Vol.28 – 2022

First record of seven tintinnid species from the Lebanese waters

Marie Abboud-Abi Saab, Anthony Ouba, Myriam Lteif, Myriam Ghsoub, Celine Mahfouz, Sharif Jemaa, Abed El Rahman Hassoun, Milad Fakhri

ORCID IDs: M.A.A.S. 0000-0002-3503-5866; A.O. 0000-0001-5734-6094; M.L. 0000-0002-7819-3303; M.G. 0000-0003-3413-0674; C.M. 0000-0001-9247-1050; S.J. 0000-0002-3680-1796, A.E.R.H. 0000-0003-1940-215X; M.F. 0000-0003-4327-2674

National Council for Scientific Research – National Center for Marine Sciences, P.O. Box: 534, Batroun, LEBANON

Abstract

Seven ciliate tintinnids are reported in this study for the first time in Lebanese marine waters: Leprotintinnus nordqvisti (Brandt 1906) Kofoid and Campbell, 1929, Codonellopsis ostenfeldi Schmidt, 1902, Dictyocysta fundlandica Ehrenberg, 1854, Undellopsis subangulata (Jörgensen) Kofoid and Campbell, 1929, Canthariella pyramidata (Jörgensen 1924) Kofoid and Campbell, 1929, Daturella striata Kofoid and Campbell, 1929 and Amphorides calida (Kofoid and Campbell) Strand, 1926. These species were collected in Lebanon at an offshore station facing Beirut between 0 and 600m depth. Morphological features of the shells (loricae) used to identify each species are described. This work is a contribution to the regional checklist of ciliates.

Keywords: Eastern Mediterranean, Lebanese waters, tintinnids, ciliates, microzooplankton

References

Abboud-Abi Saab, M. (1989) Distribution and ecology of the tintinnids in the plankton of Lebanese coastal water (Eastern Mediterranean). Journal of Plankton Research 11(2): 203-222.

Abboud-Abi Saab, M. (2002) Annual cycle of the microzooplankton communities in the waters surrounding the Palm Island Nature Reserve (north Lebanon), with special attention to tintinnids. Mediterranean Marine Science 3(2): 55-76.

Abboud-Abi Saab, M. (2008) Tintinnids of the Lebanese Coastal Waters (Eastern Mediterranean). CNRS/UNEP/MAP/RAC/SPA, Lebanon.

Abboud-Abi Saab, M., Fakhri, M., Kassab, M.T. (2012) Effect of chemical input on the temporal and spatial abundance of tintinnid ciliates in Lebanese coastal waters (Eastern Mediterranean). Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 18(3): 299-328.

Abboud-Abi Saab, M., Ouba, A. (2021) Seasonal and interannual changes in abundance and community structure of tintinnids in the Levantine Sea in relation to hydrographic conditions from 2002 to 2014. Regional Studies in Marine Science 47: 101990.

Abboud-Abi Saab, M., Romano, J.C., Bensoussan, N., Fakhri, M. (2004) Comparative temperature time-series in the Lebanese (Batroun) and French (Marseilles) coastal waters between June 1999 and October 2002. Geoscience 336(15): 1379-1390 (in French).

Abou Zaid, M., Hellal, A. (2012) Tintinnids (Protozoa: Ciliata) from the coast of Hurghada Red Sea, Egypt. The Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research 38: 249-268.

Agatha, S., Laval-Peuto, M., Simon, P. (2013) The tintinnid lorica. In: The Biology and Ecology of Tintinnid Ciliates: Models for Marine Plankton, (eds., Dolan, J.R., Montagnes, D.J.S., Agatha, S., Coats, D.W., Stoecker, D.K.), Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK, pp. 17-41.

Agatha, S., Strüder-Kypke, M.C. (2014) What morphology and molecules tell us about the evolution of Oligotrichea (Alveolata, Ciliophora). Acta Protozoologica 53: 77-90.

Alder, V.A. (1999) Tintinnoinea. In: South Atlantic zooplankton (1st ed.), (eds., Boltovskoy, D.), Backhuys Publishers, pp. 321-384.

Al-Yamani, F., Skryabin, V., Gubanova, A., Khvorov, S., Prusova, I. (2011) Marine Zooplankton Practical Guide for the Northwestern Arabian Gulf (1st ed.). Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait.

Atef Dib, N. (2013) Contribution to the study of marine protozoa in the coastal waters northern of Lattakia city. MScThesis, University of Teshreen, Syria (in Arabic).

Balech, E. (1975) La familia Undellidae (Protozoa, Ciliophora, Tintinnina). Physis 34(89): 377-398.

Balkis-Ozdelice, N., Koray, T. (2014) A Check-List of Tintinnids (Protozoa: Ciliophora) in the coastal zone of Turkey. Pakistan Journal of Zoology 46: 1029-1038.

Brandt, K. (1906) The tintinnid nodes of the plankton expedition. Table explanations together with a brief diagnosis of the new species. Results Plankton Exped. Humboldt Foundation 3: 1-33 (in German).

Cariou, J., Dolan, J., Dallot, S. (1999) A preliminary study of tintinnid diversity in the NW Mediterranean Sea. Journal of Plankton Research 21(6): 1065.

Chandrasekera, W.U., Fernando, M.A.S.T. (2009) Accidental introduction of alien plankton into the Sri Lankan coastal zone through ballast water of cargo ships, Sri Lanka. Journal of Aquatic Sciences 14: 87-103.

David, M., Gollasch, S., Cabrini, M., Perkoviča, M., Bošnjakd, D., Virgilioc, D. (2007) Results from the first ballast water sampling study in the Mediterranean Sea–the Port of Koper study. Marine Pollution Bulletin 54: 53-65.

Dolan, J. (2000) Tintinnid ciliate diversity in the Mediterranean Sea: longitudinal patterns related to water column structure in late spring-early summer. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 22: 69-78.

Dolan, J., Ciobanu, M., Marro, S., Coppola, L. (2019) An exploratory study of heterotrophic protists of the mesopelagic Mediterranean Sea. ICES Journal of Marine Science 76(3): 616-625.

Dolan, J.R., Pierce, R.W. (2013) Diversity and distributions of tintinnid ciliates. In: The Biology and Ecology of Tintinnid Ciliates: Models for Marine Plankton, (eds., Dolan, J. R., Agatha, S., Coats, D.W.), Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK, pp. 214-243.

Dorgham, M., Abdel-Aziz, N.E. (2001) Abundance, species composition, biodiversity, size and ecology of tintinnids in Doha Harbour (Arabian gulf). Arab Gulf Journal of Scientific Research 19: 121-130.

Ehrenberg, C.G. (1854) The systematic characterization of the new microscopic organisms of the deep Atlantic Ocean. K. Preuss. Akad. Wiss., Berlin (in German).

Gil-Luna, R., García, C.M. (2018) A survey of Tintinnids distribution in Alboran Sea. In: VI International Symposium on Marine Science 2018, Spain.

Hada, Y. (1938) Studies on the Tintinnoinea from the Western Tropical Pacific. Journal of the Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University. Series 6, Zoology 6(2): 87-190.

Haibo, L., Chaofeng, W., Liang, C., Zhao, Y., Zhang, W., Grégori, G., Xiao, T. (2019) Diversity and distribution of tintinnid ciliates along salinity gradient in the Pearl River Estuary in southern China. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 226: 106268 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2019.106268.

Hu, T., Wang, Z., Liu, W., Lin, X. (2022) Taxonomy and phylogeny of two tintinnid ciliates of Leprotintinnus (Protista, Ciliophora, Choreotrichida) combining the loricae, cytological, ontogenetic features, and barcoding genes. Frontiers in Marine Science 9: 847600.

Jörgensen, E. (1924) Mediterranean Tintinnidae. Report on the Danish Oceanographical Expeditions 1908-1910. Mediterranean and Adjacent Seas 8(11): 1-110.

Kofoid, C.A., Campbell, A. S. (1929) A conspectus of the marine and freshwater ciliata belonging to the suborder Tintinnoinea, with descriptions of new species principally from the Agassiz Expedition to the Eastern Tropical Pacific 1904- 1905. University of California Publications. Zoology 34: 403.

Kofoid, C.A., Campbell, A.S. (1939) The tintinnoinea of the eastern tropical Pacific. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy at Harvard College 84: 1-473.

Li, H., Zhao, Y., Chen, X., Zhang, W., Xu, J., Li, J., Xiao, T. (2016) Interaction between neritic and warm water tintinnids in surface waters of East China Sea. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography 124: 84-92.

Lynn, D.H. (2008) The Ciliated Protozoa: Characterization, Classification, and Guide to the Literature. (Third ed.). Springer, New York.

Marshall, S.M. (1969) Protozoa. Order Tintinnida. In: Fiches d’identification du zooplankton, International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, Copenhagen, pp. 117-127.

Nie, D.S., Cheng, P.S. (1947) Tintinnoinea of the Hainan region. Contributions from the Biological Laboratory of the Science Society of China: Zoological Series 16: 41-86.

Njire, J., Batistić, M., Kovačević, V., Garić, R., Bensi, M. (2019) Tintinnid ciliate communities in pre- and post-winter conditions in the southern Adriatic Sea (NE Mediterranean). Water 11: 2329 doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/w11112329.

Ouba, A., Abboud-Abi Saab, M. (2020) First record of four tintinnid species in the Lebanese marine waters of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 26(2): 133-144.

Pierce, R.W., Carlton, J.T., Carlton, D.A., Geller, J.B. (1997) Ballast water as a vector for tintinnid transport. Marine Ecology Progress Series 149: 295-297.

Pierce, R.W., Turner, J.T. (1993) Global biogeography of marine tintinnids. Marine Ecology Progress Series 94: 11-26.

Santiago, J.A., Lagman, M.C. (2018) Species check-list for tintinnids of the Philippines Archipelago (Protozoa, Ciliophora). ZooKeys 771: 1-14.

Santoferrara, L.F., McManus, G.B. (2020) Diversity and biogeography as revealed by morphologies and DNA sequences. Tintinnid ciliates as an example. In: Zooplankton Ecology, (eds., Teodósio, M.A., Barbosa, A.B.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 85-118.

Santoferrara, L.F., McManus, G.B., Alder, V.A. (2013) Utility of genetic markers and morphology for species discrimination within the order Tintinnida (Ciliophora, Spirotrichea). Protist 164: 24-36.

Schmidt, J. (1902) Some tintinnodea from the Gulf of Siam. Scientific Announcements from the Natural History Society in Copenhagen for the Year 1901 63: 183-190.

Sharaf, G.M. (1995) On some tintinnids (Protozoa: Ciliata) from the Strait of Hormoz and the United Arab Emirates waters. Qatar University Science Journal 15(2): 389-398.

Sitran, R., Bergamasco, A., Decembrini, F., Guglielmo, L. (2009) Microzooplankton (tintinnid ciliates) diversity: coastal community structure and driving mechanisms in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Western Mediterranean). Journal of Plankton Research 31(2): 153-170.

Toklu-Alicli, B., Balkis, N., Toklu, A.S., Hobek, A. (2010) First record of Amphorellopsis tetragon (Protozoa: Ciliaphora: Tintinnina) from the Sea of Marmara. IUFS Journal of Biology 69(2): 103-106.

Utermöhl, H. (1958) Methods of collecting plankton for various purposes. SIL Communications 1953-1996 9(1): 1-38 (in German).

Van Der Spoel, S. (1987) Annotated species list of the Mollusca, Tintinnida, Amphisolenia (Dinoflagellata) and Radiolaria collected in pump samples by the Amsterdam Mid North Atlantic Plankton Expeditions, 1980-1983 (Proj.101 A). Verslagen En Technische Gegevens 48(1): 1-99.

Wang, C.C., Nie, D. (1932) A survey of the marine protozoa of Amoy. Science Society of China 8: 283-385.

Yurga, L. (2012) Non-native two new Tintinnida (Oligotrichida) taxa in İzmir Bay: Leptotintinnus nordqvisti (Brandt 1906) and Tintinnopsis corniger (Hada, 1964). Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science 29(2): 69-72.

Zakaria, H.Y., Radwan, A., Said, M. (2019) Zooplankton community characteristics of the different water types in Abu Qir Bay, Alexandria, Egypt. The Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research 45(2): 131-138.

Zhang, W., Feng, M., Yu, Y., Zhang, C., Xiao, T. (2012) An Illustrated Guide to Contemporary Tintinnids in the World. Science Press, China.

 

Spatial distribution of dissolved/dispersed petroleum hydrocarbons in seawater and sediments from the Mediterranean coastal area of Türkiye

Selma Ünlü, Elif Özgür

ORCID ID(s): S.Ü. 0000-0002-9156-4332; E.Ö. 0000-0001-5699-7565

Institute of Marine Sciences and Management, Istanbul University, 34134 Istanbul, TÜRKİYE
Turkish Marine Research Foundation, P.O. Box: 10, Beykoz, 34820, Istanbul, TÜRKİYE

Abstract  

In this study, the distribution of dissolved/dispersed petroleum hydrocarbons (DDPHs) in coastal water and sediments from the western coastline of Antalya Gulf (Mediterranean Sea, Türkiye) in December 2018 and in May 2019 was investigated by the UV-fluorescence spectroscopy method. The hydrocarbon concentrations ranged from 4.6 to 9.1µg/L (Thetis-Oil equivalents) for coastal waters and from 6.5 to 11.2 µg/g, dry weight (Thetis-Oil equivalents) for sediments, respectively. No significant correlations were observed between petroleum hydrocarbons and physico-chemical parameters measured in seawater (except pH; r=−0.62, p< 0.05). When compared with various environmental hydrocarbon pollution criteria, the levels found in this study indicated that the coastal waters and sediments were considerably polluted. Intensive maritime activities, ship and boat traffic increased tourist influx, oil spills from ships, illegal discharge of oily wastewater, increase in population density, runoff, and atmospheric fallout during rainy periods were considered the main causes of local hydrocarbon pollution in the region. The findings suggest that regional monitoring programs need to be continued in all sensitive coastal areas to describe concentrations and distributions of hydrocarbons at the sea surface, in sediments, and in biota. The results of this study can contribute to the baseline data which can be used for future monitoring programs and regulatory actions to improve the environmental quality of the Mediterranean coastal zone of Türkiye.

Keywords: Petroleum hydrocarbons, coastal waters, surface sediment, UV-fluorescence spectroscopy, contamination, Mediterranean Sea

References

Aktan, N., Tekin-Özan, S. (2012) Levels of some heavy metals in water and tissues of chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) compared with physico-chemical parameters, seasons and size of the fish. Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences 22 (3): 605-613.

Balcı, A. (1993) Dissolved and dispersed petroleum hydrocarbons in the Eastern Aegean Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin 26: 222-223.

Bıldacı, I., Ünlü, S., Güven, K.C. (2000) Oil pollution of eastern Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey. Turkish Journal of Marine Sciences 6(1): 1-7.

Cullinan, C. (2006) Integrated Coastal Management Law: Establishing and Strengthening National Legal Frameworks for Integrated Coastal Management. FAO, Rome, Italy.

Demir, V. (2011) Biodiversity Research in Kaş-Antalya Marine Protected Area Planning via Decision Support Systems. PhD Thesis, Institute of Marine Sciences and Management, Department of Marine Environment, Istanbul University, İstanbul, Turkey (in Turkish).

Ehrhardt, M., Petrick, G. (1989) Relative concentrations of dissolved/dispersed fossil fuel residues in Mediterranean surface waters as measured by UV Fluorescense. Marine Pollution Bulletin 20: 560-565.

Falkowski, P. G., Cara, W. (1992) Phytoplankton productivity in the North Pacific Ocean since 1900 and implications for absorption of anthropogenic CO₂.  Nature 358 (6389): 741-743.

FAO (1982) The Review of the Health of the Oceans. FAO/IMCO/UNESCO/WMO/WHO/IAEA/UNEP Joint Group of Experts on Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution (GESAMP). Rep Stud Gesamp 15: 108.

Grati, F., Carlson, A., Carpentieri, P., Cerri, J. (2021) Handbook for Data Collection on Recreational Fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper No: 669. FAO, Rome.

Güven, K.C., Öztürk, B., Ünlü, S., Balkıs, N., Aksoy, A., Cumalı, S. (2004) The oil, detergent and heavy metals pollution of Ölüdeniz, Fethiye and Göçek, south west of Turkey. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 10(3): 233-244.

Güven, K.C., Ünlü, S., Bıldacı, I. Doğan, E. (1998) An investigation on the oil pollution of the eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Turkish Journal of Marine Sciences 4: 51-60.

Huntington, T.G. (2006) Evidence for intensification of the global water cycle: review and synthesis. Journal of Hydrology 319: 83-95.

IOC (1984) Manual for Monitoring Oil and Dissolved/Dispersed Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Marine Waters and on Beaches. Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO, Paris. 35pp. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25607/OBP-1417

ITOPF (1993) Response to Marine Oil Spills. The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Ltd., London.

Literathy, P., Al-Bloushi, A. (1988) Behaviour and Fate of Oil in the Marine Environment: Physical, Biological and Chemical Processes. EES-122 Report KISR 3040, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait.

Literathy, P., Morel, G., Zorba, M., Samhan, O., Al-Bloushi, A., Al-Hashash, N., Al-Matrouk, K., Jacob, P.G. (1992) Petroleum Compounds in the Marine Environment of Kuwait. EES-100Final Report, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait.

Mejjad, N., Rossi, A., Pavel, A.B. (2022) The coastal tourism industry in the Mediterranean: A critical review of the socio-economic and environmental pressures and impacts. Tourism Management Perspectives 44: 101007 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2022.101007.

Meo, I., Miglietta, C., Mutlu, E., Deval, M.C., Balaban, C., Olguner, M.T. (2018) Ecological distribution of demersal fish species in space and time on the shelf of Antalya Gulf, Turkey. Marine Biodiversity 48: 2105-2118.

Özbek Özgür, E. (2013) Macrobenthic Echinoderm fauna of the littoral zone of the gulf of Antalya and some ecological factors affecting their seasonal distribution, PhD thesis, Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, Department of Fisheries, Akdeniz University, Antalya. 431pp. (in Turkish).

Öztürk, B. (2021) Non-indigenous Species in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Studies and Reviews No. 87 (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean). FAO, Rome.

Öztürk, B., Altuğ, G., Çardak, M., Çiftçi, P.S. (2007) Oil pollution in surface water of the Turkish side of the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean Seas Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 13(3): 207-214.

Percin, F., Konyalıoğlu, S. (2008) Serum biochemical profiles of captive and wild northern bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus L. 1758) in the Eastern Mediterranean. Aquaculture Research 39(9): 945-953.

Rodriquez, J.J.S., Sanz, C.P. (2000) Fluorescence techniques for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in marine environment; an overview. Analusis 28(8): 710-717.

Saydam, A.C., Yılmaz, A., Baştürk, O., Salihoğlu, İ. (1988) Petrol hydrocarbon in sea water, marine organism and sediments from Northeastern Mediterranean and Aegean Sea. Rapports et Procès-Verbaux des Réunions de la Commission Internationale pour l’Exploration Scientifique de la Mer Méditerranée 31(2): 163.

Telli Karakoç, F., Ediger, D., Günay, A.S. (2016) Oil Pollution in Turkish waters of the Mediterranean Sea. In: Oil Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: Part II., (eds., Carpenter, A., Kostianoy, A.), The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, Vol: 84, Springer, Cham.

UNEP (1989) Evaluation of MED POL- Phase II Monitoring Data-Part IV-Petroleum and Chlorinated Hydrocarbons in Coastal and Reference Areas (UNEP (OCA)/MED WG.5/Inf.6) UNEP, Athens.

UNEP/MAP (2017) Mediterranean Quality Status Report. United Nations Environment Programme, Mediterranean Action Plan. Available at: https://www.medqsr.org/sites/default/files/inline files/2017MedQSR_Online_0 (accessed 6 July 2022).

USEPA-CADDIS (2022) pH -Sources, Stressors, Responses. Volume 2. Available at: https://www.epa.gov/caddis-vol2 (accessed 6 July 2022).

Ünlü, S., Alpar, B., Aydın, Ş. (2009) Spectrofluorometric characterization of aromatic hydrocarbon contamination in the sediment from the Zonguldak Industrial Region, Black Sea, Turkey. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin 18: 474-480.

Yılmaz, A., Saydam, A.C., Baştürk, Ö., Salihoğlu, İ. (1991) Transport of dissolved/dispersed petroleum hydrocarbons in the Northeastern Mediterranean. Toxicological and Environmental Chemistry 31(32): 187-197.

Yılmaz, K., Yılmaz, A., Yemenicioğlu, S., Sur, M., Salihoğlu, İ., Karabulut, Z., Telli Karakoç, F., Hatipoğlu, E., Gaines, A.F., Phillips, D., Hewer, A. (1998) Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin 36: 922-925.

Zanardi, E., Bicego, M.C., Weber, R.R. (1999) Dissolved /dispersed petroleum aromatic hydrocarbons in the Sao Sebastiao, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Marine Pollution Bulletin 38: 410-413.

The economic effects of the Russia-Ukraine war on Turkish fisheries in the western Black Sea region

Mustafa Zengin

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0243-1432

Central Fisheries Research Institute, Kaşüstü, Yomra, Trabzon, TÜRKİYE

Abstract

The war between Ukraine and Russia, the two neighbouring countries bordering the Black Sea in the north, caused many political, economic, environmental and fisheries consequences in 2022. The impacts on fisheries by the banning due to mines drifting to the Turkish part of the western Black Sea were investigated in this study.

Keywords: Russia-Ukraine War, mine threats, western Black Sea fisheries

References

Barbaro, M. (2022) How the War in Ukraine is Creating a Global Food Crisis. The New York, The Daily. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/05/podcasts/the-daily/ukraine-russia-food-supply.html?searchResultPosition=1 (Accessed on 20 Dec 2022).

BSGM (2022) Circular on the Regulation of Fisheries Fishing. Republic of Turkey Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture, circular dated 26.03.2022 and numbered E-67852565-140.02.01-502269 (in Turkish).

Caddy, J.F., Griffiths, R.C. (1995) Living marine resources and their sustainable development. Some environmental and institutional perspectives. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper, 353.

Canyon, D., Allen, E., Long, M., Brown, C. (2021) Policy Recommendations for Combatting Overfishing and Fisheries Crime. Security Nexus Perspectives, Available at: https://dkiapcss.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/N2628-Canyon-et-al-Policy-recommendations-for-combatting-overfishing-and-fisheries-crime-1.pdf (accessed 20 Dec 2022).

Erol, S., Alver, M (2022) Effects of Ukraine-Russia War on Trabzon Port. Avrasya Dosyası Dergisi 13(1): 29- 38 (in Turkish).

European Parliament (2022) European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Amendment in Order to Support the Fishing, Aquaculture and Fish-Processing Sectors Following the War in Ukraine. Legislative Train 12.2022 14 FISHERIES-PECH. Avaiable at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/carriage/european-maritime-and-fisheries-fund-support-following-the-war-in-ukraine/report?sid=6 501 (accessed 06 July 2022).

Kaene, D., Blake, E. (2022) What is the Homes for Ukraine refugees scheme and how do you apply?. Evening Standard. Available at: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/ scheme-britons-host-ukrainian-refugees-140313911.html (accessed 17 Dec 2022 2022).

Mısır, D.S., Altuntaş, C., Çankaya, A., Özyurt, C.E., Dağtekin, M. (2020) Investigation of Gill-Nets and Effects in Black Sea Fisheries. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Trabzon Fisheries Central Research Institute Project Final Report, 120 s (Proje N o: TAGEM/HAYSUD/2015/A11/P-02/9), Trabzon. (in Turkish).

Micheli, F. (2018) Fishing bans protect fish and don’t harm fishing communities. https://news.stanford.edu/2018/08/02/fishing-bans-protect-fish-dont-harm-fishing-communities/ (accessed 17 Dec 2022).

Noyan, S., Güney, M. (2012) Two decades of cooperation in the Black Sea Region: The organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and its future. Journal of Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 18(2): 102-113.

Peter, J., Auster, R.J., Malatesta, R.W., Langton, W., Page, C., Valentine, C.L. (1996) The impacts of mobile fishing gear on seafloor habitats in the Gulf of Maine: Implications for conservation of fish populations. Reviews in Fisheries Science 4(2): 185-202.

Pita, A., Sanchez, C.R (2022) Ukrainian exodus could be Europe’s biggest refugee crisis since World War II. El País. Available at: https://english.elpais.com /international/2022-03-03/ukrainian-exodus-could-be-europes-biggest-refugee-crisis-since-world-war-ii.html (accessed 22 Dec 2022).

The Guardian (2022) Ukraine war may be causing rise in dolphin deaths, say scientists. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/may /10/ukraine-war-rise-dolphin-deaths-strandings-black-sea?CMP=share_btn_link (accessed 20 Dec 2022).

TUDAV (2022) Press release: Unusually high mortality of dolphins on the Black Sea coast. Available at: https://tudav.org/bizden/basin-bultenleri/karadeniz-kiyilarinda-gorulen-olagandisi-yunus-olumleri-hakkinda-basin-bulteni/ (in Turkish) (accessed 22 Dec 2022).

Zengin, M., Karakulak, S.F., Yıldız, T., Uzer, U., Akpınar, İ.Ö., Gümüş, A. (2020) Estimation Project of Demersal Fish Stocks in the Western Black Sea Region. TAGEM/HAYSÜD/ 2011/09/02/06, Final Report. Trabzon Fisheries Central Research Institute (in Turkish).

Detection of possible route of mines broken off during the Russia-Ukraine war with an ocean circulation and a particle model

Murat Gündüz, Deniz Kutluk

ORCID IDs: M.G. 0000-0003-1316-3039; D.K. 0000-0003-1688-7999

Dokuz Eylül University, Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology, İzmir, TÜRKİYE
Turkish Marine Research Foundation, P.O. Box: 10, Beykoz, 34820, Istanbul, TÜRKİYE

Abstract

Russian authorities released a warning on March 18, 2022, stating that about 420 mines were broken off in the ports of Odessa, Ochakov, Chernomorsk, and Pivdenny in the northern coast of the Black Sea due to the stormy conditions. The warning also advised the ships to be careful when navigating in the southwest and western parts of the Black Sea due to the possibility of explosion of the drifting mines. In this study, the probable origin of locations and route of the mines are investigated by using an ocean circulation and a particle model. The results suggest approximate origin of the mines. One of the conclusions is that due to the circulation dynamics along the western coast hydrography of the Black Sea, the mines travelled to the south reaching up to the Istanbul Strait.

Keywords: Black Sea, Russia-Ukraine war, naval mines, Black Sea circulation, drifting model

Reference

Geneva Call, Naval Mines and International Law (2016) Available at: https://www.genevacall.org/naval-mines-and-international-humanitarian-law/#_ edn2 (accessed 15 Dec 2022).

Gunduz, M., Özsoy, E., Hordoir, R. (2020) A model of Black Sea circulation with strait exchange (2008–2018). Geoscientific Model Development 13(1): 121-138.

Jansen, E., Martins, D., Stefanizzi, L., Ciliberti, S. A., Gunduz, M., Ilicak, M., Lecci, R., Cretí, S., Causio, S., Aydoğdu, A., Lima, L., Palermo, F., Peneva, E. L., Coppini, G., Masina, S., Pinardi, N., Palazov, A., Valchev, N. (2022) Black Sea Physical Analysis and Forecast (Copernicus Marine Service BS-Currents, EAS5 system) (Version 1). Copernicus Monitoring Environment Marine Service (CMEMS), doi: https://doi.org/10.25423/cmcc/blksea_analysisforecast_phy_007 001_eas5.

Kotzakoulakis, K., George, S. (2021) Advanced oil spill modeling and simulation techniques. In: Oil Spill Occurrence, Simulation and Behavior, (ed., Riazi, M.R.), CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, pp. 225-264. doi: https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429432156.

Letts, D. (2016) Naval mines: Legal considerations in armed conflict and peacetime. International Review of the Red Cross 98(902): 543-565.

Madec, G., M., Bourdallé-Badie, R., Bouttier, P.A., Bricaud, C., Bruciaferri, D., Calvert, D., Chanut, J., Clementi, E., Coward, A., Delrosso, D., Ethé, C., Flavoni, S., Graham, T., Harle, J., Iovino, D., Lea, D., Lévy, C., Lovato, T., Martin, N., Masson, S., et al. (2017) NEMO ocean engine. Notes du Pôle de modélisation de l’Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace (IPSL), Zenodo. doi: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1472492.

Noyan, S., Güney, M. (2012) Two decades of cooperation in the Black Sea Region: The Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and its future. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 18(2): 102-113.

Oguz, T., Latun, V.S., Latif, M.A., Vladimirov, V.V., Sur, H.I., Markov, A.A., Özsoy, E., Kotovschikov, B.B., Eremeev, V.V., Ünlüata, Ü. (1993) Circulation in the surface and intermediate layers of the Black Sea. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers 40(8): 1597-1612.

Özsoy, E., Ünlüata, Ü. (1997) Oceanography of the Black Sea: a review of some recent results. Earth-Science Reviews 42(4): 231-272.

Pereira, P., Bašić, F., Bogunovic, I., Barcelo, D. (2022) Russian-Ukrainian war impacts the total environment. Science of the Total Environment 155865,
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155865.

Rodríguez-Villegas, C., Figueroa, R.I., Pérez-Santos, I., Molinet, C., Saldías, G.S., Rosales, S.A., Álvarez, G., Linford, P., Díaz, P.A. (2022) Continental shelf off northern Chilean Patagonia: A potential risk zone for the onset of Alexandrium catenella toxic bloom? Marine Pollution Bulletin 184: 114103. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.11410.

 

Recent observations on sandbar shark Carcharhinus plumbeus (Carchardinidae) around sea cages of fish farms in Iskenderun Bay (Türkiye, eastern Mediterranean Sea)

Okan Akyol, Halil Şen

ORCID IDs: O.A. 0000-0001-7738-2156; H.Ş. 0000-0003-0878-3583

Faculty of Fisheries, Ege University, 35440 Urla, Izmir, TÜRKİYE

Abstract

About ten specimens of the sandbar shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus, were observed beneath a fish farm sea-cage off the Arsuz coast in Iskenderun Bay, northeastern Mediterranean Sea, on 15 October 2021. Sandbar sharks have been reported to aggregate around fish farms when the seawater temperature reaches >24°C swimming around cages in groups of 10-20 individuals. During the cleaning of the bag, which is attached to the bottom part of the cage to collect the dead reared fish, sandbar sharks were observed to approach the diver and sporadically attempted to attack the cage, as well.

Keywords: Sandbar shark, foraging behaviour, attack, Levantine Basin

References

Barash, A., Pickholtz, R., Nativ, H., Malamud, S., Scheinin, A., Tchernov, D. (2018) Seasonal arrival and feeding of injured sharks at fish farms in the Eastern Mediterranean. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 24(1): 86-90.

Barone, M., Mazzoldi, C., Serena, F. (2022) Sharks, Rays and Chimaeras in Mediterranean and Black Seas – Key to Identification. FAO, Rome.

Başusta, N., Başusta, A., Ozyurt, C.E. (2021) Evidence of a second nursery area of the sandbar shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus (Nardo, 1827) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean Marine Science 22: 20-26.

Bradai, M.N., Saidi, B., Bouain, A., Guelorget, O., Capape, C. (2005) The Gulf of Gabès (southern Tunisia, central Mediterranean): nursery area for sandbar shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus (Nardo, 1827) (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhinidae). Annales, Series Historia Naturalis 15: 187-194.

Branstetter, S. (1984) Carcharhinidae. In: Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, (eds., Whitehead, P.J.P., Bauchot, M.L., Hureau, J.C., Nielsen, J., Tortonese, E.). Vol. I. UNESCO, Paris, pp. 102-114.

Ergüden, D., Ayas, D., Kabasakal, H. (2020) Provoked non-fatal attacks to divers by sandbar shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus (Carcharhiniformes: Carcharhinidae), off Taşucu coast (NE Mediterranean Sea, Turkey). Annales, Series Historia Naturalis 30(1): 1-8.
https://www.high-endrolex.com/33
Ferretti, F., Myers, R.A., Serena, F., Lotze, H.K. (2008) Loss of large predatory sharks from the Mediterranean Sea. Conservation Biology 22: 952-964.

Filiz, H. (2019) Year-round aggregation of sandbar shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus (Nardo, 1827), in Boncuk Cove in the southern Aegean Sea, Turkey (Carcharhiniformes: Carcharhinidae). Zoology in the Middle East 65: 35-39.

Golani, D., Öztürk, B., Başusta, N. (2006) Fishes of the Eastern Mediterranean. Turkish Marine Research Foundation, Istanbul, Turkey.

Kabasakal, H. (2014) The status of the great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) in Turkey’s waters. Marine Biodiversity Records 7: 1-8.

Kabasakal, H., Gedikoğlu, S.Ö. (2015) Shark attacks against humans and boats in Turkey’s waters in the twentieth century. Annales, Series Historia Naturalis 25(2): 115-122.

Lipej, L., Mavric, B., Dobrojc, Z., Capapé, C. (2008) On the occurrence of the sandbar shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus (Carcharhiniformes: Carcharhinidae) off the Slovenian coast (Northern Adriatic). Acta Adriatica 49(2): 137-145.

Rigby, C.L., Derrick, D., Dicken, M., Harry, A.V., Pacoureau, N., Simpfendorfer, C. (2021) Carcharhinus plumbeus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T3853A2874370. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T3853A28743 70.en.

Saidi, B., Bradai, M.N., Bouain, A., Guelorget, O., Capapé, C. (2005) The Reproductive biology of the sandbar shark Carcharhinus plumbeus (Carcharhiniformes: Carcharhinidae) from the Gulf of Gabés (Southern Tunisia, Central Mediterranean). Acta Adriatica 46(1): 47-62.

Soufi-Kechaou, E., Ounifi-Ben Amor, K., Ben Souissi, J., Ben Amor, M.M., Capapé, C. (2018) The capture of a large predatory shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus (Carcharhiniformes: Carcharhinidae) off the Tunisian coast (Central Mediterranean). Annales, Series Historia Naturalis 28(1): 23-28.

 

 

COMMENTS ON: Balkis-Ozdelice, N., Durmus, T., Balci, M. (2022) Letter to the Editor. Journal of Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 28(1): 125-126.

Emine Şükran Okudan, Berrin Dural, Hüseyin Erdugan, Yelda Aktan, Volkan Demir, Veysel Aysel 

ORCID IDs: E.Ş.O. 0000-0001-5309-7238; B.D. 0000-0002-9379-7922; H.E. 0000 0002 7047 6640; Y.A. 0000-0001-7920-8979; V.D. 0000-0002-8148-8647; V.A. 0000-0003-3668-7046

Faculty of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries, Akdeniz University, Antalya, TÜRKİYE
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ege University, İzmir, TÜRKİYE
Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, TÜRKİYE
Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, Istanbul University, Ordu Cad., 200, 34470, Laleli, Istanbul, TÜRKİYE
Institute of Marine Sciences and Management, Istanbul University, Istanbul, TÜRKİYE
Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, TÜRKİYE

References

Balkıs-Özdelice, N., Durmuş, T., Balcı, M. (2022) COMMENTS ON: Okudan, E.Ş., Dural, B., Erdugan, H., Aktan, Y., Demir, V., Aysel, V. (2021) New record of the benthic marine mucilage aggregates Phaeocystis giraudii from Turkish Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 27(2): 124-139; Letter to the editor 28(1): 125-126.

Balkis-Ozdelice, N., Durmus, T., Balci, M. (2021) A preliminary study on the intense pelagic and benthic mucilage phenomenon observed in the Sea of Marmara. International Journal of Environment and Geoinformatics 8(4): 414-422.

Demir, V. (2011) Marine Biological Diversity Assessment for Marine Conservation Planning in Antalya-Kas Using Decision. Ph.D. Thesis, Institute of Marine Sciences and Management, Istanbul University, Türkiye (in Turkish).

Okudan, E.Ş., Dural, B., Erdugan, H., Aktan, Y., Demir, V., Aysel, V. (2021) New record of the benthic marine mucilage aggregates Phaeocystis giraudii from Turkish Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Journal of Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 27(2): 124-139.

Introductory pages

First record of seven tintinnid species from the Lebanese waters
Marie Abboud-Abi Saab, Anthony Ouba, Myriam Lteif, Myriam Ghsoub, Celine Mahfouz, Sharif Jemaa, Abed El Rahman Hassoun, Milad Fakhri

Spatial distribution of dissolved/dispersed petroleum hydrocarbons in seawater and sediments from the Mediterranean coastal area of Türkiye
Selma Ünlü, Elif Özgür

The economic effects of the Russia-Ukraine war on Turkish fisheries in the western Black Sea region
Mustafa Zengin

Detection of possible route of mines broken off during the Russia-Ukraine war with an ocean circulation and a particle model
Murat Gündüz, Deniz Kutluk

Recent observations on sandbar shark Carcharhinus plumbeus (Carchardinidae) around sea cages of fish farms in Iskenderun Bay (Türkiye, eastern Mediterranean Sea)
Okan Akyol, Halil Şen

COMMENTS ON: Balkis-Ozdelice, N., Durmus, T., Balci, M. (2022) Letter to the Editor. Journal of Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 28(1): 125-126.
Emine Şükran Okudan, Berrin Dural, Hüseyin Erdugan, Yelda Aktan, Volkan Demir, Veysel Aysel

Floating macro litter in the Finike (Anaximander) Seamounts and adjacent waters in the eastern Mediterranean

Ülgen Aytan, Uğur Özsandıkçı, Onur Gönülal, Arda M. Tonay, Ayhan Dede, Ayaka Amaha Öztürk 

ORCID IDs: U.A. 0000-0002-6530-3083; U.O. 0000-0002-7246-5494; O.G. 0000-0002-5559-3953; A.M.T. 0000-0003-2718-9328; A. D 0000-0002-7712-615X;
A.A.Ö. 0000-0003-2281-7372

Department of Marine Biology, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, 53100, Rize, TÜRKİYE
Faculty of Fisheries, Sinop University, Akliman Mevkii, 57000, Sinop, TÜRKİYE
Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, Istanbul University, Onaltı Mart Şehitleri Cad. No: 2, 34134 Fatih, Istanbul, TÜRKİYE
Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV), P.O. Box: 10, Beykoz, Istanbul, TÜRKİYE

Abstract

Floating macro litter (>2.5cm; FML) has serious ecological and socio-economic impacts and needs to be quantified in order to inform on the environmental status and to better understand the sources and trends of litter in the marine environment. In this study, FML pollution was assessed in the Finike (Anaximander) Seamounts region, a marine protected area in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Density and composition of FML were determined from a total of 27 visual surveys, covering a total length of 970.4km, during two research cruises in May and September 2021. Relative FML densities were highly variable between surveys, ranging from 0 to 145 items.km^-2 and 0 to 82 items.km^-2 in May and September, respectively. Overall, the average density of FML was 22.79 items.km^-2. Plastics constituted 98.8% of the total FML observed. The most common items were plastic bags, food packaging and plastic and polystyrene fragments. Predominance of plastic FML in the Finike Seamounts region indicates a high potential for plastics to interact with marine biota, including endangered species, in this protected area. Results highlight the need to better understand the effects of plastics in this special ecosystem and the urgency to implement measures at national and international levels to address the problem of plastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea.

Keywords: Floating litter, plastics, pollution, MSFD, Mediterranean Sea

References

Aliani, S., Griffa, A., Molcard, A. (2003) Floating debris in the Ligurian Sea, north western Mediterranean. Marine Pollution Bulletin 46: 1142-1149.

Arcangeli, A., Campana, I., Angeletti, D., Atzori, F., Azzolin, M., Carosso, L., Di Miccoli, V., Giacoletti, A., Gregorietti, M., Luperini, C., Paraboschi, M., Pellegrino, G., Ramazio, M., Sar`a, G., Crosti, R. (2017) Amount, composition, and spatial distribution of floating macro litter along fixed trans-border transects in the Mediterranean basin. Marine Pollution Bulletin 129(2): 545-554.

Bingel, F., Avşar, D., Ünsal, M. (1987) A note on plastic materials in trawl catches in the north-eastern Mediterranean. Meeresforsch-Reports on Marine Research 3-4: 227-233.

Boerger, C.M., Lattin, G.L., Moore, S.L., Moore, C.J. (2010) Plastic ingestion by planktivorous fishes in the North Pacific Central Gyre. Marine Pollution Bulletin 60: 2275-2278.

Boucher, J., Bilard, G. (2020) The Mediterranean: Mare Plasticum. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

Buckland, S.T., Anderson, D.R., Burnham, K.P., Laake, J.L., Borchers, D.L., Thomas, L. (2001) Introduction to Distance Sampling: Estimating Abundance of Biological Populations. Oxford University Press.

Campanale, C., Suaria, G., Bagnuolo, G., Baini, M., Galli, M., De Rysky, E., Ballini, M., Aliani, S., Fossi, M. C., Uricchio, V. F. (2019) Visual observations of floating macro litter around Italy (Mediterranean Sea). Mediterranean Marine Science 20(2): 271281.

Carlson, D.F., Suaria, G., Aliani, S., Fredj, E., Fortibuoni, T., Griffa, A., Russo, A., Melli, V. (2017) Combining litter observations with a regional ocean model to identify sources and sinks of floating debris in a semi-enclosed basin: The Adriatic Sea. Frontiers in Marine Science 4: 78.

CBS (2022) 3.8 billion saved from plastic bags in 3.5 years. Available at: https://csb.gov.tr/bakanlik-faaliyetleri (accessed 07 Aug 2022) (in Turkish).

Cheshire, A.C., Adler, E., Barbière, J., Cohen, Y., Evans, S., Jarayabhand, S., Jeftic, L., Jung, R.T., Kinsey, S., Kusui, E.T., Lavine, I., Manyara, P., Oosterbaan, L., Pereira, M.A., Sheavly, S., Tkalin, A., Varadarajan, S., Wenneker, B., Westphalen, G. (2009) UNEP/IOC Guidelines on Survey and Monitoring of Marine Litter. UNEP Regional Seas Reports and Studies, 186, IOC Technical Series No. 83.

Constantino, E., Martins, I., Salazar Sierra, J.M., Bessa, F. (2019) Abundance and composition of floating marine macro litter on the eastern sector of the Mediterranean Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin 138: 260-265.

Cózar, A., Sanz-Martin, M., Marti, E., González-Gordillo, J.I., Ubeda, B., Gálvez, J.A., Irigoen, X., Duarte, C.M. (2015) Plastic accumulation in the Mediterranean Sea. PLoS One 10(4): e0121762.

Curmi, M., Axiak, V. (2021) Extended study on floating litter in Malta’s coastal waters (Central Mediterranean). Marine Pollution Bulletin 166: 112200

Di-Meglio, N., Campana, I. (2017) Floating macro-litter along the Mediterranean French coast: composition, density, distribution and overlap with cetacean range. Marine Pollution Bulletin 118(1-2): 155-166.

Domènech, F. Aznar, F.J. Raga, J.A. Tomá, J. (2019) Two decades of monitoring in marine debris ingestion in loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta, from the western Mediterranean. Environmental Pollution 244: 367-378.

Eriksen, M., Lebreton, L. C. M., Carson, H. S., Thiel, M., Moore, C. J., Borerro, J. C., Galgani, F., Ryan, P.G., Reisser, J. (2014) Plastic pollution in the world’s oceans: more than 5 trillion plastic pieces weighing over 250,000 tons afloat at sea. PLoS One 9: 111913.

Fleet, D., Vlachogianni, Th., Hanke, G. (2021) A Joint List of Litter Categories for Marine Macrolitter Monitoring. EUR 30348 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

Fossi, M.C., Romeo, T., Baini, M., Panti, C., Marsili, L., Campani, T., Canese, S., Galgani, F., Druon, J.-N., Airoldi, S., Taddei, S., Fattorini, M., Brandini, C., Lapucci, C. (2017) Plastic debris occurrence, convergence areas and fin whales feeding ground in the Mediterranean Marine protected area Pelagos sanctuary: a modeling approach. Frontiers in Marine Science 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/ fmars.2017.00167

Galgani, F., Hanke, G., Werner, S., Oosterbaan, L., Nilsson, P., Fleet, D., Liebezeit, G. (2013) Guidance on Monitoring of Marine Litter in European Seas. JRC Scientific and Policy Reports pp. 47-55.

Hahladakis, J.N., Velis, C.A., Weber, R. Iacovidou, E., Purnell, P. (2018) An overview of chemical additives present in plastics: Migration, release, fate and environmental impact during their use, disposal and recycling. Journal of Hazardous Materials 344: 179-199.

Jambeck, J.R., Geyer, R., Wilcox, C., Siegler, T.R., Perryman, M., Andrady, A., Narayan, R., Lavender Law, K. (2015) Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean. Science 347(6223): 768-771.

Kiessling, T., Gutow, L., Thiel, M. (2015) Marine Litter as Habitat and Dispersal Vector. In: Marine Anthropogenic Litter, (eds., Bergmann, M., Gutow, L., Klages, M.) SpringerOpen, pp. 141-181.

Lambert, C., Authier, M., Doremus, G. Laran, S, Panigada, S., Spitz, J., Van Canneyt, O., Ridoux, V. (2020) Setting the scene for Mediterranean litterscape management: The first basin-scale quantification and mapping of floating marine debris. Enviromental Pollution 263, Part A, 114430.

Lebreton, L.C.-M., Greer, S.D., Borrero, J.C. (2012) Numerical modelling of floating debris in the world’s oceans. Marine Pollution Bulletin 64: 653-661.

Liubartseva, S., Coppini, G., Lecci, R., Clementi, E. (2018) Tracking plastics in the Mediterranean: 2D Lagrangian model. Marine Pollution Bulletin 129: 151-162.

Marques, T.A., Thomas, L., Fancy, S.G., Buckland, S.T. (2007) Improving estimates of bird density using multiple – covariate distance sampling. The Auk 124(4): 1229-1243.

Morris, R.J. (1980) Floating plastic debris in the Mediterranean. Marine Pollution Bulletin 11(5): 125.

Miller, D.L., Rexstad, E., Thomas, L., Marshall, L., Laake, J.L. (2019) Distance Sampling in R. Journal of Statistical Software 89(1): 1-28.

Öztürk, A.A., Tonay, A.M. Dede, A. (2013) Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) sightings in the Aegean and Mediterranean part of Turkish waters. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 19(2): 169-177.

Öztürk, B., Topçu, E.N., Topaloğlu, B. (2010) A preliminary study on two seamounts in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Rapport Comission International pour l’exploration scientifique de la Mer Méditeranaee 39: 620.

Palatinus, A., Kovaˇc Virˇsek, M., Robiˇc, U., Grego, M., Bajt, O., Šiljić, J., Suaria, G., Liubartseva, S., Coppini, G., Peterlin, M. (2019) Marine litter in the Croatian part of the middle Adriatic Sea: simultaneous assessment of floating and seabed macro and micro litter abundance and composition. Marine Pollution Bulletin 139: 427-439.

Poeta, G., Staffieri, E., Acosta, A.T., Battisti, C. (2017). Ecological effects of anthropogenic litter on marine mammals: A global review with a “black-list” of impacted taxa. Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy 28(2): 253-264.

R Core Team (2020) R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. Available at: https://www.R-project.org/ (accessed 10 April 2022).

Suaria, G., Aliani, S. (2014) Floating debris in the Mediterranean Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin 86(1-2): 494-504.

Teuten, E.L., Saquing, J.M., Knappe, D.R., Barlaz, M.A., Jonsson, S., Björn, A., Rowland, S.J., Thompon, R.C., Galloway, T.S., Yamashita, R., Ochi, D., Watanuki, Y., Moore, C., Viet, P.H., Tana, T.S., Prudente, M., Boonyatumanond, R., Zakaria, M.P., Akkhavong, K., Ogata, Y., Hirai, H., Iwasa, S., Mizukawa, K., Hagino, Y., Imamura, A., Saha, M., Takada, H., (2009) Transport and release of chemicals from plastics to the environment and to wildlife. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 364: 2027-2045.

Tonay, A.M., Öztürk, A.A., Salman, A., Dede, A., Aytemiz Danyer, I., Danyer, E., Öztürk, B. (2021) Stranding records of sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) on the Turkish coast in 2019-2020 with a note on the opportunistic sampling of stomach content. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 27(3): 281-293.

Tserpes, G., Peristeraki, P., Valavanis, V. D. (2008) Distribution of swordfish in the eastern Mediterranean, in relation to environmental factors and the species biology. Hydrobiologia 612: 241-242.

UNEP/MAP (2015) Marine Litter Assessment in the Mediterranean. Mediterranean Action Plan, Athens.

UNEP/MAP (2017) Agenda item 3: Review of proposed IMAP Common Indicator Guidance Facts Sheets IMAP Common Indicator Guidance Facts Sheets (Pollution and Marine Litter), Mediterranean Action Plan, Athens.

Van Franeker, J.A., Blaize, C., Danielsen, J., Fairclough, K., Gollan, J., Guse, N., Hansen, P.L., Heubeck, M., Jensen, J.-K., Le Guillou, G., Olsen, B., Olsen, K.O.,Pedersen, J., Stienen, E.W.M., Turner, D.M. (2011) Monitoring plastic ingestion by the northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis in the North Sea. Environmental Pollution 159: 2609-2615.

Welshons, W.V., Nagel, S.C., vom Saal, F.S.V. (2006) Large effects from small exposures. III. Endocrine mechanisms mediating effects of bisphenol A at levels of human exposure. Endocrinology 147: 56-69.

Woodside, J.M., David, L., Frantzis, A. Hooker, S.K. (2006) Gouge marks on deep-sea mud volcanoes in the eastern Mediterranean: Caused by Cuvier’s beaked whales? Deep Sea Research Part I 53(11): 1762-1771.

Zeri, C., Adamopoulou, A., Bojani´c Varezi´c, D., Fortibuoni, T., Kovaˇc Virˇsek, M., Krˇzan, A., Mandic, M., Mazziotti, C., Palatinus, A., Peterlin, M., Prvan, M., Ronchi, F., Siljic, J., Tutman, P., Vlachogianni, T. (2018) Floating plastics in Adriatic waters (Mediterranean Sea): from the macro- to the micro-scale. Marine Pollution Bulletin 136: 341-350.

Pelagic gastropods of the Finike Seamounts region, the eastern Mediterranean Sea

Senem Çağlar, Bilal Öztürk

ORCID IDs: S.Ç. 0000-0001-5882-9020; B.Ö. 0000-0002-5638-2496

Hydrobiology Section, Depertment of Biology, Faculty of Science, Istanbul University, Fatih, İstanbul, 34134, TÜRKİYE
832/1 Sokak 13/3, Bornova, İzmir, 35100, TÜRKİYE

Abstract

The present study addresses the distribution of pelagic gastropods species in the Finike Seamounts region, which is a Special Environmental Protection Area. The material was sampled from different depths in 12 stations by nets and beam trawl. In total, seven species belonging to six families were identified, namely, Janthina globosa Swainson, 1822; Atlanta peronii Lesueur, 1817; Cavolinia gibbosa (d’Orbigny, 1835); Cavolinia inflexa (Lesueur, 1813); Clio pyramidata Linnaeus, 1767; Styliola subula (Quoy & Gaimard, 1827) and Hyalocylis striata (Rang, 1828). Here we present some ecological and distributional characteristics of the determined species with their photographs.

Keywords: Finike, seamounts, pelagic gastropods, Türkiye

References

Aker, V., Özel, İ., Pulat, İ. (2007) Some pelagic Gastropoda species determined on the Aegean Sea coasts. Turkish Journal of Aquatic Life 3-5(5-8): 1 (in Turkish).

Aksu, A.E., Hall, J., Yaltırak, C. (2009) Miocene-recent evolution of Anaximander Mountains and Finike Basin at the junction of Hellenic and Cyprus Arcs, eastern Mediterranean. Marine Geology 258: 24-47.

Beu, A.G. (2017) Evolution of Janthina and Recluzia (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Epitoniidae). Records of the Australian Museum 69(3): 119-222.

Bouchet, P. (2006) The Magnitude of Marine Biodiversity. In: The Exploration of Marine Biodiversity: Scientific and Technological Challenges, (ed., Duarte, C.M.) Fundación BBVA, Bilbao, pp. 31-62.

Buzzurro, G., Greppi, E. (1996) The Lessepsian molluscs of Tasucu (South-East Turkey). La Conchiglia 3-22.

Churchill, C.K.C., Foighil, D.Ó., Strong, E.E., Gittenberger, A. (2011a) Females floated first in bubble-rafting snails. Current Biology 21: 802-803.

Churchill, C.K.C., Strong, E., Foighil, D.Ó. (2011b) Hitchhiking juveniles in the rare neustonic gastropod Recluzia cf. jehennei (Janthinidae). Journal of Molluscan Studies 77: 441-444.

Cita, M.B., Ryan, W.B.F., Paggi, L. (1981) Prometheus mud breccia. An example of shale diapirism in the western Mediterranean Ridge. Annales Géologique des Pays Helléniques 3: 543-570.

Coll, M., Piroddi, C., Steenbeek, J., Kaschner, K., Ben Rais Lasram, F., Aguzzi, J., Ballesteros, E., Bianchi, C.N., Corbera, J., Dailianis, T., Danovaro, R., Estrada, M., Froglia, C., Galil, B.S., Gasol, J.M., Gertwagen, R., Gil, J., Guilhaumon, F., Kesner-Reyes, K., Kitsos, M.S., et al. (2010) The biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea: Estimates, patterns, and threats. PLoS One 5(8): e11842.

Çevik, C., Kıdeyş, A., Toklu, B., Ergüden, D., Sarıhan, E. (2006) New pelagic Gastropoda species encountered on the Turkish coast on the Levant Sea. Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Science 30: 151-157.

Demir, M. (2003) Shells of mollusca collected from the seas of Turkey. Turkish Journal of Zoology 27: 101-140.

Forbes, E. (1844) Report on the Mollusca and Radiata of the Aegean Sea, and on their distribution, considered as bearing on geology. In: Report of the Thirteenth Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science Held at Cork in August 1843, London, pp. 130-193.

Georgieva, M.N., Little, C.T.S., Maslennikov, V.V., Glover, A.G., Ayupova, N.R., Herrington, R.J. (2021) The history of life at hydrothermal vents. Earth-Science Reviews 217: 103602.

Janssen, A.W. (2012) Late quaternary to recent holoplanktonic mollusca (Gastropoda) from bottom samples of the eastern Mediterranean Sea: systematics, morphology. Bollettino Malacologico 48(9): 1-105.

Janssen, A.W., Burridge, A.K., Mekkes, L., Peijnenburg, K.T.C.A. (2018) History of the Clio pyramidata-complex (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Euthecosomata, Cliidae) in the Atlantic Ocean, restoring its original concept. Basteria 82(4-6): 83-102.

Lalli, C.M., Gilmer, R.W. (1989) Pelagic Snails: the Biology of Holoplanktonic Gastropod Mollusks. Stanford University Press, Stanford.

León, P., Bednaršek, N., Walsham, P., Cook, K., Hartman, S.E., Wall-Palmer, D., Hindson, J., Mackenzie, K., Webster, L., Bresnan, E. (2020) Relationship between shell integrity of pelagic gastropods and carbonate chemistry parameters at a Scottish Coastal Observatory monitoring site. ICES Journal of Marine Science 77(1): 436-450.

Lonsdale, P. (1977) Clustering of suspension-feeding macrobenthos near abyssal hydrothermal vents at oceanic spreading centers. Deep-Sea Research 24: 857-863.

Moreno-Alcántara, M. (2019) Atlantidae (Pterotracheoidea) of the northeast Pacific. Zoosymposia 13: 139-146.

Moreno-Alcántara, M., Giraldo, A., Aceves-Medina, G. (2017) Heteropods (Gastropoda: Pterotracheoidea) identified along a coastal-oceanic transect in the Columbian Pacific. Bulletin of Marine and Coastal Research 46(2): 175-181.

OBIS (2022) Ocean Biodiversity Information System. Available at: https://obis.org/ (accessed 18 Aug 2022).

Olu-Le Roy, K., Sibuet, S., Fiala-Medioni, A., Gofas, S., Salas, C., Mariotti, A., Foucher, J.P., Woodside, J. (2004) Cold seep communities in the deep eastern Mediterranean Sea: Composition, symbiosis and spatial distribution on mud volcanoes. Deep Sea Research Part 1 51: 1915-1936.

Ostroumoff, A. (1896) Dredging and plankton reports from the “Thessaloniki” Expedition. Bulletin de l’Academie Imperiale des Sciences de St. Petersbourg 5: 33-92 (in Russian).

Öztürk, B. (2009) Marine protected areas in the high seas of the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean Seas, some proposals. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 15: 69-82.

Öztürk, B., Doğan, A., Bitlis-Bakir, B., Salman, A. (2014) Marine molluscs of the Turkish coasts: An updated checklist. Turkish Journal of Zoology 38: 832-879.

Öztürk, B., Topcu, N.E., Topaloglu, B. (2010) A preliminary study on two seamounts in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Rapport de la Commission International pour l’Exploration Scientifique de la Mer Méditerranée 39: 620.

Öztürk, B., Topçu, E., Topaloglu, B. (2012) The Submarine Canyons of the Rhodes Basin and the Mediterranean Coast of Turkey. In: Mediterranean Submarine Canyons: Ecology and Governance, (ed., Wurtz, M.), IUCN, Gland and Malaga, pp. 65-71.

Paull, C.K., Hecker, B., Commeau, R., Freeman-Lynde, R.P., Neumann, C., Corso, W.P., Golubic, S., Hook, J.E., Sikes, E., Curray, J. (1984) Biological communities at the Florida escarpment resemble hydrothermal vent taxa. Science 226: 965-967.

Ponder, W.F., Lindberg, D.R. (eds.) (2008) Phylogeny and Evolution of the Mollusca. University of California Press, Berkeley.

Raineault, N.A., Ramey-Balci, P.A., Shank, T.M., Bors, E., Duman, M., Ürkmez, D., Tüzün, S. (2013) Exploration of the Anaximander Mountains: Mud volcanoes, cold-seep communities, and cold water corals. Oceanography Supplement 26(1): 30-35.

Rampal, J. (2011) Clés de détermination des Thecosomata (Pteropoda) (Mollusca Opisthobranchia Holoplanctoniques) de Méditerranée et de l’Atlantique Eurafricain. Revue des Travaux de l’Institut des Pêches maritimes 37: 369-389.

Ritt, B., Desbruyères, D., Caprais, J.C., Gauthier, O., Ruffine, L., Buscail, R., Olu-Le Roy, K., Sarrazin, J. (2012) Seep communities from two mud volcanoes in the deep eastern Mediterranean Sea: Faunal composition spatial patterns and environmental control. Marine Ecology Progress Series 466: 93-119.

Salas, C., Woodside, J. (2002) Lucinoma kazani n.sp. (Mollusca: Bivalvia): evidence of a living benthic community associated with a cold seep in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Deep-Sea Research I 49: 991-1005.

Shank, T.M., Herrera, S., Cho, W., Roman, C.N., Croff Bell, K.L. (2011) Exploration of the Anaximander mud volcanoes. Oceanography 24 (Suppl): 22-23.

Sibuet, M., Olu, K. (1998) Biogeography, biodiversity and fluid dependence of deep-sea cold-seep communities at active and pasive margins. Deep-Sea Research II 45: 517-567.

Suárez-Morales, E., Gasca, R., Castellanos, I. (2009) Pelagic Gastropods. In: Marine Biodiversity of Costa Rica, Central America, (eds., Wehrtmann, L.S., Cortés, J.), Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 357-369.

Teker, S., Gökoğlu, M., Julian, D. (2017) First record of Janthina globosa Swainson, 1822 (Mollusca, Gastropoda) and Prostheceraeus giesbrechtii Lang, 1884 (Platyhelminthes) in the Gulf of Antalya. Natural and Engineering Science 2(I): 6-10.

Ürkmez, D. (2021) Finike (Anaximander) Seamounts: A View Meiobenthic Assemblages in the Cold Leak Areas of the E/V Nautilus Expedition. In: Extreme Marine Environments of Turkey, (eds., Öztürk, H., Alkan, G.), Turkish Marine Research Foundation, Publication no: 61, İstanbul, Türkiye, pp. 40-51 (in Turkish).

Van Aartsen, J.J., Kinzelbach, R. (1990) Marine molluscs from the Iztuzu beach near Dalyan (Mediterranean coast of Turkey). Zoology in the Middle East 4: 103-112.

Van der Spoel, S. (1967) Euthecosomata, a Group with Remarkable Developmental Stages (Gastropoda, Pteropoda). J. Noorduijn, Gorinchem.

Vanreusel, A., Andersen, A.C., Boetius, A., Connelly, D., Cunha, M.R., Decker, C., Hilario, A., Kormas, K.A., Maignien, L., Olu, K., Pachiadaki, M., Ritt, B., Rodrigues, C., Sarrazin, J., Tyler, P., Van Gaever, S., Vanneste, H. (2009) Biodiversity of cold seep ecosystems along the European Margins. Oceanography 22(1): 110-127.

Wall-Palmer, D., Smart, C.W., Hart, M.B., Leng, M.J., Borghini, M., Manini, E., Aliani, S., Conversi A. (2014) Late Pleistocene pteropods, heteropods and planktonic foraminifera from the Caribbean Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean. Micropaleontology 60(6): 557-578.

Würtz, M. (2012) Mediterranean Submarine Canyons: Ecology and Governance. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Málaga, Spain.

Yokeş, M.B. (2009) Addition to the knowledge of Opisthobranchia from Turkey. Triton 20: 5-19.

Zitter, T.A.C., Huguen, C., ten Veen, J., Woodside, J.M. (2006) Tectonic control on mud volcanoes and fluid seeps in the Anaximander Mountains, eastern Mediterranean Sea. Geological Society of America Special Paper 409: 615-631.

 Zitter, T.A.C., Woodside, J.M., Mascle, J. (2003) The Anaximander Mountains: a clue to the tectonics of soutwest Anatolia. Geological Journal 38: 375-394.

Micro- and mesoplastics in the surface waters of the Finike (Anaximander) Seamounts in the eastern Mediterranean

Ülgen Aytan, Yasemen Şentürk, Andre Valente

ORCID IDs: U.A. 0000-0002-6530-3083; Y.S. 0000-0001-8292-399X; A.V.0000-0002-8789-7038

Department of Marine Biology, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Rize, TÜRKİYE
AIR Centre – Atlantic International Research Centre, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia da Ilha Terceira, 9700-702 Angra do Heroísmo, PORTUGAL

Abstract

Micro- (< 5mm) and mesoplastic (5- 25mm) pollution is reported for the surface waters of the Finike (Anaximander) Seamounts, which is a high sea marine protected area in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Samples were collected from surface waters with plankton nets during two research cruises in May and September 2021. Plastics were physically and chemically characterized using optical microscopy and FT-IR. Microplastics were the most common size range, comprising 79% and 68% of the total plastic particles collected in May and September, respectively. Microplastic concentrations varied from 0.78×10⁴ to 73.9×10⁴ par.km^-2 (mean 19.2×10⁴ ± 26.7×10⁴ par.km^-2) and 0.13×10⁴ to 60.9×10⁴ par.km^-2 (mean 13.0×10⁴ ± 26.7×10⁴ par.km^-2) in May and September, respectively. In both cruises, microplastics were mostly fragments in shape, transparent in colour and 2-5mm in size. Regarding mesoplastics, their concentrations ranged from 0.13×10⁴ to 16.7×10⁴ par.km^-2 (mean 5.19×10⁴ ± 6.38×10⁴ par.km^-2) and 0.13×10⁴ to 28.7×10⁴ par.km^-2 (mean 6.09×10⁴ ± 12.6×10⁴ par.km^-2) in May and September, respectively. Mesoplastics were mainly films in shape and transparent in colour. FT-IR analysis revealed that the most abundant polymers were low-density polymers polyethylene (69%), followed by polypropylene (18%). Results show that plastics are ubiquitous in the Finike Seamounts area. This is a cause for concern regarding the health of the ecosystem in this marine protected area and highlights the urgent need to develop solutions for the problem of plastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea. Data provided by the present study serve as a baseline for future environmental assessments in the region and supports the implementation of directives and strategies for long-term conservation and reduction of plastic pollution in the marine environment.

Keywords: Microplastic, mesoplastic, pollution, MSFD, Mediterranean Sea, Finike Seamounts (Anaximander)

References

Adamopoulou, A., Zeri, C., Garaventa, F., Gambardella, C., Ioakeimidis, C., Pitta, E. (2021) Distribution patterns of floating microplastics in open and coastal waters of the eastern Mediterranean Sea (Ionian, Aegean, and Levantine Seas). Frontiers in Marine Science 8: 699000.

Aytan, U., Esensoy, F.B., Şentürk, Y. (2022) Microplastic ingestion and egestion by copepods in the Black Sea. Science of the Total Environment 806: 150921.

Baini, M., Fossi, M.C., Galli, M., Caliani, I., Campani, T., Finoia, M.G., Panti, C. (2018) Abundance and characterization of microplastics in the coastal waters of Tuscany (Italy): The application of the MSFD monitoring protocol in the Mediterranean Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin 133: 543-552.

Barnes, D.K., Galgani, F., Thompson, R.C., Barlaz, M. (2009) Accumulation and fragmentation of plastic debris in global environments. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences 364: 1985-1998.

Bottorell, Z.L.R., Beaumont, N., Dorrington, T., Steinke, M., Thompson, R.C., Lindeque, P.K. (2020) Bioavailability and effects of microplastics on marine zooplankton: a review. Environmental Pollution 245: 98-110.

Boucher, J., Bilard, G. (2020) The Mediterranean: Mare Plasticum. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

Boucher, J., Friot, D. (2017) Primary Microplastics in the Oceans: A Global Evaluation of Sources. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

Caldwell, J., Muff, L.F., Pham, C.K., Petri-Fink, A., Rothen-Rutishauser, B., Lehner, R. (2020) Spatial and temporal analysis of meso- and microplastic pollution in the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Seas. Marine Pollution Bulletin 159: 111515.

Caldwell, J., Petri-Fink, A., Rothen-Rutishauser, B., Lehner, R. (2019) Assessing meso- and microplastic pollution in the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Seas. Marine Pollution Bulletin 149: 110572.

Camins, E., de Haan W.P., Salvo, V.S., Canals, M., Raffard, A., Sanchez-Vidal A. (2020) Paddle surfing for science on microplastic pollution. Science of the Total Environment 709: 136178.

Collignon, A., Hecq, J.H., Galgani, F., Collard, F., Goffart, A. (2014) Annual variation in neustonic micro- and meso-plastic particles and zooplankton in the Bay of Calvi (Mediterranean–Corsica). Marine Pollution Bulletin 79: 293-298.

Collignon, A., Hecq, J.H., Galgani, F., Voisin, P., Collard, F., Goffart, A. (2012) Neustonic microplastic and zooplankton in the North Western Mediterranean Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin 64(4): 861-864.

Costa, E., Piazza, V., Lavorano, S., Faimali, M., Garaventa, F., Gambardella, C. (2020) Trophic transfer of microplastics from copepods to jellyfish in the marine environment. Frontiers in Marine Science 8: 571732.

Cózar, A., Sanz-Martin, M., Marti, E., González-Gordillo, J.I., Ubeda, B., Gálvez, J.A., Irigoen, X., Duarte, C.M. (2015) Plastic accumulation in the Mediterranean Sea. PLoS One 10(4): e0121762.

de Haan, W.P., Sanchez-Vidal, A., Canals, M. (2019) Floating microplastics and aggregate formation in the Western Mediterranean Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin 140: 523-535.

Denda, A., Christiansen, B. (2011) Zooplankton at a seamount in the eastern Mediterranean: Distribution and trophic interactions. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 91(1): 33-49.

Desforges, J.P.W., Galbraith, M., Dangerfield, N., Ross, P.S. (2014) Widespread distribution of microplastics in subsurface seawater in the NE Pacific Ocean. Marine Pollution Bulletin 79: 94-99.

EC (2008) EC directive, 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive). Off. J. Eur. Union. L 164/19-40, 25.06.2008.

Eriksen, M., Lebreton, L.C.M., Carson, H.S., Thiel, M., Moore, C.J., Borerro, J.C., Galgani, F., Ryan, P. G., Reisser, J. (2014) Plastic pollution in the world’s oceans: More than 5 trillion plastic pieces weighing over 250,000 tons afloat at sea. PLoS One 9(12): 111913.

Faure, F., Saini, C., Potter, G., Galgani, F., Alencastro, L., Hagmann, P. (2015) An evaluation of surface micro- and mesoplastic pollution in pelagic ecosystems of the Western Mediterranean Sea. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 22: 12190-12197.

Fossi, M.C., Panti, C., Guerranti, C., Coppola, D., Giannetti, M., Marsili, L., Minutoli, R. (2012) Are baleen whales exposed to the threat of microplastics? A case study of the Mediterranean fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus). Marine Pollution Bulletin 64(11): 2374-2379.

Fossi, M.C., Pedà, C., Compa, M., Tsangaris, C., Alomar, C., Claro, F., Ioakeimidis, C., Galgani,F., Hema, T., Deudero, S., Romeo, T., Battaglia, P., Andaloro, F., Caliani, I., Casini, S.,Panti, C., Baini, M. (2017) Bioindicators for monitoring marine litter ingestion and its impacts on Mediterranean biodiversity. Environmental Pollution 237: 1023-1040.

Gajšt, T., Bizjak, T., Palatinus, A., Liubartseva, S., Kržan, A. (2016) Sea surface microplastics in Slovenian part of the Northern Adriatic. Marine Pollution Bulletin 113: 392-399.

Gündoğdu, S., Çevik, C. (2017) Micro- and mesoplastics in Northeast Levantine coast of Turkey: The preliminary results from surface samples. Marine Pollution Bulletin 118: 341-347.

Güven, O. (2022) Spatio-temporal distribution and characterization of microplastic pollution in the three main freshwater systems (Aksu and Köprü Streams, Manavgat River) and fishing grounds located in their vicinities in the Antalya Bay. Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 22(SI): TRJFAS20507 http://doi.org/10.4194/TRJFAS20507

Güven, O., Gökdağ, K., Jovanović, B., Kıdeyş, A.E. (2017) Microplastic litter composition of the Turkish territorial waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and its occurrence in the gastrointestinal tract of fish. Environmental Pollution 223: 286-294.

Koelmans, A.A. (2015) Modeling the Role of Microplastics in Bioaccumulation of Organic Chemicals to Marine Aquatic Organisms. A critical review. In: Marine Anthropogenic Litter (eds., Bergmann, M., Gutow, L., Klages, M.), Springer, Cham, pp. 309-324.

Özgüler, Ü., Demir, A., Kayadelen, G.C., Kıdeyş, A.E. (2022) Riverine microplastic loading to Mersin Bay, Turkey on the North-Eastern Mediterranean. Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 22(SI): TRJFAS20253 http://doi.org/10.4194/TRJFAS20253.

Özsoy, E., Hecht, A., Unluata, U., Brenner, S., Sur, H.I., Bishop, J., Latif, M.A., Rozentraub, Z., Oguz, T. (1993) A synthesis of the Levantine Basin circulation and hydrography, 1985-1990. Deep-Sea Research Part II-Topical Studies in Oceanography 40(6): 1075-1119.

Öztürk, A.A., Tonay, A.M., Dede, A. (2013) Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) sightings in the Aegean and Mediterranean part of Turkish waters. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 19(2): 169-177.

Öztürk, B., Topçu, E.N., Topaloğlu, B. (2010) A preliminary study on two seamounts in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Rapport de la Commission International pour l’Exploration Scientifique de la Mer Méditerranée 39: 620.

Palatinus, A., Viršek, K.M., Robič, U., Grego, M., Bajt, O., Šiljić, J., Suaria, G., Liubartseva, S., Coppini, G., Peterlin, M. (2019) Marine litter in the Croatian part of the middle Adriatic Sea: Simultaneous assessment of floating and seabed macro and micro litter abundance and composition. Marine Pollution Bulletin 139: 427-439.

Ruiz-Orejón, L.F., Mourre, B., Sardá, R., Tintoré, J., Ramis-Pujol, J. (2019) Quarterly variability of floating plastic debris in the marine protected area of the Menorca Channel (Spain). Environmental Pollution 252: 1742-1754.

Ruiz-Orejón, L.F., Sardá, R., Ramis-Pujol, J. (2018) Now, you see me: High concentrations of floating plastic debris in the coastal waters of the Balearic Islands (Spain). Marine Pollution Bulletin 133: 636–646.

Schmidt, N., Thibault, D., Galgani, F., Paluselli, A., Sempéré, R. (2018) Occurrence of microplastics in surface waters of the Gulf of Lion (NW Mediterranean Sea). Progress in Oceanography 163: 214-220.

Suaria, G., Avio, C.G., Mineo, A., Lattin, G.L., Magaldi, M.G., Belmonte, G., Moore, C.J., Regoli, F., Aliani, S. (2016) The Mediterranean Plastic Soup: synthetic polymers in Mediterranean surface waters. Scientific Reports 6: 37551.

Tonay, A.M., Öztürk, A.A., Salman, A., Dede, A., Aytemiz Danyer, I., Danyer, E., Öztürk, B. (2021) Stranding records of sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) on the Turkish coast in 2019-2020 with a note on the opportunistic sampling of stomach content. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 27(3): 281-293

Tserpes, G., Peristeraki, P., Valavanis, V.D. (2008) Distribution of swordfish in the eastern Mediterranean, in relation to environmental factors and the species biology. Hydrobiologia 612: 241-242.

UNEP (2021) United Nations Environment Programme, from Pollution to Solution: A Global Assessment of Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution. Nairobi.

UNEP/MAP (2013) Decision IG.21/7 Regional Plan on Marine Litter Management in the Mediterranean in the Framework of Article 15 of the Land Based Sources Protocol (UNEP(DEPI)/MED IG.21/9).

van der Hal N, Ariel A, Angel DL. (2017) Exceptionally high abundances of microplastics in the oligotrophic Israeli Mediterranean coastal waters. Marine Pollution Bulletin 116: 151-155.

VishnuRadhan, R., Eldho, T.I., David, T.D. (2019) Can plastics affect near surface layer ocean processes and climate? Marine Pollution Bulletin 140: 274-280.

Woodside, J.M., David, L., Frantzis, A. Hooker, S. K. (2006) Gouge marks on deep-sea mud volcanoes in the eastern Mediterranean: Caused by Cuvier’s beaked whales? Deep Sea Research Part I 53(11): 1762-1771.

Wright, S.L., Thompson, R.C., Galloway, T.S. (2013) The physical impacts of microplastics on marine organisms: a review. Environmental Pollution 178: 483-492.

Zantis, L.J., Carroll, E.L., Nelms, S.Se., Bosker, T. (2021) Marine mammals and microplastics : A systematic review and call for standardisation. Environmental Pollution 269: 116142.

Zarfl, C., Matthies, M. (2010) Are marine plastic particles transport vectors for organic pollutants to the Arctic? Marine Pollution Bulletin 60(10): 1810-1814.

Zeri, C., Adamopoulou, A., Bojanić Varezić, D., Fortibuoni, T., Kovač Viršek, M., Kržan, A., Mandic, M., Mazziotti, C., Palatinus, A., Peterline, M., Prvan, M., Ronchi, F., Siljic, J., Tutman, P., Vlachogiannij, T. (2018) Floating plastics in Adriatic waters (Mediterranean Sea): From the macro- to the micro-scale. Marine Pollution Bulletin 136: 341-350.