Yusuf Kurucu

Lichens and mosses for correlation between trace elements and 210Po in the areas near coal-fired power plant at Yatağan, Turkey

The lichensRhizoplaca melanophthalma, Cladonia convoluta, Cladonia pyxidata and the mossesGrimmia pulvinata,Hypnum cupressiforme were analyzed for Pb, Cr, Cd, Co, Ni, Mn, Cu, Zn and Fe using atomic absorption spectrophotometry over a wide area around a coal-fired power plant located in Yatağan. The results were compared with the 210Po concentrations previously measured in the same samples. Correlations between 210Po and trace elements for different moss and lichen species of the same localization and for different localizations for the same species were also studied. In general trace element concentrations do not show significant differences from site to site for all species except Mn in Hypnum cupressiforme and 210Po in Grimmia pulvinata. To discuss the 210Pb level and sources in indicator plants analyzed, also radium contents of surface soil at each sampling station was measured and compared with the average values for similar soil types in the literature.

A GIS-based model for rating natural protection areas according to natural protection priorities

There has been a major urban shift of population in Turkey over the last century. Most people lived in rural areas until 1960, but now more than half live in urban areas. This trend has continued over the last 20 years, as families moved further away from city centres to find houses in the country, and this has caused land use to change rapidly. In decision-making studies to protect nature areas, rating and assessment of ecological data by scientific verification is difficult due to the huge volume and diversity of data. Therefore, the search for the most suitable and applicable method to achieve physical planning based on ecological understanding has been sought. The necessity for numerous parameters to be taken into account has stimulated the use of geographic information systems (GIS). This study assesses the usefulness of a GIS-based model in the protected area of Kaynaklar County, to the south of the city of Izmir. Existing cultural and natural land-use types, as well as soil, hydrologic, geologic and geomorphologic data layers (future classes) were gathered from field observation and using Landsat and IKONOS satellite images, and transferred to a database according to GIS rules. Index values were determined by taking impact on attributes of natural protection as a priority and these were attached to each feature class. Layers of data were merged by spatial intersection methods and new polygons were created for both cultural and natural features. A three-grade final map of the study area was generated using total index values of each new polygon.