Did the Red Sea - Mediterranean connection over the Dead Sea Fault Zone end in the Late Pliocene?

WOS: 000374478500010The delta plain of the Asi (Orontes) river in Hatay (Turkey) is located between two regional major tectonic zones, the Dead Sea Fault Zone from the Red Sea to Antakya and the East Anatolian Fault Zone from Karliova to Antakya. Sediment samples from five cores performed on the Asi delta plain to 15 m depth were studied, and three fossil groups were identified in 5 samples. They mainly consist of 51 foraminiferal species from 42 genera; ostracod genera representing marine, brackish and fresh water environments, and Gastropoda and Bivalvia taxa. The abundance of some benthic Foraminifera in the recent sediment samples, including Euuvigerina reineri (Bedford), Siphonina tubulosa Cushman and Siphonodosaria abyssorum (Brady), which are common in the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, and Red Sea is remarkable. In addition, Euuvigerina reineri (Bedford) individuals about 70 ka have been collected from Magaracik village to the north of the drilling area. The existence of these species in the Quaternary sediments indicates that the water connection via the Gulf of Aqaba on the Dead Sea Fault Zone was still open in the Pleistocene. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved

Did Amphistegina lobifera Larsen reach the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal?

WOS: 000374478500007It has been accepted by many researchers that Amphistegina lobifera Larsen migrated to the Mediterranean Sea via Suez Canal like many other Indo-Pacific originated foraminifers and organisms. This idea was also supported in the studies performed on the Turkish Aegean and Mediterranean coast in the last ten years, due to the discovery of alien benthic foraminifers. However, during field research in the Akkuyu (Mersin) region, a rich benthic foraminifera assemblage was found in the sediment samples, in which Amphistegina lobifera Larsen was abundant. In the present study, when and how Amphistegina lobifera Larsen migrated to the Mediterranean was investigated. Most of the Amphistegina lobifera Larsen individuals observed are found to show similar morphological characteristics with recent samples collected from Turkish coastline, which at first indicated that the individuals from Akkuyu might also be of Holocene age, but the OSL method produced dates of 227.3 +/- 17.8, 87.7 +/- 9.6 and 6.0 +/- 0.6 ka. These ages are Middle Pleistocene, Late Pleistocene and Holocene. In one sample, aged 427.5 +/- 29.4 ka, Spiroloculina antillarum d'Orbigny, which was suggested to be introduced to Mediterranean via the Suez Canal, was found together with Articulina carinata Wiesner. The presence of Spiroloculina antillarum d'Orbigny with Amphistegina lobifera Larsen together with in an other sample, aged 227.3 +/- 17.8 ka, indicates that these foraminifers have been introduced to the Mediterranean in Middle Pleistocene and they might have been living in the Eastern Mediterranean since then. As a result, these age data show that Amphistegina lobifera Larsen individuals did not migrate to the eastern Mediterranean via the Suez Canal which was opened in 1869, but much earlier than that via a different natural water way connecting Indo-Pacific to the Eastern Mediterranean. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved

DETERMINATION OF DIL STREAM CONTAMINATION BY BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA AND MOLLUSCS IN BAYRAMOGLU COASTS (TUZLA-ISTANBUL, TURKEY)

This study investigates the drill core 3.00 m in length obtained from DSK-3 drilling carried out in the depth of 10:00 m in the southeast of Tuzla (Istanbul) and in the northwest of Bayramoglu in order to present the marine pollution caused by Dil Stream through the instrumentality of bioindicators (foraminifera, ostracods and molluscs). The purpose of the study is to reveal the adverse conditions caused by the uncontrolled waste disposal from the industry which has been evolving for a long time around Dil Stream located in the provincial borders of Kocaeli. It is not possible under the present circumstances to do any research in the area where Dil Stream discharges into the sea. Therefore, the core obtained from the drilling carried out in Bayramoglu is analyzed by considering the flows in the western portion of Gulf of Izmit. In addition, this study also makes use of the results of the analysis of the samples collected at and around the mouth of the stream by TUBITAK in 2013 for the purpose of demonstrating the environmental pollution in the region. In conclusion, coloration and deformation of the heavy metals and benthic foraminifera which the core samples contain are determined and the adverse outcomes caused by the untreated waste discharged into Dil Stream are demonstrated

A multi disciplinary overview of factors controlling on meiofauna assemblages around Maden and Alibey islands in Ayvalik (Balikesir, Eastern Aegean Sea)

In coastal parts of the study areas, heavy metals containing ground water flows along the faults and fractures and reaches at sea. In these contaminated waters, morphologically abnormal individuals of the affected meiofauna (benthic foraminifera, ostracod, mollusc) can be found. Three cores were taken from the seafloor in the four separate stations that are located in NW of Ayvalik village, around Alibey and Maden islands, and one core of each three core groups was studied in order to investigate the aforementioned morphological affects on the recent meiofauna, which have been inhibited in those contaminated waters. Lead, manganese, hematite and limonite deposits with small reserves were present in Alibey, Maden and Kiicilk (Small) Maden islands. Morphological changes and coloring were observed in tests of large number of Peneroplis, Lobatula, Ammonia and Elphidium samples collected from these areas. This observation vindicates impact of heavy metals onto the foraminifera assemblages. Heavy metals and other chemical and radioactive elements found in the surrounding country side have been naturally transported into the adjacent sea water during the past and present. The aim of this study is to figure out the effects of the chemical and radioactive elements, which were carried from the land on the meiofaunal (benthic foraminifera, ostracod and mollusc) assemblages. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Meiofauna, microflora and geochemical properties of the late quaternary (Holocene) core sediments in the Gulf of Izmir (Eastern Aegean Sea, Turkey)

The Gulf of Izmir has seen the construction of marinas at four locations; Karsiyaka, Bayrakli, inciralti and Urla (Cesmealti). Six drilling holes have been structured for each location. Morphological abnormities observed in foraminifer tests, obtained from these core drillings, and coloring encountered in both foraminifer tests and ostracod carapeces, provide evidence of natural and unnatural environmental pollution. The objectives of this study are to identify micro and macro fauna, foraminifers in particular, contained within sediments in the above-mentioned locations; to investigate the background of pollution in the Gulf Region; and to determine pollution's impact upon benthic foraminifer and ostracods

Early initiated feeding versus early reached target enteral nutrition in critically ill children: An observational study in paediatric intensive care units in Turkey

Aim: Although early enteral nutrition (EN) is strongly associated with lower mortality in critically ill children, there is no consensus on the definition of early EN. The aim of this study was to evaluate our current practice supplying EN and to identify factors that affect both the initiation of feeding within 24 h after paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission and the adequate supply of EN in the first 48 h after PICU admission in critically ill children

Daily Practice of Mechanical Ventilation and Weaning in Turkish PICUs: A Multicenter Prospective Survey.

Objectives