Plant ecology investigation of natural ecosystems in the Göksu delta (Silifke)

In this study, the vegetation of natural area of Göksu Delta SEPA that is one of the most important wetland in Turkey is researched. The flora of study site composed by 475 taxa belonging to 76 families and 286 genera. It includes 9 endemic and 15 non-endemic rare taxa. Natural area of Göksu Delta are divided into 3 main habitat groups as aquatic, sand dune and halophytic. These main habitats are included 12 subgroups. All these habitats were also analyzed with 364 relevès from the standpoint of plant sociology. Different habitat types were fixed as 29 associations and 10 plant communities of which 16 a r e new for science are established. Aquatic vegetation is represented with 4 associations and 2 groups belonging to the class of 5 Phragmito-Magnocaricetea and 1 Potametea; sand dune vegetation is represented with 12 associations and 4 groups belonging to Ammophiletea Br.-Bl. & Tüxen ex Westhoff, Dijk & Passchier 1946 class; halophytic vegetation is also represented with 13 associations and 4 groups belonging to 8 Salicornietea fruticosae Br.-Bl. & Tüxen ex A. & O. Bolòs 1950, 8 Juncetea maritimi Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl., Roussine & Nègre 1952 and 1 Molinio- Juncetea Br.-Bl. (1931) 1947 classes. Onopordum boissieri, Ambrosia maritima and Chlamydophora tridentata has been determined as a new characteristics plant species for the alliances in this study. Key Words: Göksu Delta, Wetland, Habitat, Vegetation, Braun-Blanquet, Barkman