cerris is a dominant species with a high total estimate. Together with Carpinus orientalis, the mentioned oak is a very common species of shady slopes of the hilly landscapes above Dörtyol.

• The most extensive research in the Amanus Mtn. regarding vegetation ecology has been carried out in the past by Yildirim Akman. He published his results 1973.

• The westerly exposed slopes of the Amanus Mtn. range between the seaport of Iskenderun (located southerly of Dörtyol), and Osmaniye (located at the northermost edge of the Cukurova Plain), is subject to rapid alternation of site conditions. The potential Euxinian flora and vegetation is increasingly displaced by east-mediterranean species with a wide amplitude of growth conditions. As a result, a decrease of species diversity can be observed. Especially endemic species are endangered by extinction. Mainly the middle montane belt is afflicted with the impoverishment of species.

• As a result of the revaluation of attractive montane landscapes for recreational purposes, an irreversible destruction of habitat conditions for a unique flora and vegetation (and assumedly Fauna) can be detected. It is an unfavorable development with increasing tendency. Infrastructural development (e.g. roads, electricity) of former inaccessible mountainous landscapes are leading to expansion of settlements. Former summer pastures are turned into summer settlements..

• Hitherto realized afforestations (nearly exclusively with Pinus brutia) take into account mainly the interests of the wood-consuming forest industry. As a result of frequent forest fires, the potential leaf-bearing trees (hardwood) of Euxinian origin are displaced by worthless east-mediterranean shrub formations..

• Infrastructural measures, woodland pasture and intensive agricultural influence on landscapes with high relief energy are resulting in soil erosion of large expansion with presumably dramatic results for water supply of agriculturally used coastal areas. Particularly these effects have to be validated on the background of irrigation systems for agricultural purposes, strongly dependent on regular water supply as run off from the Amanus Mtn. range.