Gavur Lake (798)
Turkey, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2016
National site name: Gavur Gölü
Central coordinates: Latitude: 37.3000, Longitude: 36.8333
Elevation (m): 490 to 490
Area of KBA (km2): 66.52226
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The site lies south of the town of Türkoðlu in the Saðlýk plain, and comprises a complex of fields and small reedbeds (Phragmites) inundated during the winter but largely dry and cultivated during the summer. The area is fed by springs and streams. Rice-fields adjoin the lake to the north-east; a railway and motorway pass to the west.
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. KBA identified in the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Mediterranean Hotspot (2017). Taxonomy, nomenclature and global threat category follow the 2016 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: Prior to drainage the site held enormous numbers of passage waterbirds.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: As part of its Ceyhan Menzelet scheme, DSÝ plans to complete the land-claim and irrigation of the Saðlýk plain, including this IBA. Gavur lake, although largely claimed, could be restored if excluded from the proposed scheme.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Abstraction of ground water (agricultural use) | Ongoing |