Karst geomorphology of Derecik (Hakkari) environment

The study area forming Derecik (Hakkari) environment as orographic Alpine - Himalayan fold belt of the Alpine fold belt, including in the Mediterranean zone, located in the eastern part of Turkey's Southeastern Taurus constitutes one of the major orogenic belt. The aspect of the study area, which is the subject of the thesis, is its richness especially in terms of micro karstic shapes. In Derecik and its environs, rock units deposited under different environmental conditions in the Mesozoic - Quaternary time interval are exposed. These rock units, most of which are located in the Southeastern Anatolian Autochthon, form structures on top of each other. The oldest rock unit of the area is the Latdağı Formation, which is the subunit of the Southeastern Anatolian Autochthonous, while the youngest formation is formed by alluvial valley floor in the Quaternary age. The most suitable rock units in terms of karstification are Midyat Group, Germav Formation and Latdağı Formation. In other formations, rock units suitable for karstification can be found in other rock groups. Neotectonic activities that started in the middle of Miocene and continued today, the Arabian plate pushing the Anatolian plate to the north led to the development of faulted and fractured thrust systems in the Southeast Taurus range. These movements also faulted and fractured carbonate rocks in the field has enabled it to be a structure. Therefore, it accelerated the formation and development of karstic melting patterns in the area. Climate (precipitation, temperature, etc.), morphology, hydrography, vegetation, soil and time conditions are the other important factors that contribute to karstification and development of karstic shapes in the area. Under these conditions, typical shapes rich in karst geomorphology have emerged in the study area.the most important ones are; karrens in Balkaya and Güney mountains also in around Anadağ settlement, dolines in Balkaya and Güney mountains, canyon, buried meander and so on. karstic valleys, occasional caves, travertines and sinkholes in the valleys.Hacıbey and Şemdinli streams where flowing. Finally, it has been tried to understand how the local people use the land in the study area and how karstic morphology has an effect on the distribution of the population. The use of karstic fields in agriculture and animal husbandry activities was also examined. Key Words: Karst, Karstification, Eastern Anatolia, Hakkari, Derecik. Geomorphology