Muhammet Turkoglu

Synchronous blooms of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi and three dinoflagellates in the Dardanelles (Turkish Straits System)

This study focuses on the synchronous blooms of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi and three dinoflagellates Prorocentrum micans, Ceratium furca var. furca and Ceratium fusus var. seta observed between 7 June and 11 July 2003 in the Dardanelles. An analysis of the vertical distribution of the E. huxleyi population size with respect to various environmental parameters was discussed. Additionally, inorganic nutrients and phytoplankton interactions were investigated in relation to the bloom conditions and hydrography of the Dardanelles. The algal bloom started in nearby Izmit Bay (eastern end of the Sea of Marmara) in early June, then quickly spread through the Sea of Marmara and continued until mid-July. Thermal stratification was observed between different water masses at the time of sampling. During the bloom period, cell density of E. huxleyi ranged from 3.58 x 10 7 to 2.55 x 10 8 cells l -1 in the superficial layer. Prorocentrum micans was the second most-abundant species and the cell numbers ranged from 1.0 × 10 6 cells l -1 to 3.3 x 10 6 cells l -1 . Other abundant species in this area included C. furca var. furca and C. fusus var. seta.

Investigation of Discharge of Fresh Water in the Canakkale Strait (Dardanelles-Turkey)

The Canakkale Strait (Dardanelles) is a water passage connecting the Aegean Sea and the Marmara Sea. Its NE/SW trend is interrupted by a north-south bend between Eceabat and Canakkale. The width of the Strait varies from 1.35 to 7.73 km, the narrowest part located between Canakkale and Kilitbahir. The average depth of the Strait is approximately 60 m; the deepest part reaches more than 100 m. The aim of this study is to determine the locations of fresh water discharge into the Canakkale Strait. For this purpose, 52 sample points were selected in the study area. The temperature, pH and salinity were measured at different depths of water in the Canakkale Strait (1, 5, 10, 20 and 30 m). A Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to create a tabular and spatial database, with the aim of integrating the physical properties in the Canakkale Strait. The results of this study show that discharge of fresh water is seen in four locations on the southeastern coast between Dardanos and Canakkale, and that the Aegean Sea and Marmara Sea water are mixing between Canakkale and Kilitbahir. In the future, these sources of fresh water may be needed as population increases in the region. However, water pollution in the Canakkale Strait may limit the use of this fresh water.

Results of heavy metals and other water quality levels in tap water from Çan sourced from Ağı Dağı (Mt. Ağı) (Çanakkale, Turkey)

In this study, the concentrations of heavy metals Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Ni, Fe, Mn and Cr were determined using an inductively coupled plasma and optical emission spectrophotometer (ICP-OES), and water quality parameters pH, temperature, and conductivity were measured using the YSI 556 MPS water probe. The water samples were collected monthly from five different street tap water points sourced from Mt. Agi (Ağı Dağı in Turkish) spring waters between May 2012 and February 2013 in Çan (Canakkale, Turkey). All results were compared with the drinking water standards of the Turkish Standards Institute (TSE 266), World Health Organization, European Union and US Environmental Protection Agency. While concentrations of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn were within limit values, Pb, Cd, Ni, and Cr were at undetectable limits. The highest concentrations of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn were 0.010 ppm, 0.018 ppm, 0.058 ppm, and 0.014 ppm, respectively. The findings revealed that although there was no public health risk in view of heavy metal concentrations, there was an acidity problem due to lower pH levels correlated with some heavy metals such as Cu (R = 0.419), Fe (R = -0.421) and Mn (R = -0.687).

Variations in Nitrogen (NH4+, NO2-, NO3-) and Heavy Metal (Al and Cu)Levels of Water from Swimming Pools in the City Center and Districts ofCanakkale, Turkey

In this study, some nitrogen (NO2-, NO3-, NH4+) and metal (Al and Cu) concentrations were analyzed during the summer period by using an ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy method in a total of 44 swimming pools located in the province and districts of Canakkale (Turkey). Merck Kits equivalent to EPA, APHA, ISO and DIN standards were used for spectrometric analyses. The monthly quality parameter results in this study were evaluated according to various limit standard values for different countries. As a result, NH4+, NO2-, NO3-, Al and Cu concentrations varied between 0.003 and 0.999 mg L-1 (0.073 ± 0.139 mg L-1), 0.042 and 0.277 mg L-1 (0.086 ± 0.039 mg L-1), 0.054 and 76.844 mg L-1 (12.111 ± 10.487), 0 and 0.652 mg L-1 (0.141 ± 0.068 mg L-1) and 0 and 2.216 mg L-1 (0.139 ± 0.163 mg L-1), respectively. Although all the maximum values, except for NO2-, exceeded the limit values of the Turkish Health Ministry (THM), all the average values were under the limit values of THM.

Bloom Dynamics of Emiliania Huxleyi (Lohmann) Hay & Mohler, 1967 in the Sea of Marmara: A Review

Coccolithophores have had an effect on global climate change for a few million years. The marine phytoplankton group is responsible for approximately 20% of the total carbon fixation in marine systems. They can form blooms spreading hundreds of thousands of square kilometers, are recognized by elegant coccolith structures formed from calcium carbonate exoskeletons, and are visible from space. Although carbon is transferred to the sediments in organic matter and calcite form by coccolithophores, carbon dioxide (CO2) is released by the calcification process. Therefore, they have a complex effect on the carbon cycle due to their activity regarding CO2 production and consumption. This review represents the first attempt to present temporal and vertical distributions of Emiliania huxleyi (Lohmann) Hay & Mohler, 1967 (Ehux), which is one of the most important species of the coccolithophores in the bloom periods and the interaction of this species with other phytoplankton groups in the Sea of Marmara. This study may also indicate the advance of this species from the Black Sea region through the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles under favorable conditions.

First bloom record of toxic dinoflagellate Prorocentrum lima (Ehrenberg) F.Stein, 1878 and climate change interactions in the Dardanelles (Turkish Straits Sistem)

We performed tsunami simulations for the Lingayen Gulf using the earthquake parameters of the two earthquake scenarios along the Manila Trench. The Case 1 earthquake scenario (M7.6) with a slip amount of 1.2 m produced smaller maximum wave height of 0.3 m and it arrived in about 1 hour in the inner bay of the Lingayen Gulf. The simulation results showed that Case 2 earthquake scenario (M8.4) with a slip amount of 3.7 m produced the maximum wave height of 1.6 m that arrived in about 1 hour in the inner bay of the Lingayen Gulf. The inundation computations showed that Case 1 produced a maximum height of 0.7 m and inundated approximately 0.13 km 2 in a target area in Dagupan City while Case 2 produced a maximum height of 3 m and inundated approximately 0.70 km 2 in the same area. The existing tsunami sensor (ASTI tide gauge station) is effective in the inner bay as it alarms the community of an impending tsunami in 30 min and 35 min in Cases 1 and 2, respectively, while it is ineffective in Bolinao coast because there will be a sudden tsunami arrival. Combining ASTI and JICA (proposed tsunami sensor project) tide gauge stations would advance to a better and robust tsunami early warning system in the Lingayen Gulf.