CHARACTERISTICS OF BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS IN ÇAMALTI SOLAR SALTWORKS (İZMİR/TURKEY)

Edis KORU¹ , Fatih PERÇIN²

The multi-pond coastal solar salterns consist of a series of conjunctive saltponds, with a gradient of salinities ranging from seawater to NaCl precipitation. This region is anthropogenic supralittoral zones exploited for sea salt, which becomes progressively concentrated by evaporation. In this study, some biological characteristics of Çamaltı saltern was investigated, whic is the biggest marine coastal solar saltworks in Turkey. The Çamaltı saltern is a variable and dynamic ecosystem where 30-35 tons of water of water per minute are constantly circulating. Çamaltı saltworks was opened in 1863 and located the north of İzmir. It is 28km away from the city center. Generally, the saltworks contains of four divisions, namely the first and second saltworks, water ponds, and cristalisation ponds. Anually, the saltworks give 600000 tons of salt, which makes 35-40% of the salt produced in Turkey. Solar saltworks activities are normally ordinarily in wetlands, more specifically in salt swamps rich in biodiversity and represent distingtive biological systems which make them environmentally relevant. Many species live, feed and reproduce in a salt marsh and in a solar saltworks area. It provides biological diversity, including bacteria, macro and microalgae, Artemia, plants, birds, reptiles, fish and invertebrates and contribute to flood prevention and improved water management.

Keywords
İzmir, Saltworks, Biological Characteristics, Algae, Çamaltı,