Biotech Studies 2009, Vol 18, Num, 1     (Pages: 017-021)

Determination of Homogenous Areas of Turkey by Using Elevation and Drought Index

Hakan YILDIZ 1 ,Arife AVAĞ 2 ,Ali MERMER 1 ,Ediz ÜNAL 1 ,Öztekin URLA 1 ,Metin AYDOĞDU 1 ,Fatma DEDEOĞLU 1 ,K.Aytaç ÖZAYDIN 1 ,Osman AYDOĞMUŞ 1

1 Tarla Bitkileri Merkez Araştırma Enstitüsü, Yenimahalle-Ankara
2 Tarımsal Araştırmalar Genel Müdürlüğü Tarla Bitkileri Dairesi Başkanlığı
- Areas that have similar elevation and climatic characters called as ecologically homogenous areas. It is assumed that differences in vegetation and crop productivity in these homogenous areas are due to changes in soil types and different management applications. Total evapotranspiration was calculated for 265 meteorological stations over Turkey from meteorological parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, sunshine duration and wind speed using Penman-Monteith method. Point values of total evapotranspiration and total precipitation were interpolated using ANUSPLINE method. Drought index was calculated from these two parameters and classified into six classes. Elevation data was produced using SRTM digital elevation model and classified into seven classes. A total of 37 Homogenous area were obtained in Turkey by combining drought index layer with elevation layer. Keywords : Homogenous area, aridity index, elevation