Plant succession on the Kula Volcano in Turkey

Summary

In the summer of 1974 plant succession on the Kula Volcano was studied. Various plants were observed to have survived on the wide and varied volcanic slopes.

The floristic composition varies between eastern, western, northern and southern slopes depending on the water supply and the temperature. The southern slope is dry and warmer and for that reason it is exposed to erosion. It is, therefore, rather unfavourable for the survival of vegetation. On the other hand, the northern slope is comparatively cooler and more humid than the southern slope, hence vegetation here is denser and erosion has been prevented. Succession here has been continuous and soil has acquired favourable physical, chemical and biological features. Vegetation has reached thePinus brutia climax. Vegetation on the eastern and western slopes displays intermediate characteristics between the northern and the southern slopes, but neither has reached a climax. There were also profound vegetational differences between the northern and southern inner crater slopes. On the northern crater slope there was dense growth and vegetation here has reached the shrub stage, whereas on the southern slope, due to severe erosion, plants would only survive at certain localities where erosion was less effective.

In the Kula Volcano area there are various stages of vegetational development. On the cone where the work was performed species requiring less water are dominant. Dominant wereRumex sp. andRhus coriaria communities on the southern slopes;Pinus brutia community constituting the climax on the northern slope;Ephedra campylopoda community in the crater; andScandix pectenveneris community on the foot of the voleano.