Eastern Anatolian Research Articles

Factors Predicting Posttraumatic Stress and Anxiety in Parents Who Experienced the Great Eastern Anatolian Fault Line Earthquakes: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

To identify levels and predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology and anxiety in parents who experienced the Great Eastern Anatolian Fault Line earthquakes. A cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted from May to September 2023, with 200 parents who experienced earthquakes along the East Anatolian Fault Line. A descriptive information form, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) were used for data collection. Independent samples t test, analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data. The earthquakes caused significant distress among parents: 53% experienced unemployment, 85% had damaged homes, 31.1% lost a relative, 82% lacked an emergency kit, and 90% were concerned for their children's safety. Significant predictors of PTSD included loss of a loved one or relative, not having an emergency kit, having a severely damaged or uninhabitable home, having a chronic illness, and being anxious about the earthquake's impact on their child. High anxiety and PTSD levels were prevalent, with a positive correlation between STAI and IES-R scores. Parents were found to have high levels of PTSD symptoms and anxiety. Findings highlight the complex needs of parents in the post-earthquake context, underscoring the critical need for health professionals, including nurses, to provide comprehensive support to individuals who experienced natural disasters. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(xx), xx-xx.].

Dam impoundment near active faults in areas with high seismic potential: Case studies from Bisri and Mseilha dams, Lebanon

Reservoir induced seismicity is caused by stress changes due to the impoundment of water behind dams. In seismically active areas, the presence of critically located active faults makes the impoundment of water behind dams a seismic safety risk. Dam projects in Lebanon have become a soaring example of complacency and negligence that has overlooked the concerns for seismic safety raised over the projects and their high potential of inducing seismicity. In this paper, we use 2D and 3D fully coupled poroelastic modeling to assess the risk of dam impoundment on seismogenic faults located near dam sites in Lebanon. The coulomb failure stresses are calculated along the faults, and their variations are observed in relation to changes in pore pressures and normal stresses. In addition, the expected maximum earthquake magnitudes are computed along those faults. Our results show a high risk for reservoir induced seismicity on faults that are either underneath the reservoir or hydraulically connected to a fault beneath the reservoir. Consequently, the studied dams would present a serious hazard of induced seismicity in time where the region is already at high risk of destructive earthquakes after the catastrophic seismic events that struck Turkey and Syria on 6 February 2023 on the Eastern Anatolian Fault, which is connected to the Dead Sea Transform Fault that passes through Lebanon.

The First Report of Late Valanginian–Early Aptian (Early Cretaceous) Ammonites and Chemostratigraphy of Eastern Anatolian, Olur‐Erzurum, Türkiye

ABSTRACTThis study is based on stable isotope analysis of a rich ammonite assemblage from the Sogukcam Formation, which is widely exposed in Yesilbaglar (Olur‐Erzurum, NE Türkiye). The presence of ammonid, planktic, and benthic foraminifers in the marine sediments suggests that they are from the early Cretaceous period. The late Valanginian‐early Aptian‐rich ammonite assemblage includes the following genera and species: Acrioceras sp., Barremites difficilis, Barremites sp., Crioceratites duvalii, Crioceratites sp., Deshayesites aff. dechyi, Deshayesites sp.1, Deshayesites sp.2, Deshayesites sp.3, Deshayesites sp., Dufrenoyia cf. dufrenoyi, Dufrenoyia cf. furcata, Dufrenoyia sp., Hemihoplites sp., Heteroceras sp., Neocomites sp., Phyllopachyceras infundibulum, Protetragonites cf. quadrisulcatus, Protetragonites sp., Ptychoceras sp., Turkmeniceras cf. geokerense, and Turkmeniceras sp. This assemblage suggests that the Sogukcam Formation's deeper facies formed in the late Valanginian to early Aptian period. Fossils and δ18O data show normal paleosalinity levels. During the late Valanginian‐early Aptian period, δ18O values ranged from −3.67‰ to −2.24‰, with paleotemperatures ranging from 21.3°C to 27.9°C. δ13C positive values range from +0.65‰ to +2.86‰. δ13C isotope data show the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) and changes in sea level and productivity. The presence of planktonic foraminifera and the ammonite assemblage indicates that the formation was deposited in warm subtropical waters ranging from the outer shelf to the open sea.

Seismic variations before Eastern Anatolian catastrophic events in February 2023

AbstractThe East Anatolian Fault System has been intensively studied over the years due to its potential to generate strong earthquakes and the high exposure of the economy and population in the region. This interest intensified even more after the strong earthquakes in the area at the beginning of February 2023, leading to a focused search for features and precursors that might suggest such an upcoming event. We analyze certain characteristics of seismicity within the East Anatolian Fault System before the earthquakes of February 6, 2023, with magnitudes Mw = 7.8 and Mw = 7.5, over the time period between 1983 and 2022. The earthquake catalog from January 1983 to September 2023, created by Turkish Bogazici University KOERI, is used. Processing of the data is performed by the ZMAP 7.1 software used in the MATLAB environment. Events with a magnitude greater than 2.5 are considered in four time periods: 1983–1992, 1993–2002, 2003–2012, and 2013–2022, totaling 29,346 events. The b-value of the magnitude-frequency distribution of earthquakes (slope of the recurrence graph) is determined; the parameter β, indicative of the increase or decrease in the rate of anomalous seismicity, and parameter Z, associated with anomalous seismic quiescence, is evaluated. A significant decrease in the value of b (from 1.07 to 0.84) is observed when comparing the two periods (2013–2017/2018–2022), indicating accumulated stress in the Earth’s crust. Furthermore, the Z parameter analysis for the period July 2021 to December 2022 shows evidence of relative seismic quiet in the examined area compared to the period from January 2020 to the end of June 2021. Those results suggest that the spatiotemporal variations of the studied seismic parameters could serve as predictors of the two very strong seismic events in the southern part of the Eastern Anatolian region of Turkey.

Seismic Performances of Masonry Educational Buildings during the 2023 Türkiye (Kahramanmaraş) Earthquakes

Huge losses of life and property occurred as a result of two independent catastrophic earthquakes on 6 February 2023 in the Eastern Anatolian Fault Zone, where no significant earthquake has occurred in approximately 500 years. The earthquakes, whose epicenters were in the Pazarcık and Elbistan districts of Kahramanmaraş province at 9 h intervals, had magnitudes of Mw = 7.7 and Mw = 7.6 and caused different levels of structural damage, especially in masonry-style structures in rural areas. In this study, the damage that occurred in masonry village schools, especially in rural areas, during these two earthquakes was evaluated in terms of the characteristics of the earthquake and within the scope of civil engineering, and the causes of the damage were discussed. The damage levels of the masonry schools examined were classified using the European Macroseismic Scale (EMS-98). Information about the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes was given and structural analyses were carried out for a widely used reference school building. The school building block was analytically modeled, and its seismic load-bearing capacities were predicted through pushover analysis in TREMURI software. The study also includes repair and strengthening recommendations for such structures.

Morphological and molecular identification of plant parasitic nematodes in wheat fields of Eastern Anatolian Region (Türkiye)

The aim of this study is to identify plant-parasitic nematodes molecularly and morphologically in wheat (Triticum spp.) fields in the Eastern Anatolia Region (Türkiye) between 2017-2019. For this purpose, a total of 258 soil samples were collected from 7 provinces (Erzincan, Elazığ, Erzurum, Iğdır, Kars, Malatya, and Sivas) in the Eastern Anatolia Region. Nematodes were morphologically identified using a light microscope at the genus (some of them species) level. DNA extraction was performed and PCR products were used to DNA sequencing and nucleotide analysis for 28S ribosomal DNA region by comparing the results with the database. According to the obtained data, a total of 20 genera and 7 species belonging to 2 orders and 9 families were identified: H. digonicus Perry, 1959; H. canadensis Waseem, 1961; H. vulgaris Yuen, 1964 (Nematoda: Hoplolaimidae); Ditylenchus myceliophagus Goodey, 1958 (Nematoda: Anguinidae); Amplimerlinius macrurus (Goodey, 1932) (Nematoda: Dolichodoridae); Scutylenchus quadrifer (Andrassy, 1954); (Nematoda: Dolichodoridae), and Pratylenchoides alkani Yüksel, 1977 (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae). H. vulgaris was identified at the species level using molecular techniques. The rates of presence of economically important plant parasitic nematodes were determined as 73%, 43%, 36%, 33% and 28% for Ditylenchus spp., Pratylenchus spp., Aphelenchus spp., Xiphinema spp. and Helicotylenchus spp. respectively. It is thought that the results obtained will help to plan nematode control methods in the region.

EVALUATION OF SILAGE OF SORGHUM AND SUDAN GRASS HYBRID PULP FOR BIOENERGY PURPOSES

This research was carried out to determine the potential for using the pulp of 10 different sorghum x sudan grass hybrid varieties (Aneto, Greengo, Jumbo, Master BMR, Nutri Honey, Nutrima, Sugar Graze II, Supergraze 1000, Süper Su 22, Tonka) used to obtain ethanol in Bingöl, Eastern Anatolian ecological conditions as silage. Field trials were carried out in 3 replications in 2020 according to the randomized block design. The plants were harvested during the pulping period of the grains. The stems from which the sap was extracted were silaged and left for fermentation at room temperature for 45 days. Feed quality characteristics and organic acid contents were determined in silage materials. Depending on the varieties; silages have a physical score of 7-19, dry matter rate 37.58-50.94%, pH value 3.36-4.30, ADF rate 39.33-50.76%, NDF rate 53.40-66.86%, ADL rate 10.90-13.96%, CP rate 2.76-4.46%, DDM ratio 49.33-50.26%, DMI ratio 1.80-2.36%, RFV ratio 68.66-107.00, net energy value 1.176-1.337, AA ratio 0.11-0.66%, BA ratio 0.76-1.16%, LA ratio 0.07-1.05% and PA ratio was found to vary between 0.0013-0.0026%. As a result, it was concluded that silages made with pulp in cultivars of sorghum x sudan grass hybrid plant can be used more appropriately in cellulosic ethanol production than forage.

Review of the Heteroptera (Hemiptera) fauna of Turkey: perspectives for future research

Research on the Heteroptera fauna of Turkey has not been extensive enough to illustrate its true diversity. Although several factors contribute to this, the lack of an up-to-date and comprehensive review is a basic factor. To address this issue, we compiled a list of all the Heteroptera species recorded from Turkey in the literature and iNaturalist. In addition, we re-examined several specimens preserved in the Lodos Entomological Museum, İzmir, Turkey (LEMT). Consequently, we excluded 24 species from the checklist of Heteroptera fauna of Turkey, and proposed a new synonymy: Psallus (Psallus) pardalis Seidenstücker, 1966 = Psallus (Psallus) oenderi Wagner, 1976 syn. nov. Furthermore, we recorded following six species from Turkey for the first time: Blissus hirtulus Burmeister, 1835 (Blissidae), Loricula (Loricula) pselaphiformis Curtis, 1833 (Microphysidae), Globiceps (Globiceps) coryli V.G. Putshkov, 1970, Heterocordylus (Heterocordylus) cytisi Josifov, 1958, Mesopsallus fagi (Drapolyuk, 1990) and Psallus (Psallus) helenae Josifov, 1969 (Miridae); and described following six species as new for science: Orthonotus efei Çerçi & Koçak sp. nov., Orthotylus (Parapachylops) oenderi Çerçi, Tezcan & Koçak sp. nov., Orthotylus (Pinocapsus) girayi Çerçi & Tezcan sp. nov., Psallus (Psallus) eceae Çerçi & Koçak sp. nov., Psallus (Psallus) pehlivani Çerçi & Tezcan sp. nov. and Ribautocapsus tezcani Çerçi sp. nov. Altogether, 1668 species of Heteroptera have been recorded from Turkey (664 species in the European part and 1633 species in the Anatolian part) until now, out of them, the presence of 37 species needs confirmation. We determined the chorotypical composition of species as follows: Mediterranean (399 spp., 23.9%), European (380 spp., 22.8%), Local (280 spp., 16.8%), Widespread (182 spp., 10.9%), Endemic (128 spp., 7.7%), Turanian (127 spp., 7.5%), Turano-Mediterranean (89 spp., 5.3%), Europeo-Mediterranean (68 spp., 4.1%) and Alien (12 spp., 0.7%). We showed that provinces in the Eastern Anatolian, Southeastern Anatolian, and Black Sea regions had lower numbers of species recorded, compared to the provinces in the remaining regions. Finally, we underlined that 109 species, absent from Turkey, were recorded from three or more neighboring countries of Turkey. In summary, our findings emphasize that despite the abundant research devoted over the last 150 years to the Heteroptera fauna of Turkey, our understanding of it remains incomplete in the majority, if not in all, of the regions. Our findings strongly encourage further research, particularly in regions with small numbers of recorded species. This endeavor will undoubtedly lead to numerous novel discoveries and provide a better understanding of the true Heteroptera diversity in Turkey.

The association of ZIC5 gene rs965623242 polymorphism with neural tube defects

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effects of the rs965623242 reference single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on the ZIC5 gene in patients with neural tube defect (NTD). Patients and Methods: One hundred sixty-eight controls and one hundred sixty-eight NTD patients were included in the study. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) isolation from peripheral blood samples was carried out for all participants. rs965623242 polymorphic region was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and then sequenced. Results: In the 5’ untranslated region (UTR) of the first exon, guanine (G) to adenine (A) base change was detected in the 38th base of NM_033132.5. G to A base change was determined as GG genotype in 117 (69.6%), AG genotype in 30 (17.86%), and AA genotype in 21 (12.5%) patients. In the control group, GG genotype in 107 (63.7%), AG genotype in 23 (13.7%) and AA genotype in 38 (22.7%) were observed. The statistically significant difference was observed between the NTD and the control groups in ZIC5 genotypes or allele frequencies [p=0.044, odds ratio (OR)=0.49 (0.27-0.88) and p=0.021, OR=0.65 (0.46-0.93), respectively]. Conclusion: ZIC5 rs965623242 polymorphism may have a protective role in the NTD development in the Eastern Anatolian population, in Turkey. Although, these findings demonstrate that the rs965623242 polymorphism is associated with NTD, we do not clarify how its expression is affected during the embryonic period and ongoing processes. We will need advanced ongoing genetic and clinical studies to obtain more detail.

The Association Between Hot Flashes, Quality of Life, and Sexual Satisfaction Among Menopausal Women

Aim: This study aims to determine the association between hot flashes, sexual satisfaction, and quality of life among menopausal women. Method: This cross-sectional study consisted of 492 menopausal women aged 45 years and above who lived in a city in the Eastern Anatolian Region of Turkey. The data were collected using the personal data form, the Menopause-Specific Hot Flash Scale, the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Women. Results: A strong positive significant association was found between the Menopause-Specific Hot Flash Scale and the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (r = .694, p<0.000). A weak negative significant association was found between the Menopause-Specific Hot Flash Scale and the Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Women (r= -.189, p<0.000). A weak negative significant association was found between the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire and Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Women (r= -.291, p<0.000). Conclusion: According to the findings, as women are affected by hot flashes, their quality of life is affected similarly. Complaints about hot flashes and quality of life negatively affect sexual satisfaction.

Examination of Type 2 Diabetes Risk, Behavioural and Family Risk Factors, and Type 2 Diabetes Awareness in Healthcare Professionals Vocational School Students: The case of the Eastern Anatolian region of Turkey

Aim: This study was conducted to investigate the risk of type 2 diabetes, behavioral and familial risk factors, and awareness of type 2 diabetes in students. Method: The research was applied to students of a state university. In data collection, "informed consent form", "questions about social-demographic characteristics", "Finnish Type-2 DM Risk Scale (FINDRISK) and Type 2 diabetes awareness level, and questions about behavioral risk factors questionnaire" were used. Frequency and percentage calculation, independent groups t-test, and one-way ANOVA test were used in the analysis. Post-Hoc tests were used to determine the source of the difference in groups with a significant difference. Results: It was determined that the average of the Findirisk scale of the students was 6.16±3.66 and the mean of the awareness level scale about Type 2 DM was 14.63±3.62. In addition, there is a weak negative correlation between the diabetes risk determined according to the Findrisk scale of the students and the level of knowledge of type 2 DM.(r=0.038, p>0.05). Conclusion: It was observed that the risk of diabetes decreased as the awareness level of the students participating in the study increased.

Remote sensing and GIS-based inventory and analysis of the unprecedented 2021 forest fires in Türkiye’s history

In the summer of 2021, Türkiye experienced unprecedented forest fire events. Throughout that fire season, a total of 291 fire incidents, covering an area of 202,361 hectares, dominated the public agenda. This study aimed to document and analyze the 30 large fires (affecting over 100 hectares) of 2021 using remote sensing and GIS techniques. A comprehensive fire database was established, encompassing information on burned areas, fire severity, and fuel types, determined from forest-stand types and topographical properties including slope, elevation, and aspect (in eight directions). Sentinel-2 satellite images were utilized to calculate dNBR values for assessing fire severity, analyzed in the Google Earth Engine platform. Three GIS-integrated Python scripts were developed to construct the fire database. In total, 164,658 hectares were affected by these large fires, occurring solely in three regions of Türkiye: the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Eastern Anatolian. The majority of the burned area was situated in the Mediterranean region (59%), with only 3% in Eastern Anatolia. The burned areas ranged from a minimum of 150 hectares to a maximum of 58,798 hectares. Additionally, 679 hectares of residential areas and 22,601 hectares of agricultural land were impacted by the fire events. For each fire, 21 fuel types and their distribution were determined. The most prevalent fire-prone class, “Pure Turkish pine species (Pr-Çz),” accounted for 59.56% of the total affected area (99,516 hectares). Another significant fire-prone pine species, the “Pure Black pine species (Pr-Çk),” covered 7.67% (12,811 hectares) of the affected area. Fuel types were evaluated by considering both forest-stand development stages and canopy closure. Regarding forest-stand development stages, the largest area percentage burned belonged to the “Mature” class (26.48%).

First detection of Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Ehrlichia canis, and Anaplasma ovis in Rhipicephalus bursa ticks collected from sheep, Turkey.

Anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis are important tick-borne rickettsial diseases of medical and veterinary importance that cause economic losses in livestock. In this study, the prevalence of Anaplasma ovis, Ehrlichia canis and Ehrlichia chaffeensis was investigated in ticks collected from sheep in various farms in Van province, which is located in the Eastern Anatolian Region of Turkey. The ticks used in this study were collected by random sampling in 26 family farm business in 13 districts of Van province. A total of 688 ticks were collected from 88 sheep and 88 tick pools were created. All ticks identified morphologically as Rhipicephalus bursa. Phylogenetic analysis of Chaperonin and 16S rRNA gene sequences confirmed A. ovis, E. canis and E. chaffeensis in this study. Of the 88 tick pools tested, 28.41% (25/88) were positive for at least one pathogen. Anaplasma DNA was detected in five of the 88 pools (5.68%), E. canis DNA was detected in 19 of the 88 pools (21.59%), and E. chaffeensis DNA was detected in one of the 88 pools (1.14%) of R. bursa ticks. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the presence of A. ovis, E. canis, and E. chaffeensis in R. bursa ticks collected from sheep in Turkey. Further studies are needed to investigate other co-infections in sheep in Turkey.

Preliminary report of field reconnaissance on the 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaras Earthquakes in Türkiye

AbstractOn February 6, a successive rupture of major faults in the Eastern Anatolian Fault Zone and Cardak-Surgu fault triggered a strong mainshock (Mw 7.7) and a major aftershock (Mw 7.6) in Kahramanmaras. The successive earthquake sequence hit southern provinces in Türkiye and northern regions in Syria, causing severe fatality and economic loss. After the earthquakes, the International Consortium on Geo-disaster Reduction (ICGdR) organized an investigation team, involving specialists from China, Japan and Türkiye, to conduct a primary field reconnaissance on seismic damage of infrastructure and ground failures. The 10-day reconnaissance, including a mini-symposium at the Istanbul Technical University (ITU), was conducted from 25 March to 3 April and specifically focused on fault ruptures, liquefaction, landslide, rockfall and lateral spreading along the major ruptured faults from Antakya in Hatay to Goksun in Kahramanmaras, passing through provinces of Gaziantep, Adıyaman and Malatya. By this reconnaissance, a large amount of original seismic data was collected and a primary understanding was established for further steps on mitigation and reduction of seismic damages and its secondary geohazards.

Multi-Disaster Hazard Analysis, The Case of Elazığ Province

In this study, a comprehensive assessment of disaster hazards in Elazığ province, where the Eastern Anatolian Fault Zone passes through, was conducted. Hazard maps for earthquakes, floods, landslides, rockfalls, avalanches, desertification, and erosion were integrated to create a multi-hazard map. Various methods, such as the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and machine learning models, including the Random Forest algorithm, were employed to assess the severity and probability of exposure for each hazard type. Independent variables, including VS30, liquefaction potential, Digital Elevation Model (DEM)-derived data, and climatic data, were selected based on relevant literature and the study area. For earthquake and erosion hazards, intuitive models were used due to the absence of a single dependent variable. The desertification map was obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Urban Planning, and Climate Change. The Random Forest model was used for other disaster hazard maps. All hazard maps were combined using a hierarchical approach with the Weighted Overlay tool. The study generated a spatial synthesis and database intended to offer proactive insights into disaster preparedness, optimizing resource allocation, and expediting recovery efforts post-disaster within the Elazığ Province. Its primary objective is to provide assistance to local authorities and emergency response teams. In the province, a significant portion of urban settlements and the majority of rural areas face high earthquake hazards. Floods pose a considerable risk, particularly in low-lying areas downstream of numerous dams scattered across the province, as well as at the confluence points of seasonal riverbeds. The hazard of landslides is high in the rugged areas along the EAF and in steep terrains eroded by rivers. Moreover, rock falls occur more frequently in mountainous areas along the Hazarbaba-Akdağ axis due to erosion and physical dissolution. Erosion and desertification represent significant slow-moving hazards, with erosion intensifying on steep slopes and barren lands, while desertification notably affects Baskil and its surrounding low-lying areas in the western part of the province. Considering multiple hazards, areas with concentrated settlements and economic activities such as Elazığ, Baskil, Kovancılar, Karakoçan, and Behrimaz plains are categorized as very high and high-risk zones.

Examining of preparatory and first-year students’ online learning readiness and presence in English language courses

This study aims to investigate university students' readiness and presence towards online teaching in the context of various variables. The study is designed as survey research, one of the quantitative models. The sample of the study consists of 318 preparatory and first-year university students studying at a university in the Eastern Anatolian Region of Turkey. The data were obtained using the "Readiness for Online Learning Scale" and "The Community of Inquiry Model " scale. Descriptive statistics and inferential were used in the analysis of the data. As a result of the study, it was revealed that university students' readiness levels for online learning and their social, cognitive and teaching presence were high. In addition, it was determined that university students' readiness levels and perceptions of presence differ statistically according to age, gender, education level, monthly income of the family and connection device. The implications were discussed in terms of theoretical insights and administration for online learning.

Defining of Some Morphological Characteristics in order to Determine the Infrastructure of Conservation Strategies of Indigenous Cattle for Designing Sustainable Methods and Conservation of Biodiversity: Eastern Anatolian Red Example Reared Under Ex-Situ Conditions in Türkiye

This study was designed to protect indigenous animal breeds as an infrastructure for the continuation of biodiversity and to be a link in the production chain. For this purpose, the interaction of the information on Eastern Anatolian Red (EAR) breed, which were evaluated or protected according to different methods, and some morphological characters of animals reared under ex-situ conditions, with the sources of variation were evaluated. It were used materials preserved according to different methods and 207 head calves obtained during four years in the study. The materials that consisted of 350 head ex-situ, 200 head in-situ, 50 piece in-vitro was conserved in original environment. The weights and measurements of calves were recorded at birth and weaning. Difference of CV was the highest that was seen between males and females in 2022 (%9.24, %19.23 respectively) in birth. It was observed a certain level of difference for CV for BL, WH, CD, CW, CG, RH and FWG both between sexes and between years in weaning, but these differences were not as large as at birth. BW, WH, CW, CG, RH and FWG differed between sexes in birth period (p< 0.05). In the same period, all body measurements were different between years (p< 0.01). In weaning period, difference of CV for WW was the highest that was seen by sex in 2019 (%9.64, %15.47 female, male, respectively). In the same period, it was close CV values of body measurements determined by both sexes and years. There was an interaction between sexes and WW, CW, FWG (p< 0.05), years and all body measurements (p< 0.01) in the weaning period. The increase in studies on EAR breed could result in a modulation of sustainable of animal biodiversity potentially impacting livestock control and efficiency.

Tectonic Duets: Self-Similar Approach to Investigate Eastern Anatolian Fault’s Recent Seismicity, with Special Emphasis on the 6 February 2023 Earthquake Doublet

Abstract Earthquake clusters possess profound potential for discerning antecedent seismic cues. This study examines the self-similarity of earthquakes to characterize recent seismic patterns in the prolonged quiescent Eastern Anatolian fault zone (EAFZ). We thoroughly investigate the correlation fractal dimension (Dc) formulated upon the scale-invariant relative clustering in earthquake pattern identification. We provide a comprehensive examination of pre- and postseismicity patterns of the Mw 7.7 Nurdağı-Pazarcık, Mw 7.6 Ekinözü, and Mw 6.7 Elazığ earthquakes, each shattering different segments of the EAFZ. The spatiotemporal fluctuations of Dc suggest the commencement of the preparatory process observed around October 2021 to February 2022 for the 2023 dual catastrophe, whereas in the case of the Mw 6.7 Elazığ, this was witnessed from November 2018. Prior to the 2023 events, low-moderate Dc regions predominated on the Pazarcık segment and Cardak fault. The Pürtürge segment that ruptured with an Mw 6.7 event was within a low Dc area. We identified a consistent relationship between stress levels and Dc for the 2023 twin events and the Mw 6.7 earthquake, with low Dc indicative of high stress. Intriguingly, mainshocks and a substantial proportion of their aftershocks have occurred within areas characterized by low to moderate Dc. Various fault zones like Malatya, Amanos, and Adiyaman are situated in areas with low Dc. The southwestern area of the Amanos segment exhibits clustering, elevated stress levels, and low Dc, followed by the Mw 7.7. Therefore, it is imperative to maintain vigilant monitoring of this region to prevent another disaster.

High-resolution seismicity imaging and early aftershock migration of the 2023 Kahramanmaraş (SE Türkiye) MW7.9 & 7.8 earthquake doublet

We build a high-resolution early aftershock catalog for the 2023 SE Türkiye seismic sequence with PALM, a seamless workflow that sequentially performs phase picking, association, location, and matched filter for continuous data. The catalog contains 29,519 well-located events in the two mainshocks rupture region during 2023-02-01–2023-02-28, which significantly improves the detection completeness and relocation precision compared to the public routine catalog. Employing the new PALM catalog, we analyze the structure of the seismogenic fault system. We find that the Eastern Anatolian Fault (EAF) that generated the first MW7.9 mainshock is overall near-vertical, whereas complexities are revealed in a small-scale, such as subparallel subfaults, unmapped branches, and stepovers. The seismicity on EAF is shallow (<15 km) and concentrated in depth distribution, indicating a clear lock-creep transition. In contrast, the Sürgü Fault (SF) that is responsible for the second MW7.8 mainshock is shovel-shaped for the nucleation segment and has overall low dip angles (∼40°–80°). Aftershocks on the SF distribute in a broad range of depth, extending down to ∼35 km. We also analyze the temporal behavior of seismicity, discovering no immediate foreshocks within ∼5 days preceding the first mainshock, and no seismic activity on the SF before the second mainshock.

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.