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Biodiversity of the northern Aegean Sea and southern part of the Sea of Marmara, Turkey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 August 2011

Gülşen Altuğ ,
Yelda Aktan ,
Muammer Oral ,
Bülent Topaloğlu ,
Ayhan Dede ,
Çetin Keskin ,
Melek Işinibilir ,
Mine Çardak  and
Pelin S. Çiftçi
Gülşen Altuğ*
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Biology, Fisheries Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
Yelda Aktan
Affiliation:
Department of Fresh Water Biology, Fisheries Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
Muammer Oral
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Biology, Fisheries Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
Bülent Topaloğlu
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Biology, Fisheries Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
Ayhan Dede
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Biology, Fisheries Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
Çetin Keskin
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Biology, Fisheries Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
Melek Işinibilir
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Biology, Fisheries Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
Mine Çardak
Affiliation:
Fisheries Faculty, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakklale, Turkey
Pelin S. Çiftçi
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Biology, Fisheries Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: G. Altuğ, Department of Marine Biology, Fisheries Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey email: galtug@istanbul.edu.tr
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Abstract

Two marine areas (the northern Aegean Sea and southern part of the Sea of Marmara, Turkey) which have different trophic and hydrodynamic characteristics were compared regarding diversities of bacteria, phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthos, fish and cetaceans. During the study period (2006–2007), a total of 27 taxa of aerobic heterotrophic mesophilic bacteria including ten bacterial classes were reported for the first time from both seas. A total of 103 taxa from seven algal classes were determined. Copepod species in the northern Aegean Sea and southern part of the Sea of Marmara were recorded as 44 and 27, respectively. A total of 523 underwater photographs were taken at ten stations and the benthic organism diversity were examined for the first time using the photo-quadrat technique. A total of 72 fish belonging to 36 families, were determined. During the study, a total of 1548 nautical miles of survey effort were conducted for cetacean observation. Living individuals of the Stenella coeruleoalba (striped dolphin) were recorded for the first time. This study is intended to be the first detailed description of the diversity of bacteria, phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthos, fish and cetaceans and comparison of two different marine environments in order to put forth the situation of the ecosystem as it is today.

Keywords

biodiversitybacteriaphytoplanktonzooplanktonbenthosfishCetacea
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 4 , December 2011 , e65
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2011

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