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close| Location | Turkey, Bursa |
| Central coordinates | 29o 31.00' East 40o 26.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, B2 |
| Area | 37,930 ha |
| Altitude | 87 m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2004 |
Ornithological information The site is important for breeding waterbirds.
Site description A tectonic freshwater lake with a max. depth of 80 m. Small deltas supporting extensive reedbeds (Phragmites) have formed where streams enter the lake; a levee has been constructed to prevent flooding. Arable land, olive groves and Populus plantations surround the lake. Water is abstracted for industrial and irrigation purposes. The town of Ýznik attracts many tourists.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax | breeding | - | 250 breeding pairs | - | B2 | Least Concern |
| Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus | breeding | 1995 | 30 breeding pairs | - | A1 | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iznik Golu | SIT (Law on Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets No. 2863) | 29,830 | protected area contained by site | 29,830 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands (inland) | Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation | 95% |
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | Perennial crops, orchards and groves | 5% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | 5% |
| fisheries/aquaculture | 10% |
| water management | 95% |
| tourism/recreation | 10% |
| urban/industrial/transport | 25% |
Management considerations From the small amount of data available, it appears that the lake was more important from an ornithological perspective prior to its conversion to a reservoir in 1963 (it is assumed that large areas of reed and marsh have been lost). Work is under way to substantially increase the land area under irrigation. Untreated industrial and urban waste is discharged to the lake˜recent algal blooms and mass fish-kills indicate the scale of the problem.
Protection status National High International None29,830 ha of IBA covered by SÝT (Iznik Gölü, 29,830 ha).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: İznik Lake. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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