Fethi Bengil

Optical closure in marine waters from in situ inherent optical property measurements

Optical closure using radiative transfer simulations can be used to determine the consistency of in situ measurements of inherent optical properties (IOPs) and radiometry. Three scattering corrections are applied to in situ absorption and attenuation profile data for a range of coastal and oceanic waters, but are found to have only very limited impact on subsequent closure attempts for these stations. Best-fit regressions on log-transformed measured and modelled downwards irradiance, Ed, and upwards radiance, Lu, profiles have median slopes between 0.92 - 1.24, revealing a tendency to underestimate Ed and Lu with depth. This is only partly explained by non-inclusion of fluorescence emission from CDOM and chlorophyll in the simulations. There are several stations where multiple volume scattering function related data processing steps perform poorly which suggests the potential existence of unresolved features in the modelling of the angular distribution of scattered photons. General optical closure therefore remains problematic, even though there are many cases in the data set where the match between measured and modelled radiometric data is within 25% RMS%E. These results are significant for applications that rely on optical closure e.g. assimilating ocean colour data into coupled physical-ecosystem models.

Morphometric study on the brittlestar, Amphiura chiajei Forbes, 1843 (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea), in the Aegean Sea

BARASH, A. & Z. DANIN (1986): Further additions to the knowledge of Indo-Pacific mollusca in the Mediterranean Sea. – Spixiana 9: 117-141. BRODIE, G. D., R. C. WILLAN & J. D. COLLINS (1997): Taxonomy and occurrence of Dendrodoris nigra and Dendrodoris fumata (Nudibranchia: Dendrodorididae) in the Indo-West Pacific region. – Journal of Molluscan Studies 63: 407-423. VALDÉS, A., J. ORTEA, C. AVILA & M. BALLESTEROS (1996): Review of the genus Dendrodoris Ehrenberg, 1831 (Gastropoda, Nudibranchia). – Journal of Molluscan Studies 62: 1-31. ZENETOS, A., M. E. ÇINAR, M. A. PANCUCCI-PAPADOPOULOU, J. G. HARMELIN, G. FURNARI, F. ANDALORO, N. BELLOU, N. STREFTARIS & H. ZIBROWIUS (2005): Annotated list of marine alien species in the Mediterranean with records of the worst invasive species. – Mediterranean Marine Science 6: 68-113. ZENETOS, A., S. GOFAS, G. RUDSSO & J. TEMPLADO (2011): CIESM atlas of exotic molluscs in the Mediterranean. – www.ciesm.org/atlas/Dendrodorisfumata.html [downloaded on 12.09.2011].

The distribution of breeding birds in the Küçük Menderes Delta in western Turkey

The distribution of breeding birds in the Küçük Menderes Delta in western Turkey Between 3 and 18 May, 2008, the status and distribution of breeding birds in Küçük Menderes Delta on the coast of the Aegean Sea in western Turkey was investigated. The 49 km2 large study area was divided into 49 1 × 1 km UTM squares. In all squares, 2-3 point counts, i.e. a total of 139 counts, were conducted. From a total of 54 bird species for which breeding evidence was obtained, 19 species (35%) were classified as possible breeding and 23 (43%) as probably breeding birds, while for 12 species (22%) breeding was confirmed. The current distribution of all breeding species is presented in maps. Crested Lark Galerida cristata, Cettis Warbler Cettia cetti, House Sparrow Passer domesticus and Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida were found in > 50% of all squares. More than 10 breeding species were found in squares containing different aquatic and seasonally flooded habitats along the shore-line of the Aegean Sea and in the surroundings of brackish and freshwater lakes, while in many squares, which contain large portions of agriculturally used land and salt mud-flats, less than 10 breeding species were recorded. Low numbers of breeding waterbirds in the Delta are attributed to the burning of reedbeds during the nesting season and human disturbances, like recreation activities and illegal bird shooting. Razširjenost gnezdilk v delti Küçük Menderes (zahodna Turčija)