Assessment of the ecological and trophic status of Lake Bafa (Turkey) based on phytoplankton

Phytoplankton groups are one of the major quality element to be used in the evaluation of the trophic and ecological state of freshwater ecosystems according to the EU Water Framework Directive. This research was made to assess the trophic and ecological status of Lake Bafa in Turkey, on the basis of phytoplankton communities. Büyük Menderes River is one of the most important factor that carries pollutants to Lake Bafa. The eight sampling station were assigned to evaluate the ecological and trophic state of the lake. Phytoplankton species were collected monthly for 2 years study period. Most commonly used phtoplankton indices Q index and Carlson’s Trophic State Index (TSI), and different versions of diversity indices were used to estimate trophic and ecological state of the lake. Similarities between the sampling stations were clustured by using the unweighted pair group method using arithmetic average (UPGMA), based on phytoplankton communities. Correlations between the applied indices were determined by using Pearson Correlation. After the identification of collected phytoplanktons, total of 63 taxa which belong to classis of Cyanophyceae (11.2%), Bacillariophyceae (49.2%), Chlorophyceae (23.8%), Xanthophyceae (1.5%), Euglenophyceae (11.2%) and Dinophyceae (3.1%) were detected. The 1st and 2nd stations were the most similar stations to each other (88%) according to phytoplankton communities. Secchi disc depth (SD) and TP played an important role in the distribution of phytoplankton species in Lake Bafa. The highest significant positive correlation was determined between Q and TSI (r = 0.987, p˂0.01). Considering the TDI values in the phytoplankton composition of the lake, it can be said that although the productivity status of the studied lake is still “mesotrophic”, it has a tendency towards “eutrophic” state. According to the Q values, the first five stations reflect the moderate ecological state, while the 6th, 7th and 8th stations represent the poor ecological state.

A sedimentological pattern of a coastal transitional environment: from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea shoreline through the Lake Bafa

This study represents the lithological correlation of multi-cores taken from the various parts of the current Lake Bafa basin, BAF35, - 37 - 39 - 41, - 42, - 46. Concerning the main depositional characteristics, we reconstructed fundamental characteristics of local abrupt and gradual environmental fluctuations. The gradual changes reflect four main environmental phases are lacustrine stage (last 0.8 ky), lagoon stage (0.8–1.75 ky BP), marine-river interaction stage (1.75–2.7 ky BP) and the earliest marine-dominated stage (>2.7 ky BP).

Some Observations on Relationships of the Liver, Ovary and Body Weights for Pipefish Species at the Lake Bafa Coasts (Muğla)

This study aims to determine various relationships between liver, gonad and body weights of the two pipefish species caught in two breeding seasons from the Bafa Lake (Muğla) coasts between 2014 -2016. Using beach seine-net in the lake, a total of 208 pipefish specimens (79 Synathus abaster and 129 Synathus acus) were sampled. L-W relationship and Fulton condition factor were W = 2E - 0.94.01, 0.035 ± 0.009 in S.abaster specimens. Also LW relationships and condition factor were W = 8E-0.93.83 , 0.033 ± 0.01 in S. acus. On the other hand mean ± SD of HSI and GSI values were 2.18 ± 1.65 and 7.69 ± 7.12 respectively. In S.acus values 3.22 ± 3.13 and 5.49 ± 5.12 as well. The decrease in HIS and K values, provides sufficient information to claim that species in the lake spend all energy requirement obtained with proper feeding to growth and gonad development.