General and applied geomorphology of the Adıyaman basin

SUMMARY PhD Thesis GENERAL AND APPLIED GEOMORPHOLOGY OF THE ADIYAMAN BASIN Sabri KARADO?AN The University of Fırat The Institute of Social Science The Department of Geography ELAZI?-2005 Page: XX+380 The Adiyaman basin is situated in the tectonic-orogenic foulded belt of the Southhern part of Turkey Anatolia. It has many geomorphological features due to the fact that this area have been subjected tectonic mevements leading to the overthrust, faulting, folding activities. These tectonic movements produced different geomorphic unites and/or structural topographical forms such as monoclinal structure. The Southern Taurus Mountains extending in the northern part of the study area had formed as a result of the Arabian and Anatolian plates collusion. Some metamorphic and/or Mesozoik terrains are found as a nappe on the younger strata. Climatically, steppic climatic conditions prevails on the lowland extending in the southern section of the Southeastern Taurus Mountains. Subhumid climate is dominant on the slopes of the SE Taurus due to the fronts are intercepted coming from the southern sectors. That is why the mean yearly precipitation is more than 600 mm on the southern section of the SE Taurus. Some mediterranean plant communities composed of Pistacia. Red pine and xerophitic shrubs are widespread on the lowlands, but the oaks communities are widespread on the SE Taurus. The uplifted areas locating in the eastern part of the study area have been deeply dissected by the streams and rivers connecting to the Atatürk Dam Lake. The materials which transported by fluvial erosion have been accumulated on the syclinal basin and foredeep basin locating the southern parts. The deformation to be seen within the young sedimentary deposits indicates the existence of the active tectonic movements. The human activities and establishment of settlements in the study area have been mostly affected by the topographical pericularities and climatic changes occurred during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene. During the Last Glacial the Paleolithic IEhuman had sheltered in the caves named Palanh caves locating in the southern part of the Southeastern Taurus Mountains. First Neolithic settlements had been set up in the vicinity of streams on the plateau surfaces. Indeed the favourable climatic and topographical conditions in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent contributed to the animal husbandry and agricultural activities. With the construction of Atatürk Dam, the natural environment conditions and economic activities of the study area have been considerably changed. Irrigated agricultural lands getting increased nowadays. The are some serious problems derived from the lithological properties of the area. Indeed, the unconsolitated sedimentary formations named Şelmo formations are being dissected by the running water on the sloppy areas. These areas gully and rill erosions are common. The sediments originated the soft and noncohesive deposits increase of the sediment yield of the streams. For that reason the severe siltation is being continued within the Atatürk Dam, and flood plains of the Kahta stream. The misuse of the land, overgrazing are the main problems on the land degradation and actual erosion. On the other hand, the earthquakes are one of another serious problem. Because the fault lines named Adıyaman and Bozova are the main earthquake zones. Adıyaman city is situated the Adıyaman Fault line which is the branch of the Eastern Anatolian Fault Line. KEY WORDS: Geomrphology, Applied Geomrphology, Adıyaman Basin, Kahta, Samasota, Atatürk Dam Reservoir, Euphrates River, Kahta River, Goksu River, South Eastern Anatolia Nap zone, Adiyaman Fault Zone, Pirun, Pirin, Sehremuz, Gri Tüle IV