Küçükçekmece Basin (780)
Turkey, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Küçükçekmece Havzası
Central coordinates: Latitude: 41.0667, Longitude: 28.7167
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 230
Area of KBA (km2): 117.06667
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A natural brackish lagoon (20 m deep) situated west of Ýstanbul on the Sea of Marmara. Fringe vegetation is confined to an area of reedbed (Phragmites) in the north of the lagoon. Unplanned buildings surround the site; the only relatively undisturbed area lies within the grounds of the nuclear energy research centre and military camp on the east shore. A motorway passes to the north.
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 site holds significant numbers of wintering waterbirds.
Delineation rationale: Area changed (expanded to include land around lake) from 1,500 ha to 11,690 ha (Kilic & Eken, 2004). Area changed from 11,690 ha to 11,715 ha (Eken et al. 2006).
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture (10%) | hunting (10%) | not utilised (80%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 50 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The construction of a drinking water reservoir on the Sazlý stream has reduced freshwater inflow˜the lagoon may become more saline as a result of seawater intrusion. Urban and industrial pollution is a problem that will intensify with further development of the lake surrounds.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollution | Industrial & military effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Only in the past and unlikely to return |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Shipping lanes | Only in the future |