TURKISH WETLAND PROBLEMS: A CASE STUDY EGIRDIR LAKE SAMPLE

Wetlands had been threatened by increase of temperature due to global warming and not proper usage of them these causing health problems both for human and aquatic environment. Therefore new studies have been forced in the rehabilitation and sustainable usage of water sources recently in the world. Turkey lies in a transitional region between the Asia and Europe continents. Turkey is the richest country for wetland area in Europe and Mideast after following the Russia. There are 135 wetlands in criteria of Ramsar. On the other hand, from 1950’s many of wetland were lost in Turkey, Basic problems for wetlands of Turkey as follows; habitat destruction and fragmentation, pollution of water quality, making the wetlands dry with the aim of expanding agriculture and forestry, Interference to water regime, introduction of invasive species in natural wetlands, Over-exploitation of plant and animal species, the problems of jurisdictional and wetland legislation. Egirdir Lake is located at the Western Mediterranean Region of Turkey and in the Lakes Region. Lake an Important Bird Area, Drinking Water Protection Area and has a Natural Protected Area conservation status. The lake is on the way of many migratory birds needs to be protected for the endemic species in the world. At the same time there are some basic problems regarding wetlands. These can be quantified as interference to water regime, damage to water quality, habitat destruction, and introduction of unfamiliar species to the natural wetlands and problems of management. The purposes of this study is determination of ecological properties with a view of Egirdir Lake surface water situation as a water resource for the region and try to give some suggestions of solution on the environmental and wetland problems.