Boundaries

This ecoregion spans the Aegean coast of Anatolian Turkey, from the Sea of Marmara in the north to the Mediterranean Sea in the south. It includes the basins of the Gediz, Küçük (Lesser) Menderes, and Büyük (Greater) Menderes rivers. It is bordered by theThrace ecoregion [423] to the north, Central [431] and Northern [430] Anatolia to the east, and Southern Anatolia [432] to the south. It also includes islands along the western Anatolian coastline, such as Rhodes Island.

Topography

The main rivers run in broad plains and fertile valleys between prominent spurs that extend from the Anatolian Plateau. Rivers drain west from mountains to the Aegean Sea. There is also a series of small coastal islands. Elevations in the ecoregion range from sea level to over 2400 m.

Freshwater habitats

The Dalman River flows through a deeply incised gorge in contrast to the more open and meandering rivers of the Aegean coast.

Terrestrial habitats

The natural vegetation along the coast is Mediterranean maquis forest comprised of Callabrian pine (Pinus brutia) and evergreen sclerophyllous trees and shrubs such as strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), Greek strawberry tree (A. andrachne), spanish broom (Spartium junceum), sweet bay (Laurus nobilis), and Kermes oak (Quercus coccifera). Further inland, Anatolian black pine (Pinus nigra ssp. pallasiana), Callabrian pine, and mixed oak woodlands and shrublands (Quercus spp.) dominate the vegetation, although Callabrian pine is less common. Conifer forests dominate the southern part of the ecoregion with Anatolian black pine (P. nigra), Cedrus libani, Taurus fir (Abies cilicica), and juniper (Juniperus foetidissima and J. excelsa).

Description of endemic fishes

Western Anatolia contains endemic cyprinids (Acanthobrama mirabilis, Barbus lydianus, B. pergamonensis, Chondrostoma holmwoodii, C. meandrense, Ladigesocypris ghigii, Petroleuciscus smyrnaeus, Pseudophoxinus irideus, P. maeandri, P. maeandricus, P. mermere), gobies (Knipowitschia ephesi, K. mermere), and a balitorid (Oxynoemacheilus simavicus). Undescribed species may also be endemic.

Other noteworthy fishes

Small freshwater gobies comprise three species, two of which are endemic.

Justification for delineation

This ecoregion was delineated based on endemism and species diversity with northern elements such as a salmonid (Salmo trutta), freshwater species related to those of Europe and to those of Southwest Asia, and a diverse fauna of marine origin. The Gediz delta is a Ramsar site. Sturgeons, the clupeid Alosa fallax, the cyprinodonts Aphanius anatoliae and A. fasciatus, the cyprinids Pseudophoxinus maeandricus, Chondrostoma holmwoodii, Ladigesocypris ghigii, and L. irideus are in the Red List (IUCN 2009).

Level of taxonomic exploration

Good