The Opinions of Prospective Teachers about Biology and Nature-Related Activities for Mentally Disabled Students

The aim of this study is to examine the opinions of prospective teachers about biology and nature-related activities for mentally disabled students. The survey method was used in this quantitative study. Attitude scale towards biology and nature-related activities for mentally disabled students was used as a data collection tool. The scale was applied to a total of 258 (183 females, 75 males) prospective teachers studying at the education faculty of a state university and taking special education courses. According to the findings, prospective teachers expressed their positive opinions about all the activities specified in the scale. However, a few prospective teachers stated that some of the activities, especially interaction with animals, were not applicable for their mentally disabled students. However, when the findings are evaluated in general, it is concluded that biology and nature-related activities are very valuable for mentally disabled students

The Effect of Nature Education Activities on Biophilia Levels of Science Teacher Candidates

As a result of increasing the level of interest in living and living systems (biophilia), it will be possible to educate more protectionist individuals against nature and the environment. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of nature education activities on biophilia levels of science teacher candidates. This research was conducted at public research university in Bayburt, Turkey, in the Department of Science Education during the spring semester of the 2017-2018 academic year. The activities were done in an integrated manner to the Environmental Science course. The study group included a total of 62 science teacher candidates. These students were distributed equally to the experiment and control group. The study was used a quasi-experimental method with a group of experiments and control. In the study, the Biophilia Scale was applied as a data collection tool. Independent samples t-tests and dependent samples t-tests were used for analyzing the data. As a result of the analysis, the findings indicated that nature education and in-class activities positively affected teacher candidates' biophilia levels. The findings also indicated that the knowledge and experience they gained due to students' scrutiny, touching, smelling, and even tasting the species at in-class and nature activities affected their biophilia levels

Development of an Attitude Scale on Activities Related to Biology and Nature for Mentally Disabled Students

The aim of this study is to develop a valid and reliable scale to determine the attitudes towards the activities that can be applied to the mentally retarded students about biology and nature. During the preparation of the draft form of the scale, an item pool was created from relevant literature. Then, these items were presented to expert opinion in terms of language, intelligibility and content. This draft scale with 30 items in 5-point Likert type was applied to 177 pre-service teachers studying in the special education department of the faculty of education at a state university. Item analysis, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were performed for the data collected after the application. As a result of the analyses, it was revealed that the scale had a five-factor structure consisting of 20 items. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the factor structure was compatible with the data. Goodness of fit index values was sufficient. The Cronbach Alpha internal consistency coefficient of the scale was calculated as 0.89. It can be said that the scale is valid and reliable in determining the views of pre-service teachers about the activities to be applied for mentally retarded students. In addition, the scale is suitable not only for teacher candidates, but also for use by teachers and researchers. In addition, different types of samples such as students in other fields at the undergraduate level and special education teachers who take courses related to special education can be included in the study group

The Effect of Science-Based Courses on Student Teachers' Biophilia Levels

This study examines the effect of science-based courses on student teachers' biophilia levels. Based on the quantitative research approach, this study was conducted using a quasi-experimental method. The sample of the study consists of 146 student teachers studying at the education faculty of a state university in the fall semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. The sample group was conducted with student teachers who chose four different science-based courses and voluntarily participated in the study. The Biophilia Scale with 25 items was used as a data collection tool. The findings showed that the biophilia levels of the participants in all four courses showed significant differences in favor of the post-tests. The findings also showed that the "environmental science" course's scale scores significantly differed from the other courses. In other words, the biophilia levels of student teachers who attended environmental science courses increased less than in the other courses. When the increase in biophilia level of student teachers according to their genders is examined, no difference was observed. As a result of the findings, it was suggested that more activities should be included in science-based lessons to increase students' biophilia levels

Length-Weight Relationships (LWRs) of target fish turbot, Scophthalmus maximus (Pleuronectiformes: Scophthalmidae) and non-target fish thornback ray, Raja clavata (Rajiformes: Rajidae) caught by turbot gill net fishery in the Black Sea, Turkey

WOS: 000455002200014The present study was conducted to determine the length weight relationships (LWRs) of turbot, Scophthalmus maximus and thornback ray, Raja clavata caught by bottom turbot gill net in the Black Sea, Turkey and to compare the LWRs parameters of S. maximus and R. clavata from different geographical locality for contributing fisheries management of these two fish species in the Black Sea. the LWR of S. maximus samples collected from the Rize coast in the Black Sea highlighted that S. maximus showed isometric growth characteristics for female and combined data (Pauly's test, P > 0.05) and negative allometric growth for male (Pauly' t test, P 0.05). in addition to this, to compare the estimations calculated from the present study with other studies, log (a) values were plotted against values of b, proved to be consistent with previous studies data for R. clavata and S. maximus. This study provides basic information on the LWRs both S. maximus and R. clavata populations, in support of sustainable fisheries management of these two fish species and especially of the sea coastal waters in the Black Sea, Turkey.Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Scientific Research Project [BAP 2010.103.03.2]The authors thank fishermen Sami Akmermer, Kazim Akmermer Ugur Akmermer and Ahmet Kalkavan for their help during the field studies. We also thank two anonymous referees for improving the current version of the manuscript. This study was supported by the Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Scientific Research Project (BAP 2010.103.03.2)

Testing two types of acoustic deterrent devices (pingers) to reduce harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena (Cetacea: Phocoenidae), by catch in turbot (Psetta maxima) set gillnet fishery in the Black Sea, Turkey

WOS: 000454999600008Field experiments with Aquamark 100 and Aquamark 200 pingers were conducted in the bottom set gill net fishery for turbot in the Black Sea coast between March and June 2012. the aim of the experiment was to evaluate (i) the effectiveness of two types of pingers to reduce by catch rate of harbour porpoises, and (ii) the effects of pingers on the catches of the target fish species (Psetta maxima) and non-target fish species (Raja clavata, Suqualus acanthias and Trigla lucerna) in the turbot set gillnet fishery. A total of 246 specimens (95 P. maxima, 138 R. clavata, 8 P. phocoena, 4 S. acanthias and 1 T. lucerna) were caught during both Aquamark 100 and Aquamark 200 pingers trials. Catches of Psetta maxima and other fish species (Raja clavata, Suqualus acanthias and Trigla lucerna) were not affected by the sound of the pingers in the active nets. Catch of target P. maxima and non-target fish R. clavata were similar as were also for most caught species. 6 P. phocoena (2 in control and 3 in active nets with Aquamark 100) and 2 P. phocoena (1 in control and 1 in active nets with Aquamark 200) were caught in controls and active nets. There are no statistical differences between active and passive net catch per unit effort among the fish species and also cetaceans. As a conclusion, the acoustic signals clearly showed that these pinger types did not reduce by catch of harbour porpoise from the turbot gill net in the eastern Black Sea coasts, Turkey. the acoustic signals of both pinger types also did not affect the catch of target and non-target fish species.Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Scientific Research Project [BAP 2010.103.03.2]The authors thank fishermen Sami Akmermer, Kazim Akmermer Ugur Akmermer and Ahmet Kalkavan for their help during the field studies. We would also like to thank two anonymous referees for their suggestions and criticism that clearly improved an earlier version of this manuscript. This study was supported by the Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Scientific Research Project (BAP 2010.103.03.2)

Incidental catches of endangered (Phocoena phocoena) and vulnerable (Delphinus delphis) cetaceans and catch composition of turbot bottom gillnet fisheries in the southeastern Black Sea, Turkey

YESILCICEK, TUNCAY/0000-0002-3236-8227;WOS: 000455002200009The present study summarizes information on the incidental catches of cetaceans and the catch composition of turbot bottom gillnet fisheries between March 2010 and September 2011 along the Rize coast in the southeastern Black Sea, Turkey. A total of 723 specimens (133 Scophthalmus maeoticus, 507 Raja clavata, 8 Squalus acanthias, 71 Phocoena phocoena, 4 Delphinus delphis) were recorded from 136 turbot gill net fishing operations. the 'danger index' or catch per unit effort (CPUE, individuals per km. day of netting) for cetaceans was 0.09 +/- 0.028 in 2010, 0.15 +/- 0.032 in 2011 and 0.13 +/- 0.023 overall for P. phocoena and 0.05). No new net damage due to cetacean interactions with the turbot gill nets was detected.Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Scientific Research Project [BAP 2010.103.03.2]The authors thank fishermen Sami Akmermer, Kazim Akmermer Ugur Akmermer and Ahmet Kalkavan for their help during the field studies and two anonymous referees for their suggestions and criticism that clearly improved an earlier version of this manuscript. This study was supported by the Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Scientific Research Project (BAP 2010.103.03.2)

External Morphology and Weight - Length Relationships (WLRs) of Harbour Porpoise, Phocoena phocoena (Cetacea: Phocoenidae) in the Black Sea

YESILCICEK, TUNCAY/0000-0002-3236-8227;WOS: 000486924400006The present study summarized information on the morphometric characteristics and weight-length relationships (WLRs) of pregnant females, non-pregnant females and males of harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena (Linnaeus, 1758) along the Rize coast in the Black Sea, Turkey. A total of 68 harbour porpoises (31 males, 22 non-pregnant females and 15 pregnant females) were obtained as bycatch in the turbot gill net fisheries from April 2010 to July 2011. A total of 16 external morphological characteristics of the harbour porpoises were examined by Principal Component Analysis (PCA). the PCA results clearly showed that there is sexual dimorphism mainly in the general size between non-pregnant females and males and also pregnant females and males. the greatest body length in the sample was 142.0 cm for females and 128.0 cm for males. Weight-length relationships (WLRs) of harbour porpoise showed negative allometric growth characteristics (Pauly' t test, P<0.05). the slopes of the regression lines for males, non-pregnant females and pregnant females were significantly different from the isometric growth curve slope of 3 (Pauly' t test, P<0.001). Correlation coefficient (r) was significant for both sexes (P<0.05). These results will enable researchers, fishermen and fisheries management authorities to enhance the knowledge of harbour porpoises life history and ecology.Recep Tayyip Erdogan UniversityRecep Tayyip Erdogan University [BAP 2010.103.03.2]The authors thank fishermen Sami Akmermer, Kazim Akmermer Ugur Akmermer and Ahmet Kalkavan for their help during the field studies. This study was supported by the Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Scientific Research Project (BAP 2010.103.03.2)

A unified relocatable SVC for open-cast lignite mining in Turkey

Design and implementation of a unified, relocatable static var compensator (SVC) meeting the reactive power compensation needs of various coal enterprises of Turkey for open-cast lignite mining are presented. Design and sizing of SVCs are based on mains data for all possible connection points, load bus data recorded in the field, monthly electric bills, and simulations carried out on PSCAD/EMTDC, SPICE, and MATLAB. In addition to standard ac/dc converter and motor tools used in the modeling of electric excavators, actual load characteristics obtained from data collected in the field by means of a data acquisition system have been processed in PSCAD/EMTDC to find out reactive power demand of each load bus, and to optimize sizing of the SVC within the power-factor penalty limits imposed by electricity authorities. The SVC component ratings have been based upon the suitability to all possible loads under worst operating conditions, thus making sure that they can be operated for different loading conditions, minimizing stock requirements, and inspection and maintenance costs. The implemented systems are flexible and extendable in order to meet the future needs of coal enterprises