Page 205 - Çevre Şehir ve İklim Dergisi İngilizce - Özel Sayı

Bilgi Sarihan - Ramazan Acar Çakır
Aydın Uzun

According to the Thornthwaite water deficit balance data from 1991-2020,
provided by the General Directorate of Meteorology, the water deficit balance
trend in regions with arid and semi-arid areas, such as Central Anatolia and
Southeastern Anatolia, shows a similar pattern throughout the vegetation
season (MGM, 2023).
Even if soil depth is sufficient, the fact that the water deficiency period
coincides with the plant growing season is the biggest barrier to the
formation of vegetation in these areas. The General Directorate of Combating
Desertification and Erosion (ÇEMGM) and its stakeholders apply certain
criteria in the selection of plants to be used in plant adaptation and greening
activities in such areas, including:
• Identifying the plants that naturally grow in the region and giving
priority to these species.
• If no naturally occurring species are present, selecting species that are
most suitable and adaptable to the region’s conditions.
• If there have been previous plant adaptation studies in the local area,
giving priority to the species that have been successful.
• Selecting plants that can adapt to major issues in arid and semi-arid
areas, such as salinity, wind effects, water scarcity, heavy, sandy, and
shallow soils (For example, in Konya (Karapınar Plain) or Central Anatolia,
plants chosen for greening activities should have characteristics such as
drought resistance, cold tolerance, and resistance to salinity and high
lime levels, which are crucial for combating desertification)
In Turkey, the Karapınar Plain, which is marked by desertification, has also
become an example of combating desertification. In the fight against
desertification, which started in 1962, the area was initially protected through
enclosure. The parts where greening activities would take place were
surrounded by windbreaks made of reed screens to stop the movement of
sand dunes and mitigate the harmful effects of wind on plant development. In
the grass species category, plants such as rye (Secale cereale), crested
wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum), tall wheatgrass (Agropyron elongatum),
smooth brome (Bromus inermis), orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata), Italian
ryegrass (Lolium italicum), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), Sudan grass
(Sorghum sudanense), sweet clover (Melilotus alba), yellow sweet clover
(Melilotus officinalis), sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa), broad bean (Vicia
narbonensis), woolly vetch (Vicia villosa), and common vetch (Vicia sativa) have
been planted. In terms of shrub and tree species, planting has been carried
out with black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), oleaster (Elaeagnus), wild
pear (Pyrus elaeagnifolia), mahaleb cherry (Prunus mahaleb), honey locust
(Gleditsia triacanthos), ash (Fraxinus excelsior), elm (Ulmus carpinifolia), maple

192 Journal of Environment, Urban and Climate