Demography and population structure of Northeastern mediterranean monk seal population

The Northeastern Mediterranean coasts that border southern Turkey host one of the last strongholds for the survival of the endangered Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus, 1779). The seal colonies inhabiting south coast of Turkey have been studied since 1994 through various short-term research projects focusing on distinct small populations that were thought to be isolated. In this study, the entire extent of the area was monitored approximately for 3 years (between 2015 and 2018) with camera traps places in 20 caves known to be actively used by the seals. A total of 7014 images taken throughout the study period, along with 25,100 images taken previously, were used to identify the seals inhabiting the area.  In total, 37 individuals were identified based on the natural marks on the body. Based on photo-identified seals, a mark-recapture method was applied to estimate the total population size within the Northeastern Mediterranean. The overall population size was found to be 46 (SE=7.7) in the case of closed population and 53(SE=34.8) in the case of open population during the study period.  The range of identified seals was almost six times larger than previously documented in the same area, reaching distances up to 245 km. The population estimate indicated a decrease in population size compared to previous studies.  Finally, the study emphasises the importance of long-term monitoring studies elucidating changes in the demographic parameters in relation to threats posed, rather than cut-paste measurement suggestions which are not applicable in reality, while structuring the conservation actions targeting survival of this highly endangered species

Doğu Akdeniz'de mevcut farklı ekosistemlerin - upwelling bölgeleri, açık deniz ve kıta sahanlığı suları - dinamikleri, bakteriyel ve birincil üretim potansiyelleri, üst trofik seviyelere yansımaları

TÜBİTAK ÇAYDAG15.10.2014Türkiye denizleri, su bütçesi, atmosferik ve karasal girdiler, taban topoğrafyası, iklimsel evrim gibi temel etkenlerin belirlediği fiziksel, kimyasal, biyolojik özellikler bakımından büyük farklılıklar içeren zengin ve değişken deniz ekosistemlerini barındırmaktadır. Birincil üretim potansiyelleri açısından Karadeniz’in özellikle kuzeybatı kıta sahanlığı ötrofik, Marmara Denizi ve körfezleri ileri derecede ötrofik, Ege Denizi ve Doğu Akdeniz oligotrofik yapı sergilemektedir. Özgün bir dinamiği olan Doğu Akdeniz, genelde bir uç oligotrofik sistem olarak tanımlansa da, kendi içinde önemli bölgesel farklılıklar göstermektedir. Özellikle karasal tatlı su ve besin girdilerinden etkilenen kuzeydoğu kıta sahanlığı (Mersin ve İskenderun Körfezleri) ve ‘upwelling’ dinamiğinden etkilenen Rodos döngüsünde önemli düzeylerde birincil üretim potansiyeline sahiptirler ve daha yoksul olan açık denizden farklıdırlar. Aktif dinamik yapıya ve zengin biyolojik çeşitliliğe sahip kıyısal denizlerimizin sürekli gözlem, analiz ve model öngörüleri aracılığıyla araştırılmasının sürdürülmesi, büyük stratejik önemi haizdir. Çalışma O.D.T.Ü. Deniz Bilimleri Enstitüsü Araştırma Gemisi Bilim-2 ile anılan sahalarda ve istasyonlarda mevsimsel bazda gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bu çalışma ile fonksiyonel olarak üç farklı ekosistemi teşkil eden alanlarda bakteriden balıklara uzanan besin zincirinde olası yapısal farklılıklar, üretim potansiyelleri, dinamikleri karşılaştırılmış, toplanan diğer çevre faktörleri ile etkileşimleri irdelenmiştir.Turkish seas accommodate rich and varied marine ecosystems which are diverse in their physical, chemical, biological characteristics as a result of differences in basic driving factors such as the water budget, atmospheric and land-based inputs, bottom topography, climatic evolution. In terms of primary production potential, the Black Sea especially the northwestern continental shelf exhibits eutrophic characteristics, while Marmara Sea and its bays are highly eutrophic, and Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean Seas display oligotrophic structure. Although the Eastern Mediterranean with its rather unique characteristics is often defined as an ultra-oligotrophic system, there are significant regional differences within the system. The northeastern continental shelf (Mersin and İskenderun Bays) influenced by land-based fresh water and nutrient sources and the Rhodes Gyre influenced by ‘upwelling’ dynamics have potential for high primary production, while the open sea is relatively poor. Continued research through continuous observations, analyses and model predictions have immense strategic importance for the well being of our coastal seas possessing energetic dynamics and rich biological diversity. It is proposed that the physical-biochemical variability of the diverse northern Levantine Sea ecosystems be investigated through systematic observations during oceanographic cruises, as well as model-based predictions. Study has been conducted seasonally aboard Research Vessel Bilim-2 of the Institute of Marine Sciences of Middle East Technical University in the referred areas and stations. Throughout the study, in areas that represent the three different functional ecosystems, possible structural differences, productivity potential, and dynamics were compared in the food chain spanning bacteria to fish, and their interactions with the other environmental factors were investigated

Kuzeydoğu Akdeniz küçük pelajik balık stoklarının izlenmesi

TÜBİTAK TOVAG Proje15.11.201

Mersin Adaları bentik fauna ve florasının tanımlanması, bu adaların ekolojisi üzerindeki tehlikelerin belirlenmesi ve korunmalarına yönelik önerilerin hazırlanması

TÜBİTAK YDABAG Proje01.05.1998İçel kıyılarının doğu kesimindeki deniz yaşam alanları beton binalarla tahrip edilmiş, evsel, endüstriyel ve tarımsal atıklarla kirletilmiş iken, batı bölümü henüz tamamı ile tahrip edilmemiş kıyılar içermektedir. İçel'in batısında yer alan adalar yapısı bozulmamış alanların başında gelmektedir. Ancak bugüne kadar insanoğlunun yıkıcı etkisinden uzak kalabilmiş bu alanların çok yakın bir gelecekte aynı problemlerle karşı karşıya gelmeleri ve biyolojik zenginliklerini yitirmeleri kaçınılmazdır. Gerçekleştirilen araştırmanın amacı Mersin sahillerindeki bazı adalarda biyolojik çeşitliliğin tanımlanarak dökümünün yapılmasıdır. Yaygın olarak bulunan fauna ve flora elementlerini sualtında, doğal yaşam ortamlarında fotoğraflayarak bir çeşit tür atlası oluşturulmaya çalışılmıştır. Adalar ekosistemi mümkün olduğunca tanımlanmaya çalışılmış, mevcut ve potansiyel tehditler belirlenmiştir. Sonuç olarak adalar civarında anakaraya oranla yapısını çok daha iyi koruyabilmiş bentik komüniteler bulunmuştur/Akdeniz'de biyolojik çeşitliliğin korunması için adaların civarında kesin koruma alanları oluşturulması, buraların balıkçılık dahil tüm insan faaliyetlerine kapatılması önerilmiştir

Can overfishing be responsible for the successful establishment of Mnemiopsis leidyi in the Black Sea?

It is widely known that in 1989 a tremendous biomass of Mnemiopsis leidyi was reported in the Black Sea, At the same time, drastic declines in the pelagic fish stocks were reported. Several authors, overlooking the rapid development of the fisheries industry in the Black Sea, pointed out that the new invader was the major factor responsible for the fisheries collapse in the Black Sea. This study examines the development of the Black Sea fisheries industry, along with the ecological changes that were taking place, and evaluates its effect on the ecosystem. A set of balanced steady-state models, corresponding to the periods of the 1960s to 1970s, the 1980s, before the outburst of the Mnemiopsis leidyi, and the 1990s, which reflect the present state of the ecosystem, are used to study the successful establishment of the gelatinous organisms in the Black Sea. Using these models, a series of experiments are performed in order to explore the role of each major ecological group within the Black Sea ecosystem at different stages in time over the last 30 years. The budget calculations suggest a minimal role of gelatinous species on the decline of the fish stocks, contrary to the general belief. More interestingly, the model results indicate that the decline in the fish stocks was as a consequence of overfishing and that ever-increasing plankton productivity associated with eutrophication during the 1980s led to the outburst of gelatinous organisms

TOWARDS AN ALLIANCE OF EUROPEAN RESEARCH FLEETS (EUROFLEETS )

The quality of the infrastructures available for marine research affects directly Europe research performance. So marine research infrastructures are considered as key elements of the European Strategy for Marine Research under development. A coherent pan-European approach with enhanced partnership in investment, development and usage of fleets, will have a significant impact to better meet the diverse needs of European marine research. The EUROFLEETS process is based on the recommendations of a recent MB-ESF report. It aims at bringing together the European research fleets owners to enhance their coordination and promote the cost-effective use of their facilities. It will support research services for the monitoring and the sustainable management of the Regional Seas and the Oceans, and will organise a common access to all European scientists on sole condition of scientific excellence. This would enable the EU to reach its ambitious goals about maintaining the ocean biodiversity or understanding climate change. EUROFLEETS aims at: •Working upon common procurement strategy, and build corresponding roadmap on prospective sound bases, •Structuring and durably coordinating, through an e-platform, the way that the research vessels are operated and their interoperability capacities, •Using more cost efficiently the existing European fleets and associated equipment in the frame of the European research Area, •Promoting greener and sustainable research vessel and underwater vehicle operations and design, •Providing all European researchers with access to 19 high performing research vessels from 15 different countries, •Fostering coordinated and joint development of European fleets, thanks to new interoperable software and underwater vehicle payloads, •Developing training and education at sea, •Promoting innovative e-access, •Participating to the European efforts to stay at first rank in the international scientific arena.CP-CSA-Infra - Combination of CP and CSA ( FP7-INFRASTRUCTURES-2008-1

Role of fishing in the Black Sea ecosystem

The Black Sea anchovy has experienced the most severe decline of the past 50 years and the responsible factors are not yet clearly understood. This is mainly due to the possible existence of several factors which may be equally probable. Some of these factors are: the increased eutrophication which changed the oligotrophic character of the Black Sea into a dystrophic one; the introduction of ctenophore medusa, Mnemiopsis sp; the outstanding exploitation pressure of the over-capitalised fishing fleet, and alterations in river discharges and hydrologic conditions at the straits. In this study, the contribution of fishery to anchovy collapse has been evaluated. For this purpose, i) the increase of fishing power by the recent introduction of purse seiners and sonars and their effects on over-wintering stocks along the Turkish coasts, ii) the condition index as an indicator of starvation of anchovy for pre and post Mnemiopsis period, iii) the spawning behaviour of anchovy, and iv) the coexistence of anchovy and Mnemiopsis during the anchovy spawning season, have been reviewed. It was concluded that effects of over-capitalisation of the fishing sector, especially of Turkey, on anchovy collapse and to an extent on the catastrophic changes in the Black Sea ecosystem, should not be overlooked as secondary