Western Anatolia Research Articles

Petrogenesis, geochronology and thermochronology of Oligocene to Miocene Western Anatolia granitoid plutons in Turkey

Western Anatolia (WA) hosts numerous I-and S-type plutons with variable compositions. This paper presents new comprehensive geology, petrography, bulk-rock and mineral chemistry, SrNd isotope, zircon UPb, biotite and hornblende Ar/Ar and first apatite UTh / He age data for seven plutons (Baklan, Evciler, Eybek, Ilıca-Şamlı, Kozak, Uludağ, Yenice) in WA. Western Anatolia granitoid plutons (WAGPs) are mainly granodiorite, with minor monzonite, diorite, quartz monzonite and granite. The dominant minerals are K-feldspar (usually orthoclase and rarely microcline), plagioclase (albite, oligoclase), amphibole (hornblende), biotite, quartz, and accessory minerals are titanite, zircon, apatite, and opaques. The crystallization temperatures are relatively uniform (640-740 °C) but pressures range from those typical of the upper crust to those typical of the mid crust. The plutons are characterized by moderate to high SiO2 (58.1–73.7 wt%), K2O (2.1–6.9 wt%), and relatively low P2O5 (0.03–0.60 wt%) and most are I-type and metaluminous, except for the Uludağ pluton that is S-type. They are enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs e.g. U, Th, Rb, and K), light rare earth elements (LREEs) and Pb, and depleted in heavy rare earth elements (HREEs), high field strength elements (HFSE, e.g. Nb, Ti) and Sr, Ba and P relative to other LILEs. The plutons display small Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu*: 0.17–1.15) due to probaly suppression of feldspar fractionation/or partial melting of lower crust. They have relatively high initial 87Sr/86Sr = 0.705775–0.708357 and low initial 143Nd/144Nd = 0.512290–0.512581. The LA-ICP-MS 206Pb238U age analyses of zircon in addition to 40Ar/39Ar dating of hornblendes and biotites suggest that the plutons were emplaced between 29.4 Ma and 19.8 Ma and cooled with a relatively high rate (∼363 °C/Ma). These ages correlate with the collision between the Sakarya Zone and Anatolide–Tauride Platform in Rupelian to Burdigalian time. The (UTh)/He apatite ages range from 19.8 Ma to 7.6 Ma, for the WA granitoid plutons and indicates that the crustal terrains hosting the seven plutons had complex exhumation histories within their arc environment. Consequently, these ages constrain the crystallization, cooling and exumation times of the Oligocene to Miocene plutons in a post-collisional setting on the northern margin of Gondwana.

Before the War: Orthodox Christians in Anatolia, 1880s–1914

Abstract Orthodox Christians in Anatolia engaged in a widespread effort to establish churches, schools, and cultural associations in the late Ottoman period. This effort lasted roughly from the 1880s until the Great War, marking these few decades in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a period of intense institutionalization. This article historicizes the Orthodox Christian presence in Anatolia by exploring the moment of emergence of modern institutions, which would later provide our most direct and visual knowledge (real or remembered) of Orthodox Christian communities in the Ottoman Empire. Focusing on a diverse range of local, imperial and international actors in provincial space in western Anatolia, the study delineates the contexts and processes of institutionalization. It shows a modern community in the making, and demonstrates how Orthodox Christians consolidated themselves before being forced to leave as a result of the Greek-Turkish War of 1919–22 and the ensuing population exchange.

Kuşadası'ndaki Ilıcatepe'nin Kyklopien Duvarları Üzerine Düşünceler

Ilıcatepe, located right on the edge of the Kuşadası-Davutlar modern highway, covers an area of 540x315 meters and consists of limestone bedrock with a height of about 50 meters, and is surrounded by a wall built with Cyclopic stonework, which is understood to have been cut from its own bedrock. This masonry, which is not very common to see in Western Anatolia, attracted the attention of researchers who came to the hill, and some researchers suggested that the wall may belong to the 2nd millennium BC. The strategic importance of this hill, which is located on the slope of Mykale, which is considered by many researchers as Arinnanda, and 4 km away from Kadıkalesi, cannot be ignored. Although the walls built with monumental stones in Western Anatolia are generally approached with suspicion, considering the findings in the researches made in Caria in recent years, similar masonry known to exist in mainland Greece, Crete, Aegean Islands and Central Anatolia can be found in Western Anatolia. It is very natural to come across. Although the walls built with monumental stones in the Archaic Period are known in Western Anatolia, the juxtaposition of the stones, the filling of the gaps between the stones, and the differences in the type and material of the masonry tools used help in the dating of the walls. Historical events in the immediate vicinity of Ilıcatepe increase the strategic importance of the hill. The expedition organised by the Hittite king Murshili II (1322-1298 BC) against the Arzawa Country in Western Anatolia is very important in terms of our knowledge of the geography of the region. In the third year of his reign after becoming the Hittite king, Murshili II marched on Arzawa on the pretext of the non-return of the Hattian refugees who fled from the Hittite lands to the Arzawa Kingdom. At that time, Uhhaziti was at the head of the Arzawa Kingdom. The route of Murshili II during the said campaign started from the land of Hatti and ended in the country of Arzawa and the Aegean coast. The Hittite army under the command of Murshili II followed certain routes and arrived at its final destination, Mount Arinnanda. Based on the king's account of this campaign, it is understood that some of the Arzawans fled to the Aegean islands before the Hittite army arrived. The records indicate that those who did not flee to the Aegean islands ascended Mount Arinnanda, took refuge in Puranda, which is understood to be a fortified centre, and prepared for war there. The passages in which Murshili II describes his struggle with those who fled to Mount Arinnanda are quite remarkable.

Leopoldia buseana (Asparagaceae, Scilloideae), a new species from southwestern Anatolia

Leopoldia buseana Yıldırım (Asparagaceae) is described as a new species to science. It is endemic to the western Anatolia region of Türkiye. Leopoldia buseana is only known from Muğla Province. The new species is morphologically similar to L. muglaensis, L. elmasii, and L. weissii. Diagnostic morphological characters are discussed and compared with those related taxa. Leopoldia buseana is easily distinguished from related species by its distinctly longer inflorescence, the number of fertile and sterile flowers, mauve to bluish-mauve buds and early stage of fertile flowers, flat or sometimes slightly channeled and broader leaves, and the seed surface ornamentation. Diagnostic characters, a comprehensive description, photographs, and a distribution map are provided.

Reconstructing the stratigraphy and structure of the Alaşehir Graben (Western Anatolia): Evidence for a high-angle origin of the Alaşehir detachment fault and layer-parallel shortening during the Miocene time

Western Anatolia is a well-known continental extension province in the world. The most distinctive structural elements of the region are E-W trending grabens. The Alaşehir Graben forms the boundary between the northern and central parts of the Menderes Massif. It trends E-W from Ahmetli to Turgutlu and NW-SE from Salihli to Alaşehir. This paper documents the outcomes of fieldwork along the southern margin of the Alaşehir Graben between the Salihli and Alaşehir areas.
 
 The tectonostratigraphy of the southern margin of the Alaşehir Graben is divided into the footwall and hanging wall of the Alaşehir detachment fault. The footwall comprises the Bayındır and Bozdağ Nappes and the syn-extensional Salihli granitoid intruding the Bayındır Nappe. The hanging wall consists of the Çine Nappe and Neogene-Quaternary sedimentary rocks, and Miocene fills tectonically overlying the Çine Nappe, which is above the Alaşehir detachment fault in the Alaşehir area.
 
 Structural data show three types of master fault sets, including (i) the low-angle Alaşehir detachment fault, which is composed of cataclastic rocks; (ii) low-angle normal faults, which are devoid of any cataclastic rocks; and (iii) Plio-Quaternary high-angle normal faults cutting them. Two different low-angle normal faults were coeval and active during the Miocene, and low-angle normal faults were synthetic and antithetic faults of the Alaşehir detachment fault. Their initial position was high-angle and the original position had 55°-75° dip during the Miocene. In the Salihli and Alaşehir segments, several major fold geometries are defined in the footwall and hanging wall of the Alaşehir detachment fault. The fold axis is NE-trending and plunges mainly northeast in the Salihli segment in the footwall of the Alaşehir detachment fault. The other is ~ E–W-trending and plunges mainly west in the Alaşehir segment in the footwall and hanging wall of the Alaşehir detachment fault. They are associated with extensional structures formed by layer-parallel shortening during the Miocene. The Alaşehir detachment fault, as indicated by the difference in fold axes between the Salihli and Alaşehir segments, was cut and back-rotated by Plio-Quaternary high-angle normal faults and tilted to the south.

The history of fire, human and climate in black pine forests of western Anatolia: The Taurus mountains

The interactions between fire occurrence-human-climate are highly complex to understand and also difficult to predict due to having many sources of variations in fire regimes. However, we can gather information about the effect of human influence on the regional fire regimes where human influence is high, and the history of locations is well-known by conducting retrospective fire history studies in locations. Here, we present the impact of human settlements on fire occurrence by comparing and discussing the previous drought-driven tree-ring-based fire history reconstruction sites in western Anatolia. For this purpose, we collected cross-sections from Miyarcık highland, Antalya, and developed a 519–y long (1503–2021 CE) composite fire chronology using dendrochronological methods. Our study site location is known for the seasonal inhabitants of “Yörüks”, who led a nomadic life in the Taurus Mountains for centuries, and forests were used for livestock grazing. Since the temperatures increase significantly at the beginning of spring in the lower elevations of Antalya, the yörüks move towards the upper highlands with their animals from May to November. We found lower fire frequency and no fire-climate association compared to other sites that experienced drought-driven wildfires, even though this site is located in a high-fire-risk region. Low-frequency fires might be due to moderate-level livestock grazing by yörüks in this area. Grazing contributes to reducing the amount of accumulated combustible materials, causes discontinuity of fuel in the understory of forests, and affects the dynamics of the spatial distribution of wildfires. This study showed that moderate-level grazing might support effective fire management activities as fuel management because of modifying the fuel properties, changing the fuel-fire interaction (e.g., the fuel continuity and amount of accumulated fuel), and reducing the wildfire probability over space and time.

Three New Nitzschia (Bacillariophyceae) Species from Highly Acidic Artificial Lakes in Çanakkale, Türkiye

Çanakkale is located in Western Anatolia, a region known for extensive mining in the country. In this study, three new species: Nitzschia arslaniana sp. nov., Nitzschia efeiana sp. nov., and Nitzschia szaboiana sp. nov. are described from highly acidic environments in Çanakkale. In morphology, Nitzschia arslaniana is similar to Nitzschia inconspicua but Nitzschia inconspicua is broader, with a lower fibulae density. Nitzschia efeiana is similar to Nitzschia. bremensis, Nitzschia capitellata, Nitzschia homburgiensis, Nitzschia hybrida, Nitzschia palustris, and Nitzschia pellucida. However, Nitzschia efeiana has variable fibulae widths, thickened virgae on its external valve face, and an elevated ridge on the valve margin opposite the keel. Nitzschia szaboiana is similar to Nitzschia pusilla, but the later taxon has a higher striae density. This study highlights the unique species diversity of extreme environments, including anthropogenic extreme environments, by describing three new taxa in the same genus.

Turco-Greek Battles in 1921 in The British Press

This paper examines the Turkish-Greek War on the Western Front during the National Struggle period of 1921 by analyzing British press coverage. The study aims to unveil how the Turkish-Greek fronts were portrayed in the British press. The research employs a comparative analysis method, assessing news and articles in the British press by comparing them with local sources. The study primarily focuses on news from Reuters, Associated Press, Havas agencies, as well as articles authored by newspaper reporters and war correspondents. The British press extensively covered the Greek occupation in Western Anatolia, which received strong support from the Allied forces, particularly the British. Initially, the Greek invasions were lauded, but starting in September 1921, the British press began reporting more negative developments regarding the Greek invasions and expressed admiration for Turkish progress. It is important to note that the British press did not maintain a consistent attitude throughout the Turco-Greek War. Furthermore, the stance of the British press significantly differed from the policy of the British government, indicating that the British press aligned its coverage with the evolving dynamics of the war. The British press predominantly featured news and statements from the victorious advancing side, while rarely including perspectives from the defeated and retreating side in the Turkish-Greek War.

URLA YARIMADASINDA ESKİ VE YENİ YOLLARIN KAVŞAĞI, BARBAROS OVASI

The Urla Peninsula stretches from the center of the western Anatolian coast to the Aegean Sea. Its fertile soils and maritime opportunities have made the peninsula economically and commercially important in every period. The route running on the east-west direction connects the peninsula to the Anatolian mainland. Both this route and the secondary roads connected to it converge and disperse in the Barbaros plain as required by geography. The high mountain masses that close the central part of the peninsula from north to south open up in the Barbaros plain. Before the construction of modern roads, the plain provided transportation facilities through its narrow passages. Archaeological data show that the plain was connected to the west by the Mataracı Gorge near the village of Birgi during the Early Bronze Age. The pottery finds observed on the commanding heights on both sides indicate the existence of an early derbent system. In Birgi, in the Hamamıkuyu area, there are the ruins of an accommodation place dating back to the 14th century. At the end of the 19th century, the Birgi connection lost its importance with the construction of a macadamized road passing through the southern part of the plain. The macadamized road coming from Urla follows the valley of Tatar Creek. Previously, Urla-plain connection was provided by the road passing through the Kavaklıdere valley to the north of it. Today's roads are also located on these two routes. Connecting the east-west main route, the plain is also the connection and distribution point for various secondary roads. These roads provide access to the southern sea via Ildırı (ancient Erythrai), Kıran (ancient Korakas/Korykos), Gülbahçe Bay and Zeytinler. Archaeological research provides data showing that the plain and its surroundings have been inhabited in various periods from the Neolithic period to the present day.

Investigation of Leaf Gas Exchange Parameters of Several Chestnut Population Seedlings at the End of the Growing Season

Changes in temperature and precipitation due to global climate change negatively affect plant species' growth, development, and adaptation to new places. However, genetic structure is the most critical criterion for determining a species's potential to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Monitoring gas exchange parameters in plants is the simplest way to monitor physiological changes in plants under changing environmental factors. Among species, the Anatolian chestnut (Castanea sativa) is native and economically important tree species (fruit and wood production). It is naturally distributed from the north side of Turkey, Marmara, and Western Anatolia. However, the Anatolian chestnut is one of the most affected tree species by global climate change. In this study, numerous Anatolian chestnut populations (3 years old) were used to determine leaf gas exchange parameters at the end of the growing season in Düzce. Stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (E), net photosynthetic rate (Anet), and other parameters were measured. As a result, the leaf gas exchange parameters of chestnut populations changed significantly based on the populations. Marigoule population seedlings had 2-fold Anet values compared to the Ibradı population. Regarding gs, the differences between populations (Erfelek and Ibradı) changed approximately 2.5 folds and the differences (Erfelek and Ibradı) increased more than 3 folds in terms of E values. It can be said that Marigoule and Erfelek populations can adapt more to Düzce climate conditions than other populations. In contrast, Ibradi population seedlings have a low adaptation mechanism in terms of gas exchange traits.

Investigation of the Dual Role of Scorzonera pygmaea: Cytotoxic Activity and Antioxidant Potential

Scorzonera pygmaea, an indigenous plant of western Anatolia, belongs to the Scorzonera genus, which includes various species recognized for their edible and medicinal properties. This study is aimed at investigating the phenolic composition of S. pygmaea; evaluating its antioxidant, cytotoxic, apoptotic, and genotoxic activities; and assessing the impact of S. pygmaea on the expression of cell cycle regulatory genes. HPLC-DAD analysis identified chlorogenic acid as the predominant phenolic compound, potentially linking plant to dietary benefits. The antioxidant potential, evaluated using DPPH radical scavenging and CUPRAC assays, yielded an IC50 value of 63.53 ± 6.29 μg/ml and a Trolox equivalent of 0.061 ± 0.013 g/g, respectively. To assess antigrowth activity, the S. pygmaea extract was tested against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines, along with the nonmalignant MCF-10A cell line, using sulforhodamine B and ATP cell viability assays. The results exhibited highly consistent IC50 values of 104.63, 179.27, and 90.83 μg/ml, respectively. Notably, the S. pygmaea extract induced apoptosis in all cell lines, with MDA-MB-231 cells displaying a higher percentage of early apoptotic cells under fluorescence microscopy. The comet assay revealed that S. pygmaea extract induced DNA damage in all cell lines, with MCF-7 and MCF-10A cells showing an accumulation of DNA damage over time. Gene expression analysis revealed significant alterations in cell cycle regulators, with each cell line displaying distinct and time-dependent patterns after exposure to S. pygmaea. Collectively, these findings underscore the cytotoxic, apoptotic, and genotoxic activities of S. pygmaea while simultaneously emphasizing its antioxidant potential, especially given its high chlorogenic acid content. The dual role of S. pygmaea, evidenced by its cytotoxic and antioxidant properties, suggests the potential for further exploration of its utilization within the food industry as a possible dietary resource, while necessitating further studies to fully understand its implications.

Ottoman Lakes and Fluid Landscapes: Environing, Wetlands and Conservation in the Marmara Lake Basin, Circa 1550–1900

The study of Ottoman lakes and wetlands from the perspective of management and conservation is an emerging field. Scholars have explored Ottoman strategies for managing agricultural and extractive landscapes, yet detailed investigation of socio-political responses to dynamic wetlands, particularly during periods of drastic climate shifts, requires deeper investigation. Our research on wetlands and lakes moves from the purview of waqf s (pious foundations) to the emergence of the Ottoman Public Debt Administration (OPDA). By examining the shifting perspectives of institutional authority and community responses to it from the early modern period to the nineteenth century, we discuss the complexities of wetland management in the Marmara Lake Basin within the sancak of Saruhan (contemporary Manisa) in western Anatolia. We argue that intimate knowledge of this specific ecosystem played a critical role in mitigating attempts at reclamation and land grabbing and ultimately in developing legal structures of and policies for Ottoman conservation strategies. We situate our discussion within the paradigm of environing made possible by detailed longue-durée archival narratives; these micro-histories afford a dynamic perspective into non-linear responses to ecological and political changes and provide a local lens into the scalar impacts of human agency.

The Making of The Early Bronze Age in Anatolia

Abstract In Anatolian archaeology, as it is the case in the neighbouring regions of the Near East and Aegean, the Bronze Age is considered in three consecutive stages, however, defined not in accordance with metallurgical achievements, but on changing modalities in social and economic structures. Before the beginning of the Early Bronze Age there were fully established farming communities across almost all of Anatolia, though subsisting mainly on family-level farming with no indication of complex social structuring. Likewise, during the final stages of the Late Chalcolithic there was a notable decrease in population, particularly in Central and Western Anatolia. In this respect, the south-eastern parts of Anatolia differ considerably from the rest of the peninsula, developing a complex socio-economic model in connection with the bordering regions of Syro-Mesopotamia. This pattern changed by incoming migration from the north, with subsequent dense population patterns in the eastern and western parts of the peninsula. Following the reorganization and consolidation of this system, the Early Bronze Age is characterized by urbanisation, institutionalized long-distance trade, intensification and revolutionized agricultural and weaving practices. The urban model that developed in Anatolia differs considerably from those of the Near East both in size and in organization. The Middle Bronze Age is marked by state formations, which by the Late Bronze Age developed into empires with their own foreign policies. Concerning the role of metals, copper and lead were used since the Neolithic and arsenic bronze by the Late Chalcolithic. The Bronze Age may be viewed as a time of mass production and development of complex technologies in casting, alloying and forming.

Actual Distributions and Validity of Petroleuciscus spp., with the Range Extension and Length-Weight Relationship Data in Case of Petroleuciscus ninae

The genus Petroleuciscus was known from the Marmara, Aegean, and Black Sea drainages, as well as southeast Anatolia and Iran. However, studies conducted in recent years have suggested that the species described in southeast Anatolia and Iran belong to different genera. The results and recommendations of these studies were evaluated. On the other hand, in the scope of this study, the taxonomic status and length-weight relationship of several Petroleuciscus ninae populations in Western Anatolia were evaluated. The morphological comparisons revealed that Tahtalı Reservoir, Küçük Menderes and Sarıçay rivers, and Acıgöl Lake`s Petroleuciscus populations recorded as Petroleuciscus smyrnaeus in all previous studies belong to P. ninae which was known only from the type locality Akçay Stream. In addition, the length-weight relationship of P. ninae in the lakes Akgöl and Belevi, Lake Acıgöl, stream Akçay, Sarıçay River, an inflow of Yenişehir Reservoir and inflow of Tahtalı Reservoir were studied. The following research considers some first records and comprehensive information on the length-weight relationship of P. ninae in the Western Anatolia water resources. In study, the constant b changed from 3.101 to 3.389 (Akçay Stream) in all the sampling locations. It is expected that the results of this research might support the conservation of this species and contribute knowledge of its taxonomic status.

Two new Oxynoemacheilus species in western Anatolia (Teleostei, Nemacheilidae)

Oxynoemacheilus sakaryaensissp. nov., is restricted to the Sakarya River basin, and O. melenicussp. nov., is distributed in both the Sakarya River and Büyükmelen Stream. Oxynoemacheilus sakaryaensis is distinguished by having a flank plain or with numerous irregularly shaped pale brownish bars and a caudal-peduncle depth 2.8–3.2 times in its length. Oxynoemacheilus melenicus is distinguished by having a flank with 10–13 irregular shaped brownish bars or blotches and the caudal peduncle depth 1.9–2.8 times in its length. Oxynoemacheilus banarescui, O. samanticus, O. simavicus, O. fatsaensis, O. sakaryaensis, and O. melenicus are valid, which belong to the O. bergianus species group. O. melenicus and O. sakaryaensis were differentiated from all other Oxynoemacheilus species in western Anatolia by two diagnostic and unique nucleotide substitution sites in the COI barcoding region. Also, species delineation tests (ABGD, GMYC, ASAP) and phylogenetic analyses support the validity of O. melenicus and O. sakaryaensis as distinct species.

A new freshwater amphipod (Amphipoda, Gammaridae) from the Fakıllı Cave, Düzce Türkiye: Gammarus kunti sp. nov.

Aquatic species (such as fish, amphipods, isopods, hirudineans etc.) adapted to environmental conditions can live in caves connected to groundwater. The species of Niphargus and Gammarus are the most commonly encountered amphipods in caves. Türkiye is very rich in terms of karst areas and is home to more than 2000 known caves. Fakıllı Cave, located in Düzce Province in the Western Anatolian Region, has a length of 1071 m. A new amphipod species belonging to the Gammarus genus has been identified from the cave and named as Gammarus kuntisp. nov. Some of the characteristic features of the newly-identified species can be listed as “Medium-large size; smooth body, well-developed and reniform eyes; non-prolonged extremities; antennal gland cone is straight and long; second antenna with setose peduncular and flagellar segments; medial palmar spine present; posterior margin of pereopod 3 densely setose; anterior margins of pereopods 6 and 7 armed with spines only; epimeral plates not pointed”. Although the mentioned features are generally seen in epigean species, the members of this species were sampled from the dark zone of the Fakıllı Cave. The partial sequences of the COI (573 bp) and 28S (914 bp) genes of the newly-described species, Gammarus kuntisp. nov., were generated. The pairwise genetic distances between the new species, Gammarus kunti sp. nov. and other species ranged from a minimum of 16.23% (G. tumaf) to a maximum of 28.27% (G. roeselii) for the COI gene and a minimum of 0.88% (G. tumaf) to a maximum of 6.81% (G. balcanicus) for the 28S gene. Phylogenies generated by the NJ and ML methods, based on the combined data, assigned the new species as an independent lineage with high support values. In addition, the ASAP method identified the new species as a single MOTU independent of other species. G. tumaf and G. baysali are the sister taxa of G. kuntisp. nov. Detailed descriptions and drawings of the extremities of the male holotype and the female allotype are given and the morphology of the newly-identified species is compared with its relatives.

The bryophyte flora of Aydın Mountain

This study was planned and completed to reveal the bryophyte flora of the Aydın Mountains. A total of 268 bryophytes were identified from the research area, of which 216 taxa belong to Bryophyta, 51 taxa belong to Marchantiophyta and one taxon belongs to Anthocerotophyta. Acaulon mediterraneum Limpr. has been recorded for the second time for Turkish bryophyte flora. Among liverworts, Riccia (17 taxa), and among mosses, Didymodon (13 taxa), Tortula (13 taxa), Grimmia (12 taxa), Syntrichia (12 taxa), Orthotrichum (11 taxa), Ptychostomum (10 taxa), Fissidens (9 taxa) and Lewinskya (7 taxa) were found as the richest genera. In addition, different habitats in Aydın Mountains and bryophytes representing these habitats were determined, as well. The study of a large mountain range which was not known for bryophytes in Western Anatolia has filled a significant gap in this area.

GIS Analysis of spatial-temporal variation of the ecological risk caused by element and organic pollutants in Lake Marmara (TURKIYE)

Located in western Anatolia (Turkey), Lake Marmara is a wetland with high ecological value. Lake Marmara, which was exposed to intense anthropogenic effects after 1940, is experiencing ecological deterioration in recent years. This study aimed to analyze the ecological risk level of the lake by using Enrichment Factor (EF), Toxic Risk Index (TRI), Modified Potential Ecological Risk Index (mER) etc. The research hypothesized that the discharge of water from the Gediz River and Kum Stream to the lake after 1940 triggered ecological risk problems. Moderate toxic risk, low potential ecological risk, moderate element contamination were detected throughout the lake. It was determined that Mo, P and Hg of anthropogenic origin and As, Ni, Cr, Cu of lithological origin created ecological risk at a regional scale. Domestic-industrial wastes and agriculture in the Gediz River basin and around the lake were identified as the dominant anthropogenic activity. The temporal variation of the ecological risk indices based on the elements did not reflect the anthropogenic traces of water discharge into the lake from the Gediz River basin. However, the temporal variation of TOC, N, P and CDP showed the effects of anthropogenic interventions in the lake. According to the threshold values; P is highly contaminated and N is close to the severely contaminated limit. The findings, while confirming the research hypothesis, showed that the dominant ecological risk factor in Lake Marmara is not elemental contamination, but organic pollutants, nitrogen and phosphate.

Mapping of the Structural Lineaments and Sedimentary Basement Relief Using Gravity Data to Guide Mineral Exploration in the Denizli Basin

The Aegean Graben System is a complex tectonic structure in Western Anatolia and the Denizli Graben is a member of this system that hosts many geothermal springs, ore deposits, and travertine areas. In this study, the gravity data were analyzed to determine the subsurface geological structures and the depth model of the basin. The Bouguer gravity anomaly has a NW–SE pattern that is consistent with the general trend of the Denizli Basin. The pre-Neogene basement depths range from 0.1 km to 2.3 km. The Denizli Basin is composed of the Çürüksu Basin and the Laodikia sub-basin. The basins have undulated structures with many depressions; the deepest depression region is in the northern part of the Çürüksu Basin, which is close to the Pamukkale Fault Zone. In addition, the new gravity lineament map was obtained by using new-generation edge detection techniques: the tilt angle of the horizontal gradient amplitude (TAHG), and fast sigmoid-edge detection (FSED) of gravity data. The new proposed lineament map shows that the Denizli Basin has complex structures consisting of NW–SE, E–W, and NE–SE trending lineaments, and the major NW–SE trending faults and NE–SW trending lineaments control the main structural configuration. The uplifts and depressions in the basin deposit and the intersection area of lineaments are promising prospective areas for mineral deposits and have energy resource potential.

Determination of the ecological status of an Aegean river (Türkiye) using benthic macroinvertebrates as an indicator of water quality.

Bakırçay is one of the important rivers of Western Anatolia, Türkiye. The objectives of this study are (a) to determine the diversity of benthic invertebrates distributed in Bakırçay, (b) to evaluate the obtained data using various biological indices, (c) to determine the interactions of species with environmental variables, and (d) to estimate the water quality level of the river using BMWP and ASPT analyses. Samplings were carried out at 15 stations between October 2017 and July 2018, seasonally. A total of 11,897 specimens belonging to 136 benthic macroinvertebrate taxa were determined. Diptera and Oligochaeta were the dominant groups with 32 (24%) and 25 taxa (18%), respectively. Station 4 has the highest species richness with 49 taxa (36%). The highest individual number (3421) was at the 14th station. Tubifex tubifex and Physella acuta have the highest dominancy (25.76%) and frequency (51.67) values, respectively. Diversity (H') values of the stations fluctuated between 1.367 (st. 13) and 3.154 (st. 12). Similarity analysis showed that the 3rd and 11th stations have the highest similarity (> 90%), while the 14th station was an outgroup and has 28% similarity ratio. BMWP and ASPT scores gave similar results, and there was no 1st class water quality in the river. On the other hand, the results of the TR-BMWP score suggested that the 1st, 4th, and 6th stations had 1st class water quality. Although some stations are classified as "good conditions," the adverse effects of pollution were mainly observed in the main channel and downstream of the river.