Climate type changes that may occur due to global climate change in the highlands of Kastamonu province

It is estimated that global climate change, which is considered irreversible, will affect all ecosystems and living things on Earth. One of the areas that will be most damaged by the global climate change process is the plateaus, and determining the effects of this process on the plateaus is of great importance in terms of guiding the measures to be taken. In this study, we tried to determine how the plateaus in Kastamonu, which is one of the important provinces in terms of the number and use of plateaus in our country, will be affected by global climate change. In the region where 59 plateaus selected within the scope of the study are located, De Martone, Emberger and Lang climate types change predictions were made in four separate periods (2040, 2060, 2080 and 2100) with SSPs 245 and SSPs 585 scenarios. As a result of the study, it was determined that the plateaus subject to the study will be significantly affected by global climate change, climatic changes will begin to be seen in the next 20 years, and climate change will largely occur in the form of a shift towards arid climate types. This will significantly affect the number and diversity of species in the plateaus. Taking into account the results of the study, human-made transportation of species compatible with new climate types to the plateaus that will be most affected by climate change and practices to increase species diversity may help reduce species and population losses caused by global climate change.