Island wetlands of Turkey

Maden Island Pond (West) is a permanent freshwater pond located on the north-west coast of Maden Island at Ayvalık Municipality. It covers an 1,6 ha of area. The main water sources are presumably underground water, a small stream and the sea water intrusion). The coastal part of the pond partly and seasonally dries out and is brackish due to the salt water intrusion. Salt flats and saltmarshes are dominant in this part. Halophytic, shrubby / arborescent vegetation and wet meadows are the surrounding vegetation of the pond, whereas the main coverage of the wetland area is the water mirror. Maden Island Pond (West) has the most rich biodiversity among all Ayvalık Islands. The pond is used as a nesting and stop-over site for birds, including confirmed breeding evidence for Tadorna ferruginea. The wetland is also important for the breeding cycles of Odonats. 1310 Salicornia and other annuals colonizing mud and sand, 1410 Mediterranean salt meadows (Juncetalia maritimi) and 1510 Mediterranean salt steppes (Limonietalia) are the recorded habitat types during the field survey. The wetland is not accessible by car and difficult to access by sea so the original landform is untouched and the wetland is the most and the only pristine one among Ayvalık Islands wetlands.