Mapping and analyzing the spatial distribution of the tribe Triticeae Dumort. (Poaceae) in Turkey

Abstract

Triticeae Dumort. (Poaceae), or true grasses, the fifth-largest plant family in the world, are of great importance in terms of human life and civilization. Therefore, understanding the spatial distribution of the family members is important for botanists, plant producers, and breeders. Turkey is one of two gene centers of this family. In this study, the spatial distribution of Triticeae in Turkey was mapped in geographic information systems (GIS) by utilizing a large number of specimens collected from 1006 georeferenced sampling sites between 2004 and 2010. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was carried out in order to understand the spatial distribution of determined taxa. Environmental data for CCA were extracted from the available environmental raster map layers of Turkey. We identified and mapped a total of 76 species including 42 annuals and 34 perennials. CCA indicated that 6 environmental variables, namely potential evapotranspiration, elevation, distance to seas, maximum temperature, slope, and longitude, are the most effective in explaining the spatial distribution of the 12 annual species. However, the 6 environmental variables potential evapotranspiration, water vapor pressure, latitude, longitude, distance to seas, and sunshine fraction were the most effective in explaining the spatial distribution of the 20 perennial species. Aegilops triuncialis L. subsp triuncialis (annual) and Hordeum bulbosum L. (perennial) were the most abundant and widespread taxa, while Aegilops juvenalis (Thell.) Eig (annual) and Elymus libanoticus (Hack.) Melderis (perennial) were the scarcest and most rarely distributed species.