TUBITAK Project that supported by the University of Kyrenia and Near East University is in effect
Date Added: 02 March 2015, 08:40
Last Updated Date:06 December 2016, 11:38

Prepared under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr.Ilkay Salihoğlu and submitted to TUBITAK for evaluation, the project numbered 114Y139 and titled as “Determination of the impacts of human induced and natural changes on Cilicia Basin marine ecosystem (between Turkey and North Cyprus)” was deemed appropriate by TUBITAK. The protocol has been put into effect after being signed by both parties. According to the press release issued by the Directorate of Press and Public Relations Office of the University of Kyrenia, the project, which was deemed appropriate for support in accordance with the views of TUBITAK research team and panel, was put in effect after being signed. The project, which was designed to last 36 months, would be conducted with the technical support of the University of Kyrenia by the Near East University, TRNC Ministry of Health State Laboratory, Animal Husbandry Department of TRNC Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Energy, and Erdemli Marine Sciences Institution of METU.

In his explanation concerned with the issue, Prof. Dr. Ilkay Salihoğlu, Chairman of Board of Trustees of the University of Kyrenia, touched upon the importance of the project. “As it is known, the Cilicia Basin between Cyprus and southern Turkey has a great geopolitical and economic importance for both TRNC and TR. For an effective use of the area by both parties, the oceanography and marine ecosystem dynamics of Cilicia Basin should be understood well. To this end, a better understanding of the hydrodynamic structure of the region by interpreting new data with the previous findings, determination of ecosystem dynamics and biochemical interactions with the physical structure, examination of the contribution of sea-land-atmosphere interactions to the ecosystem structure, determination of the relative impact of human-induced and natural variants to the ecosystem structure, determination of the biological diversity and biotope structure of coastal areas, determination of “reference conditions” aimed at “good environmental status” in coastal and offshore waters, and determination of the current pelagic fish biodiversity and biomass, are the major topics that the project comprises” said he.

According to the press release issued by the Directorate of Press and Public Relations Office of the University of Kyrenia, the data collected within the frame of the project would function as a scientific infrastructure for various planned investments (e.g. water and oil pipelines) in the region and along with the data to be collected in later years, it would provide opportunities for the determination of the changes in the system within decadal process. Besides, the data collected through this project would be a roadmap to determine the criteria for good environmental status and the ecosystem-based approach that aimed to be achieved within the coastal/open sea areas of EU member states by 2020.

Marine studies will be conducted by Teal Jr, the scientific research ship of the University of Kyrenia, and R/V, the scientific research ship of Erdemli Marine Sciences Institute of METU. Besides, the project will contribute to the development of the oceanographic infrastructure of the University of Kyrenia.