Vol.28 – 2022 – No.2 – Journal of the Black Sea / Mediterranean Environment

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.

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.

Preliminary results from the Finike Seamounts foraminifer assemblages, Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Nazik Öğretmen, Süheyla Kanbur, Onur Gönülal

ORCID IDs: N.Ö. 0000-0003-0117-1058; S.K. 0000-0002-5208-4379; O.G. 0000-0002-5559-3953

Eurasia Institute of Earth Sciences, Ecology and Evolution Department, Istanbul Technical University, 34469 Maslak-Sarıyer, Istanbul, TÜRKİYE
Süleyman Demirel University, Süleyman Demirel Cd., 32260 Merkez, Isparta, 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

The Finike Seamounts, located in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, are a Special Environmental Protection Area and offer new information on the foraminifers. In this study, two surface samples from two stations located at 1800m and 2200 m water depth were studied for their foraminifer assemblages. Although abundant in planktic foraminifers, the Finike Seamounts display a very poor, small in size but diverse benthic foraminifer assemblage as a common feature encountered in seamount ecosystems. In total 22 planktic foraminifer species belonging to one suborder, two superfamilies, four families, and 13 genera were identified. Among these identified species, interestingly, any keeled globorotalid forms were not encountered. Regarding benthic foraminifers, in total 38 species belonging to six suborders, 15 superfamilies, 23 families, and 27 genera were identified. The presence of miliolids among benthic foraminifers points to a possible sediment supply from the infralittoral depths.

Keywords: Planktic foraminifers, benthic foraminifers, taxonomy, ecosystem, Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Finike Seamounts

References

AGIP (1982) Po Valley Foraminifers (Tertiary and Quaternary). 2nd ed. Milano. (in Italian).

André, A., Weiner, A., Quillévéré, F., Aurahs, R., de Garidel-Thoron, T., Escarguel, G., de Vargas, C., Kucera, M. (2013) The cryptic and the apparent reversed: lack of genetic differentiation within the morphologically diverse plexus of the planktonic foraminifer ” Globigerinoides sacculifer “. Paleobiology 39: 21-39.

Boltovskoy, E. (1991) Globigerinita clarkei (Rogl and Bolli) – an unfairly ignored small planktic foraminifer. Boreas 20: 151-154.

Brummer, G.J.A., Kučera, M. (2022) Taxonomic review of living planktonic foraminifera. Journal of Micropalaeontology 41: 29-74.

Chendeş, C., Kaminski, M.A., Filipescu, S., Aksu, A.E., Yaşar, D. (2004) The response of modern benthic foraminiferal assemblages to water-mass properties along the southern shelf of the Marmara Sea. Acta Palaeontologica Romaniae 4: 69-80.

Chernihovsky, N., Almogi-Labin, A., Kienast, S.S., Torfstein, A. (2020) The daily resolved temperature dependence and structure of planktonic foraminifera blooms. Scientific Reports 10: 1-12.

Coletti, G., Basso, D., Betzler, C., Robertson, A.H.F., Bosio, G., El Kateb, A., Foubert, A., Meilijson, A., Spezzaferri, S. (2019) Environmental evolution and geological significance of the Miocene carbonates of the Eratosthenes Seamount (ODP Leg 160). Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology 530: 217-235.

Davis, C.V., Rivest, E.B., Hill, T.M., Gaylord, B., Russell, A.D., Sanford, E. (2017) Ocean acidification compromises a planktic calcifier with implications for global carbon cycling. Scientific Reports 7: 1-8.

Fabry, V.J., Seibel, B.A., Feely, R.A., Orr, J.C. (2008) Impacts of ocean acidification on marine fauna and ecosystem processes. ICES Journal of Marine Science 65: 414-432.

Fatela, F., Taborda, R. (2002) Confidence limits of species proportions in microfossil assemblages. Marine Micropaleontology 45: 169-174.

Feyling-Hanssen, R.W. (1980) Microbiostratigraphy of young Cenozoic marine deposits of the Qivituq Peninsula, Baffin Island. Marine Micropaleontolology 5: 153-184.

Fontanier, C., Dissard, D., Ruffine, L., Mamo, B., Ponzevera, E., Pelleter, E., Baudin, F., Roubi, A., Chéron, S., Boissier, A., Gayet, N., Bermell-Fleury, S., Pitel, M., Guyader, V., Lesongeur, F., Savignac, F. (2018) Living (stained) deep-sea foraminifera from the Sea of Marmara: A preliminary study. Deep-Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography 153: 61-78.

George, K.H., Pointner, K., Packmor, J. (2018) The benthic Copepoda (Crustacea) of Anaximenes Seamount (eastern Mediterranean Sea) – Community structure and species distribution. Progress in Oceanography 165: 299-316.

Glover, C.P. (1995) Plio-Quaternary Sediments and Neotectonics of the Isparta. PhD Thesis, University of Edinburgh.

Gooday, A.J. (1989) Recent Deep-Sea Aglutinated Foraminifera: A Brief Review. In: Paleoecology, Biostratigraphy, Paleoceanography and Taxonomy of Agglutinated Foraminifera, (eds., Hemleben, C., Kaminski, M.A., Kuhnt, W., Scott, D.B.), Springer Science+Business Media, B.V., pp. 271-304.

Gooday, A.J., Levin, L.A., Linke, P., Heeger, T. (1992) The Role of Benthic Foraminifera in Deep-sea Food Webs and Carbon Cycling. In: Deep-sea Foodchains and the Global Carbon Cycle, (eds., Rowe, G.T., Pariente, V.), Kluwer Academic Publishers, Netherlands, pp. 63-91.

Gregory, D., Bridge, V.A. (1979) On the quaternary foraminiferal species Elphidium? ustulatum Todd 1957: its stratigraphic and paleoecological implications. Journal of Foraminiferal Research 9: 70-75.

Hakyemez, A., Toker, V. (1997) Distribution of recent planktonic formainifera on the southern shelf of the Sea of Marmara. Geosound 30: 191-203 (in Turkish).

Hamilton, E.L. (1953) Upper cretaceous, tertiary, and recent planktonic foraminifera from Mid-Pacific Flat-Topped Seamounts. Journal of Paleontology 27: 204-237.

Heinz, P., Ruepp, D., Hemleben, C. (2004) Benthic foraminifera assemblages at Great Meteor Seamount. Marine Biology 144: 985-998.

Holbourn, A., Henderson, A.S., MacLeod, N. (2013) Atlas of Benthic Foraminifera. Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester.

Kaiho, K. (1994) Benthic foraminiferal dissolved-oxygen index and dissolved-oxygen levels in the modern ocean. Geology 22: 719-722.

Kanbur, S., Öğretmen, N. (2022) Revised late Cenozoic foraminifer biostratigraphy of the Eskiköy Formation (Aksu Basin), SW Turkey and its paleoenvironmental conditions. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology 591: 110883.

Kennett, J.P., Srinivasan, S.M. (1983) Neogene Planktonic Foraminifera: A Phylogenetic Atlas. Hutchinson Ross Publishing Company, Pennsylvania.

Kırcı-Elmas, E. (2006) Late Quaternary Foraminifer Assemblage and Paleoceanographic Evaluation of the Sea of Marmara. PhD Thesis. Istanbul University (in Turkish).

Kırcı-Elmas, E. (2013) Benthic foraminiferal distribution (living and dead) from a permanently stratified marginal sea (Marmara Sea, Turkey). Journal of Foraminiferal Research 43: 340-360.

Knudsen, K.L., Asbjörnsdóttir, L. (1991) Plio-Pleistocene foraminiferal stratigraphy and correlation in the Central North Sea. Marine Geology 101: 113-124.

Legendre, L., Le Fevre, J. (1995) Microbial food webs and the export of biogenic carbon in oceans. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 9: 69-77.

Lei, Y., Li, T. (2016) Atlas of Benthic Foraminifera from China Seas: The Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea. Springer, Beijing.

Lipps, J.H., Valentine, J.W. (1970) The role of Foraminifera in the trophic structure of marine communities. Lethaia 3: 279-286.

Loeblich, A.R., Tappan, H. (1988) Foraminiferal Genera and Their Classification. Springer Science+Business Media, B.V, New York.

Lykousis, V., Alexandri, S., Woodside, J., de Lange, G., Dählmann, A., Perissoratis, C., Heeschen, K., Ioakim, C., Sakellariou, D., Nomikou, P., Rousakis, G., Casas, D., Ballas, D., Ercilla, G. (2009) Mud volcanoes and gas hydrates in the Anaximander mountains (Eastern Mediterranean Sea). Marine and Petroleum Geology 26: 854-872.

Manno, C., Giglio, F., Stowasser, G., Fielding, S., Enderlein, P., Tarling, G.A. (2018) Threatened species drive the strength of the carbonate pump in the northern Scotia Sea. Nature Communications 9: 1-7.

McNeil, D.H., Duk-Rodkin, A., Dixon, J., Dietrich, J.R., White, J.M., Miller, K.G., Issler, D.R. (2001) Sequence stratigraphy, biotic change, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr record, paleoclimatic history, and sedimentation rate change across a regional late Cenozoic unconformity in Arctic Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 38: 309-331.

Meilland, J., Howa, H., Lo Monaco, C., Schiebel, R. (2016) Individual planktic foraminifer protein-biomass affected by trophic conditions in the Southwest Indian Ocean, 30°S-60°S. Marine Micropaleontology 124: 63-74.

Mel’nikov, M.E., Pletnev, S.P., Basov, I.A., Punina, T.A., Sedysheva, T.E., Khudik, V.D., Zakharov, Y.D. (2007) New geological and paleontological data on Alba Guyot (Magellan Seamounts, Pacific Ocean). Russian Journal of Pacific Geology 1: 257-264.

Meriç, E., Avsar, N., Nazik, A., Eryılmaz, M., Yücesoy-Eryılmaz, F. (2004) Recent benthic-planktic foraminiferal assemblages and sediment distribution of the Gulf of Saros (Northern Aegean Sea). Geosound 44-45: 1-44.

Meriç, E., Avsar, N., Nazik, A., Yokes, B., Barut, I.F., Suner, F., Sarı, E., Eryılmaz, M., Yucesoy-Eryılmaz, F., Dora, Ö., Kam, E., Dinçer, F. (2017) A multi disciplinary overview of factors controlling on meiofauna assemblages around Maden and Alibey islands in Ayvalik (Balikesir, Eastern Aegean Sea). Journal of African Earth Sciences 129: 558-578.

Meriç, E., Avsar, N., Yokes, M.B., Barut, İ.F., Dincer, F., Bircan, C., Kam, E. (2020) Ecology of benthic Foraminifera of the Eastern Aegean Sea coasts. International Journal of Environment Geoinformatics 7: 6-22.

Meriç, E., Avşar, N., Yokeş, M.B., Dinçer, F. (2014) Atlas of recent benthic foraminifera from Turkey. Micropaleontology 60: 211-398.

Meriç, E., Avşar, N., Yokeş, M.B., Dinçer, F., Karhan, S.Ü., Kalkan, E., Demir, V. (2016) Benthic foraminiferal assemblages from the Eastern Levantine coast of Turkey. International Journal of Environment and Geoinformatics 3: 38-44.

Meriç, E., Yokeş, M.B., Yümün, Z.Ü., Eryılmaz, M., Yücesoy Eryılmaz, F. (2018) Alien Benthic Foraminifers from Turkish Strait System. International Journal of Environment and Geoinformatics 5: 68-75.

Milker, Y., Schmiedl, G. (2012) A taxonomic guide to modern benthic shelf foraminifera of the western Mediterranean Sea. Palaeontologia Electronica 15: 1-134.

Murray, J. (2006) Ecology and Applications of Benthic Foraminifera. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Öğretmen, N. (2022) Quantitative analysis of Calabrian-Chibanian planktic foraminifer assemblages and paleoecology of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea from the onshore epibathyal sedimentary archives (Mersin, Turkey). Yerbilimleri 43: 18-36.

Öğretmen, N., Cipollari, P., Frezza, V., Faranda, C., Karanika, K., Gliozzi, E., Radeff, G., Cosentino, D. (2018a) Evidence for 1.5 km of uplift of the central Anatolian Plateau’s southern margin in the last 450 kyr and implications for its multiphased uplift history. Tectonics 37: 359-390.

Öğretmen, N., Frezza, V., Hudáčková, N., Gliozzi, E., Cipollari, P., Faranda, C., Radeff, G., Cosentino, D. (2018b) Early Pleistocene (Calabrian) marine bottom oxygenation and palaeoclimate at the southern margin of the Central Anatolian Plateau. Italian Journal of Geosciences 137: 452-464.

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. M. Würtz), IUCN, Gland, Switzerland, pp. 65-72.

Perissoratis, C., Ioakim, C., Alexandri, S., Woodside, J., Nomikou, P., Dählmann, A., Casas, D., Heeschen, K., Amman, H., Rousakis, G., Lykousis, V. (2011) Thessaloniki mud volcano, the shallowest gas hydrate-bearing mud volcano in the Anaximander Mountains, Eastern Mediterranean. Journal of Geological Research 2011: 1-11.

Sakınç, M. (2008) Benthic Foraminifers of the Sea of Marmara: Systematics and Autoecology. Istanbul Teknik Üniversitesi, Istanbul. (in Turkish).

Sakınç, M., Artüz, M.L. (2019) New records of Foraminifera: The Sea of Marmara (Turkey). Revue de Micropaleontologie 64: 1-11.

Salihoǧlu, I., Saydam, C., Baştürk, Ö., Yilmaz, K., Göçmen, D., Hatipoǧlu, E., Yilmaz, A. (1990) Transport and distribution of nutrients and chlorophyll-a by mesoscale eddies in the northeastern Mediterranean. Marine Chemistry 29: 375-390.

Salter, I., Schiebel, R., Ziveri, P., Movellan, A., Lampitt, R., Wolff, G.A. (2014) Carbonate counter pump stimulated by natural iron fertilization in the Polar Frontal Zone. Nature Geoscience 7: 885-889.

Schiebel, R., Hemleben, C. (2017) Planktic Foraminifers in the Modern Ocean. Springer, Berlin.

Schweizer, M., Fontaine, D., Pawlowski, J. (2011) Phylogenetic position of two Patagonian Cibicididae (Rotaliida, Foraminifera): Cibicidoides dispars (d’Orbigny, 1839) and Cibicidoides variabilis (d’Orbigny, 1826). Revue de Micropaleontologie 54: 175-182.

Sgarrella, F., Moncharmont Zei, M. (1993) Benthic Foraminifera of the Gulf of Naples (Italy): systematics and autoecology. Bolletino della Società Paleontologica Italiana 32: 145-264.

Shi, J., Lei, Y., Li, Q., Lyu, M., Li, T. (2020) Molecular diversity and spatial distribution of benthic foraminifera of the seamounts and adjacent abyssal plains in the tropical Western Pacific Ocean. Marine Micropaleontology 156: 101850.

Spezzaferri, S., Kucera, M., Pearson, P.N., Wade, B.S., Rappo, S., Poole, C.R., Morard, R., Stalder, C. (2015) Fossil and genetic evidence for the polyphyletic nature of the planktonic foraminifera “Globigerinoides”, and description of the new genus Trilobatus. PLoS One 10(5): 1-20.

Stefanoudis, P.V., Bett, B.J., Gooday, A.J. (2016) Abyssal hills: Influence of topography on benthic foraminiferal assemblages. Progress in Oceanography 148: 44-55.

Taviani, M. (2014) Marine Chemosynthesis in the Mediterranean Sea. In: The Mediterranean Sea: Its History and Present Challenges, (eds. Goffredo, S., Dubinsky, Z.), Springer Science+Business Media, Dordrecht, pp. 69-83.

ten Veen, J.H., Woodside, J.M., Zitter, T.A.C., Dumont, J.F., Mascle, J., Volkonskaia, A. (2004) Neotectonic evolution of the Anaximander Mountains at the junction of the Hellenic and Cyprus arcs. Tectonophysics 391: 35-65.

Van Dover, C.L., Berg, C.J., Turner, R.D. (1988) Recruitment of marine invertebrates to hard substrates at deep-sea hydrothermal vents on the East Pacific Rise and Galapagos spreading center. Deep Sea Research Part A, Oceanographic Research Papers 35: 1833-1849.

van Leeuwen, S.M., Beecham, J.A., García-García, L.M. Thorpe, R. (2022) The Mediterranean Rhodes Gyre: modelled impacts of climate change, acidification and fishing. Marine Ecology Progress Series 690: 31-50.

Woodside, J.M., Ivanov, M.K., Limonov, A.F., Shipboard Scientists, X. (1998) Shallow Gas and Gas Hydrates in the Anaximander Mountains Regions, Eastern Mediterranean Sea. In: Gas Hydrates: Relevance to World Margin Stability and Climate Change, (eds., Henriet, J.P., Mienert, J.), Geological Society Special Publications, No: 137, London, pp. 177-193.

Yalcin, H., Meriç, E., Avşar, N., Bozkaya, Ö., Barut, I.P. (2004) Geochemical anomalies in the recent foraminifers of Iskenderun Bay. Geological Bulletin of Turkey 47: 25-39.

Yıldız, A., Toker, V., Demircan, H., Sevim, S. (2003) Paleoenvironmental interpretation and findings of Pliocene-Pleistocene nannoplankton, planktic foraminifera, trace fossil in the Mut Basin. Yerbilimleri 28: 123-144 (in Turkish).

Yokeş, M.B., Meriç, E., Avşar, N., Barut, I., Tas, S., Eryilmaz, M., Dinçer, F., Bircan, C. (2014) Opinions and comments on the benthic foraminiferal assemblage observed around the mineral submarine spring in Kuşadasi (Aydin, Turkey). Marine Biodiversity Records 7: 1-17.

Yücel, M., Özkan, K., Tezcan, D. (2016) Deep-Sea Ecosystems of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. In: The Turkish Part of the Mediterranean Sea; Marine Biodiversity, Fisheries, Conservation and Governence, (eds., Turan, C., Salihoglu, B., Özgür Özbek, E., Öztürk, B.), Turkish Marine Research Foundation, Publication no: 43, Turkey, pp. 366-379.

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

Cetacean sightings in the Finike Seamounts area and adjacent waters during the surveys in 2021

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

ORCID IDs: A.D. 0000-0002-7712-615X; A.A.Ö. 0000-0003-2281-7372; A.M.T. 0000-0003-2718-9328; U.Ö 0000-0002-7246-5494; O.G. 0000-0002-5559-3953;
B.Ö. 0000-0001-7844-2448

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
Faculty of Fisheries, Sinop University, Sinop, TÜRKİYE

Abstract

The Finike Seamounts (Anaximander) was declared as the “Finike Seamounts Special Environmental Protection Area (SEPA)” by Republic of Türkiye in 2013. In order to determine the presence of cetaceans living in the region and its adjacent waters, visual observations were carried out with the standard line transect method as well as passive acoustic recordings at 21 stations in two boat surveys in spring and autumn 2021. A total of 1621 nautical miles were covered in both surveys. Sperm whales were detected visually and acoustically. Other deep-diving species, Cuvier’s beaked whale, was observed once, as well as delphinid species, such as the striped dolphins (two groups) and bottlenose dolphins (7 groups). Delphinids were also detected acoustically in 8 stations. Although the surveys were made only in two seasons in one year, it was shown that the cetaceans use the surveyed area and their presence must be taken into consideration in the management of the Finike Seamounts SEPA.

Keywords: Eastern Mediterranean Sea, SEPA, dolphin, whale, Anaximander

References

ACCOBAMS (2010) Cetaceans Critical Habitats (CCH). MOP4/2010/Res 4.15). Available at: https://accobams.org/conservations-action/protected-areas/ (accessed 20 July 2022).

ACCOBAMS (2019) Resolution 7.13 Anthropogenic Noise. Available at: ACCOBAMS-MOP7/2019/Doc38/Annex15/Res.7.13 (accessed 20 July 2022).

ACCOBAMS (2021) Estimates of abundance and distribution of cetaceans, marine mega-fauna and marine litter in the Mediterranean Sea from 2018-2019 surveys. (eds., Panigada, S., Boisseau, O., Canadas, A., Lambert, C., Laran, S., McLanaghan, R., Moscrop, A.) ACCOBAMS – ACCOBAMS Survey Initiative Project, Monaco.

Akkaya, A., Awbery, T., Lyne, P., Yalçın, D.G., Usta, C. (2022) The importance of long-term monitoring of cetaceans in the data deficient regions of the Mediterranean Sea. 33rd Conference of the European Cetacean Society, Israel.

Akkaya, A., Lyne, P., Schulz, X., Awbery, T., Capitain, S., Rosell, B. F.,Yıldırım, B., lkılınç, C., Vigliano Relva J., Clark, H., van Walsum, L., Gordon, J. (2020) Preliminary results of cetacean sightings in the eastern Mediterranean Sea of Turkey. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 26(1): 26-47.

Alexiadou, P., Foskolos, I., Frantzis, A. (2019) Ingestion of macroplastics by Odontocetes of the Greek Seas, Eastern Mediterranean: Often deadly. Marine Pollution Bulletin 146: 67-75.

Arranz, P., DeRuiter, S.L., Stimpert, A.K., Neves, S., Friedlaender, A.S., Goldbogen, J.A., Visser, F., Calambokidis, J., Southall, B.L., Tyack, P.L. (2016) Discrimination of fast click-series produced by tagged Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) for echolocation or communication. Journal of Experimental Biology 219(18): 2898-2907.

Awbery, T., Akkaya, A., Lyne, P., Rudd, L., Hoogenstrijd, G., Nedelcu, M., Kniha, D., Erdoğan, M.A., Persad, C., Amaha Öztürk, A., Öztürk, B. (2022) Spatial distribution and encounter rates of delphinids and deep diving cetaceans in the eastern Mediterranean Sea of Turkey and the extent of overlap with areas of dense marine traffic. Frontiers in Marine Science 9: 860242.

Azzolin, M., Gannier, A., Lammers, M.O., Oswald, J.N., Papale, E., Buscaino, G., Buffa, G., Mazzola, S., Giacoma, C. (2014) Combining whistle acoustic parameters to discriminate Mediterranean odontocetes during passive acoustic monitoring. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 135(1): 502-512.

Boisseau, O., Lacey, C., Lewis, T., Moscrop, A., Danbolt, M., McLanaghan, R. (2010) Encounter rates of cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic area. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 90(8): 1589.

Buckstaff, K.C. (2004) Effects of watercraft noise on the acoustic behavior of bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, in Sarasota Bay, Florida. Marine Mammal Science 20: 709-725.

Caruso, F., Sciacca, V., Parisi, I., Viola, S., de Vincenzi, G., Bocconcelli, A., Mooney, T.A., Sayigh, L., Li, S., Filiciotto, F., Moulins, A. (2019) Acoustic recordings of rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis) offshore eastern Sicily (Mediterranean Sea). The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 146(3): 286-292.

Corkeron, P.J., Van Parijs, S.M. (2001) Vocalizations of eastern Australian Risso’s dolphins, Grampus griseus. Canadian Journal of Zoology 79(1): 160-164.

Dede, A., Saad, A., Fakhri, M., Öztürk, B. (2012) Cetacean sightings in the eastern Mediterranean Sea during the cruise in summer 2008. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 18(1): 49-57

Ding, W., Wuersig, B., Evans, W.E. (1995) Whistles of bottlenose dolphins: Comparisons among populations. Aquatic Mammals 21: 65-77.

Erbe, C. (2013) Underwater passive acoustic monitoring and noise impacts on marine fauna – a workshop report. Acoustics Australia 41(1): 113-119.

Erbe, C., Dunlop, R., Jenner, K.C.S., Jenner, M.N., McCauley, R.D., Parnum, I., Parsons, M., Rogers, T., Salgado-Kent, C. (2017) Review of underwater and in-air sounds emitted by Australian and Antarctic marine mammals. Acoustics Australia 45(2): 179-241.

Frantzis, A., Alexiadou, P., Gkikopoulou, K. (2014) Sperm whale occurrernce, site fidelity and population structure along the Hellenic Trench (Greece, Mediterranean Sea). Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 24(S1): 83-102.

Frantzis, A., Leaper, R., Alexiadou, P., Prospathopoulos, A., Lekkas, D. (2019) Shipping routes through core habitat of endangered sperm whales along the Hellenic Trench, Greece: Can we reduce collision risks? PloS One 14(2): e0212016.

IUCN-MMPATF (2017) Hellenic Trench IMMA. Full Accounts of Mediterranean IMMA Factsheet. IUCN Joint SSC/WCPA Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force, 2017. Available at: https://www.marinemammalhabitat.org/portfolio-item/hellenic-trench/ (accessed 20 July 2022).

Kapiris, K., Otero, M, Christidis, G., Thasitis, I., Gücü, A.C., Lteif, M., Ali, M., Farrag, M.M.S., Dokos, J., Kavadas, S., Schüler, M. (2022) Deep-sea Cetaceans and Sea Turtles. Vulnerable Megafauna. In: Deep-sea Atlas of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (eds., Otero, M., Mytilineou, C.) IUCN-HCMR DeepEastMed Project, IUCN. pp. 207-237.

Kruse, S., Caldwell, D.K., Caldwell, M.C. (1999) Risso’s dolphin Grampus griseus G. Cuvier, 1812. In: Handbook of Marine Mammals (eds., Ridgway, S. H., Harrison R.) Academic, Cambridge. pp. 183-212.

Lammers, M.O., Au, W.W.L., Herzing, D.L. (2003) The broadband social acoustic signaling behavior of spinner and spotted dolphins. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 14: 1629-1639.

Madsen, P.T., Kerr, I., Payne, R. (2004) Echolocation clicks of two free-ranging delphinids with different food preferences: False killer whales Pseudorca crassidens and Risso’s dolphin Grampus griseus. The Journal of Experimental Biology 207: 1811-1823.

Madsen, P.T., Payne, R., Kristiansen, N.U., Wahlberg, M., Kerr, I., Møhl, B. (2002) Sperm whale sound production studied with ultrasound time/depth recording tags. The Journal of Experimental Biology 205: 1899-1906.

Marques, T.A., Thomas, L., Ward, J., Di Marzio, N., Tyack, P.L. (2009) Estimating cetacean population density using fixed passive acoustic sensors: An example with Blainville’s beaked whales. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 125(4): 1982-1994.

May-Collado, L.J., Wartzok, D. (2008) A comparison of bottlenose dolphin whistles in the Atlantic Ocean: Factors promoting whistle variation. Journal of Mammalogy 89: 1229-1240.

NAVTEX (2021) Weekly Notices to Mariners Bulletin 10, 26, 39/2021, Office of Navigation, Hydrography and Oceanography, Turkey.

Notarbartolo Di Sciara, G., Frantzis, A., Bearzi, G., Reeves, R.R. (2012) Physeter microcephalus Mediterranean subpopulation. In: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012. p. e.T16370739A16370477.

Official Gazette (2013) Finike Seamounts Special Environmental Protection Area, 16.08.2013, No: 28737. Available at: https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2013/08/20130816-3.htm (accessed 20 Mar 2022).

Oliveira, C., Wahlberg, M., Johnson, M., Miller, P.J.O., Madsen, P.T. (2013) The function of male sperm whale slow clicks in a high latitude habitat: Communication, echolocation or prey debilitation? The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 133(5): 3135-3144.

Oswald, J.N., Barlow, J., Norris, T.F. (2003) Acoustic identification of nine delphinid species in the eastern tropical pacific ocean. Marine Mammal Science 19(1): 20-37.

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., 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.

Papale, E., Azzolin, M., Cascao, I., Gannier, A., Lammers, M.O., Martin, V. M., Oswald, J., Perez Gil, M., Prieto, R., Silva, M., Giacoma, C. (2013) Geographic variability in the acoustic parameters of striped dolphin’s (Stenella coeruleoalba) whistles. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 133(2): 1126-1134.

Pavan, G., Hayward, T.J., Borsani, J.F., Priano, M., Manghi, M., Fossati, C., Gordon, J. (2000) Time patterns of sperm whale codas recorded in the Mediterranean Sea 1985-1996. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 107(6): 3487-3495.

Rankin, S., Oswald, J.N., Simonis, A.E., Barlow, J. (2015) Vocalizations of the rough‐toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis, in the Pacific Ocean. Marine Mammal Science 31(4): 1538-1548.

Ryan, C., Cucknell, A.C., Romagosa, M., Boisseau, O., Moscrop, A., Frantzis, A., McLanaghan, R. (2014) A visual and acoustic survey for marine mammals in the eastern Mediterranean Sea during summer 2013. Funded by the International Fund for Animal Welfare with additional support from Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute. Marine Conservation Research International, UK.

Schultz, K.W., Corkeron, P.J. (1994) Interspecific differences in whistles produced by inshore dolphins in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. Canadian Journal of Zoology 72: 1061-1068.

Seabra de Lima, I.M., de Andrade, L.G., Ramos de Carvalho, R., Lailson-Brito, J., de Freitas Azevedo, A. (2012) Characteristics of whistles from rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) in Rio de Janeiro coast, southeastern Brazil. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 131(5): 4173-4181.

Simard, F., Würtz, M. (2012) Approaching the Conservation Issues of the Mediterranean Submarine Canyons. In: Mediterranean Submarine Canyons: Ecology and Governance, (ed., Würtz, M.) IUCN, pp. 207-211.

Thomas, L., Buckland, S.T., Rexstad, E.A., Laake, J.L., Strindberg, S., Hedley, S.L., Bishop, J.R.B., Marques, T.A., Burnham, K.P. (2010) Distance software: design and analysis of distance sampling surveys for estimating population size. Journal of Applied Ecology 47: 5-14.

Tonay, A.M., Öztürk Amaha, A., Salman, A., Dede, A., Danyer Aytemiz, 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.

Whitehead, H., Weilgart, L. (1991) Patterns of visually observable behaviour and vocalizations in groups of female sperm whales. Behaviour 118(3/4): 275-296.

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: Oceanographic Research Papers 53(11): 1762-1771.

WWF-IUCN-IWC-OceanMind (2019) WWF-IUCN-IWC-OceanMind: A Geospatial Analysis of Vessel Traffic in Important Marine Mammal Areas. Available at: https://www.marinemammalhabitat.org/mmpatf/activities/geospatial-analysis-of-threats/ (accessed 27 Apr 2021).

Findings on pelagic macro crustacean species of the Finike Seamounts Special Environment Protection Area (SEPA), the eastern Mediterranean Sea

Onur Gönülal

ORCID ID: O.G. 0000-0002-5559-3953

Abstract

The ecology of seamounts in the Mediterranean Sea is poorly investigated. This paper aims to make contribution to the knowledge of the deep-sea pelagic fauna of the Finike Seamounts Special Environmental Protection Area (SEPA). Eight species of the pelagic crustaceans were recorded during the spring and fall surveys in 2021. The most abundant species was Euphausia krohnii, followed by Robustosergia robusta and Allosergestes sargassi, in this study. The other five species, Nematoscelis atlantica, Stylocheiron longicorne, Thysanopoda aequalis, Amalopenaeus elegans and Lucifer typus, were found in lower abundance.

Keywords: Finike Seamounts, Euphausiacea, pelagic crustacea

References

Akkaya, A., Lyne, P., Schulz, X., Awbery, T., Capitain, S., Rosell, B.F., Yıldırım, B., Ilkılınç, C., Vigliano Relva, J., Clark, H., van Walsum, L., Gordon, J. (2020) Preliminary results of cetacean sightings in the eastern Mediterranean Sea of Turkey. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 26(1): 26-47.

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(1-4): 24-47.

Casanova-Soulier, B. (1970) Les Euphausiaces de Méditerranée. Rapport de la Commission International pour l’Exploration Scientifique de la Mer Méditerranée 20(3): 417.

Dede, A., Amaha Öztürk, A., Tonay, A.M., Özsandıkçı, U., Gönülal, O., Öztürk, B. (2022) Cetacean sightings in the Finike Seamounts area and adjacent waters during the surveys in 2021. Journal of Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 28(2): 221-239.

Etnoyer, P., Canny, D., Mate, B., Morgan, L. (2004) Persistent pelagic habitats in the Baja California to Bering Sea (B2B) ecoregion. Oceanography 17: 90-101.

Farfante, I., Kensley, B. (1997) Penaeoid and sergestoid shrimps and prawns of the world. Keys and diagnoses for the families and genera. Mémoires du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle 175: 1-233.

Galil, B.S., Goren, M. (1994) The deep sea Levantine fauna. -New records and rare occurrences. Senckenbergiana maritime 25(1/3): 41-52.

Gönülal, O., Sezgin, M., Öztürk, B. (2014) New records of decapod crustaceans from the deep Aegean Sea of Turkey. Crustaceana 87(11-12): 1461-1468.

Güreşen, S.O., Gönülal, O. (2018) New records of pelagic fauna from the Turkish waters. Turkish Journal of Zoology 42(3): 337-339.

Heip, C.H.R, Gattuso, J.P. (2006) Encyclopedia of Earth. Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment. Available at: http://www.eoearth.org/article/Marine_biodiversity. (accessed 10 May 2022)

Holthuis, L.B., Gottlieb, E. (1958) An annotated list of the decapod Crustacea of the Mediterranean coast of Israel with an appendix listing the Decapoda of the eastern Mediterranean. Bulletin of the Research Council of Israel 7(B): 1-126.

Kathman, R.D. (1986) Identification manual to the Mysidacea and Euphausiacea of the northeast Pacific. Fisheries and Oceans, Information and Publications Branch 93: 1-405.

Keen, E.M. (2012) Adult Euphasiidae of the Coastal Northeast Pacific, A Field Guide. SIO275 Taxon Project. Available at: https://acsweb.ucsd.edu/~ekeen/resources/Euphausiidae_CoastalNEP_FINAL.pdf (accessed 11 Jul 2022).

Kensley, B. (2006) Pelagic shrimp (Crustacea: Decapoda) from the shelf and oceanic waters in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean off South Africa. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 119: 384-394.

Koukouras, A. (2000) The pelagic shrimps (Decapoda, Natantia) of the Aegean Sea, with an account of the Mediterranean species. Crustaceana 73(7): 801-814.

Mauchline, J. (1980) The biology of mysids and euphausiids. Advanced Marine Biology 18: 1-681.

Mavidis, M., Aplikioti, M., Kirmitzoglou, I., Koukouras, A. (2005) The Euphausiacean fauna (Malacostraca) of the Aegean Sea, and comparison with those of the neighbouring seas. Crustaceana 1: 19-27.

Olu-Le Roy, K., Sibuet, M., Fiala-Médioni, A., Gofas, S., Salas, C., Mariotti, A., Woodside, J. (2004) Cold seep communities in the deep eastern Mediterranean Sea: composition, symbiosis and spatial distribution on mud volcanoes. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers 51(12): 1915-1936.

Öztürk, B., Topcu, E.N., 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.

Wiebe, P.H., D’abramo, L. (1972) Distribution of euphausiid assemblages in the Mediterranean Sea. Marine Biology 15(2):139-149.

Würtz, M. (2012) Mediterranean Submarine Canyons: Ecology and Governance. Publ. IUCN, Malaga, Spain.

Contribution to the knowledge on the zooplankton fauna of the Finike Seamounts, the eastern Mediterranean Sea

Kerem Bakır, H. Vedat Aker

ORCID IDs: K.B. 0000-0002-3739-8396; H.V.A. 0000-0001-8101-644K

Department of Marine-Inland Waters Sciences and Technology, Fisheries Faculty, Ege University, İzmir, TÜRKİYE

Abstract

In this study, the zooplankton diversity in the Finike Seamounts, which has been declared as a Special Environmental Protection Area, was investigated. In total, 42 species were identified, of which Pontella atlantica, Euchaeta spinosa, Phronima sedentaria, Oxycephalus piscator, Vibilia propinqua and Streetsia challengeri were new records for the Turkish coast. The numbers of species identified in shallower coastal water was higher than those in the deeper offshore waters.

Keywords: Seamounts, Türkiye, zooplankton, Mediterranean

References

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.

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.

Heneash, A.M.M. (2015) Zooplankton composition and distribution in a stressed environment (El Dekhaila Harbour), South-Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Egypt. International Journal of Advanced Research in Biological Sciences 2(11): 39-51.

Hofrichter, R. (2002) Das Mittelmeer: Fauna, Flora, Ökologie. Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg and Berlin.

Kovalev, A., Mazzocchi, M., Toklu Alıçlı, B., Skryabın, V., Kıdeyş, A.E. (2001) Seasonal changes in the composition and abundance of zooplankton in the Seas of the Mediterranean Basin. Mediterranean Marine Science 2(1): 69-77.

Kurt, T.T., Polat, S. (2013) Seasonal distribution of coastal mesozooplankton community in relation to the environmental factors in Iskenderun Bay (north-east Levantine, Mediterranean Sea). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 93(5): 1163-1174.

Lakkis, S. (2011) Le Zooplancton Marin du Liban (Méditerranée orientale): Biologie, Biodiversité, Biogéographie. Publ. Université Libanaise, Beirut, Lebanon, No 23.

Lampadariou, N., Tselepides, A., Hatziyanni, E. (2009) Deep-sea meiofaunal and foraminiferal communities along a gradient of primary productivity in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Scientia Marina 73(2): 337-345.

Nowaczyk, A., Carlotti, F., Thibault-Botha, D., Pagano, M. (2011) Distribution of epipelagic metazooplankton across the Mediterranean Sea during the summer BOUM cruise. Biogeosciences 8: 2159-2177.

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., Topcu, E.N., Topaloglu, B. (2010) A preliminary study on two seamounts in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Rapports de la Commission Internationale pour L’Exploration Scientifique de la Mer Mediterranee 39: 682.

Powley, H.R., Cappellen, P.V., Krom, M.D. (2017) Nutrient cycling in the Mediterranean Sea: the key to understanding how the unique marine ecosystem functions and responds to anthropogenic pressures. In: Mediterranean Identities – Environment, Society, Culture, (ed., Fuerst-Bjelis, B.), IntechOpen, London. https://doi.org/10.5772/66587

Scotto di Carlo, B., Ianora, A., Mazzochi, M.G., Scardi, M. (1991) Atlantis II Cruise: uniformity of deep copepod assemblages in the Mediterranean Sea. Journal of Plankton Research 13: 263-277.

Shank, T.M., Herrera, S., Cho, W., Roman, C.N., Bell, K.L.C. (2011) Exploration of the Anaximander mud volcanoes. In: New Frontiers in Ocean Exploration: The E/V Nautilus 2010 Field Season, (eds., Bell, K.L.C., Fuller, S.A.). Oceanography 24(1): 22-23.

Terbıyık Kurt, T., Polat, S. (2015) Zooplankton abundance, biomass, and size structure in the coastal waters of the northeastern Mediterranean Sea. Turkish Journal of Zoology 39(3): 378-387.

Turley, C.M. (1999) The changing Mediterranean Sea – a sensitive ecosystem? Progress in Oceanography 44: 387-400.

Turley, C.M., Bianchi, M., Christaki, U., Conan, P., Harris, J.R.W., Psarra, S., Ruddy, G., Stutt, E.D., Tselepides, A., Van Wambecke, F. (2000) Relationship between primary producers and bacteria in an oligotrophic sea – the Mediterranean and biogeochemical implications. Marine Ecology Progress Series 193: 11-18.

Zakaria, H.Y., Hassan, A.M., Abo-Senna, F.M., El-Naggar, H.A. (2016) Abundance, distribution, diversity and zoogeography of epipelagic copepods off the Egyptian Coast (Mediterranean Sea). Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research 42: 459-473.

Some observations on the ichthyofauna of the Finike (Anaximander) Seamounts, the eastern Mediterranean

Cem Dalyan, Nur Bikem Kesici, Sinan Mavruk, Ahsen Yüksek

ORCID IDs: C.D. 0000-0002-7386-5641; N.B.K. 0000-0002-9636-1649; S.M. 0000-0003-1958-0634; A.Y. 0000-0001-7949-3001

Division of Hydrobiology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Istanbul University, Istanbul, TÜRKİYE
Department of Marine Biology, Fisheries Faculty, Cukurova University, Adana, TÜRKİYE
Department of Physical Oceanography and Marine Biology, Institute of Marine Sciences and Management, İstanbul, TÜRKİYE

Abstract

Deep sea ecosystems are home to many unique habitats. Considering the Mediterranean Sea, extreme environments are clustered mainly in the eastern basin such as the Nile Deep Sea Fan, Finike (Anaximander) and Eratosthenes Seamounts, Olimpi mud volcano field, Calabrian Arc and Marmara deep fault systems. This study was conducted in the Finike Seamounts, to assess the ichthyofauna of the area with a depth of down to 2200 m. Samples of larval, juvenile and adult phases indicated the presence of 20 fish species belonging to 13 families in and around the Finike Seamounts area. The collected individuals consisted of 422 adults, 6 juveniles and 31 larvae. Most of the individuals belonged to Cyclothone braueri, all of them being adults.

Keywords: Eastern Mediterranean, deep sea, seamount, fish, larvae

References

Ak-Örek, Y., Mavruk, S. (2016) Ichthyoplankton of the Mediterranean Sea. In: The Turkish Part of the Mediterranean Sea, Marine Biodiversity, Fisheries, Conservation and Governance (eds., Turan, C., Salihoglu, B., Ozbek Ozgur, E., Ozturk, B.), Turkish Marine Research Foundation, Publication No: 43, Istanbul, Turkey, pp. 226-247.

Alvarez-Berastegui, D., Ingram, G.W., Reglero, P., Macías-López, D., Alemany, F. (2017) Albacore (Thunnus alalunga) larval index in the western Mediterranean. ICCAT Collective Volume of Scientific Papers 74: 687-707.

Anibaldi, A., Benassi-Franciosi, C., Massari, F., Tinti, F., Piccinetti, C., Riccioni, G. (2016) Morphology and species composition of Southern Adriatic Sea leptocephali evaluated using DNABarcoding. PLoS One 11(11): e0166137.

Anonymous (2013) Decision of the Council of Ministers. Official Newspaper Date: 16.08.2013, Issue: 28737. Available at: https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr (accessed 11 Jul 2022) (in Turkish).

Bayhan, Y.K., Alagoz,-Erguden, S., Erguden, D. (2020) Length-weight relationships for three deep sea fish species in North Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey. Aquatic Sciences and Engineering 35(3): 89-93.

Bilecenoglu, M., Kaya, M., Cihangir, B., Çiçek, E. (2014) An updated checklist of the marine fishes of Turkey. Turkish Journal of Zoology 38(6): 901-929.

Blake, J.A., Ramey-Balci, P.A. (2020) New genus and species of spionid polychaete (Annelida, Spionidae) from a deepwater cold seep site in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea off Turkey. Zoosymposia 19: 121-134.

Brissac, T., Rodrigues, C.F., Gros, O., Duperron, S. (2011) Characterization of bacterial symbioses in Myrtea sp. (Bivalvia: Lucinidae) and Thyasira sp. (Bivalvia: Thyasiridae) froma cold seep in the Eastern Mediterranean. Marine Ecology 32: 198-210.

Cartes, J.E., Maynou, F., Sardà, F., Company, J.B., Lloris D., Tudela, S. (2004) The Mediterranean Deep-sea Ecosystems: An Overview of Their Diversity, Structure, Functioning and Anthropogenic Impacts. In: The Mediterranean Deep-sea Ecosystems: An Overview of Their Diversity, Structure, Functioning and Anthropogenic Impacts, with a Proposal for Conservation. IUCN, Málaga and WWF, Rome, pp. 9-38.

Coad, B.W., Reist, J.D. (2004) Annotated List of the Arctic Marine Fishes of Canada. Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2674. 112 pp.

Daban, İ.B., İşmen, A. (2020) Fish larvae assemblages of Gökçeada Island, North Aegean Sea: effect of weekly sampling interval on their incidences. Turkish Journal of Zoology 44: 165-172.

Dalyan, C., Gönülal, O., Kesici, N.B., Eryılmaz, L., Tunçer, S., Öztekin, A. (2021) New and confirmed records and rare occurrences of some deep sea fishes in the Turkish waters of the northern Aegean Sea (Mediterranean Sea). Fishtaxa-Journal of Fish Taxonomy 21: 1-18.

Demir, M. (1958) Three deep sea fishes from the Sea of Marmara and northerneastern of the Aegean Sea. Hidrobiologi Mecmuası 4: 134-151.

Duperron, S., Lorion, J., Samadi, S., Gros, O., Gaill, F. (2009) Symbioses between deep-sea mussels (Mytilidae: Bathymodiolinae) and chemosynthetic bacteria: diversity, function and evolution. Comptes Rendus Biologies 332: 298-310.

Eschmeyer, W.N., Fricke, R., Van der Laan, R. (2022) Catalog of Fishes. Available from: http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/ catalog/fishcatmain.asp/. (accessed 11 Jul 2022)

Farrag, M.M. (2016) Deep-sea ichthyofauna from Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Egypt: Update and new records. The Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research 42(4): 479-489.

Froese, R., Pauly, D. (2020) Fishbase. www.fishbase.org (accessed 1 Sep 2020).

GEBCO (2022) General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans. Girded Bathymetry Data for Global Ocean. Available at: https://www.gebco.net/data_and_products/ gridded_bathymetry_data/ (accessed 14 Jun 2022).

GFCM (2006) Report of the Ninth Session of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the GFCM, Rome, Italy.

Heeschen, K., Dahlmann, A., Hohnberg, H.-J. (2006) Pressurized near-surface sediment cores of Anaximander mud volcanoes. In: Eastern Mediterranean, EGU General Assembly, vol. 8 of Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vienna, Austria, 07005. SRef-ID: 1607-7962/gra/EGU06-A-07005

Hulley, P.A. (1986) Myctophidae. 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. 1. UNESCO, Paris. 429-483.

Ibrahim, M.A., Hasan, M.W.A., El-Far, A.M.M., Farrag, E.F.E, Farrag, M.M.S. (2011) Deep sea shrimp resources in the South eastern Mediterranean waters of Egypt. Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research 37(2): 131-137.

Ingram, G.W., Alvarez-Berastegui, D., Reglero, P., Balbín, R., García, A., Alemany, F. (2017) Incorporation of habitat information in the development of indices of larval bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in the Western Mediterranean Sea (2001-2005 and 2012-2013). Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography 140: 203-211.

Juniper, S.K., Sibuet, M. (1987) Cold seep benthic communities in Japan subduction zones-spatial-organization, trophic strategies and evidence for temporal evolution. Marine Ecology Progress Series 40(1-2): 115-126.

Kaya, M. (1993) A study on deep sea fish of the Aegean Sea. Turkish Journal of Zoology 17(3): 411-426 (in Turkish).

Kennicut, M.C., Brooks, J.M., Bidigare, R.R., Fay, R.R., Wade, T.L., McDonald, T.J. (1985) Vent type taxa in a hydrocarbon seep region on the Louisiana Slope. Nature 317: 351-353.

Kovačic, M., Lipej, L., Dulčic, J., Iglesias, S.P., Goren, M. (2021) Evidence-based checklist of the Mediterranean Sea fishes. Zootaxa 4998: 1-115.

Lykousis, V., Alexandri, S., Woodside, de Lange, G., Dahlmann, Perissoratis, C., Heeschen K., Ioakim, Chr., Sakellariou D., Nomikou, P., Rousakis, G., Casas, D., Ballas, D., Ercilla, G. (2009) Mud volcanoes and gas hydrates in the Anaximander Mountains (Eastern Mediterranean Sea). Marine and Petroleum Geology 26: 854-872.

Lykousis, V., Alexandri, S., Woodside, J., Nomikou, P., Perissoratis, C., Sakellariou, D., de Lange, G., Dahlmann, A., Casas, D., Rousakis, G., Ballas, D., Ioakim, Chr. (2004) New evidence of extensive active mud volcanism in the Anaximander Mountains (Eastern Mediterranean): The ‘‘ATHINA’’ mud volcano. Environmental Geology 46: 1030-1037.

Mavruk, S., Bengil, F., Yüksek, A., Özyurt, C. E., Kiyaga, V. B., Avşar, D. (2018) Intra-annual patterns of coastal larval fish assemblages along environmental gradients in the northeastern Mediterranean. Fisheries Oceanography 27: 232-245.

Mavruk, S., Özbek, E.Ö., Muhling, Ş.M.K. (2020) Preliminary results of the diversity and abundance of ichthyoplankton for winter and spring seasons in the northwestern Levant coast, the eastern Mediterranean. Journal of Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 26: 203-222.

Moser, H.G., Smith, P.E. (1993) Larval fish assemblages and oceanic boundaries. Bulletin of Marine Science 53: 283-289.

Mouneimne, N. (1977) Liste des poissons de la cote du Liban (Méditerranée orientale). Cybium 1: 37-66.

Nelson, J.S., Grande, T.C., Wilson, M.V.H. (2016) Fishes of the World, 5th ed. John Wiley and Sons, New York.

Olu-Le Roy, K., Sibueta, M., Fiala-Medioni, A., Gofas, S. Salas, C., Mariotti, A., Fouchere, 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 I 51: 1915-1936.

Öztürk, B., Topcu, E.N., Topaloglu, B. (2010) A preliminary study on two seamounts in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Rapports et process-verbaux des reunions Commission internationale pour l’exploration scientifique de la Mer Mediterranee 39: 620.

Papaconstantinou, C. (2014) Fauna Graeciae: An Updated Checklist of the Fishes in the Hellenic Seas, Monographs on Marine Sciences Vol. 7, Athens, HCMR. 340 p.

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.

Peck, M., Huebert, K., Llopiz, J. (2012) Intrinsic and extrinsic factors driving match-mismatch dynamics during the early life history of marine fishes. Advances in Ecological Research 47: 177-302.

Perissoratis, C., Ioakim, Chr., Alexandri, S., Woodside, J., Nomikou, P., Dählmann, A.D., Casas, D., Heeschen, K., Amman, H., Rousakis, G., Lykousis V. (2011) Thessaloniki mud volcano, the shallowest gas hydrate-bearing mud volcano in the Anaximander Mountains, Eastern Mediterranean. Journal of Geological Research Article 247983: 1-11.

Perissoratis, C., Ioakim, Chr., Lykousis, V. (2006) Characteristics of the Thessaloniki mud volcano, a recently discovered gas hydrate bearing area in the Anaximander Mountains. In: Eastern Mediterranean, EGU General Assembly, vol. 8 of Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vienna, Austria, April 2006, 03874, SRef-ID: 1607-7962/gra/EGU06-A-03874.

Sabates, A., Olivar, M.P., Salat, J., Palomera, I., Alemany, F. (2007) Physical and biological processes controlling the distribution of fish larvae in the NW Mediterranean. Progress in Oceanography 74(2-3): 355-376.

Southward, E.C., Andersen, A.C., Hourdez, A. (2011) Lamellibrachia anaximandri n.sp., a new vestimentiferan tubeworm (Annelida) from the Mediterranean, with notes on frenulate tubeworms from the same habitat. Zoosystema 33: 245-279.

Suess, E., Carson, B., Ritger, S.D., Moore, J.C., Jones, M.L., Kulm, L.D., Cochrane, G.R. (1985) Biological communities at vent sites along the subduction zone off Oregon. Bulletin of the Biological Society of Washington 6: 475-484.

Taning, A.V. (1918) Report on the Danish Oceanographical Expeditions 1908-1910 to the Mediterranean and Adjacent Seas. Copenhagen.

Taviani, M. (2014) Chemosynthesis in the Mediterranean Sea. In: The Mediterranean Sea: Its History and Present Challenges, (eds., Goffredo, S., Dubinsky, Z.), Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 69-83.

Tortonese, E. (1970) Osteichthyes (Pesci ossei). Parte prima: Fauna D’italia, Vol. 10. Edizioni Calderini, Bologna, pp. 1-565.

Treude, T., Kiel, S., Linke, P., Peckmann, J., Goedert, J.L. (2011) Elasmobranch egg capsules associated with modern and ancient cold seeps: a nursery for marine deep-water predators. Marine Ecology Progress Series 437: 175-181.

TUIK (2021) Fishery Production Statistics of Tukey. Available at: www.tuik.gov.tr.

Türetken, K.F. (2009) Quantitive-qualitive analysis of deep sea fishes around Gökçeada Island (Northern Aegean Sea). MScThesis, Istanbul University. (in Turkish).

Werne, J.P., Haese, R.R., Zitter, T., Aloisi, G., Bouloubassi, I., Heijfs, S., Fiala-Médioni, A., Pancost, R.D., Sinninghe Damsté, J.S., de Lange, G., Forney, L.J., Gottschal, J.C., Foucher, J.P., Mascle, J., Woodside, J. (2004) Life at cold seeps: a synthesis of biogeochemical and ecological data from Kazan mud volcano, eastern Mediterranean Sea. Chemical Geology 205: 367-390.

Whitehead, P.J.P., Bauchot, M.L., Hureau, J.C., Nielsen, J., Tortonese, E. (eds.) (1984-1986). Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. UNESCO, Paris.

Woodside, J. (1996) Neotectonic deformation of the Anaximander Mountains observed from EM12D Multibeam Data. In: Sedimentary Basins of the Mediterranean and Black Seas, TTR, Fourth Post-cruise Meeting, UNESCO Report, pp.11-12.

Woodside, J., Ivanov, M.K., Limonov, A.F. (1998) Shallow gas and gas hydrates in the Anaximander Mountains region, Eastern Mediterranean Sea. In: Gas Hydrates: Relevance to World Margin Stability and Climate Change. (eds., Henriet, J.P., Mienert, J.) Geological Society of London, Special Publication 137, pp. 177-193.

Zeppilli, D., Canals, M., Danovaro, R. (2011) Pockmarks enhance deep-sea benthic biodiversity: a case study in the western Mediterranean Sea. Diversity and Distributions 18: 832-846.

Editor’s Note to the issue dedicated to the Finike Seamounts (Anaximander) Special Environmental Protection Area, the eastern Mediterranean Sea

Bayram Öztürk
Editor

ORCID ID: 0000-0001-7844-2448

Abstract

The Finike Seamounts (Anaximander) area was designated as the Special Environmental Protection Area (SEPA) in 2013 by the Turkish government to protect its unique biodiversity components such as rich benthic communities, vulnerable deep sea species and highly migratory species. As the area is not totally inside the territorial waters of Türkiye, this initiative can facilitate and be beneficial for transboundary cooperation in terms of conservation for highly mobile and vulnerable species such as sea turtles, bluefin tuna, seabirds, and cetaceans. Besides, it can be included in the Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI) list under the Barcelona Convention in order to promote bilateral cooperation with the neighbouring countries. Designation as one of the Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) under the Convention of Biological Diversity is also another option for marine conservation in this region. Finally, the Finike Seamounts SEPA needs a long-term scientific monitoring study to understand both the benthic and pelagic components of its biodiversity. The surveys in 2021 initiated such a study and the papers published in this issue of the journal (Vol.28 No.2) as the results of 2021 surveys provide the baseline data of the Finike Seamounts SEPA to be referred and evaluated for the coming years.

Keywords: Finike Seamounts (Anaximander), marine biodiversity, marine conservation, Special Environmental Protection Area

References

Akkaya, A., Lyne, P., Schulz, X., Awbery, T., Capitain, S., Rosell, B.F.,Yıldırım, B., lkılınç, C., Vigliano Relva, J., Clark, H., van Walsum, L., Gordon, J. (2020) Preliminary results of cetacean sightings in the eastern Mediterranean Sea of Turkey. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 26(1): 26-47.

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(1-4): 24-47.

Akyol, O., Ceyhan, T. (2017) Annual catch diary (2014-2015) of a swordfish fishing vessel in Fethiye region (Mediterranean). Turkish Journal of Maritime and Marine Sciences 3(1): 8-14.

Alder, J., Wood, L. (2012) Managing and protecting seamounts ecosystems. Fisheries Centre Research Report 12(5): 67-74.

Algan, N. (2019) Protection of High Seas and the Mediterranean Sea. In: Governance and Protection of the High Seas beyond National Jurisdiction, (eds., Algan. N., Gönülal, O.), TUDAV Publication no: 50, pp. 31-58. (in Turkish)

Blake, J.A., Ramey-Balci, P.A. (2020) A new genus and species of spionid polychaete (Annelida, Spionidae) from a deep-water cold seep site in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea off Turkey. Zoosymposia 19(1): 121-134.

Charlou, J.L., Donval, J.P., Zitter, T., Roy, N., Jean-Baptiste, P., Foucher, J.P., Woodside, J., Party, M.S. (2003) Evidence of methane venting and geochemistry of brines on mud volcanoes of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers 50(8): 941-958.

Medioni, F.A. (2003) Sources of Energy for Deep Sea Benthos in Mediterranean mud Volcanoes. In: Mare Incognitum? Exploring Mediterranean Deep-sea Biology, (ed., Briand, F.), CIESM Workshop, Monograph no. 23, pp.77-80.

Morato, T., Kvile, K. Ø., Taranto, G. H., Tempera, F., Narayanaswamy, B. E., Hebbeln, D., Pitcher, T. J. (2013) Seamount physiography and biology in the north-east Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. Biogeosciences 10(5): 3039-3054.

Onken, R., Yüce, H. (2000) Winter circulation and convection in the Antalya basin (Eastern Mediterranean). Journal of Physical Oceanography 30(5): 1099-1110.

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., Rovere, M., Würtz, M. (2015) Seamounts and Seamount-like Structures of the Eastern Mediterranean. In: Atlas of the Mediterranean Seamounts and Seamount-Like Structures, (eds., Marzia R., Maurizio, W.), IUCN, Malaga, Spain, pp. 59-110.

Öztürk, B. Topçu, N.E, Keskin. Ç. (2012a) SPAMI proposals for Finike (Anaximander) and Mediterranean (Erathosthenes) Seamounts in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. In: Proceedings of the 2012 Forum of Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean, 25-28 November 2012, Marseille.

Öztürk, B., Topçu, E., Topaloglu, B. (2012b) 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.

Pitcher, T.J., Morato, T., Stocks, K.I., Clark, M.R. (2010) Seamount Ecosystem Evaluation Framework (SEEF): A tool for global seamount research and data synthesis. Oceanography 23(1): 123-125.

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.

Ürkmez, D. (2021) Finike (Anaximander) Seamounts: An Overview E/V Nautilus Expedition Meiobenthic Communities in Cold Seep Areas. In: Extreme Marine Environments of Turkey, (eds., Öztürk, H., Alkan, G.), TUDAV Publication no: 50. pp. 40-51 (in Turkish).

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: Oceanographic Research Papers 53(11): 1762-1771.

Zodiatis, G., Coppini, G., Perivoliotis, L., Lardner, R., Alves, T., Pinardi, N., Liubartseva, S., De Dominicis, M., Bourma, E., Neves, A.A.S. (2017) Numerical Modeling of Oil Pollution in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. In: Oil Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: Part I., (eds., Carpenter, A., Kostianoy, A.), The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, Vol: 83, Springer, Cham.

Onboard surveys results for the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in the Finike (Anaximander) Seamounts region and adjacent waters

Onboard surveys results for the loggerhead turtle **(Caretta caretta) and the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in the Finike (Anaximander) Seamounts region and adjacent waters**

Doğan Sözbilen, Arda M. Tonay, Ayaka Amaha Öztürk ,Uğur Özsandıkçı, Ayhan Dede, Yakup Kaska

ORCID IDs: D.S. 0000-0002-2267-1636; A.M.T. 0000-0003-2718-9328; A.A.Ö. 0000-0003-2281-7372; U.Ö 0000-0002-7246-5494; A.D. 0000-0002-7712-615X; Y.K. 0000-0001-5169-8216

Sea Turtle Research, Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (DEKAMER), Pamukkale University, Denizli, TÜRKİYE
Department of Veterinary, Acıpayam Vocational School, Pamukkale University, Denizli, 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
Faculty of Fisheries, Sinop University, Sinop, TÜRKİYE
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Pamukkale University, Denizli, TÜRKİYE

Abstract

Identification of key habitats of migratory marine megafauna species is of great importance, especially for the conservation of threatened species. In this study, the occurrence and distribution of sea turtles in coastal and offshore areas were investigated for the first time by offshore onboard observations in the Finike Seamounts (Anaximander) Specially Protection Area and its adjacent waters. The study was carried out in spring and autumn in 2021 and two sea turtle species known to breed in Türkiye, the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) were observed. Of the total of 11 individuals observed, five of them were identified as the loggerhead turtle and two were identified as the green turtle. The species of four individuals could not be determined. The detection of individuals both during and after the breeding period for both species indicates that the Finike Seamounts Specially Protection Area and adjacent waters host sea turtle species throughout the year. The results of the study show that coastal and offshore observations should be continued systematically in order to make conservation measures specific to the region and to determine the abundance of both species in the region.

Keywords: Offshore habitats, eastern Mediterranean Sea, marine turtles, in-water observation, migratory species

References

ACCOBAMS (2021) Estimates of Abundance and Distribution of Cetaceans, Marine Mega-fauna and Marine Litter in the Mediterranean Sea from 2018-2019 Surveys. (Eds., Panigada, S., Boisseau, O., Canadas, A., Lambert, C., Laran, S., McLanaghan, R., Moscrop, A.) ACCOBAMS Survey Initiative Project, Monaco.

Almpanidou, V., Tsapalou, V., Chatzimentor, A., Cardona, L., Claro, F., Hostetter, P., Kaska, Y., Liu, W., Mansui, J., Miliou, A. (2022) Foraging grounds of adult loggerhead sea turtles across the Mediterranean Sea: key sites and hotspots of risk. Biodiversity and Conservation 31: 143-160.

Baran, I., Kasparek, M. (1989) Marine Turtles Turkey. Status survey 1988 and recommendations for conservation and management. Report to World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Heidelberg.

Başkale, E., Sözbilen, D., Katılmış, Y., Azmaz, M., Kaska, Y. (2018) An evaluation of sea turtle strandings in the Fethiye-Göcek Specially Protected Area: An important foraging ground with an increasing mortality rate. Ocean & Coastal Management 154: 26-33.

Bradshaw, P.J., Broderick, A.C., Carreras, C., Inger, R., Fuller, W., Snape, R., Stokes, K.L., Godley, B.J. (2017) Satellite tracking and stable isotope analysis highlight differential recruitment among foraging areas in green turtles. Marine Ecology Progress Series 582: 201-214.

Broderick, A.C., Coyne, M.S., Fuller, W.J., Glen, F., Godley, B.J. (2007) Fidelity and over-wintering of sea turtles. Proceedings of Royal Society B 274: 1533-1539.

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, New York.

Canbolat, A.F. (2004) A review of sea turtle nesting activity along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Biological Conservation 116: 81-91.

Casale, P. (2011) Sea turtle by‐catch in the Mediterranean. Fish and Fisheries 12: 299-316.

Casale, P. (2015) Caretta caretta (Mediterranean subpopulation). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS. T83644804A83646294.en.) (accessed on 20 July 2022)

Casale, P., Broderick, A.C., Camiñas, J.A., Cardona, L., Carreras, C., Demetropoulos, A., Fuller, W.J., Godley, B.J., Hochscheid, S., Kaska, Y., Lazar, B., Margaritoulis, D., Panagopoulou, A., Rees, A.F., Tomás, J., Türkozan, O. (2018) Mediterranean sea turtles: current knowledge and priorities for conservation and research. Endangered Species Research 36: 229-267.

Casale, P., Heppell, S.S. (2016) How much sea turtle bycatch is too much? A stationary age distribution model for simulating population abundance and potential biological removal in the Mediterranean. Endangered Species Research 29: 239-254.

Cerritelli, G., Casale, P., Sözbilen, D., Hochscheid, S., Luschi, P., Kaska, Y. (2022) Multidirectional migrations from a major nesting area in Turkey support the widespread distribution of foraging sites for loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean. Marine Ecology Progress Series 683: 169-177.

Dunn, D.C., Harrison, A.-L., Curtice, C., DeLand, S., Donnelly, B., Fujioka, E., Heywood, E., Kot, C.Y., Poulin, S., Whitten, M. (2019) The importance of migratory connectivity for global ocean policy. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 286: 20191472.

Geldiay, R., Koray, T., Balik, S. (1982) Status of the Sea Turtle Population (Caretta c. caretta and Chelonia m. mydas) in the northern Mediterranean Sea, Turkey. In: Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles (ed., Bjorndal, K.A.). Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, pp. 424-435.

IUCN-SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group (2021) Important Marine Turtle Areas Guidelines 1.0. (August 2021) Monaco Oceanographic Institute.

Kaska, Y., Başkale, E., Urhan, R., Katılmış, Y., Gidiş, M., Sarı, F., Sözbilen, D., Canbolat, A.F., Yılmaz, F., Barlas, M. (2010) Natural and anthropogenic factors affecting the nest-site selection of loggerhead turtles, Caretta caretta, on Dalaman-Sarıgerme beach in South-west Turkey: (Reptilia: Cheloniidae). Zoology in the Middle East 50: 47-58.

Kaska, Y., Celik, A., Bag, H., Aureggi, M., Özel, K., Elçi, A., Kaska, A., Elçi, L. (2004) Heavy metal monitoring in stranded sea turtles along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin 13: 769-776.

Kot, C.Y., Åkesson, S., Alfaro‐Shigueto, J., Amorocho Llanos, D.F., Antonopoulou, M., Balazs, G.H., Baverstock, W.R., Blumenthal, J.M., Broderick, A.C., Bruno, I. Canbolat, A.F., Casale, P., Cejudo, D., Coyne, M.S., Curtice, C., DeLand, S., DiMatteo, A., Dodge, K., Dunn, D.C., et al. (2022) Network analysis of sea turtle movements and connectivity: A tool for conservation prioritization. Diversity and Distributions 28: 810-829.

Lutz, P., Musick, J. (1997) The Biology of Sea Turtles, Volume I. CRC Press, Boca Raton, London, New York, Washington, D.C.

Maden, M., Ayyıldız, H, Altın, A., Alver, C. (2022) The nesting activity of sea turtles (Chelonia mydas and Caretta caretta): Results of 2017 monitoring study on Kumluca Beach. Acta Natura et Scienta 3: 77-84.

Official Gazette (2013) Announcement of Finike Submarine Mountains as Special Environmental Protection Area, published on 16 August 2013 (in Turkish).

Oruç, A. (2001) Trawl fisheries in the eastern Mediterranean and their impact on marine turtles. Zoology in the Middle East 24(1): 119-125.

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.

Rees, A.F., Carreras, C., Broderick, A.C., Margaritoulis, D., Stringell, T.B., Godley, B.J. (2017) Linking loggerhead locations: using multiple methods to determine the origin of sea turtles in feeding grounds. Marine Biology 164: 30.

Seminoff, J. (2004) Chelonia mydas. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004: e.T4615A11037468. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS. T4615A11037468.en. (accessed 20 Jul 2022)

Şenöz, M. (2015) Anaximander Mountains and deep sea mud volcanoes south of Turkey. Conference Proceedings, 8th Congress of the Balkan Geophysical Society, Oct 2015, Volume 2015, p.1-5.

Snape, R.T., Broderick, A.C., Çiçek, B.A., Fuller, W.J., Glen, F., Stokes, K., Godley, B.J. (2016) Shelf life: neritic habitat use of a turtle population highly threatened by fisheries. Diversity and Distributions 22: 797-807.

Sözbilen, D., Başkale, E., Kaska, Y. (2021) Male-biased in-water population of loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) in Dalyan, Turkey as apossible important marine turtle area in the Mediterranean. Turkish Journal of Zoology 45: 486-498.

Sözbilen, D., Kaska, Y. (2018) Biochemical blood parameters and hormone levels of foraging, nesting, and injured loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in Turkey. Turkish Journal of Zoology 42: 287-296.

Stokes, K., Broderick, A., Canbolat, A., Candan, O., Fuller, W., Glen, F., Levy, Y., Rees, A., Rilov, G., Snape, R. (2015) Migratory corridors and foraging hotspots: critical habitats identified for Mediterranean green turtles. Diversity and Distributions 21: 665-674.

Tonay, A.M., Oruç, A. (2016) Sea Turtle Records and Conservation in the Sea of Marmara. In: The Sea of Marmara; Marine Biodiversity, Fisheries, Conservation and Governance, (eds., Özsoy, E., M. Namık, Ç., Balkıs, N., Balkıs, N., Öztürk, B.). Turkish Marine Research Foundation, Publication no: 42, Istanbul, Turkey, pp. 843-848.

Türkecan, O., Yerli S.V. (2011) Satellite tracking of adult green sea turtles from Turkey: A long distance diary. Marine Turtle Newsletter 131: 38-41.

Türkozan, O., Kaska, Y. (2010) Sea Turtles in the Mediterranean: Distribution, Threats and Conservation Priorities. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

Türkozan, O., Özdilek, Ş.Y., Ergene, S., Uçar, A.H., Sönmez, B., Yılmaz, C., Kaçar, Y., Aymak, C. (2013) Strandings of loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtles along the eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey. The Herpetological Journal 23: 11-15.

Türkozan, O., Taskavak, E., Ilgaz, C. (2003) A review of the biology of the loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, at five major nesting beaches on the south-western Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Herpetological Journal 13: 27-34.

UNEP MAP RAC/SPA (2007) Action Plan for the Conservation of Mediterranean Marine Turtles. RAC/SPA, Tunis.

Wallace, B.P., DiMatteo, A.D., Hurley, B.J., Finkbeiner, E.M., Bolten, A.B., Chaloupka, M.Y., Hutchinson, B.J., Abreu-Grobois, F.A., Amorocho, D., Bjorndal, K.A. (2010) Regional management units for marine turtles: a novel framework for prioritizing conservation and research across multiple scales. PloS One 5: e15465.

Yalçın-Özdilek, Ş. (2007) Status of sea turtles (Chelonia mydas and Caretta caretta) on Samandağ Beach, Turkey: a five-year monitoring study. Annales Zoologici Fennici 44: 333-347.

Yerli, S.V., Demirayak, F. (1996) Marine Turtles in Turkey: A Survey on Nesting Site Status. DHKD, CMS Report No. 96/4, Istanbul.