Abstract:

Wetlands which are one of the most important ecosystems of the earth with their natural functions-economical values should be examined on a locale scale and, sustainability of these areas should be provided by benefiting from technological opportunities. In these study, the temporal change of land use activities in Marmara Lake's immediate surroundings, and the effects of these studies on the lake's ecosystem were examined by using remote sensing technology. Areas of agriculture comprise 64,3% of, forest  23.3%, pasture 8.8%, water 2.8%, settlement 0.4%, and  aquatic plant areas  0.4%, of study area . In the area the most greatest change in land use through the years of 1986-2011 was happened on settlement areas by an increase at the rate of 173%. On the other hand, decrease on areas of aquatic plant (21%, 230 ha) and of pasture (18%, 4508 ha) draws the attention. Effects of land use in immediate surroundings of Marmara Lake on the lake's ecosystem are; 1. Changes on the Lake area, 2. Eutrophication, 3. Changes emerging with intervening to natural structure of the lake. The lake which became smaller at the rate of 6 % (369 ha) through years of 1975-2011 switched from eutrophic lake into hypertrophic state within the last 20 years because of accumulating of agricultural fertilizer-pesticides on the lake reservoir. Turning the lake into a reservoir by DSI (State Hydraulic Works) through years of 1932-1953 caused to irrecoverable results, and biological-physical chemical structure of lake water underwent change. Cutting-burning-radicating of aquatic plants around the lake with the purpose of gaining cultivated areas etc. inflicted a deep wound on the lake ecosystem of which is largely composed shallow areas. The sustainability of a rare ecosystem such as Marmara Lake requires cooperation for supra-institutions in parallel with interdisciplinary studies handling Gediz Basin as a whole. Within this scope; water-taking from the lake should be stopped as immediate as possible,  channels carrying pollutant items to the lake should be closed, and the lake along with its immediate surroundings should be put under protection Keywords: Marmara Lake Ecosystem, Land Use, Remote Sensing, Potential for Natural Environment.

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