This study systematically investigated the environmental characteristics defining distinct land cover types across the Mediterranean region of Türkiye. The study used 13,940 spatial units based on GIS layers, which included land cover from CORINE, as well as information about the landscape, like altitude, ruggedness, and slope. It also considered climate factors such as precipitation, temperature, and seasonal variations. A comprehensive statistical analysis was performed using non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis H-tests and pairwise Mann-Whitney U tests. Results revealed statistically significant differences (p 0.05) in all environmental variables across land cover types. Altitude was the main differentiator, with sparsely vegetated areas and grasslands found at high elevations, contrasting with salt marshes located in low-lying, gentle regions. Climatically, salt marshes were characterized by the highest mean annual temperatures and precipitation, strong precipitation seasonality, and notably low thermal variability. Conversely, high-altitude grasslands and sparsely vegetated areas featured cooler climates and significantly greater temperature fluctuation. Isothermality, in contrast, exhibited minimal variation across the study sites, indicating its limited utility as a climate discriminator. These findings highlight transparent environmental partitioning, where a combination of topographic and climatic factors collectively shapes the unique ecological profiles of each land cover type. This detailed understanding of environmental preferences is crucial for effective ecological management, conservation strategies, and predicting ecosystem responses to environmental changes in the region.
Banu Kaya Özdemirel (Tue,) studied this question.