The indicator is an impact indicator. The impact of human activities is closely linked to biodiversity.

The Mediterranean and Near East Centers, which are the centers of plant diversity and origin overlap with Turkey and host many centers of genetic diversity of various crops.

Ourcountryhas a position that can be considered quite rich in plant species, especially considering its climatic zone. In the group of flowering plants (Angiospermae), the proportion of endemism among seed plants is very high. Of the 11 000 species and subspecies of flowering plants, 3925 are endemic, and the endemism rate is about 34%.

Among the seedless plants, the most famous plant group is ferns (Pteridophtyes). In Turkey, 101 fern species and subspecies have been counted, of which only 3 are endemic ^[62].

Although Turkey is a very rich country in terms of endemic plants, some of these rich species are seriously threatened. According to the IUCN 2001 criteria, about 600 of our endemic species are in the Very Endangered category CR” and about 700 are in the Endangered category EN”.

TABLE 17- NUMBER FROM TAXONS INCLUDE TO VARIOUS TYPES FROM SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES, STATE FROM ENDEMISM, RARE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES AND EXTINCT SPECIES

Source: National Biological Diversity Strategy and Action Plan 2007

Turkey has a rich and special status in terms of fauna due to its geographical location. It has been found that 481 species of birds, 161 species of mammals, 141 species of reptiles and amphibians, 480 species of marine fishes and 236 species of freshwater fishes live in our country.

Of the 141 reptile and amphibian species in Turkey, 16 are endemic and 10 are threatened. There are no endemic bird species in Turkey. However, 5 species and 32 subspecies of mammals, 16 species and/or subspecies of reptiles and 70 species/ subspecies of freshwater fishes are endemic.

Although the invertebrate fauna is not as well known as the vertebrate fauna, it is known that 30,000 species have been identified, while the total number of species is estimated at about 60,000-80,000.

In the marine areas of Turkey, 10 marine mammal species have been recorded. Despite the 21 marine mammal species that regularly or occasionally enter the Mediterranean in the Mediterranean basin, only 3 species live in the Black Sea. It is noted that the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) has not been seen in the Black Sea since 1994.

TABLE 18- NUMBER FROM TAXONS INCLUDE TO VARIOUS TYPES FROM SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES, STATE FROM ENDEMISM, RARE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES AND EXTINCT SPECIES

Source: National biodiversity strategy and action plan 2007

As far as biodiversity is concerned, Turkey has the characteristics of a small continent. The reasons for this can be enumerated as follows: The presence of three different bioclimatic types, the presence of three phytogeographical regions such as Euro- Siberia, Mediterranean and Iran-Turania, which have topographical, geological, geomorphologicaland soil diversity, including different wetland types (sea, lakes, rivers and fresh, salty and sodic lakes, etc.), altitude differences of 0-5,000 m, deep canyons and very different ecosystem types, less affected by the Ice Age than the European countries connecting the North Anatolia region with the South Anatolia region, and the resulting ecological and floristic differences, as well as the location at the confluence of three continents. In summary, Turkey has agricultural, forest, mountain, steppe, wetland, coastal, and marine ecosystems, as well as various forms and combinations of these ecosystems.

To identify this biological wealth, biodiversity inventory studies were started in 2013 under the National Biodiversity Inventory and Monitoring Project at the provincial level, and by the end of 2019, the studies had been completed for 81 provinces. This project established monitoring indicators at the species/population, habitat/ ecosystem, and regional levels for each province and developed monitoring plans. The project established at the local level the initial parameters of the “National Monitoring Programme,” which will bring monitoring studies in our country to a national level for the first time.

As of today, monitoring studies are carried out in areas of concern for endangered species and biodiversity identified by the project ^[63].

TABLE 19- THE TAXON INFORMATION ON THE SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES BY GROUP

Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks 2021

TABLE 20- NUMBER OF BIO-SMUGGLING CASES DETECTED BY YEARS (2007-2018)

Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks