Salt-steppe and saline lakes. Due to the unique water regime here, the life cycle of the halophytic vegetation near the lake is completely different from that of the surrounding steppe vegetation. The flowering season of these halophytes lasts from August to October, when all other steppe formations are experiencing the dry season period of slow growth. The vegetation surrounding the salt lake can be divided into the following groups: (a) the edge of the water, (b) muddy, sandy soils close to the lake, (c) gentle slopes surrounding the lake, and (d) the edges of the halophytic steppe

Z2a (coastline):

Biome: (should be greener/more vibrant than the surrounding steppes)

sea-arrowgrass dominates (~90%); patches of sea_lavender, dogs_mercury; small patches of rushes (very rare)

Scattered common_meadow_grass

Dense patches of dogs_mercury also appear in the shallows

Z2b (lowland):

Biome:

Grass mix: grass, common_meadow_grass, kentucky_bluegrass, small_fescue

Wormwood dominates, in large patches interspersed with grasses; patches of sea_arrowgrass and dogs_mercury

Scattered oxeye_daisy, green_spurge, reindeer_lichen, alpine_bearberry

Z2c (slopes):

Biome:

Grass mix: grass, common_meadow_grass, kentucky_bluegrass, small_fescue

Large patches of alpine_bearberry and sea_lavender

Small patches of sweet_grass, wormwood, dogs_mercury, purple_moor_grass

Scattered cross_leaved_heath

Z2d (upland):

Biome:

Grass mix: grass, common_meadow_grass, kentucky_bluegrass, small_fescue, meadow_fescue

Large patches of dogs_mercury

Small patches of sea_lavender, wormwood, alpine_bearberry

Scattered pine_bush, green_spurge, cross_leaved_heath

2a: Salicornia europaea (dogs_mercury), Halocnemum strobilaceum (sea_arrowgrass), Salsola stenoptera (dogs_mercury), Limonium iconicum (sea_lavender), locally Puccinellia distans (sweet_grass) and Limonium gmelinii (sea_lavender), with Limonium globuliferum (sea_lavender), Juncus maritimus (rushes), and Plantago crassifolia (common_meadow_grass)

2b: Petrosimonia birandii (wormwood), often with Petrosimonia triandra (wormwood), Salsola anatolica (dogs_mercury), Halocharis sulphurea (reindeer_lichen), Salicornia herbacea (sea_arrowgrass), Bassia prostrata (wormwood), Suaeda prostrata (alpine_bearberry), Triplospermum praecox (oxeye_daisy), Stipa hohenackeriana, Stipa lagascae, and Ruta graveolens (green_spurge)

2c: Frankenia hirsuta (alpine_bearberry) and Limonium iconium (sea_lavender), with Reaumuria alternifolia (cross_leaved_heath), Salsola inermis (dogs_mercury), Camphorosma monspeliaca (wormwood), Puccinellia distans (sweet_grass), Limonium gmelinii (sea_lavender), Halocnemum strobilaceum (sea_arrowgrass), Apera intermedia (small_fescue), Bassia prostrata (wormwood), Petrosimonia brachiata (wormwood), Salsola vermiculata (dogs_mercury), and Atriplex tatarica (purple_moor_grass)

2d: Salsola inermis (dogs_mercury), with Aeluropus lagopoides (kentucky_bluegrass), Camphorosma monspeliaca (pine_bush), Limonium iconium (sea_lavender), Artemisia fragrans (wormwood), Apera intermedia (small_fescue), Petrosimonia birandii (wormwood), Bassia prostrata (wormwood), Salsola anatolica (dogs_mercury), Salsola kali (dogs_mercury), Cynodon dactylon (common_meadow_grass), Frankenia hirsuta (alpine_bearberry), Bromus tectorum, Hordeum murinum, Hordeum marinum, Agropyron cristatum, Atriplex lasiantha (green_spurge), Agrostis spica-venti, and Reaumuria alternifolia (cross_leaved_heath)

Central Anatolian steppe