Habitat classification and evaluation of the Köyceğiz-Dalyan Special Protected Area (Muğla/Turkey)

The aim of this study is the classification and evaluation of the habitats in Köyceğiz-Dalyan Special Protected Area (SPA) in accordance with the international criteria, determination of the unique, rare and threatened habitats and making proposals for the sustainability of the habitats and its balanced use. Köyceğiz-Dalyan SPA hosts different habitats such as forests, maquis, garrigue, phrygana, lakes, stream, sand hills, reeds, fresh water and oceanographic regions and the diversity of the species living there, the complex web of relations among these species and the diversity biological processes constitutes a relevant model for Thermo and Eu-Mediterranean zones for East Mediterranean Basin. Nowadays the rate of loss in biological diversity stemmed from the anthropogenic sources is a thousand times higher than the geological extinction. That is why the determination and description of the habitats with unique properties is of extreme importance. This study involves the classification of Köyceğiz-Dalyan SPA habitat types in accordance with the European Union Nature Information System (EUNIS) habitat classification. The habitats were evaluated with regard to the criteria such as size of area, biodiversity, naturalness, rarity, typicalness, the reparation and/or restoration potential. The evaluations are based upon the indices of class area (CA), number of patches (NP), percentage of landscape [Perceland ( P İ )], the largest patch index (LPI), modified Shannon–Simpson diversity index (MSHDI-MSIDI). As a result of this study EUNIS habitat types of Köyceğiz-Dalyan SPA located at the southwest of Turkey have been determined and there were 11 new habitats found which are not included in AB habitat list. These habitat types were evaluated by the use of evaluation indices in addition to biological and ecological processes. There were proposals made for the protection of rare and endangered habitats.