Maquis vegetation in Mediterranean-climate region of Türkiye and recommendations for conservation and forestry practices

Abstract

Maquis ecosystems are among the most uncertain and controversial vegetation types within Turkish forestry. Our review aims to describe and classify these ecosystems in Mediterranean-climate regions of Türkiye, shedding light on the evolution of their legal status in Turkish forestry since the last century. We emphasize their conservation importance and the neglect when compared to pine forests. The description and classification of maquis vary according to many studies, and even the distribution of maquis vegetation in Türkiye has not been fully clarified. Additionally, the legal status of maquis has changed many times over the years. While maquis were considered forests in the early years of the Republic of Türkiye, recent constitutional amendments allow maquis areas to be converted into agricultural land if it is deemed beneficial. Furthermore, clear-cutting is even encouraged for firefighting purposes. Given the rich ecological and biological diversity of these ecosystems and their role as carbon sink, a novel management and conservation approach for the management of maquis including conversion to Turkish pine forests, post-fire restoration, resilience and resistance to climate change should be developed.

Keywords

• habitat koruma
• maki
• akdeniz sert yapraklı ormanlar
• akdeniz vejetasyonu
• vejetasyon sınıflandırması
• habitat conservation
• maquis
• mediterranean vegetation
• mediterranean sclerophyllous forests
• vegetation classification