Impact Factor: ISRA (India) = 3.117 ISI (Dubai, UAE) = 0.829 GIF (Australia) = 0.564 JIF = 1.500 SIS (USA) = 0.912 РИНЦ (Russia) = 0.156 ESJI (KZ) = 5.015 SJIF (Morocco) = 5.667 ICV (Poland) = 6.630 PIF (India) = 1.940 IBI (India) = 4.260 Philadelphia, USA 147 QR – Issue QR – Article SOI: 1.1/TAS DOI: 10.15863/TAS International Scientific Journal Theoretical & Applied Science p-ISSN: 2308-4944 (print) e-ISSN: 2409-0085 (online) Year: 2018 Issue: 11 Volume: 67 Published: 25.11.2018 http://T-Science.org Murat Atasoy MA, Faculty of Architecture, Design, and Fine Arts, Osmaniye Korkut Ata University, 80000, Osmaniye, Turkey. muratatasoy@osmaniye.edu.tr SECTION 8. Architecture and construction. A CHECK LIST OF MEDITERRANEAN PLANTS TO CONTROL EROSION IN TURKEY Abstract: Soil loss by erosion has been defined as a global problem since the vegetative dispersal diminished in recent years. The erosion is severe in European countries where vulnerability of the agricultural fields has been alarming. Turkey has been experiencing a serious land degradation issue due to erosion with approximately soil loss of 500 × 10 6 t y −1 and 83.21% of agricultural lands are estimated to be under risk. Also, there is a gap in the literature about how to select the plant species for erosion control and management in Turkey. Therefore, the aim of this study was to create a check list of some erosion control plants which can be planted in Mediterranean region of Turkey. Providing a check list for increasing the density of vegetation against soil erosion can help land owners and managers to maintain the farmlands and forest cover and pioneer decision-making plans. By this way, prospective researches may benefit from the erosion control plant species and easement of their selection process. Key words: Erosion control in Turkey, erosion prevention, soil degradation, soil loss. Language: English Citation: Atasoy, M. (2018). A check list of Mediterranean plants to control erosion in Turkey. ISJ Theoretical & Applied Science, 11 (67), 147-152. Soi: http://s-o-i.org/1.1/TAS-11-67-23 Doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.15863/TAS 1. Introduction Vegetation is one of the most important components of the soil. It is essential that the topsoil coverage is a precaution against the erosion. Soil erosion can be defined as “the process by which wind, water, ice, and gravity wear away the land’s surface” [1]. According to [2] the substantive topsoil transformation happens during the flow of water, declining the soil quality, lack of nutrients in the subsoil, and decreases permeability that induces developing run-off and therefore speeding soil erosion. One of the best ways to decrease erosion is to maintain and improve vegetative cover of the soil. Most of the researchers around the world have been investigating new ways and methods to increase the amount of vegetation by afforestation and land management activities. The fact that the population of the world has been substantially going up fast, many woody lands and green areas have been invaded by human activities. Thus, people have been negatively affecting the nature by deforestation activities, degradation of the soil, and causing to the increase of erosion [3]. Soil loss by erosion has been defined as a global problem since the vegetative dispersal diminished in recent years. For instance, [4] have researched that in Italy, the annual soil loss rate can reach 100-150 t/ha per year. The erosion is severe in European countries where vulnerability of the agricultural fields has been alarming. Forest harvesting, especially, has been implemented before regrowth of young trees causes an increase of sediment yield from a forest catchment. In the later of 20th century, some catchment experiments were done by professional environmentalists to investigate the impact of rising vegetation on decreasing soil erosion [5]. Erosion has been causing a serious land degradation issue in Turkey with approximately soil loss of 500 × 10 6 t y −1 and 83.21% of agricultural lands are estimated to be under risk of water erosion [6]. Also, there is a gap in the literature about how to select the plant species for erosion control and management in Turkey. Therefore, the aim of this study was to create a check list of some erosion control plants which can be planted in Turkey.