Tuz Lake (757)
Turkey, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1d, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Tuz Gölü
Central coordinates: Latitude: 38.6833, Longitude: 33.5167
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 900 to 1398
Area of KBA (km2): 5334.26466
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Two major streams, groundwater, and surface water feed the second largest lake in Turkey (max. 190,000 ha, max. spring depth 1.5 m). Brackish marshes have formed where channels and streams enter the lake. Tuz lake is extremely saline and almost completely dries up during the summer. The lake is surrounded by arable fields, except in the south and south-west where extensive seasonally-flooded salt-steppe occurs. Economic activities include salt extraction.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: The main Turkish breeding colony of Phoenicopterus ruber is present on a group of islands in the southern part of the lake. Falco naumanni is a common breeder in surrounding villages.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (5%) | hunting (5%) | not utilised (60%) | urban/industrial/transport (30%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 38 | |
| Desert | 36 | |
| Other | 26 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Industrial, agricultural and untreated urban waste enters the lake via the main Konya channel. The effects of the pollution are made worse by reduced inputs of fresh water following the construction of two reservoirs on the main inflows. Large tracts of salt-steppe have been converted to arable land. Plans exist to triple the size of the saltpans, increasing output to three million tons per annum.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Agro-industry farming | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Abstraction of surface water (commercial use) | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing |