Northeastern Turkey Research Articles

Effects of land use and topographic variables on distribution of pine mistletoe (Viscum álbum subsp. austriacum (Wiesb.) Vollm.) in northeastern Turkey

Background: This study evaluated the distribution of pine mistletoe in Scots pine ecosystems in relation to topographic variables and land uses. A total of 109 sample plots were selected from pure Scots pine forests in the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey. The 6-class dwarf mistletoe rating was used for infection severity. Pearson correlation analysis results showed significant relationships between mistletoe infection severity and topographic variables in 30 m buffer and land use in 500 m buffer. Results: Of the sample plots, 69 (63%) were mistletoe infected, and 40 (37%) were uninfected. The t-test results showed that there was a significant difference between mean topographic variables and land use in mistletoe infected and uninfected sample plots. The results of the binary logistic regression analysis showed that altitude, productive forest, slope, and road distance were the most significant predictors of the distribution of pine mistletoe as topographic variables and land uses. Conclusion: The common direction of mistletoe infected areas, in addition to Scots pine ecosystems, was low altitudes, sheltered valleys, more humid areas and different land use (agriculture, road and stream).

Contribution to the natural history of Barbastella barbastellus in Turkey (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

The western barbastelle, Barbastella barbastellus (Schreber, 1774) is a species protected by national and international agreements. The number of records on its occurrence in Turkey is very limited, and the species is not well-known. Records in literature, except for the ones from Adıyaman (owl pellet), Kırklareli, and Nevşehir, are from northeastern Turkey. Here presented new findings show that the species is distributed predominantly in the areas along the Black Sea coast. According to call recording analyses, it was found also in western regions of Turkey including the Çanakkale and Denizli provinces. This study provides the first records of the species from southern and southwestern Turkey, the Bartın, Çanakkale, Denizli, and Konya Provinces. With respect to morphometric data, Turkish specimens represent the nominotypical form of B. barbastellus. We analysed three female specimens with the diploid number of chromosomes 2n=32, with NF=54 and NFa=50. We also provide some ecological remarks, along with analyses of echolocation calls.

Environmental-spatial variations in secondary forests on mountain pasturelands under climate change in Northeastern Turkey

Environmental-spatial variations in secondary forests on mountain pasturelands under climate change in Northeastern Turkey

Complete Edentulism of Dental Patients in Northeastern Turkey: Prevalence and Radiographic Findings on Panoramic Radiographs Prevalence and Radiographic Findings on Panoramic Radiographs

The prevalence of complete edentulism varies from country to country and from one region to another. Previous studies have reported the high prevalence of significant radiographic findings in edentulous patients. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of complete edentulism retrospectively and to evaluate the frequency and location of significant radiographic findings on panoramic radiographs in edentulous jaws of dental patients in northeastern Turkey. Methods: The digital panoramic images of all ≥35 year-old patients admitted to our faculty from January 2014 to August 2015 were evaluated. The prevalence of complete edentulism was determined among 8314 panoramic images retrospectively. Radiographic findings identified as impacted teeth, retained roots, radiopaque, and radiolucent areas detected in panoramic radiographs of completely edentulous patients (CEP) were recorded. The obtained data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and cross-tabs. Chi-square test was employed to evaluate the statistical significance of the results at 0.05 levels. Results: A total of 8314 panoramic images were examined, and 508 (6.11%) CEP were defined. The prevalence of edentulism was higher (24.85%) among the patients older than 64 years old. A total of 206 radiographic findings were detected on panoramic images of CEP. The prevalence values of retained roots, impacted teeth, radiopacities, and radiolucencies were 18.9%, 7.09%, 2.76%, and 1.57%, respectively. Conclusions: Given the high frequency of significant radiographic findings, the radiographic examination of CEP should be performed with consideration of the cumulative effects of radiation.

Presence of Powdery Mildew Caused by Erysiphe corylacearum on Hazelnut (Corylus avellana) in Italy.

Hazelnut (Corylus avellana) is widely grown in Italy, which is the second largest producer worldwide with 132,700 tonnes harvested from 78,593 hectares (FAOSTAT, 2018 ). Powdery mildew caused by Phyllactinia guttata has been reported in Italy and in other European countries, but recently in Austria, Switzerland and in central Europe a new species was discovered (Voglmayr et al., 2020; Beenken, 2020). During summer 2020, in Villar Fioccardo (Torino province, Piedmont, Italy) on hazelnut (cv. 'Tonda Gentile') growing on the edges of private gardens and parks, an extensive colonization of the adaxial side of the leaves with white powdery mycelium covering more than 80% of the surface was observed. Also, the abaxial side of the leaves showed the scattered presence of powdery, white, and thin mycelium. The powdery fungal pathogen collected from leaves had amphigenous, hyaline, branched, septate 1.5 to 3.7 μm wide mycelium; lobed, solitary hyphal appressoria; vertically elevated above the mycelium 53 to 82 μm long and 5 to 12 μm wide conidiophores (n = 30); hyaline, ellipsoid, ovoid to doliform conidia, solitary on conidiophores, 21 to 36 μm long, 15 to 21 μm wide (average 28 to 18 μm) (n = 50). Chasmothecia appeared in late September 2020 and they were spherical, single or in groups, 83 to 138 (average 100) μm in diameter (n = 50); 7 to 15 aseptate appendages were straight, sometimes flexuous, 55 to 111 (average 73) μm long (n = 50), with four to five times dichotomous branched apexes and recurved tips. In each chasmothecium, there were three to five ellipsoid, ovoid to subglobose asci with a length of 41 to 60 μm and a width of 28 to 56 μm (average 52 to 44 μm) (n = 30). Asci contained four to eight ascospores, 15 to 26 μm long and 10 to 17 μm wide (average 19 to 12 μm) (n =50). Mycelia were carefully scraped from the leaves with a scalpel and DNA was extracted by using the E.Z.N.A. Fungal DNA Mini Kit (Omega Bio-Tek, Darmstadt, Germany). Partial rDNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of two isolates (DB20SET01, DB20SET01) was amplified using specific primers PMITS1/PMITS2 (Cunnington et al. 2003) and sequenced. Obtained sequences were deposited in GenBank (Accession Nos. MW045425, MW045426). BLAST analysis of the obtained 749-bp fragments showed 100% identity to ITS rDNA sequences of Erysiphe corylacearum from Switzerland (MN822721) and Azerbaijan (LC270863). One-year-old plants of C. avellane cv. Tonda Gentile were artificially inocuated by dusting conidia from infected leaves. Inoculated plants were incubated under controlled conditions at 23°C ± 1 and 70 to 80% relative humidity. Typical symptoms (white bloom) appeared on the upper surface of the leaves at 8 to 10 days after inoculation. No symptoms were found on control plants treated with sterile water. The fungus isolated from inoculated leaves was morphologically identical to the original isolates from diseased plants collected from Villar Fioccardo. Erysiphe corylacearum causes a new and aggressive form of powdery mildew. Since the first observation in north-eastern Turkey in 2013, it has spread rapidly throughout the Black Sea region, causing significant economic losses (Sezer et al., 2017). It has also been reported in Iran, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine (Arzanlou et al. 2018; Heluta et al., 2018). The disease has been observed sporadically in Piedmont, Italy, during summer 2020 (Regione Piemonte & Agrion, 2020) in some hazelnut growing areas, but presently, doesn't appear to impact yield. This is the first report of E. corylacearum, causing an aggressive powdery mildew on hazelnut in Italy, and as such, may more severely affect hazelnut groves in Italy and cause considerable yield losses. Literature cited Arzanlou M et al. 2018. Forest Pathology, 48:e12450. https://doi.org/10.1111/efp.12450. Beenken L et al. 2020. New Disease Reports 41, 11. http://dx.doi.org/10.5197/j.2044-0588.2020.041.011. Cunnington JH et al. 2003. Australasian Plant Pathology, 32, 421-428. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). 2018. http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home Heluta V.P. et al.2019. Ukrainian Botanical Journal, 2019, 76(3), 252-259. Regione Piemonte SFR & Agrion. 2020. https://www.regione.piemonte.it/web/sites/default/files/media/documenti/2020-10/mal_bianco_nocciolo_da_erysiphe_corylacearum.pdf Sezer AD et al. 2017. Phytoparasitica, 45, 577-581. Voglmayr H et al. 2020. New Disease Reports, 42, 14 http://dx.doi.org/10.5197/j.2044-0588.2020.042.014.

Morphology and typification of Szovitsia callicarpa (Apiaceae)

The poorly known monotypic genus Szovitsia Fisch. & C.A.Mey, in the Apiaceae family, is here revised. Szovitsia callicarpa Fisch. & C.A.Mey. is an annual herb with a restricted distribution in the Caucasus region and adjacent areas of northwestern Iran and northeastern Turkey. The genus is unusual within the family because of the transverse plicae covering its fruits. In this study, morphological, micromorphological, and anatomical characters of S. callicarpa are reviewed. In addition, a previous lectotypification of the name S. callicarpa is discussed and amended.

Evaluation of attitudes toward epilepsy and health fatalism in northeastern Turkey

PurposeThis study was carried out to identify the attitudes toward epilepsy, health fatalism, and the factors affecting these in individuals living in Artvin in the northeast of Turkey. MethodThis descriptive and cross-sectional study involved 1443 healthy individuals at a hospital in Artvin in northeastern Turkey between January and March 2020. An individual information form, an epilepsy attitude scale, and a religious health fatalism scale were used to assess their views. An independent sample t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson correlation analysis were used to analyze the data. ResultsThe mean score of participants' attitudes on epilepsy was 48.17 (standard deviation (SD) = 12.93), while the mean of their health fatalism score was 48.43 (SD = 17.41). There was a significant negative correlation between attitude scores and health fatalism (r = −0.084, p = 0.001). Significant differences were found among attitude, health fatalism mean scores, and misconceptions associated with religion about epilepsy being a contagious, psychiatric, and incurable disease that should be hidden. Significant differences were additionally observed among attitude, health fatalism mean scores, and education, marital status, income, employment status, and presence of chronic disease (p < 0.05). ConclusionIt was found that most individuals had moderate level attitude toward epilepsy and had high health fatalism. Individuals with a high degree of health fatalism were found to have more negative attitude toward epilepsy. Attitude was found to be more negative, and health fatalism was found to be higher in individuals with low education level, low-income level, who were married, who were unemployed, who had a chronic disease, and in those who thought epilepsy was a contagious, psychiatric, and incurable disease associated with religion that should be hidden. ImplicationsIt is recommended that health professionals organize training programs to increase public understanding of epilepsy, improving individual attitudes toward the condition, and minimizing health fatalism.

Identifying causes of the 2015 Hopa flash flood in NE Turkey and mitigation strategies.

A severe thunderstorm occurred in the Sundura watershed, located in Hopa district in North Eastern Turkey on August 24, 2015. The thunderstorm generated torrents, floods, and landslides and caused the loss of eight lives as well as extensive damage to property. Hydrometeorological, physiographic, hydraulic, and socioeconomic causes of the Hopa catastrophe were investigated in the study. Precipitation records were checked by weather satellite images. The frequency of this thunderstorm was estimated to be close to 100 years. Due to morphometric parameters and land misuse by tea cultivation in the steep upper watershed, the Sundura Creek has a high flood generating potential. The part of the Sundura Creek passing through the urban area has been channeled, but the channel capacity was not sufficient for a 100-year flow, and therefore some parts of the city were inundated. Another reason for flooding is clogging of inadequate culvert sections at conjunction points of the creek or Black Sea, by debris. Some tributaries could not join the Sundura Creek or the sea due to clogged culverts or the elevated Black Sea highway and Hopa-Artvin highway road embankments. In order to control torrents and floods in the Sundura watershed, afforestation is needed for non-productive forest and tea cultivation areas in the upper watershed. In the lower part of the watershed, the main channel should be redesigned according to the Q500 years flow. Some debris trapping structures should be constructed to prevent clogging of culverts and bridges. Unnecessary road constructions on the slopes should be prevented, and buildings below the Q100flood level should be encouraged to relocate to safer/higher elevations.

Potential Mosquito Vectors of Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaira repens (Spirurida: Onchocercidae) in Aras Valley, Turkey.

Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy, 1856) and Dirofilaria repens (Railliet & Henry, 1911) are mosquito-borne filarial nematodes that primarily affect dogs, causing heartworm disease and subcutaneous dirofilariosis. The canine heartworm is reported in different provinces in Turkey. However, studies about the transmitting mosquito species are limited. Hence, this study aimed to investigate potential vectors of D. immitis and D. repens in Aras Valley, Turkey. In total, 17,995 female mosquitoes were collected from eight villages during three mosquito seasons (2012-2014) in Aras Valley, located in north-eastern Turkey. A total of 1,054 DNA pools (527 abdomen and 527 head-thorax) were tested with Dirofilaria primers by multiplex-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Aedes caspius was the most abundant species in collection sites with 90%; this was followed by Culex theileri Theobald, 1903 (Diptera: Culicidae) (7.31%), Anopheles maculipennis Meigen 1818 (Diptera: Culicidae) (1.28%), Culex pipiens Linnaeus, 1758 (Diptera: Culicidae) (0.43%), (Anopheles) hyrcanus (Pallas, 1771) (Diptera: Culicidae) (0.37%), Aedes vexans (Meigen, 1830) (Diptera: Culicidae) (0.25%), and Culiseta annulata Schrank, 1776 (Diptera:Culicidae) (0.02%). Dirofilaria immitis and D. repens were detected in mosquito pools from five villages. The total Dirofilaria spp. estimated infection rate was 1.33%. The highest estimated infection rate was found in Ae. vexans (6.66%) and the lowest was in Ae. caspius (1.26%). The results show that An. maculipennis sl, Ae. caspius, Ae. vexans, Cx. theileri and Cx. pipiens are potential vectors of D. immitis and D. repens with DNA in head-thorax pools; An. hyrcanus is also a likely vector, but Dirofilaria DNA was found only in abdomen pools for the study area. This study revealed new potential vector species for D. immitis. Mosquitoes with natural infections of D. repens were reported for the first time in Turkey.

Assessment of water quality of streams in northeast Turkey by water quality index and multiple statistical methods

A year-long study from May 2018 to April 2019 investigated the spatio-temporal changes in water quality of seven major rivers in the Giresun Province in northeastern Turkey. The results of the analysis were classified according to WHO limit values for drinking water and water quality classes were determined with respect to the Turkish Surface Water Quality Regulation (TSWQR). In addition, sodium percentage (% Na), sodium absorption ratio (SAR), magnesium hazard (MH), and residual sodium carbonate (RSC) values were calculated to evaluate the eligibility of the streams for irrigation purposes. Multivariate statistical analysis methods such as one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation index (PCI), cluster analysis (CA), principal components analysis/factor analysis (PCA/FA) were used to determine the differences and similarities of streams, pollution sources and relations between parameters. As a result of the PCA, four factors accounted for 71.52% of all factors. These factors show that the major changes in water quality parameters were associated with point-based pollution such as wastewater from household and industrial resources, non-point sources such as agricultural activities and natural phenomena such as flooding, rock and soil erosion. The pH values in the range of 7.77 to 9.8 were slightly alkaline compared to the TSWQR range of pH 6–9. In certain months, the average NO2-N values (> 0.06 mg/L) in Batlama Stream, Aksu Stream, Yağlıdere Stream and Gelevera Stream was class III (medium) water quality and mean fluoride values in streams (1 and 1.19 mg/L) were class II water quality according to TSWQR. The levels of anionic surfactants in all streams were class III (polluted) water quality, except for Pazarsuyu Stream with class II (less polluted) water quality. The annual mean water quality index (WQI) values of the streams ranged from 25.69 (excellent) to 32.39 (good). When the water quality was evaluated for irrigation, the SAR, Na%, RSC and MH did not exceed the limit values. Based on these indices it was assessed that settlements and related anthropogenic activities along the riverbanks did not affect the water quality currently. This does not mean that it may not have an effect in the near future.

Medium scale earthflow susceptibility modelling by remote sensing and geographical information systems based multivariate statistics approach: an example from Northeastern Turkey

The aim of the present study was to produce an earthflow susceptibility map for the city center and environs of the province of Rize located at the Northeastern part of Turkey. The study area is the rainiest region of Turkey, and due to the triggering effect of precipitation earthflows are frequently observed in and around the study area. Besides this point, weathered rock units and steep topography accompany with precipitation for the occurrence of earthflow cases. Considering this point, an earthflow susceptibility mapping was inferred to be a necessity for the area. Parameters, such as lithology, slope gradient, slope aspect, topographical wetness index (TWI), stream power index (SPI), slope curvature, and sediment capacity index (LS) were considered to be earthflow conditioning parameters. A multi-temporal earthflow inventory map for a period of 4 years (2011–2015) was initially generated by way of remote sensing approach and field surveys. Earthflow susceptibility map was produced using the logistic regression method after which the produced susceptibility map was validated. The mapped earthflows were separated into two groups prior to modelling and validation. The first group was for training and the second group was for validation steps. The accuracy of the model was measured by fitting them to a validation set of mapped earthflows. Area under curvature (AUC) approach was applied for validation purposes. The prediction capability of the earthflow susceptibility map produced can be regarded as acceptable in accordance with the AUC values of 0.62 for the logistic regression model. Based on these results, the obtained earthflow susceptibility map can be used to mitigate hazards related to landslides and to aid in land-use planning for the Rize city center.

HEMŞİRELERİN CİNSİYET ROLLERİNE GÖRE BİREYSEL YENİLİKÇİLİK ÖZELLİKLERİNİN BELİRLENMESİ

Aim: This study was carried out with the aim of determining the individual innovativeness characteristics according to nurses' gender roles as well as individual innovativeness characteristics and affecting factors as well as individual innovativeness characteristics according to gender roles. Methods: This study which is cross-sectional type was carried out from January 1st to February 28th 2018 at the university hospital in a province in north-eastern Turkey with 222 nurses out of 580, who agreed to participate in the study. Results: It was determined that among the masculine role adopters, The Individual Innovation Scale of Opinion Leadership and Risk Taking subscales average scores were higher, that the Resistance to Change subscale scores were lower, the scores of the Opinion Leadership and Risk Taking subscales of those who have adopted the feminine role are less while the Resistance to Change subscale scores were higher and the difference between the mean scores was found to be statistically significant (p <0.05). In addition, it was found that those who adopted the androgen role had a higher total score than the others in terms of Individual Innovation Scale (p <0.001). It was determined that nurses adopting feminine role approached innovation with a more traditional point of view and that the difference between the was found to be statistically significant (p <0.001). Conclusion: It was found out that the majority of the nurses in the scope of the study, adopt the androgen role. They have low level of resistance to change and high level of individual innovativeness in general. It was determined that the androgen role adopters have higher level of innovativeness and that feminine role adopters approach in a traditional manner to wards innovations.

A Narrative Study of Factors Influencing Students’ Academic Achievement: Views of Parents, Teachers and Union Leaders

This paper reports on private school teachers, parents, and teacher union leaders’ experiences with middle and high schools in a small city in northeastern Turkey to identify the problems in education and study them to develop some solutions for them. This narrative study was carried out in the Spring semester of 2012 by conducting face-to-face individual in-depth interviews with 47 participants. Personal narratives were analyzed by developing themes. Findings reveal that the success and lack of it in education arises from the upper level management style, from uninterested parents, and the geographical conditions and location of the city create big problems. Also, parents’ cultural background is more significant than their economic background.

Development and Validation of Robotic Coding Attitude Scale

This study aimed to develop a reliable and valid instrument to measure secondary school students’ attitude towards robotic coding and the results of the analyses regarding the Robotic Coding Attitude Scale (RCAS) developed for this purpose were reported in the current study. To test the construct validity of the first version of the RCAS consisting of 29 items, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed on the data from 196 seventh-grade secondary school students (who had received robotic coding education already) enrolled in the public schools in a city in the northeastern Turkey. As a result of the EFA, the 22-item five-factor model was extracted. Then, the 22-item five-factor model obtained from EFA was cross-validated using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and the results indicated acceptable model fits where χ2/(df = 197) = 1.827, NFI = .825, CFI = .911, RMSEA = .065. Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient which was calculated to show whether the RCAS is a reliable scale was found to be .91. In sum, the results indicated that RCAS can be used as a reliable and valid instrument to measure secondary school students’ attitude towards robotic coding.

Determination of geological structures by geophysical and geotechnical techniques in Kırklartepe Dam Site (Turkey)

In foundation research of engineering structures, application of geophysics methods before drilling work allows not only more economical studies but also a more detailed determination of underground sections. Especially in pre-feasibility studies on long tunnel routes, dam sites and lake areas, it has a vital importance in terms of structural safety to determine possible underground buried fault lines, lithology changes, anticlinal-synclinal structures and underground openings. By considering these effective factors, the alluvium/bedrock border and the positions of potential buried faults in the dam site and lake area in the Kırklartepe area of the province of Bayburt in northeastern Turkey were determined by comparison with geophysical and geotechnical methods. First of all, the resistivity of the dam axis location and the change of the Vp wave velocity by depth were determined by comparing the results between geophysical methods of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and seismic refraction tomography (SRT), respectively. Afterwards, from the foundation boreholes opened in the dam axis location, joint frequency and the other parameters determined by observations were obtained. With these parameters, 2-dimensional zoning profiles of the dam axis location were formed, and the alluvium-bedrock border and the locations of the buried faults were determined. Two potential faults in the NW-SE direction relative to the location of the dam axis were clearly revealed in the zoning profiles obtained in the ERT and SRT measurements. Additionally, the presence of these faults was determined as a result of examining the separation and joint frequency parameters from the drilling core samples collected from the BH_3 and BH_5 boreholes opened in the investigated area based on changes in the vertical and horizontal directions. In addition to these, in the ERT study, two potential faults other than the determined two were also detected. It was seen in the zoning profiles that these faults corresponded to right under the BH_2 borehole and 60 m SW of the BH_6 drilling. Consequently, in the zoning studies conducted at the examined site, the change in the lithology at the dam axis by depth (alluvium-bedrock border), lateral correlations of boreholes and potential faults were determined. It was recommended for the selected dam axis location to be constructed at a more suitable place in the NW direction in terms of engineering. Furthermore, with this study, it was revealed once again that it is highly essential to use geophysical and geotechnical together in conceptualizing large engineering structure projects.

Physicochemical characteristics of wild apricots from Northeastern Turkey

Physicochemical characteristics of wild apricots from Northeastern Turkey

Tracking the timing of Neotethyan oceanic slab break-off: Geochronology and geochemistry of the quartz diorite porphyries, NE Turkey

The initiation of the break-off of the northern branch of the Neotethyan oceanic lithosphere is an important but poorly understood event in the geology of the Sakarya Zone (SZ) in northeastern Turkey. Although it is well-known that Latest Cretaceous intrusives (~70 Ma) and early Eocene adakitic magmatic rocks are present in the eastern SZ, the outcrops of the early Eocene non-adakitic rocks are very limited, and their tectono-magmatic evolution has not been studied. We describe a small outcrop of non-adakitic quartz diorite porphyry in the Kov area of the Gümüşhane region in northeastern Turkey. The genesis of these porphyries is significant in evaluating the syn- to post-collision-related magmatism. The LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating revealed that the Kov quartz diorite porphyries (KQDP) formed at ca. 50 Ma, coeval with adakitic rocks, and ~20 Myr later than the slab roll-back-related intrusive rocks. The KQDPs are calc-alkaline in composition and enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs) and light rare earth elements (LREEs) and depleted in high field strength elements (HFSEs; e.g., Nb, Ta, Ti), with significant negative anomalies of Nb, Ta, and Ti but positive anomalies of Th, U, and Pb. Isotopic compositions of the samples show limited range of variation and slight enrichment of 87Sr/86Sr(t) (0.70489 to 0.70555), εNd(t) (−1.4 to −1.2) with TDM of 1.11 to 1.61 Ga. Pb isotopic ratios of the samples point to an enriched mantle source. They were likely crystallized from the melt that originated from an EM2-type spinel-facies subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM), followed by the fractionation with insignificant crustal assimilation. The SCLM was metasomatically enriched, and the metasomatic agent was likely H2O-rich fluids rather than sediments released from subducting oceanic crust during the Late Cretaceous closure of the Neotethyan oceanic lithosphere. In conjunction with the geological background and previous data, we propose that the generation of the KQDPs resulted from a slab break-off event that caused ascending or infiltration of hot asthenosphere, triggering mantle melting. Such sporadic occurrences of the KQDPs, with coeval adakitic rocks in the SZ, are likely associated with the onset of extensional tectonics due to the earlier stage of slab break-off along the region during the early Eocene period.

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A new species &lt;em&gt;Asproparthenis&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;omeri&lt;/em&gt; sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Lixinae) from the Aras valley in Northeastern Turkey&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

A new species Asproparthenis omeri sp. nov. closely related to A. vexata (Gyllenhal, 1834) is described in the tribe Cleonini (Curculionidae) from the Aras River valley in Northeastern Turkey. The new species is the first representative of the genus Asproparthenis Gozis, 1886 with vestigial hind wings. Digital photographs of diagnostic morphological features of the new species and A. vexata are provided. Adults of the new species feed on leaves of a halophilic chenopod Bassia hirsuta (L.) Ascherson that dominates vegetation in the saline and desertified habitat in the type locality. Key words: Asproparthenis, new species, taxonomy, bionomics, halophyte, Bassia hirsuta, Turkey

&lt;p class="HeadingRunIn"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The aquatic oligochaete fauna of Lake Çıldır, Ardahan-Kars, Turkey, including an updated checklist of freshwater annelids known to occur in the country&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

In this paper, we present the results of the first survey for aquatic oligochaetes in Lake Çıldır, northeastern Turkey, during which 22 oligochaete species were recorded from the lake. The results of this survey were integrated into an updated and annotated list of oligochaetes and other aquatic annelids occurring in the country, summarized from historical and recent publications. Currently, the freshwater annelid fauna of Turkey includes 150 species of oligochaetes (1 Crassiclitellata, 21 Enchytraeidae, 1 Propappidae, 1 Haplotaxidae, 4 Lumbriculidae, 56 Naidinae, 64 Tubificinae, 2 Lumbricidae), 1 species of Branchiobdellida, and 6 species of Aphanoneura (1 Potamodrilidae and 5 Aeolosomatidae). Although studies focusing on the aquatic oligochaete fauna of Turkey have increased over the past 15–20 years, species diversity still remains unclear.

Records of Aureobasidium harposporum , Sarcophoma miribelii , and Stigmina dothideoides from Turkey

During field studies on the microfungi in Mucur District of Kirşehir Province, Aureobasidium harposporum, and Stigmina dothideoides were revealed as new records for Turkey; and Sarcophoma miribelii, previously recorded from northeastern Turkey, is reported from central Turkey. Distinguishing morphological characters of these species are described, and their photographs are provided.