Akşehir and Eber Lakes (747)
Turkey, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Akşehir ve Eber Gölleri
Central coordinates: Latitude: 38.5667, Longitude: 31.3167
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 966 to 967
Area of KBA (km2): 827.77663
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Two connected lakes in the Akarçay closed basin. Akþehir (max. 35,300 ha, max. depth 7 m) is a stream-fed tectonic lake, fresh in the west and south, becoming increasingly saline towards the north. Eber (max. 16,800 ha, max. depth 6 m) is situated 4 km to the north-west and is fed by the Akarçay stream. Large areas of reed Phragmites occur in both lakes, which were treated as separate IBAs in the previous international IBA inventory (Grimmett and Jones 1989): Akþehir Gölü (former site TR019) and Eber Gölü (former site TR022).
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: The IBA is important for breeding waterbirds, with large mixed heronries on reed islands in Akþehir lake. It used to be of major importance for wintering wildfowl before controls were introduced to the water regime.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (10%) | fisheries/aquaculture (50%) | hunting (5%) | not utilised (35%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Two dams are under construction on the Akarçay stream, leading to a further reduction in water input to both lakes. Given the reduction in size and increasing salinity of Akþehir lake over the last two decades, there is little hope for its long-term future. Industrial, agricultural and untreated urban pollutants enter the lakes from a variety of sources, leading to severe nutrient loading in Eber lake. Local fisheries have declined as a result of the pollution and decreasing water-levels.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Agro-industry farming | Ongoing |