Ayvalık (Balıkesir/Turkey) Dune Plant Diversity, Threatening Factors and Solution Proposals

Abstract

Ayvalık and its environs are unique due to its coastal structure and natural beauties, andparticularly the islands belonging to Ayvalık makes up the most important resource values. This studywas carried out to determine the plant diversity in the coastal dunes of Ayvalık and its surroundings, topresent the threat factors and to offer solutions. The study was conducted between 2016-2017. For thispurpose; floristic and ecological observations were made in four seasons. As a result of floristicstudies; 88 genera and 115 taxa belonging to 32 families were determined. Fabaceae (15 taxa),Asteraceae (14 taxa) and Amaranthaceae (8 taxa) families are dominant in the flora of the region. Themost common taxa in dune areas are; Matthiola tricuspidata, Malcolmia flexuosa, Salicornia emericii,Cakile maritima, Anthemis rigida, A. tomentosa, Halimione portulacoides, Plantago coronopus subsp.commutata, Trifolium subterraneum, Eryngium maritimum, Allium sphaerocephalon and Euphorbiaparalias. The role of human factors is particularly notable in a significant part of the coastal dunes inthe region. Beach arrangements in dune areas, secondary housing construction in coastal areas, sandextraction from coasts, tourism, wetland drying and fires threaten dune habitats and plant species in theregion. Especially due to the extensive use of the coastal areas and beach arrangements; The habitatsof Sea daffodil (Pancratium maritimum) and Narcissus (Narcissus tazetta) have been greatly damaged.Moreover, the fact that P. maritimum bulbs were collected by the people there greatly reduced thepopulations of this species. It also is given solution proposals for protection of dune plants.