Endemic Vascular Plants of Marble and Serpentine Parent Materials in Semiarid Grassland

Abstract

Endemism is an important criterion for identification of floristic regions and determination of floristic properties of these regions. Turkey is one of the world’s major countries in terms of endemism over 3.000 endemic plant species. This study was carried out in order to determine the floristic composition and endemic plant species on the serpentine and marble (metamorphic rocks) parent material in semi-arid garssland in Çankırı-Eldivan. For this reason plant samples were collected in different growing season in 2014 (month of between April- September), approximately 4ha (Marble, 3.88 ha; Serpentine, 0.08 ha) area in Çankırı-Eldivan. Study area is located A4 square according to the grid system of P.H. Davis (1965-1988) and Irano-Turanian region in phytogeographic respect. As a result of the plant sampling carried out in the area; 16 families, 27 genera, 31 species determined in serpentine parent material. Among of these plants 9 of them are endemic plant. Endemism rate of the serpentine area is 29%. In addition, 20 families, 58 genera, 72 species of plants have been identified in marble parent material and 14 plant taxa of these species endemic. Endemism ratio is 19%. Results of this study showed that parent material effects of plant diversity and endemism ratio.

Keywords

• Endemic plants
• Metamorphic rocks
• Marble
• Serpentine
• A4
• Turkey