Eastern Anatolia Region Research Articles

Contribution to the Knowledge of Curculionidae (Coleoptera) Species Feed on Wild Plants in the North East Anatolia Region

This study was carried out in Ağrı, Ardahan, Erzurum, Iğdır, Kars and Van provinces in Eastern Anatolia Region to determine the species of weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on weeds in agricultural and non-agricultural areas in 2016, as well as in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Surveys have been made 2-weeks apart intervals between march and november to determine the weevils. During the studies, the whole plants (root, stem, leaf and generative organs) have been examined. As a result of the research, 23 species belonging to 8 genera of the family Curculionidae feeding on weeds have been identified. Information about the locality of the species, their host plants, their distribution in The World and Turkey was given. Among these species, Lixus cardui Olivier, 1807 and Larinus latus (Herbst, 1783) had been to be more encounter than other species. Also, Chlorophanus vittatus Schoenherr, 1832 was determined to be a new record for Turkey.

Examination of the number sense performance of gifted students in terms of various variables

In this study, it is aimed to examine performance of number sense of gifted students in terms of gender, grade levels,number sense self-efficacy and number sense components. In line with the studies in the literature, due to the insufficent research on the number sense on students who diagnosed with special talents in our country, it is felt that in this research we need to study with these student and examine the level of student of this category in the scope of relevant study in terms of various variables. A quantitative descriptive research model was used to determine carefully and completely the level of students’ number sense and their existing situations that is related to it. The study group consists of 6th and 7th-grade students attending Science and Art Centers located in 12 provinces in the Eastern Anatolia Region during the 2022-2023 academic year .286 students attended in this research that included 184 students in the 6th grade and 102 students in the 7th grade. This study included the Number Sense Scale and the Number Sense Self-Efficacy Scale as a data collection tools. It is indicated that in this research students diagnosed with special abilities didn't show high level of number sense performance; instead, they prefer rule-based solutions.It is revealed that , the component “flexibility in calculation” is the most succeded one among the components of number sense.When the students’ grade level increases, it has been observed that , the number sense performance of students improves.When number sense performance was examined based on gender, it was seen that male students used number sense more than female students.When the relationship between the number sense test scores and number sense self-efficacy scores of gifted students was examined, an expressive positive correlation was found between the scores.

A Group of Urartu Pins from the Ahlat, Erzurum, and Van Archeology Museums

The data on ornaments and jewelry in the Kingdom of Urartu has been obtained from archaeological excavations rather than written documents. This study covers the data on the pins obtained from the Urartu centers in the Eastern Anatolia Region and mostly from their necropoleis. From this point of view, we analyzed the pins in Van, Ahlat, and Erzurum Archeology Museums in this study. Pins, one of the types of jewelry used for decoration, are generally thin, flat, cylindrical and mostly made of metal, and used for sewing clothes and attaching the ends of the clothes and the hair. The pin consists of a head, body and tip shaped in various ways. Some archaeological finds include a crown decorated with plant or animal figures on the head and elements called torus and bracelets on which it is placed. On the other hand, the body consists of a hole and a pin that tapers toward the tip. We analyzed the chronology, meanings, usage methods, and construction techniques of Urartian pins, which consist of animal heads, animal figures, fruit and plant heads, bud and knot heads, and flat heads. We obtained results by dating the settlement finds within the Urartu State’s borders and the contemporary neighboring region by conducting analogies between them. We also tried to identify the symbolic meanings Urartian pins can have as protection from evil, magic, decoration, status indicators, and the belief that the person will be protected forever after death.

Determination of botanical composition, yield, capacity and condition of lowland pastures in eastern Anatolian region of Turkey

This study was conducted to determine the vegetation-covered area, botanical composition, yield, quality, capacity, condition and health of seven lowland pastures in Bingol province, Turkey. Thirty-three plant species were identified during the study. Twenty-nine of these species were found to be invaders, two were increasers, and two were decreasers. The most common species in the pastures were , Trifolium repens Eremopoa persica, Poabulbosa and The rate of the vegetation-covered area of the pastures was Gundelਟa tournefortਟਟ.determined to be 97.4%, the rate of legumes in the botanical composition was 32.7%, the rate of grasses was 50.0% and the rate of other family plants was 17.3%. The average of pastures had plant height of 24.2 cm, green fodder yield of 5820 kg/ha, dry matter yield of 1290 kg/ha, crude protein content of 19.5%, acid detergent fiber (ADF) content of 29.1%, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content of 44.4%, P content of 0.37%, K content of 2.55%, Ca content of 1.30% and Mg content of 0.33%. It was found that the capacity of the pastures varied between 3.3 and 88.5 animal units (AU), with an average of 32.2 AU. In evaluating the condition of the pastures, it was found that 4 pastures were classified as 'medium-healthy' and 3 pastures were classified as 'good-healthy'. It was concluded that appropriate grazing systems should be applied to lowland pastures and that current yield and quality can be increased through fertilization.

Psephellus huber-morathii (Wagenitz) Wagenitz'in potansiyelini keşfetme: Fitokimyasal bileşiminin kapsamlı bir UHPLC-MS/MS analizi ve antioksidan, antimikrobiyal ve antiproliferatif aktivitelerinin değerlendirmesi

Aims: Psephellus huber-morathii (PH) is an endemic species in the Eastern Anatolia Region. In this study, besides the biological activities of the 70% methanol extract of PH, its comprehensive phytochemical composition was investigated.
 Material and methods: The phenolic composition of the PH extract was analyzed using the UHPLC-MS/MS method. To evaluate its antimicrobial characteristics, the microdilution technique was employed. The antioxidant capabilities, total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extract were determined using the spectrophotometer. Additionally, the effects of the extracts on cell proliferation and NCI-60 survival parameter values were assessed using the MTT assay.
 Results: Quinic acid and chlorogenic acid were major compounds. The extract showed high antioxidant activity in DPPH (IC50:13.9±0.4 μg mL-1) and FRAP (61.3±2.3 mg TE g extract-1) methods. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extract were found as 52.2±1.9 mg GAE g extract-1 and 28.6±0.9 mg QE g extract-1, respectively. 
 Discussion: The extract showed low antiproliferative activity against normal lung and retinal cell lines, promising anticancer effect on gynecological and colon cancer cells, and moderate antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus and Enterococcus faecium.
 Conclusions: The study demonstrated the medicinal potential and value of PH extract against infectious diseases and cancer.

Examination of ethmoidal roof regarding Keros and Yenigun classifications in a Turkish population: a computerized tomography study.

Understanding ethmoid roof morphology is crucial to prevent complications in endoscopic sinus surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the morphological properties of the ethmoidal roof regarding gender and age differences using Keros and Yenigun classifications on high-resolution computed tomography images. We retrospectively analyzed 891 high-resolution computed tomography paranasal sinus study images and measured the depth of the cribriform plate in coronal sections and the anterior-posterior length in axial planes. The study retrospectively examined CT images of paranasal sinuses of patients living in the eastern Anatolian region of Turkey. In both Keros and Yenigun Classifications, the most common class was type 2, and the least common class was type 3. According to Keros et al.'s method, no significant difference was observed between men and women (p = 0.698). However, according to Yenigun et al., the average values of women in terms of the anterior-posterior distance of the ethmoid roof were significantly higher than men (p = 0.001). When examined according to age, a very low, negative correlation was revealed regarding Keros and Yenigun classifications (p = 0.047 and p < 0.001 retrospectively). According to Keros and Yenigun's classification, there was no significant difference between the left and right sides (p = 0.488 and p = 0.919, respectively). The morphological properties of the ethmoidal roof have importance to be considered for preoperative planning. Studying larger patient groups and meta-analyses that gather various research results about this subject might help better understand the ethmoidal roof morphology among populations.

The Relationship Between Communicative Actions, Behavioral Intentions, and Corporate Reputation in the Framework of Situational Theory of Problem Solving in a Public Health Crisis.

Objectives: This study aims to determine the individuals' communicative actions based on the basic assumptions of the situational theory of problem solving (STOPS) and the effect of these actions on people's willingness to follow WHO's instructions in the event of an epidemic. It also seeks to determine the impact of corporate reputation on people's communicative actions and intention to follow instructions. Methods: Data were collected digitally from 261 graduate students enrolled at a state university in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. A structural equation model (SEM) was employed for data analysis. Results: Perceptual antecedents affected situational motivation, and situational motivation affected communicative actions. Communicative actions were a determining factor in individuals' willingness to follow instructions. The perception of corporate reputation influenced both communicative actions and people's willingness to follow instructions. Conclusion: The study revealed that STOPS can provide an important theoretical framework for more effective risk communication practices in public health crises such as epidemics. It also displayed the relationship between the individuals' communicative actions and their willingness to follow instructions and the determining effect of corporate reputation on both of these factors.

Archaeometric characterization and restoration proposal for filling mortars of Oshki (Öşvank) church

In order to ensure the sustainability of cultural, historical and architectural heritage, preserving and restoring historical buildings and transferring them to future generations is one of the important issues of today. Restoration decisions regarding the repairs of historical buildings are of great importance in this context. Developing correct intervention decisions requires the thorough analysis of the structure, the determination of the structural and material properties meticulously, and the use the most appropriate materials for repairing it. However, only physical and chemical analyses are not sufficient to determine material properties of historical buildings; therefore, archaeometric analyses are needed to determine them more appropriately. In this study, it is aimed to determine the components and characteristics of the filling mortars of Oshki (Öşvank) Church, one of the most magnificent structures of the Eastern Anatolia region, in order to preserve the masonry structure and guide the restoration studies in the light of archaeometric analyses. The raw material properties of the samples taken from the filling mortars of the church were determined by the physical, chemical and petrographic analyses. As a result of the analyses, the aggregate-binding properties of Oshki Church filler mortars were determined. It was revealed that the aggregate content was determined as petrographic, lime was used as a binder and all samples contained pozzolan whereas no cement was used in any of the samples, and the samples did not contain marble rice/powder and organic additives like oil, protein etc. It has also been observed that the aggregate in the mortar content is compatible with the geological formations of near surrounding of the church. In this context, this study emphasizes the importance of archaeometric analysis in restoration of historical buildings. Moreover, differing from other studies in the literature, this study proposes mortar recipe to be used in the restoration of the church, which can pioneer to future studies in the field of architectural restoration.

Determining the Factors Effective on the Instructor Profile of Teacher Candidates through Conjoint Analysis

The aim of this study is to determine the factors that affect the profile of the instructor in the minds of teacher candidates. For this purpose, the cross-sectional survey model was used, as the research aimed to reveal the existing situation as it is, and in which data were collected from a predetermined sample at a certain time. The study group of the research consists of a total of 271 students studying at the Basic Education Department of the Faculty of Education of a state university located in the Eastern Anatolia Region. In the research, a conjoint questionnaire and a questionnaire for determining the qualification of the instructor, consisting of open-ended questions, were used in order to reveal the ideal instructor profile in the minds of teacher candidates. In order to determine the factors that affect the teacher candidates' academic staff profile, the data obtained were analyzed using percentage, frequency and conjoint analysis methods. Conjoint analysis was performed by writing the appropriate program in the "Syntax" editor of the SPSS 23 package program. According to the results obtained from the teacher candidates in the research, middle-aged, titled Dr. Instructor member or Assoc. Dr. can be defined as "ideal", a good scientist, objective, understanding, female, and a faculty member who communicates with all of the students.

Multidimensional assessment of agricultural drought vulnerability based on socioeconomic and biophysical indicators

Agricultural drought threatens Türkiye's food security and economy, revealing a lack of multidimensional provincial vulnerability studies. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to evaluate Türkiye's vulnerability to drought utilizing a multidimensional strategy incorporating biophysical and socio-economic indicators. In this context, an initial step involved the development of a conceptual framework for drought vulnerability, drawing upon the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recommended elements of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. Subsequently, this conceptual framework was applied at the provincial level, encompassing parameters such as temperature, precipitation, soil characteristics, water resources, agricultural earnings, demographic traits, educational levels, innovation, insurance coverage, and road density.The Aridity Index was used as an indicator for drought exposure, representing the physical dimension of drought. Under the sensitivity component, a total of 14 variables were defined under the indicators of “soil”, “water and land resources”, “economy”, and “population”, while under the adaptive capacity component, a total of five variables were identified. The weights of these indicators and variables were determined based on expert opinions using the Analytic Hierarchy Process method. As a result, five different indices were obtained by combining the indicators: Exposure Index, Sensitivity Index, Adaptation Capacity Index, Potential Drought Impact Index, and Agricultural Drought Vulnerability Index. In addition, spatial distribution models of these indices were also generated. Research results showed that the climatic regions most exposed to drought are also the most vulnerable. The Central, Southeastern, and Eastern Anatolian regions constitute the regions where the most vulnerable provinces are concentrated spatially.

Effect of grand multiparity on maternal, obstetric, fetal and neonatal results.

The aim of the study was to compare the incidence of antenatal and intrapartum complications and perinatal outcomes between grand multiparous women of the same age and socioeconomic status and nulliparous and multiparous women. A prospective case-control study was conducted at the Tertiary Center Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic of the Eastern Anatolia Region between January 1, 2021, and January 1, 2023. It was compared with 149 grand multiparous, 724 multipara, and 258 nulliparous singleton pregnancies. The data were entered separately by two people and then compared. The delivery period, gestation period, maternal obstetric, and fetal and neonatal outcomes of the groups were compared. The frequency of postpartum hemorrhage, antepartum and postpartum anemia was significantly higher in grand multiparity patients than in other groups. Gestational hypertension, Gestational DM and Abortus imminent, and the frequency of preterm birth increases with parity. The frequency of hyperemesis gravidarum and preeclampsia was significantly higher in nulliparous pregnant women than in others. There was no difference between the groups in terms of premature rupture of membranes and post-term pregnancy. Among the neonatal outcomes, only the frequency of low birth weight was significantly higher in grand multiparous patients. The frequency of postpartum anemia, postpartum bleeding, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, and preterm pregnancy is higher in grand multiparity patients than in multiparous and nulliparous patients. Due to the increased risks with grand multiparity, pregnancy follow-up, and follow-up should be done within the risk factors of these patients in regions where grand multiparity is intense, and family planning practices should be increased.

Antioxidant and Antiradical Properties of Rhabdosciadium anatolyi Flowers and Contents of Vitamin, Trace Element and Mineral

The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant and antiradical activity of the Rhabdosciadium anatolyi (R. anatolyi) flowers, an endemic plant grown in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey, by determining the level of vitamins E and C, mineral (Ca, Na, Mg, P, K), and trace elements (Mn, Zn, Cu, Fe, V, Cr, Mo, Co, Sr, Pb, Ti, Tl, Sn, Cd, As). Within the scope of the study, mineral and trace element analyzes were carried out by ICP-OES and AAS, Vitamin E by HPLC, Vitamin C, total phenolic content, total flavonoid, antioxidant capacity, hydrogen peroxide, DPPH, ABTS, superoxide, hydroxyl and hemolysis of erythrocytes with phenylhydrazine, radical scavenging activity of the R. anatolyi flowers methanol extract were determined spectrophotometrically. According to the results, α-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, phenolic content, flavonoid content and total antioxidant activity of the R. anatolyi flowers were 3,99 ± 0,35 µmol kg-1, 346.27 ± 6.51 mg 100 g-1, 21.94 ± 0.37 mg gallic acid g-1, 5.60 ± 0.13 mg quercetin g-1 ve 29.65 ± 0.26 mM ascorbic acid g-1, respectively. Consequently, the mineral, trace element, vitamin E and vitamin C, total phenol and flavonoid levels in the R. anatolyi flowers were high, and the R. anatolyi flowers methanol extract effectively inhibited free radicals. From this point of view, it is thought that it can be used in the preventive treatment of many diseases that may be caused by free radical species and that these data will be a reference for other studies.

Analysis of foreign bodies in the ear, nose, and throat in pediatric patients: Second level hospital experience in the Eastern Anatolia Region

Objectives: In this study, demographic data, foreign body characteristics, and treatment approaches of pediatric patients treated for foreign bodies in the otorhinolaryngology clinic were discussed. Patients and Methods: Demographic data, location, type, treatment method, and complications of 110 patients (54 male, 56 female; mean age 4.4±2.9 years; range, 1.5 to 16 years) who were treated for foreign bodies in the ear, nose, and throat between January 2022 and March 2023 were evaluated retrospectively. Results: It was observed that the mean age of children with a foreign body in the ear was significantly higher than the mean age of children with a foreign body in the nose (p&lt;0.001). Of the foreign bodies, 57 (51.8%) were detected in the nose, 47 (42.7%) in the ear, and six (5.5%) in the throat. Of the foreign bodies, 39 (35.5%) were organic, 71 (64.5%) were inorganic, and the most observed foreign body was beads (n=18, 16.4%). The foreign body was removed under general anesthesia in five (4.5%) of the patients. Conclusion: Foreign bodies are one of the most common otolaryngological emergencies in the pediatric age group. Foreign bodies with delayed diagnosis and treatment may cause complications. Therefore, it is important that foreign bodies are removed by otolaryngologists using appropriate instruments and techniques.

Analysis of Turkish language teacher candidates' speech anxiety in terms of various variables in the context of 21st century skills

The requirements of the 21st century encompass not only grammar and vocabulary but also effective communication through oral, written, and ICT-mediated processes. The teaching profession should be embraced as an art of addressing the student's soul and nurturing individuals. Speech anxiety is a common condition encountered in communication, language learning, and teaching processes, which can negatively affect students' language skills. The aim of this article is to analyze the speech anxiety of Turkish language teacher candidates in terms of various variables. The research was conducted using a survey model where the 'Speech Anxiety Scale,' a 5-point Likert-type scale, was employed. The sample of the study consisted of 200 voluntary Turkish language teacher candidates continuing their education at two different universities in the Eastern Anatolia and Central Anatolia regions in 2023. Descriptive statistics (% and f), independent samples t-test to determine changes in scores based on participants' gender, one-way ANOVA for class levels, and one-way ANOVA analyses to determine score differences based on the grade variable were used in the data analysis. After ANOVA, Dunnett C test was used for determining the differences that emerged. The research examined the levels of speech anxiety of teacher candidates and found that this anxiety was especially prevalent in items such as 'Fear of speaking in front of an audience,' 'Feeling embarrassed when talking about myself to people,' and 'Getting excited when talking to someone of the opposite sex' with 'Always' responses. While no significant differences were found between gender and class levels, factor analysis results revealed that the FF and DC groups had lower environmental-focused anxiety and overall speech anxiety compared to the BA group.

Morphological, biochemical and health promoting properties in seed propagated quince fruits found in Çoruh Valley in Türkiye

Pome fruits including apples and pears widely recognized species and shows rich morphological and biochemical properties. However, the studies on the other pome fruits including quince are scarce in literature. Quince is one of the most diverse specie in the pome fruits and, in particular, its fruits are rich in bioactive compounds. Türkiye, China and Uzbekistan are leading country for world quince production. Due to self-pollination characteristics, it is possible to obtain high quality quince genotypes from seeds. In this study, some important fruit properties of ten seed propagated quince genotypes naturally found in Aras valley, located in the eastern Anatolia region of Türkiye were investigated. The genotypes differed each other for most of the morphological, biochemical and human health promoting properties. Fruit weight were in range of 205-389 g among genotypes. Seven genotypes were found pear-shaped (pyriformis) and the rest of the genotypes were apple-shaped (maliformis). Fruit firmness ranged from 5.12 kg/cm2 to 8.30 kg/cm2, respectively. Fruit skin Chroma and Hue values were found between 47.34-65.67 and 71.98-89.17, respectively. SSC (Soluble Solid Content), Vitamin C and total phenolic content of the genotypes ranged from 9.7-13.4%, 4.2-11.2 mg per 100 g FW (fresh weight), 290–432 mg gallic acid equivalent per 100 g FW, respectively. This work constitutes an important step in the conservation of quince genetic resources in the eastern Anatolia.

Determination of Mixed Virus Infection in Honey Bees from Erzurum, Türkiye

Honey bees are the most important pollinators of agricultural products and provide pollination. Especially the worker bees, which make up the majority of the honey bee population, produce products with high economic value such as honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom, and beeswax. Mass deaths are observed in honey bees grown in Erzurum province, where beekeeping activities are carried out intensively in the Eastern Anatolia region of Türkiye. Epidemic diseases seen in honey bees in Erzurum have a very negative effect on the development and progress of beekeeping activities. Most of the diseases that cause epidemics in bees and cause sudden death and colony loss are of viral origin. In this study, viral pathogens that cause death in honey bees in Erzurum province were investigated and it was determined that two honeybee viruses, the black queen cell virus (BQCV), and the deformed wing virus, caused intense epidemics. In addition, phylogenetic analyzes revealed that all BQCV isolates found in this study clustered quite far from BQCV isolates previously isolated from Turkiye, while DWV isolates clustered close to Hakkari and Lithuania isolates.

Kent Kimliği Açısından Önemli Bir Ermeni Kilise Mimarisinin İncelenmesi: Digor Khtzkong Manastırı

Cultural heritage enables us to have information about past civilizations that form the identity of the built environment in a residential area. While cultural heritage structures reflect the material properties and techniques of the period they belong to, the architectural styles they adopted, and the level of civilization, they express the societies they belong to and the way of life of the societies, world view, management style and religious structure. For this reason, the sustainability of cultural heritage is important for the preservation of the local identity of societies and the continuity of cultural values. However, historical buildings such as mosques, churches, monasteries, chapels, synagogues, madrasas, inns, baths and castles, which reflect the identity of different regions, were built in masonry. Masonry structures, on the other hand, are not resistant to natural disasters such as earthquakes. &#x0D; In this context, it is aimed to examine the monastery, which consists of five churches from the Armenian churches in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. This monastery is Khıdskonk Monastery, which consists of the Churches of St. Karapet, Virgin Mary (Surp Asdvadzdzin), St. Stefanos, St. Krikor and St. Sarkis. The churches, which differ in terms of culture and architecture, are important in terms of having the first church plan typologies. The problem of the study is that the remains of four of the five churches that were built in the same region and that were recently built, and that only one church is partially preserved. Based on this problem, it is aimed to document and archive these churches, which are important for the Kars region, and to examine their plan typologies. In this context, the relationship between earthquake damage and typologies was investigated and evaluations were made for the churches surveyed in the sample area. As a result, by emphasizing the importance of cities for their identities, suggestions were made for the protection of cultural heritage.

Spatial assessment of sediment risk with integrated entropy-based WASPAS and fuzzy clustering methods in Turkey: impact of forestry activities and meteorological factors.

The sediment formed during erosion processes is acknowledged as one of the important contributors to environmental damage. In forest areas, sediment production occurs as a result of meteorological factors and wood harvesting, as well as forest road construction activities carried out for the continuity of forests. In this context, the aim of the study is to reveal the sediment risk in forest areas at the provincial level in Turkey by using entropy-based weighted aggregated sum product assessment (WASPAS) and fuzzy clustering methods. The results establish that the weights of the factors affecting the sediment risk are the forest road construction rate (0.3721), the wood harvesting rate (0.3463), the average precipitation (0.2227), and the average temperature (0.0587). Seven provinces were found in the highest risk class of the cluster in terms of sediment risk. Two of those (Yalova and Kocaeli) are located in the Marmara Region, while the others (Bartın, Düzce, Giresun, Ordu, and Zonguldak) are located in the Black Sea Region. Four of the provinces in the lowest risk class of the cluster (Bingöl, Bitlis, Erzincan, and Malatya) are located in the Eastern Anatolia Region, while a fifth (Siirt) is located in the Southeastern Anatolia Region. As is seen in the study, multi-criteria decision-making methods make it possible to evaluate different scenarios for sedimentation estimation and control and to select the most effective solutions. In conclusion, the use of WASPAS, entropy, and fuzzy clustering methods can provide a comprehensive and effective approach for assessing the sediment risk.

The Role of Time on Performance Assessment (Self, Peer and Teacher) in Higher Education: Rater Drift

This study aimed to investigate the change in teacher candidates' oral presentation skills over time through self, peer, and teacher assessments using the rater drift method. A longitudinal descriptive research model was used as a quantitative research approach to achieve this aim. The study group consisted of 47 teacher candidates receiving formation education at a state university in the Eastern Anatolia Region and an instructor teaching the course. An analytical rubric was used as a data collection tool to evaluate the candidates' oral presentation skills. The data collection process lasted six weeks in total. Since the performance evaluation process aimed to examine the change over time, the many-facet Rasch model was used. When the findings of the study were examined, it was determined that the rater behavior of teacher candidates had statistically significant differences at the group level over time. It was found that 26 out of 48 peer raters had rater drift in their evaluations. It was also found that the majority of rater drift over time was positive, meaning that evaluators became more generous over time. Another result obtained in the study was that teacher assessment did not show rater drift over time, with similar ratings for six weeks. The study’s findings were discussed with previous studies in the literature, and recommendations were made to researchers.

The influence of Altitude on the Species Composition of Diving Beetles (Coleoptera; Adephaga; Dytiscidae) of Eastern and South Eastern Region of Turkey

This study was carried out between 2013 and 2019 in five provinces located in Eastern and South Eastern Anatolian Region of Turkey. The dytiscid specimens were collected from a total of 226 sampling sites that altitudes varied between 500 and 2,700 meters. The 226 sampling sites were classified into one of six altitudinal levels defined by semi open intervals with amplitude of 300 m. A total of 45 species belonging to the family Dytiscidae were identified. A detailed ecological analysis related to altitude is made by means of the distribution of 45 identified species. The richness of species was analyzed at different altitudinal levels. The indicator species were determined by establishing their altitude profile in terms of reciprocal species-factor information. The species density is highest in altitudinal level 2 (800-1100m) and is gradually decrease by increasing of altitudinal level. Ten representative species are placed into three groups: species occurring at high altitude; species present at low altitude and species occurring along the entire altitudinal gradient.