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Tag Archives: ecology
Ruveyda’s Internship at the Aquatic Ecology Laboratory, METU Institute of Marine Sciences
Our lab member, Rüveyda Zehra Ögütverici, completed her internship in June 2025 at the Aquatic Ecology Laboratory of the METU Institute of Marine Sciences (Mersin), where she worked with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korhan Özkan and his research team.
During her internship, she participated in ongoing mesocosm experiments designed to simulate warming and salinization scenarios under future climate change conditions. Her work included sample collection and the measurement of physicochemical variables such as pH, chlorophyll-a, and nutrients, as well as involvement in heatwave and salinization experiments.
Through this experience, she gained hands-on training in ecological measurements and developed insights into carbon cycling, the functional roles of sediments, zooplankton, and phytoplankton, and the ecological impacts of heatwaves and salinization in lake ecosystems.
We sincerely thank Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korhan Özkan and the Aquatic Ecology Laboratory team for their mentorship, support, and collaboration.
Cansu successfully defended her Ph.D. thesis
Our researcher, Cansu Ülgen, successfully defended her PhD thesis entitled “Aboveground and Belowground Plant Traits and the Plant Economic Spectrum in Central Anatolian Steppe Vegetation” on December 18, 2025.
We congratulate her on this important academic milestone and wish her continued success in her future endeavors.
We congratulate her and wish her continued success in her career.
Nurbahar successfully defended her Ph.D. thesis
Our researcher, Nurbahar Usta, has successfully completed and defended her PhD thesis entitled “Dynamics of Trojan Fir Forests in Mount Ida and the Possible Effects of Climate Change on These Dynamics” and has officially graduated on December 18, 2025.
We congratulate her on this important academic milestone and wish her continued success in her future endeavors.
Tracing Ailanthus altissima: Fieldwork at Beytepe Campus
To identify the distribution of Ailanthus altissima, examine its changes over time, and predict its future dynamics, we conducted fieldwork at Hacettepe University’s Beytepe Campus.
Together with our intern team, we collected field data within the pilot study area of our research project.
EEBST 2025
Our lab members had the pleasure of presenting several talks and posters at the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Symposium Türkiye (Hacettepe University; 9-11 July 2025). We were excited to share our ongoing research with the community and engage in fruitful discussions.
Oral Presentations
- Pollinator Assemblages as Drivers of Plant Range: Evidence from a Marl Steppe in Central Anatolia – presented by Gülseli Kırgıl
- Effect of Crown Fires on Temperate Mixed Forests of Northeastern Anatolia: A Modeling Approach – presented by Anıl Bahar
- Community Composition and Resistance Levels of Soil Bacteria and Fungi in a Mediterranean Forest Under Varying Wildfire Severities – presented by Bedirhan Avdancı
- Trojan Fir under Climate Warming: A Facilitator Species Facing Regeneration Limits – presented by Nurbahar Usta
Poster Presentations
- Afforestation Alters Epigeic Beetle Community in Central Anatolian Steppes – Cansu Baran & Eylül Evrenosoğlu
- Variability in Germination and Dormancy in Steppe Plant Communities – Berna Yavuz
- Modelling Wildfire Occurrence in Türkiye: The Role of Productivity and Human Influence – Mehmet Göktuğ Öztürk
- Wisdom from Ashes: Exploring Traditional Fire Knowledge and Use in Anatolia – Rüveyda Zehra Öğütverici
- Comparative Analysis of Leaf Flammability Traits in Forest and Shrubland Plants of Western Türkiye – Nursema Aktepe
- Gastrointestinal Helminth Diversity in Captive and Free-Ranging Mountain Gazelles in Hatay, Türkiye – Mina Cansu Karaer
We are glad to have represented our lab with such diverse contributions and thank all participants for their inspiring presentations and discussions.
Awards at EEBST 2025
Our lab is proud to announce that two of our members received significant recognitions at the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Symposium Türkiye (EEBST 2025).
M.Sc. Thesis Award – Mehmet Göktuğ Öztürk
Göktuğ was recognized for his Master’s thesis focusing on wildfire ecology and the drivers of fire occurrence in Türkiye, highlighting the roles of productivity and human influence.
Best Oral Presentation Award – Nurbahar Usta
Nurbahar received this award for her talk on the regeneration limits of Trojan fir under climate warming, presenting valuable insights into how a key facilitator species may respond to future climate scenarios.
We sincerely congratulate both for their outstanding achievements and their contributions to advancing ecological and evolutionary research.
Oral Presentation at EEBST 2025 – Prof. Dr. Çağatay Tavşanoğlu
Our principal investigator, Prof. Dr. Çağatay Tavşanoğlu, delivered an oral presentation at the Philosophy of Biology mini-symposium within EEBST 2025, titled “The Intellectual Evolution of Ecology: Paradigm Shifts and Current Trends.”
The talk explored key conceptual shifts in ecology over time and discussed current perspectives shaping the field today.
The Turkish Translation of C.J. Krebs’ Ecology Book
The release of the Turkish translation of C.J. Krebs’ renowned book on ecology1 is a significant milestone. This project has been a labor of love and dedication, involving a team of ecologists deeply committed to making this essential work accessible to Turkish readers.
Our lab PI, Çağatay, was also a member of the translation team alongside many esteemed colleagues, most of whom are members of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Society of Turkey (https://www.ekoevo.org/). Their collaboration was characterized by intense discussions and meticulous attention to detail, particularly concerning the Turkish equivalents of ecological terms. These discussions ensured that the translation not only remained true to the original text but also aligned with the Turkish scientific community.
The translation process was challenging yet immensely rewarding. The aim was to preserve the integrity and clarity of Krebs’ writing while making it comprehensible and relevant to Turkish-speaking ecologists and students. Every term and concept was carefully considered and debated to ensure the highest quality translation.
This Turkish edition of C.J. Krebs’ Ecology2 is highly recommended for those interested in ecology, whether students or researchers. It is a valuable resource that offers comprehensive insights into ecological principles and practices. The team’s hard work and dedication are evident on every page, and it is hoped that it will inspire and educate a new generation of Turkish ecologists. This translation is expected to contribute significantly to the growing body of ecological knowledge in Turkey.
EEBST 2023
We attended the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Symposium (EEBST), held at Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye, between 17 and 19 July 2023 (https://eebst.ekoevo.org/eebst-2023/).
Our alumni, D. Deniz Kazancı, presented her oral presentation titled “Drivers of among-population variability in fire-related traits in Turkish Red Pine (Pinus brutia Ten.)“, a presentation related to her Ph.D. thesis. We also had three posters by Çağatay Tavşanoğlu (“Comparison of flammability in two serotinous Mediterranean trees“), Mina Cansu Karaer (“In search of mountain gazelles: Examining diet, gastrointestinal parasites, and stress hormones“), and Esra Bayşahan (“Germination responses to incubation temperature in four herbaceous plants at low and high elevations in a Mediterranean mountain“).
EEBST has been held by the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Society (Türkiye) since 2014 every year. The next EEBST will be in Çanakkale, Türkiye in July 2024.
Here is the link for the abstract book of the symposium: https://eebst.ekoevo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Abstract_Book.pdf
Lab visit by Rafael Bernardi
Last month, our lab had the pleasure of hosting Rafael Bernardi, a researcher from Uruguay. Rafael’s visit was an exciting and enriching experience for all of us, providing numerous opportunities to discuss projects, research papers, and potential new collaborations.
During his visit, Rafael delivered an insightful seminar on the impacts of fire and grazing on tropical forests and grasslands. This seminar, titled “How fire and livestock shape tree cover and influence forest-grassland transitions in subtropical and tropical ecosystems,” was held on November 8, 2022, at the Beytepe Campus of Hacettepe University. It attracted a significant audience and generated considerable interest.
In addition to the seminar, Rafael actively participated in our lab activities. He joined our discussions on various research topics and offered valuable feedback on our current projects. Specifically, during field trips and discussions in the laboratory meetings, we had opportunities to develop a project regarding the drivers of woody vegetation in Central Anatolia, which we have already started to work on.
We anticipate more opportunities to collaborate on new projects to enhance our understanding of the drivers of woody cover in various ecosystems.
Functional Ecology Lab 