Özet:

The study area is located in the northeastern part of the Anatolia. This area is belong to the Upper Kura drainage basin and from hydrographic point o f view it is connected to the Aras river basin. As a whole, the given area was composed of volcanic material, volcano-sedimentary and Plio-Quatcmary terrains. The Volcanic rocks are common on the northern, western and eastern part of the area. The volcano- sedimentary formations occur the central parts, and Quaternary alluvions occupy the tectonic depressions. There are fault lines extending in the direction o f NE-SW. The basins o f Gole, Ardahan, Çıldır and Haskoy (Hoçuvan) and the Lake Aktaş (Hozapin) were formed due to the faulting movements. These tectonic depressions which were occupied by alluvial plains were captured by the Kura river and its tributaries. The climate of the given area is characterized by the continental climate; the winters are very cold and the summers are mild. Mean annual temperature is about 3-4“C and the highest temperature 33-34°C in July or August and the lowest —39 or—40° C in the January or February. Total annual precipitation is about 500-600 mm. The natural vegetation of the area can be divided into four formations: forest, steppe, antropogen steppe and sub-alpine or alpine. The forests, which are composed o f Pinus silvestris are widespread on the highlands o f the area. Steppe formati-r ons occur in the depressions and plateaus. The sub-alpine  and the alpine vegetations are common upper part of the mountains, such as Cindağı, Yalnızçam, Ulgar, Keldağı and Kısır dağı. There are several great soil groups in the study area. The terminology and classification system is in conformity with that used in 1949 in the Soil Survey Manual (USA). The greater part of the area is covered by azonal soils due to the erosion. For this reason the zonal soils are only seen under the dense vegetation cover and on the flat lands. The main soil types arc summarized below: Zonal soils are characterized by the chernozem and chestnut soils. These occur on the flat and undulating lands. The chernozem soils are being formed in the vicinity of Golc and Hanak plains. The Chestnut soils were developed on the Neogene soft limestone formation. Azonal soils have been developing on the alluvial land of the depressions. The alluvial and the hydromorphic alluvial soils are the main soil types of this group. On the steep slopes are often covered by the lithosols. In these lands  erosion is active so that erosion products have been transported by the running water and the gravity. The texture o f the soils arc very coarse, and coarse. Intrazonal soils are characterized by the brown forest soils and alpine meadow soils. The brown forest soils have been developed under the Pinus silvestris forests. The soil is no deep because of the severe erosion. Alpine meadow soils arc also shallow and their organic content is high.