Turkish Thrace Research Articles

Modeling aboveground carbon in flooded forests using synthetic aperture radar data: a case study from a natural reserve in Turkish Thrace

Modeling aboveground carbon in flooded forests using synthetic aperture radar data: a case study from a natural reserve in Turkish Thrace

A review of Palaeogiraffa (Giraffidae, Mammalia) from the Vallesian of the Eastern Mediterranean

Palaeogiraffa is a poorly understood giraffid genus from the Vallesian of Axios Valley (Northern Greece), Turkish Thrace and Central Turkey. The Axios Valley remains come from three non-contemporaneous Vallesian faunas from the localities: Pentalophos, Ravin de la Pluie, and Xirochori, whereas the Turkish remains come from the Vallesian faunas of Middle Sinap, Yulafli, and Küçükçekmece. Remains from Pentalophos and Ravin de la Pluie were described as congeneric with the Iberian Deccenatherium, although they were later attributed to a new, distinct genus known by three different species: Palaeogiraffa macedoniae, Palaeogiraffa pamiri, and Palaeogiraffa major. The type species of the genus, Pg. macedoniae, was based on the most abundant Pentalophos material, while the rest of the species was established mainly on size difference criteria. Here we provide a review of the Palaeogiraffa material in order to (i) test its validity, (ii) re-discuss hypotheses about the genus phylogenetic relationships with other Late Miocene giraffids, and (iii) re-explore intrageneric diversity and number of recognized species based on the available Eastern Mediterranean samples. We confirm Palaeogiraffa as a distinct genus from other Late Miocene giraffids based on its unique proportions, as well as its dental and postcranial morphology. Furthermore, we endorse the likelihood of Palaeogiraffa being phylogenetically linked to the sivatherine lineage, based mainly on its dental and metatarsal morphological features. The generic attribution of specimens from Xirochori, Ravin de la Pluie, Middle Sinap, Yulafli and Küçükçekmece to Palaeogiraffa is adequately supported by the present data. Nevertheless, the recognition of three species is more open to discussion, though they should be retained until more material is available.

Interindividual variation among Culex pipiens larvae in terms of thermal response.

This study aims to determine the phenological characteristics of thermal responses in the larvae of a Culex pipiens complex field population at the individual level under the influence of thermal regime of its habitat. The analysis is based on a structured population model quantifying the thermal responses of development time and survival under variable conditions and characterising the variety between the larvae (interindividual variety). During the study performed in Turkish Thrace on a monthly basis between May 2021 and June 2022, a total of 3744 larvae were reared as peer larval cohorts and 2330 larvae as siblings in artificial containers to be fully exposed to the natural thermal condition that was recorded hourly. The development process of larvae was monitored daily from egg to adult. As a result, a total of 4788 adult mosquitoes emerged, with a development period ranging from 8 to 52 days in the females and 7 to 50 days in the males, and the survival rate was found to range from 0% to 100%. Both parameters varied by month and individuals, and the variations manifested itself, particularly in the colder periods. The results indicate that the variation between the individuals in terms of thermal response in the larvae of C. pipiens, along with the thermal acclimation ability, appears to be fate determinant in resisting fluctuating thermal regimes, surviving in concurrent climate change and adapting to new conditions with modifications in the seasonal phenology, such as maintaining reproductive dynamics throughout the winter thanks to global warming.

Bidirectional tick transport by migratory birds of the African-Western Palearctic flyway over Turkish Thrace: observation of the current situation and future projection.

This study was carried out at a vital stopover site of migrating birds in the Turkish Thrace, European part of Turkey, on the Mediterranean/Black Sea Flyway. Ticks were collected from the birds captured in the four migration periods, i.e., autumn 2020, spring 2021, autumn 2021, and spring 2022, and identified morphologically. Throughout the study, 10,651 birds from 77 species were examined, and 671 belonging to 34 species were found infested. The infestation prevalence in total birds and the mean number of ticks per infested bird were 6.3% and 3.8 (range: 1-142), respectively. A total of 2573 ticks were collected with the following species distribution and numbers: Ixodes spp. 70 larvae, I. frontalis 1829 larvae, 337 nymphs, and 30 adults, I. acuminatus 16 nymphs and 42 adults, I. ricinus 39 larvae, 141 nymphs, and one adult, Hyalomma spp. seven larvae and 60 nymphs, and Haemaphysalis sp. one larva. Prevalence, intensity, and species distribution of the ticks in birds varied depending on the month, season, year, and species-specific migration phenology of the birds. The results show that precise determination of the tick-borne risk associated with migratory birds for a particular region necessarily requires long-term and comprehensive studies and indicates that anthropogenic climate change and habitat degradation can significantly differentiate the risk by influencing the migration phenology in birds and by making new regions suitable for the establishment of different ticks.

Monthly infestation characteristics of ticks in dogs in Turkish Thrace: Possible urbanization trends in some sylvatic tick species

In recent decades, significant increases and/or drastic changes have been recorded in the prevalence, intensity, and distribution of ticks worldwide, which are known to be fueled by the climate change. However, there are many intertwined drivers affecting ticks, the degree of their influence of which is contingent and difficult to determine, and it is known that elucidating the factors is crucial to understand the current tick ecology and predicting the future trend. This study was carried out to determine monthly dynamics of tick infestation in owned and stray dogs under the influence of hot dry summer sub-type of the Mediterranean climate in Thrace region, European part of Turkey. During the survey performed in 2017 on monthly basis, 1605 different dogs from ten different localities in Thrace were examined for ticks. Infestation was determined in 137 (8.54%) dogs. The highest monthly prevalence (34.03%) was recorded in May. In total, 1033 ticks (1008 adults, 25 nymphs) belonging to the following species have been identified with different monthly and total prevalence and intensity: Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, Haemaphysalis parva, Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes acuminatus, and Ixodes kaiseri. The results indicated that degradation and destruction of natural habitats under the influence of human effect seem likely to cause/facilitate/accelerate the entering some wild animal species, and therefore their ticks, to the urbanized environments via afforested woodlands and gardens in the periurbans, and dogs in such areas seem to play a supportive role in the maintenance of some tick species, including those with primarily sylvatic cycle, such as I. acuminatus and I. kaiseri.

Fishes Encountered in the Turkish Thrace River Systems (Northwestern Turkey)

In the last 30 years, the natural life in the inland waters of the Turkish Thrace has been threatened by water pollution, deterioration of river continuity, the presence of non-native or invasive fish, and drought. The aim of the present study was to determine the recent status of fish fauna in the river systems lying at the Turkish Thrace, under these threats. The field surveys were conducted in a total of 164 sampling sites in both Marmara and Meriç-Ergene water basins between July and August 2017. A total of 36 freshwater fish species representing 12 families (Acheilognathidae, Atherinidae, Centrarchidae, Cobitidae, Cyprinidae, Esocidae, Gobiidae, Gobionidae, Leuciscidae, Percidae, Poeciliidae, and Salmonidae) were determined. The most widespread species of the region was Cobitis strumicae and it was followed by Rhodeus amarus and Squalius orpheus. This study provides first detailed information on the distribution of the species of Barbus tauricus, Chondrostoma vardarense, Cobitis strumicae, Squalius orpheus, and Vimba melanops.

Molecular assessment of the taxonomic status of pine vole species Microtus subterraneus and Microtus majori in southeastern Europe and Turkey

Intra– and inter–specific phylogenetic relationships and the taxonomic status of pine vole populations have been controversial for years, and cryptic species are thought to exist, especially concering the species' distribution area. To clarify the taxonomic status of Turkish populations we analysed mitochondrial (cytochrome–b and cytochrome oxidase–I) and nuclear (interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein) gene markers, adding GenBank data from Europe and Caucasia. Considering the data obtained based on mean genetic distance, genetic diversity and fixation index values, Bayesian trees and Median–joining networks, we found that M. subterraneus and M. majori are valid species which have diverged since 1.28 Mya. Findings also suggested that although Anatolian, Thracian (Turkish Thrace and Greece) and European populations of M. subterraneus and Anatolian and Caucasian populations of M. majori have been in the process of divergency since 0.528–0.337 Mya correspond to the Pleistocene glacial periods, these intrapopulations do not appear to be different species.Besides, considering the high intraspecific variation in M. subterraneus, it remains likely that new species could be identified in future studies.

Fishes Encountered in the Turkish Thrace River Systems (Northwestern Part of Turkey)

Fishes Encountered in the Turkish Thrace River Systems (Northwestern Part of Turkey)

Marshaling Development: Turkish Thrace in the Interwar Years

Based on ethnographic fieldwork and archival research, this study examines the interwar transformation of Eastern Thrace through the prism of sovereignty. It argues that Turkish political and military elites came into a particular geopolitical consciousness about Thrace in the 1930s, viewing the region as a vulnerable yet indispensable frontier due to its geographical, symbolic, and military significance. In their quest to re-border Thrace to extend state sovereignty, the elites combined the tools of international diplomacy with a regional policy that sought to repopulate, redevelop, and refortify Thrace. The study coins the concept of marshaling development to describe these efforts to interrelated civilian and military ends. It demonstrates how officials marshaling development foresaw the reordering of peoples, materials, infrastructures, resources, and affective dispositions across the borderland space with a view to the joint goals of defense and development and with durable socioeconomic and demographic consequences extending well beyond the interwar years.

A large Eomys antiquus (Aymard, 1853) (Mammalia, Rodentia) from the early Oligocene sedimentary deposits at Bouldnor Cliff (Isle of Wight, England, UK)

A collection of approx. 150 isolated cheek teeth of the eomyid rodent Eomys antiquus which was obtained from a very thin layer in the Hamstead Member of the Bouldnor Formation at Bouldnor Cliff (Isle of Wight, England, UK) is described. The material is post-Grande Coupure, and earliest Oligocene in age. Comparison is made with and new data are given on teeth of Eomys from localities of a similar age situated elsewhere in Europe: Eomys antiquus from Hoogbutsel (Belgium), and Möhren 13, 19, and 20 (Germany), and Eomys aff. antiquus from Montalbán 1D (Spain), and Kocayarma (Turkish Thrace, Turkey). Teeth from Bouldnor Cliff and Hoogbutsel (Mammal Paleogene zone 21) are morphologically close to those from Möhren 13 (Mammal Paleogene zone 22), but tend to be larger. Size decrease in the course of time is also suggested by the smaller size of the teeth from Montalbán 1D (Mammal Paleogene zone 23). The morphological differences observed between the English, Belgian, and German material at the one side, and the Spanish and Turkish material at the other, confirm that the species from Montalbán 1D and Kocayarma is a different, although closely related form. The taxonomic history of Eomys antiquus is reviewed. The species is the commoner of the two oldest European Eomyidae known. General knowledge on the ecology of the eomyids suggests that at the time of deposition of the Eomys-containing layer in the Hampshire Basin forest was close by.

Evaluation of ecological risk analysis for benthic macroinvertebrates in paddy fields in the Meriç–Ergene River Basin (Turkish Thrace)

Benthic macroinvertebrates are very important components of aquatic environments, and monitoring their population dynamics helps us understand the effects of environmental factors on ecosystems. This study aimed to determine the dynamics of benthic macroinvertebrate fauna in paddy fields in the Meriç–Ergene River Basin (Turkish Thrace region) by investigating some physicochemical environmental parameters that may affect its distribution. For this purpose, water and sediment samples were collected from paddy fields in the study area during the cultivation season, including spring, summer and autumn of 2016, taking into account the water resources that supply the rice fields (artesian water, the Meriç River, the Ergene River and Meriç–Ergene mixed water). A total of 47 taxa (on average 8953 individuals per m2 ) were identified at the study sites. Water samples were analyzed to determine water temperature, pH, conductivity, salinity, total dissolved solids, calcium, magnesium, total hardness, nitrite nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, phosphate, sulfate, dissolved oxygen and pesticides, and sediment samples were analyzed to determine the content of some heavy metals, including Cd, Ni, Cu, and Mn. The biological risk index (mERM-Q) and the potential ecological risk index (RI) were applied to the data and a hypothetical ecological risk analysis was conducted using our data and data available in the literature to assess the ecological risk profile of the ecosystem based on benthic macroinvertebrates. To this end, environmental factors were grouped based on the literature as heavy metals (S1), nutrients (S2), other physicochemical parameters (S3) and pesticides (S4), while organisms were grouped as Oligochaeta, Chironomidae, Insecta and others based on the dynamics of benthic macroinvertebrates to assess pressure factors. As a result, pesticides (S4) were found to exert the strongest ecological pressure on benthic macroinvertebrate fauna in paddy fields in the Meriç–Ergene River Basin.

Ecology and biology of the Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse (Myomimus roachi, Bate 1937)

The Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse (Myomimus roachi, Bate 1937) is endemic to the Western Palearctic (occurring in SE Bulgaria, Turkish and Greek Thrace, and western Anatolia) and is one of the less known mammals within the region. There is no information about its biology and ecology in the wild. In the course of the past 3 years (2019-2021), we conducted intensive research on a small population situated in southeast Bulgaria (Sakar mountain). The population was regularly monitored during the active time of the species. To study its ecology and biology we used a combination of nest boxes, live traps and camera traps. During this period, we collected 259 records of sex, age, and weight. Those bigger than 10 g. were microchipped. The active period for the Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse lasts between April and September. Males emerged first from hibernation at the end of April (24th of April - the earliest registration). During this short active period, the dormouse breeds only once, the litter size being between 5-9 young. The first young appeared at the end of June. We observed a summer dormancy (estivation); the adult males became less active and went in the estivation first. The last active dormice were observed in the first ten days of September. Here we also present data about the population numbers and dynamics, age, and sex structure of Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse in the study area.

Freshwater Amphipod Species of Western Anatolia, Marmara and Turkish Thrace Regions

To determine the Amphipoda (Crustacea) fauna of the inland waters of Western Anatolia, Marmara and the Turkish Thrace Region, field studies were conducted between May 2014 and March 2019. Seven field studies were conducted. Samplings were conducted at 291 localities and amphipod specimens were found at 127 of them. As a result, 11 amphipod species (Echinogammarus stocki G. Karaman, 1970, Gammarus aequicauda (G. Karaman, 1970), Gammarus anatoliensis Schellenberg, 1937, Gammarus arduus G. Karaman, 1975, Gammarus balcanicus Schäferna, 1923, Gammarus dorsosetosus Mateus & Mateus, 1990, Gammarus gonensis Özbek, 2016, Gammarus komareki Schäferna, 1923, Gammarus lacustris G.O. Sars, 1863, Gammarus pulex pulex (Linnaeus, 1758), Gammarus uludagi G.S. Karaman, 1975) were determined. The new records can be listed as: E. stocki for Ekinanbarı, G. anatoliensis for Uşak, G. arduus for Bolu and Düzce, G. balcanicus for Kocaeli and Sakarya, G. dorsosetosus for Bolu, G. gonensis for Istanbul and Manisa, G. komareki for Düzce and Kocaeli, G. lacustris for Istanbul, G. pulex pulex for Bolu, Kırklareli, Kocaeli, Sakarya and Uşak, and G. uludagi for Aydın, Bilecik, Sakarya and Yalova provinces. The observed morphological features and the detailed drawings of the determined taxa are presented. Additionally, a map showing the distribution of the obtained species is also given. 

Comparison of the Applicability of Different Soil Erosion Models of the Effects of Climate Change on the Rate of Soil Erosion: A Case Study in the Naip Dam Basin, Turkish Thrace, Turkey

Comparison of the Applicability of Different Soil Erosion Models of the Effects of Climate Change on the Rate of Soil Erosion: A Case Study in the Naip Dam Basin, Turkish Thrace, Turkey

Spatial and temporal evaluation of the physicochemical quality of domestic/industrial water in the Kırklareli Reservoir (Turkish Thrace)

The K?rklareli Reservoir, located in the Meri?-Ergene River Basin, is an important drinking/industrial freshwater resource of the K?rklareli Province. In order to ensure the sustainable use of this important reservoir, its current situation should be examined periodically and evaluated by multivariate analyses. For this reason, water samples were taken between the dates April 2018 and February 2019 at monthly intervals from 3 different stations. The data on the environmental and physicochemical variables (water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, conductivity, total dissolved solids, chlorophyll-a, light permeability, fluoride, chloride, NO2-N, NO3-N, PO4, SO4 and essential/potentially toxic elements) were measured and evaluated according to the classes of surface water quality control regulation of Turkey. The parameters exceeding first-class water quality values (chlorophyll-a, pH, NO2-N, chloride, selenium) were mapped in GIS using the spline integration approach. In addition, the sodium absorbtion ratio, Kelly index values and magnesium ratio, were calculated to evaluate the water quality for agricultural irrigation water standards. The water quality of the reservoir was evaluated using multivariance analyses (Bray?Curtis similarity index, correspondence analyses, Pearson correlation index). As a result, it was emphasized that the use of the GIS approach is a potential useful method for monitoring the sustainable water quality of the K?rklareli Reservoir, which was determined to have an oligomesotrophic character.

Contributions to the Knowledge on Aquatic/Semi-Aquatic Coleoptera (Insecta) Fauna of Turkey with First Records in Turkish Thrace

The present study was carried out in Diyarbakır Province (N 37°53’36.96”, E 40°16’13.65”, 666 m) in Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey in 2018-2020. Prunus cerasifera tree parts infested by the buprestid beetle, Ptosima undecimmaculata, were cut in June 2018 and February 2019 (Figs. 1-2) and Prunus persica infested by buprestids larvae, Ptosima undecimmaculata (Herbst, 1784) and Sphenoptera (Tropeopeltis) tappesi Marseul, 1865, respecitvely were cut and placed in plastic boxes until host and/or their potential parasitoids were reared. Three ichneumonid parasitoids, Dolichomitus kriechbaumeri (Schulz, 1906), Poemenia notata Holmgren, 1859 and Xorides gravenhorstii (Curtis, 1831), were obtained. New host records were found: P. undecimmaculata for D. kriechbaumeri and S. tappesi for X. gravenhorstii. All three parasitoid species were reared from the studied plants for the first time. P. notata is a new record for Turkish fauna.

Characterization of Bartonella taylorii Strains in Small Mammals of the Turkish Thrace.

Rodents play role as a reservoir for some Bartonella species which cause different clinical manifestations in humans. Bartonella spp. existence in rodents of Turkish Thrace has been detected for the first time, and the risky habitat types were evaluated for the infection. Ninety individuals belonging to three small rodent species were screened by PCR, and the overall prevalence of Bartonella infection was 22.2%. The strains were characterized molecularly based on the phylogenetic analyses of two housekeeping genes, rpoB and gltA. They clustered with B. taylorii. The significant effects of habitat types and rodent species on Bartonella infections were observed. It was detected that B. taylorii prevalence was the highest in the swamp forest habitat and A. flavicollis species. The present study demonstrates that A. flavicollis is the reservoir of B. taylorii in the European part of Turkey.

Dance and Socio-Cybernetics: The Dance event of “K’na” As A Shaping Component of The Cultural Identity Amongst the Arvanites of Neo Cheimonio Evros, Greece

The research field of this paper is the wedding dance event of “K’na”, as this takes place by the Arvanites of Greek Thrace, an ethnic group moved to the area from Turkish Thrace in 1923. The aim of this paper is to investigate whether the three components of dance, music and song of Greek traditional dance, as these reflected in the “K’na” dance event amongst the Arvanites ethnic group of Neo Cheimonio (Evros), are related to issues of ethno-cultural identity under the lens of socio-cybernetics. Data was gathered through ethnographic method as this is applied to the study of dance, while its interpretation was based on socio-cybernetics according to Burke’s identity control theory. From the data analysis, it is showed that through the “K’na” dance event the Thracian Arvanites of Neo Cheimonio shape and reshape their ethno-cultural identity as a reaction to the input they receive from their environment. Therefore, the “construction” of their identity, as a constant process of self-regulation and internal control, is subjected to the conditions of a cybernetic process.

Source rock potential and depositional environment of the Lower Oligocene İhsaniye Formation in NW Turkey (Thrace, Karaburun)

The Lower Oligocene succession of the Ihsaniye Formation, exposed at Karaburun on the Turkish (Thrace) coast of the Black Sea, provides insights into potential hydrocarbon source rock extent in the southwestern part of the Black Sea Basin. Presently, no detailed study of the Ihsaniye Formation exists with regards to organic matter content and type. We analyzed 78 fine-grained samples from a c. 70-m-thick section near Karaburun. Relatively high total organic carbon (TOC) contents (average 1.45 wt.%) are present in the lower part of the Ihsaniye Formation; the hydrogen index values reach a maximum of 252 mg HC/g TOC, indicating the presence of type III-II kerogen, and the organic matter is thermally immature (Tmax 418 °C). The presence of foraminifera and TOC/S ratios below 2.8 confirm a fully marine environment. Elevated TOC contents and very low pristane/phytane ratios indicate an oxygen-depleted environment during deposition of the lower part of the Ihsaniye Formation. The quartz/clay minerals ratio suggests a deepening trend in the lower part of the succession and a shallowing trend in the upper part. Peculiarly, the low salinity Solenovian Event (in nannofossil zone NP23) is not developed although Sr isotope ratios indicate that the basin was only connected to the Mediterranean for short periods during deposition of the Ihsaniye Formation.

The evaluation of ecological status in Tunca (Tundzha) River (Turkish Thrace) based on environmental conditions and bacterial features

It is inevitable that the running waters which are used for a lot of different activities like fishing, irrigation, domestic water usage are under threat because of the settlements, industrial or agricultural activities. To provide the sustainable usage of these ecosystems we have to know their current features and their balance under changing environmental conditions. In the present study, the ecological status of Tunca (Tundzha) River which is located on Turkish Thrace was evaluated based on environmental conditions and bacterial features of the river. For this aim, the research has been carried out at 5 different stations in the river between October 2010 and September 2011 at monthly intervals. Some environmental conditions (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, salinity, chloride, turbidity, hydrogen sulfide, magnesium, calcium, total hardness, NO3-N, NO2-N, sulfate, orthophosphate, suspended solid substances, biological oxygen demand) and bacterial features (total coliform, fecal coliform, and Escherichia coli bacterial abundances) were examined performing at the same time samplings. Consequently, it was determined that the water quality of Tunca River has proper physicochemical conditions allowing surviving of living things, but bacteriological findings belonging to the river was not found proper for direct use of water by human. Also, the correlations were evaluated between the obtained environmental features and the bacteria by using Spearman’s index. While positive correlations were found between TMAB density and some environmental parameters (water-air temperature, EC, magnesium, nitrate nitrogen, sulfate, o-phosphate, and suspended solids); negative correlations were found between TMAB density and the other parameters (pH, hydrogen sulfide, calcium, total hardness, and BOD5).