Student:	Seyran PALABAŞ UZUN
Supervisor:	Prof. Dr. Salih TERZİOĞLU
Department:	Orman Mühendisliği
Institution:	Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences
University:	Karadeniz Technical University, Turkey

Title of the Thesis:	Flora, Vegetation and Succession of Sisdağı Ecosystems
Level:	Ph.D.
Acceptance Date:	13/4/2009
Number of Pages:	218
Registration Number:	Di684

Summary:

environs located in Trabzon province. Also the changes, in spatial-temporal configuration

of secondary forest succession between 1984 and 2007, and in plant species richness of

different seral stages were investigated. The study area lies between 400-2150 m, is located

in Colchis sector of Euxine provens of the Euro-Siberian floristic area.

A total of 479 vascular taxa from 82 families and 259 genera were identified. Of

these, 461 belonged to Spermatophyta which included to 5 taxa from the Gymnospermea

and 456 from the Angiospermae, and the remaining 18 taxa belonged to Pteridophyta. The

Angiospermae also included 380 taxa from the Magnoliopsida and 76 taxa from the

Liliopsida. Total 20 endemic taxa were determined in the study area and endemism ratio is

4,18. Endemic and rare taxa were classified according to IUCN threat category and

locations of endemic taxa were signed in Digital Elevation Model using Geographic

Information System.

The vegetation of the study area was investigated according to the Braun-Blanquet

method and 5 plant associations related to forest vegetation were determined. Three of

these are new to science.

The seral stages of secondary forest succession were determined according to

Clementsian theory by using 196 sample plots in 2007 and changes in plant species

richness of ecesis, competition, reaction and climax stages were investigated. Highest

richness was found in the competition stage with 173 taxa. Besides 107 taxa in ecesis, 132

taxa in reaction and 49 taxa in climax stage were determined. The temporal changes of

spatial structure of secondary forest succession conditions from 1984 to 2007 were

determined using FRAGSTATSTM software. Results showed that study area became more

fragmented over 23 years. Also, the number of patches in the study area increased from

263 to 616 and mean patch size decreased from 63,33 ha to 27,04 ha from 1984 to 2007.

Key Words: Flora, Vegetation, Secondary Forest Succession, Spatial Analyze,

Fragmentation