Search

Lack of baseline knowledge is often the principal conservation barrier, especially if the species of concern shows steady decline. The primary goal of the current project is to fill the knowledge gaps in understudied cetacean populations through dedicated visual and acoustic surveys in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea of Turkey. The surveys were conducted over six seasons, following 4384.76 km in 49 days between April 2018 and July 2019. Cetaceans were detected on 39 days (146 sightings), with the highest sightings belonging to delphinids (bottlenose, common and unidentified dolphins) followed by sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) and a single acoustic detection of a beaked whale. Fethiye Canyon held the highest cetacean concentration and thus is identified as an "important habitat". Reported encounter rates were higher than previous studies, with 2.78 and 0.55 groups/100 km for delphinids and sperm whales, respectively. Despite the lack of significant variation in cetacean presence due to season and diurnal effects, there was a noticeable increase in summer sightings for sperm whales, where they were encountered as solitary individuals and social units with calves. The current research presented the first seasonal survey results of the Turkish Mediterranean and underlines the importance of local research efforts for valid conclusions in an understudied environment that holds not only unrecognized cetacean habitats but also a wide range of human pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Turkey, some studies have been conducted about already to determining the noise levels of the outdoor agricultural machinery/equipments and some possible measures to betaken have been suggested. In this study, the noise levels of the mixer, selector and hammer drilling machine for feeds which are the post-harvest agricultural machinery used indoors paces have been determined, and their noise maps have been prepared. It was determined that a hammer drilling machine for feeds with 98 dB( A) noise level was over the limit values of the national and international standards, and the possible measures to be taken were discussed. Since the noise levels of the mixer and selector were lower than the value being allowed by national and international standards, it was determined thatthere was no need to make a noise control study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]