Bolkar Mountains (9591)
Turkey, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1e
Year of last assessment: 2022
National site name: Bolkar Dağları
Central coordinates: Latitude: 37.2617, Longitude: 34.4639
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Area of KBA (km2): 3992.41941
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The high mountain fields (alpine zone) located in the middle of the mountain range stay covered with snow until the end of July and include glacier lakes. The KBA is very rich in terms of wildlife. (Eken et al. 2006). Bolkar Dağları (Mountains) comprises the huge massif, largely formed of hard Permo-Carboniferous limestones, that forms the insurmountable barrier between Central Anatolia and the Mediterranean coastline, and represents the second highest mountain group in the Taurus mountains after the Aladağlar. <br>The area is largely unprotected. The greatest threats come from the ongoing 'traditional' processes of depasturing stock - parts of the mountain are very heavily grazed - and collection of fuelwood. The construction of dams in some of the Southern gorges has caused localised destruction to these remarkable areas. <br>The Bolkars are mainly formed of Permo-Carboniferous limestones, many hundreds of metres thick, deposited in the ancient Sea of Tethys (Mesogea). At the end of the Mesozoic era, the Toros Mountains started tor ise and fold (along with the Alps), as the Tethys began to narrow, such that by the beginning of the Tertiary period the Toros chain had largely become dry land. Later (at the end of the Pliocene period) the Bolkar range moved southwards (together with the Aladağlar and Geyik ranges) as the Arabian Plate moved northwards into south-eastern Anatolia. The mountains rose yet further from the end of the Pliocene to the beginning of the Ouaternary. At certain periods during this history, periods of increased rainfall and river formation accelerated the formation of the karstic scenery seen today: the deep valleys and canyons (some 1500 m. deep), so characteristic of the Southern flanks of the mountain, formed underthese conditions. The landscape was further shaped during the last Ice Age, when the more elevated parts of the Bolkar range remained under a permanent snow (during this time the altitude of the snowline averaged 2780 m.). A series of cirques, assoriated with the main peaks, are perhaps the most obvious result of glaciation. A number of tarns have formed within these hollows, the principal two being Karagöl ('Black Lake', at 2590 m.) and Çiniligöl ('Tile Lake', 2660 m.). The climate of the mountain range is highly varied. In general, the Southern slopes are subject to a montane Mediterranean climate, whilst the northerly slopes have a Continental climate more typical of Central Anatolia. In addition, someofthe deepest valleys on the Southern flanks have a humid microclimate, and are important both for populations of Euro-Siberian species, together with a number of relict species (most notably Flueggea anatolica) (Byfield et al., 2010). It is a large mountain range located between the Eastern Mediterranean Region and the Central Anatolian Plateau. Its location in the transition zone of two regions and its diversifıed geomorphological structure has made the Bolkar Mountains one of Turkey's most unique areas in terms of natural life and rare species (Eken et al. 2006). The Bolkar Dağları (Mountains) comprises a monumental range of mountains that run for 70 km. in a south-west to north-easterly direction, and forms the apparently insurmountable barrier between the steppes of Central Anatolia and the Mediterranean coastline. The range rises gradually from west to east, reaching its maximum elevation in the north-east. Here, relatively large areas to the south-east of Maden village lie above 3000 m., and at 3524 m., Medetsiz Tepesi represent the second highest peak in the Toros mountains after the Aladağlar range to the North-east (Byfield et al., 2010). Dam construction, interventions in the water regime, grazing pressure, illegal wood cutting (Eken et al. 2006). The main threat to the mountain massif stems from excessive levels of grazing, which have largely destroyed the vegetation structure, particularly over the high plateau areas of the mountain (for example, the Dömbelek Yaylası area). There is an urgent need to regulate grazing within the site, particularly in areas rich in endemics.<br>Forest cover in more accessible areas of the site has been severely reduced, and in some areas is largely destroyed, with only a handful of surviving individuals of Cedrus libani. There is an urgent need to regulate both fuelwood collection and grazing within such areas in order to encourage the natural regeneration of the forest cover.<br>Afforestation activities, conversely, are taking place at up to 2,900 m. In time, the dense growth of trees will in their own right lead to a loss of diversity, and the possible extinction of endemic taxa.<br>A number of developments affect limited, yet valuable, parts of the site. Increasing numbers of secondary homes are under coristruction, particularly assodated with the yayla settlements along the Southern flanks of the mountain massif. The recent construction of a small ski centre on the north-west side of Medetsiz Tepesi is likely to severely jeopardise the fragile high alpine area of the site, increasing access to unique high alpine vegetation. Water for the hotels is supplied from the two large glaical lakes, and may affect the aquatic and wetland vegetation of these water-bodies. During the 1990s the Pozantı-Tarsus motorway was constructed through the Cilician Gates, but did not greatly damage the limestone cliff vegetation of the site. It is not known how increased pollution from vehicle exhaust will affect the vegetation of the site. The population of Flueggea anatolica (a Tertiary relict with a remarkably disjunct distribution through the old world) numbers relatively few individuals and covers only about one hectare. At the time of its discovery a significant proportion of stems had been cut to make a sheep pen. Such activities should be discouraged, and the population closely monitored (Byfield et al., 2010).
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: Nineteen species of plants, 17 birds, four mammals, three reptiles and two invertebrates meet legacy KBA criteria and are in need of reassessment against the Global Standard.
Manageability of the site: This site was identified as a KBA in 2016. A manageability rationale is not available.
Delineation rationale: This site was identified as a KBA in 2016. A delineation rationale is not available.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 5 | |
| Grassland | 45 | |
| Forest | 45 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Abstraction of surface water (agricultural use) | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Only in the future |