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This article examines four major naval battles (1656, 1657, 1807, and 1915) that took place in the Dardanelles during the Ottoman Empire period. The study analyzes the historical context, causes, course, and consequences of these battles, emphasizing the strategic importance of the Dardanelles. Furthermore, in light of the lessons drawn from these historical events, the article offers recommendations for modern Turkey's maritime security policies. By highlighting the importance of strait defense, naval power, technological superiority, and international cooperation, the article aims to contribute to Turkey's future maritime security strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Russian-Ukrainian war that is currently destabilizing the east of the European continent has led the international community to recalibrate its focus on the maritime sector. The Black Sea has been a controversial area throughout history, with the riparian states considering necessary to develop measures to maintain regional peace and security. In 1936, the Montreux Convention was signed, with the aim of limiting security risks, Turkey being thus responsible for regulating transit through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits. For a better understanding of the context, respectively of the international act signed in 1936, the article will present a brief description of the basic elements of the Convention, as well as the extent to which the Convention contributes to ensuring a balanced climate from a security point of view in the region in the context of Russian-Ukrainian war. The current research will be based on quantitative tools, aiming at both the analysis of the text of the international act, as well as the study and filtering of some elements of interest from the analyzes published in the national and international media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) is the most prominent active fault system in Northwestern Turkey. It is a major fracture that traverses the Northern part of Asia Minor and marks the boundary between the Anatolian tectonic plate and the larger Eurasian continental block, and has been the source of numerous large earthquakes throughout history. The NAFZ splits into three strands at the eastern part of the Marmara Sea. The northern strand passes through Izmit Bay, traverses the Marmara Sea and reaches to the Saros Gulf. The central fault zone passes through Izmit Bay, traverses the Sea of Marmara and reaches the Saros Gulf to the southeast. Earthquakes on this zone involve primarily horizontal ground motions (strike-slip type of faulting). Because of this unstable tectonic system, the area is considered to be as one of the most seismically active zones of the world. In the last hundred years, numerous large earthquakes have also occurred along the NAFZ, in the western part of Turkey. Beginning with an earthquake in 1939, several more quakes - with Richter magnitudes greater than 6.7 - struck in progression along adjacent segments of the great fault. The August 17, 1999 Izmit earthquake was the eleventh of such a series that have broken segments of the NAFZ, in both eastward and westward direction. The epicenter of the 1999 earthquake was near Izmit, as well as the location of previous events. The sequence of historic events indicates that the next destructive tsunamigenic earthquake could occur west of the 1999 event in the Sea of Marmara. The present study incorporates the results of a subsequent 2001 study which uses standardized remote sensing techniques and GIS-methods - based on Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data, and on geomorph metric parameters that influenced local site conditions in the Sea of Marmara, as determined with Digital elevation data of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), and with high resolution ASTER-data. With such remote sensing methods, areas that are potentially vulnerable areas in the Sea of Marmara were detected, so that disaster mitigation strategies can be implemented more effectively in the future. Based on such technology, local site conditions, which exacerbated earthquake intensities and collateral disaster destruction in the Marmara Sea region, were identified. Also reviewed by the present study are the similarities of NAFZ with the San Andreas fault in California in the USA, for the formation of an active transform boundary of the strike-slip type, with the two sides moving horizontally and continuously past each other. Finally examined is the tectonic and continuing geodynamic evolution and collision between the Arabian Plate and Eurasia, which places in danger many cities in southeastern Turkey and NorthWest Syria - which is are located on the boundary with the Arabian tectonic plate, as evidenced by the recent disastrous earthquake of 8 February 2023 along the Eastern Anatolian Fault Zone (EAFZ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides the results of the dendrochronological analyses of seven wood samples from the Ottoman fortress of Seddülbahir on the Gallipoli Peninsula or Turkey. It concludes that the trees were cut in the late spring of 1656. The data collected allows the first building phase of the fortress to be securely dated. By bringing together the dendrochronological results with various archival records about the fortress, a more precise building chronology for the fortress can be reconstructed. The probable initial period of construction was between 1656 and 1661. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-resolution multibeam mosaics show that the seafloor across the southwestern Marmara Sea is host to remarkably organized near-circular bioherm mounds, which commonly are arranged into large, tightly packed clusters. Grab samples and gravity cores reveal that the bioherms are predominantly composed of very fine-grained, calcareous, silty mud with abundant bioclasts, including centimetre-scale masses of coralline red algae and intact disarticulated mollusc shells (mainly the genera Modiolus and Mytilus ). Geometric analysis of multibeam images reveals that the average bioherm is 15.6 m in diameter, occupies ~ 190 m 2 of seabed, stands 113 cm above the adjacent seafloor, and its crest is 20.6 m from the crests of neighbouring bioherms. In regions of tightly packed bioherm clusters (referred to as ‘bioherm colonies’) the inter-mound depressions are on average 4.4 m wide and 33 cm deep. Although each bioherm mound is nearly circular, the surrounding inter-mound channels form a more rectilinear mesh of linked pentagonal and hexagonal polygons suggesting densest possible spatial packing of the mounds. Near-neighbour statistics of R = 2.11–2.14 indicate an essentially uniform spacing between the bioherms, which is the expected result for close packing on a plane and full utilization of the available space. The bioherms occur at depths between − 30 m and − 60 m. They are absent above and below these depths. In this part of the southwestern Marmara Sea at the eastern exit of the Strait of Dardanelles, water depth controls important water mass properties such as salinity, nutrient supply and availability of light. Other inferred critical controls are the availability of a suitable hard substrate where Holocene muds are thin or absent, and nutrient supply, potentially including a component from escaping methane-rich pore fluids. Evidence here and elsewhere in the Marmara Sea provisionally dates the onset of bioherm growth and development to the latest Pleistocene–earliest Holocene, after global sealevel rose to the breach depth of the Strait of Dardanelles at ~ 13.8 cal ka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although marine research on anthozoans began at the end of the 1800s with some reports on the occurrence in Turkey, comprehensive knowledge about their biotic features remains limited. This study is the first detailed diversity assessment of scleractinian corals inhabiting the Turkish waters. The surveys conducted on rocky habitats between 2011 and 2014 around the Dardanelles and Marmara Sea provided the distributional data of nine corals, five of which (Caryophyllia inornata, Paracyathus pulchellus, Polycyathus muellerae, Phyllangia mouchezii, Leptopsammia pruvoti) were recorded for the first time from the above- mentioned regions. During the surveys carried out at 200 stations down to 50 m depth, a total of 1072 scuba dives were made and the ecological features of habitats, physical characteristics of coral species and an updated list of corals as a contribution to the scleractinian fauna of Turkey were provided. The abundance rate of Polycyathus muellerae and Cladocora caespitosa in Eceabat and Dardanos regions was higher than at the other stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turkish historiography on the First World War remained under the shadow of debates about the role of the wartime Committee for Union and Progress (CUP) government for decades. For that reason, Turkish historians preferred to work on the War of Independence (1919–23) under the leadership of Ataturk rather than the First World War. Consequently, there is not a comprehensive Turkish bibliography of the First World War on the 100th anniversary of its commencement, despite the momentous impact of that conflict on Turkey. Nevertheless, one can consult several accounts that military officers wrote after the war, and based on documents in Turkish military archives. While these sources fill an important gap about military operations, they are generally descriptive narratives with scant or no analyses. In addition, there also are many memoirs that provide valuable information about some of the issues that are neglected in the military accounts. In the last decade, several researchers have begun to examine many of the previously ignored topics pertaining to events in Anatolia during the war. Even though there still is no Turkish text that provides a comprehensive account of all the intertwined diplomatic, economic, political, military, and social dimensions of the First World War, these recent works give hope that such a long-needed book is on the horizon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentrations of the elements were evaluated for the first time in Mytilus galloprovincialis in the Dardanelles (Canakkale Strait-Turkey). The concentration of elements were measured in samples collected in 2007, 2008 and 2009, while the concentrations of Fe and Ni were evaluated in samples taken in 2009. The maximum concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, Fe, and Ni were found to be 1.59, 6.04, 12.01, 6.03, 319.6, 402.79, and 3.52 mg/kg, respectively. In terms of the nutritional aspect, taking into account the values recommended by world health authorities, the concentration of elements can generally be considered not to be at levels posing a health risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turkey has, with geographic location including Istanbul and Çanakkale straits the system, 178,000 km in length streams, 906,000 ha of natural lakes, and 411,800 ha of dam lakes, and 28,000 ha of ponds due to richness inland waters which include freshwater fish. The fingerling fish (fry) were restocked approximately 250,000,000 in natural lakes, dam lakes and ponds for fisheries between years of 1979 and 2005. Canakkale has rich freshwater potential with 7 major rivers (Büyükdere, Karamenderes stream, Kavak brook, Kocacay stream, Saricay stream, Tuzla brook, Umurbey brook), 7 Dam Lakes (Atikhisar, Zeytinlikoy, Bayramic, Bakacak, Tayfur, Umurbey and Yenice-Gönen Dam lakes). In the studies, it has been determined that 15 fish species belonging to 6 families (Anguillidae, Atherinidae, Salmonidae, Cobitidae, Cyprinidae and Poecilidae) can be found in reservoirs. Fish restocking of the activities of the reservoir until today approximately 1,120,000 (Cyprinus carpio L., 1758) is introduced. In this study, the activity of Canakkale province in the fish restocking and reservoir exploiting possibilities were discussed in view of reservoir fisheries potential which is used insufficiently today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, changes in heavy metal accumulation in U. rigida J. Agardh taxon and seawater have been investigated with respect to different stations and seasons. For this purpose, the severity of heavy metal pollution in the Dardanelles has been presented through the determination of Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd concentrations in U. rigida macroalgae and seawater taken seasonally from the stations located on six different regions on the strait. While the metal concentrations in alga specimens were found to be high in spring and winter in all stations; the metal concentrations in the seawater, particularly the Pb concentration, were found to be high in all seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The destructive earthquake that struck near the Gulf of Izmit along the North Anatolian fault in Northwest Turkey on August 17, 1999, not only generated a local tsunami that was destructive at Golcuk and other coastal cities in the eastern portion of the enclosed Sea of Marmara, but was also responsible for extensive damage from collateral hazards such as subsidence, landslides, ground liquefaction, soil amplifications, compaction and underwater slumping of unconsolidated sediments. This disaster brought attention in the need to identify in this highly populated region, local conditions that enhance earthquake intensities, tsunami run-up and other collateral disaster impacts. The focus of the present study is to illustrate briefly how standardized remote sensing techniques and GIS-methods can help detect areas that are potentially vulnerable, so that disaster mitigation strategies can be implemented more effectively. Apparently, local site conditions exacerbate earthquake intensities and collateral disaster destruction in the Marmara Sea region. However, using remote sensing data, the causal factors can be determined systematically. With proper evaluation of satellite imageries and digital topographic data, specific geomorphologic/topographic settings that enhance disaster impacts can be identified. With a systematic GIS approach - based on Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data - geomorphometric parameters that influence the local site conditions can be determined. Digital elevation data, such as SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, with 90m spatial resolution) and ASTER-data with 30m resolution, interpolated up to 15 m) is readily available. Areas with thesteepest slopes can be identified from slope gradient maps. Areas with highest curvatures susceptible to landslides can be identified from curvature maps. Coastal areas below the 10 m elevation susceptible to tsunami inundation can be clearly delineated. Height level maps can also help locate topographic depressions, filled with recently formed sediments, which are often linked with higher groundwater tables. Such areas are particularly susceptible to higher earthquake intensities and damage. The sum of risk GIS factors increases the susceptibility of local soils in amplifying seismic ground motions. Areas most susceptible to higher earthquake impacts can be identified using a systematic GIS approach, the weighted-overlay method implemented in ArcGIS. Finally, the data obtained by remote sensing can be converted into Google Earth-kml-format and become available at no cost, to raise public disaster awareness and preparedness in the Sea of Marmara region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted in Dardanelles between October 2007 and August 2009 when condition index, meat yield, biochemical compositions and environmental parameters of seawater were investigated and the study area was found to have available conditions for cultivation. Investigation of the study area showed a positive correlation in particular among condition index, seasonal variation of temperature, protein, fat and chlorophyll-a; a negative correlation was seen between them and carbohydrate value. It was clear from the two years study that the most ideal period for oyster harvest is April and August especially when condition index was maximum followed by a winter with no oyster yield is available in terms of the related processes involving oyster cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to determine the diurnal distributions of phytoplankton density, bio-volume, and chlorophyll a in relation to nutrients and CTD measurements in surface waters of the coastal area in the Dardanelles during high density of phytoplankton, especially high diatom production (between 3 July and 4 August 2002). Ninety nine surface samples were collected for nutrient, chlorophyll a, and phytoplankton in 3 different time periods of the day (08:00, 13:00 and 18:00 hours) in the sampling period. Based on the sample analyses, average temperature, salinity, pH, DO, TDS, TSS, NO2-+NO3-, PO4-3, SiO4, chlorophyll a, N:P, and Si:P were calculated as 25 °C, 23.3 ppt, 8.42, 9.26 mg L-1, 23.9 g L-1, 36.1 mg L-1, 1.90 μM, 0.24 μM, 3.61 μM, 1.70 μg L-1, 12.5, and 25, respectively. Total phytoplankton density and biovolume varied from 2.86 × 105 to 1.5 × 107 cells L-1 and from 5.98 × 108 to 8.81 × 1010 μm³ L-1, respectively. Contribution rate of Bacillariophyceae (66.5%) to total phytoplankton bio-volume was higher than that of Dinophyceae (31.0%). Phytoplankton community structure was observed to be controlled by 6-7 species. Other species can be considered as insignificant species that do not cause important fluctuations in the phytoplankton density and bio-volume. It has been reported that there were 9-11 population growth slopes for different species at different times and densities. Therefore, life cycles of phytoplankton species were completed between 3 and 4 days. Diurnal variations of biological and physicochemical parameters in the time interval between 0800 and 18:00 were generally much higher than daily variations between 3 July and 4 August 2002 due to the 2 counter flows system of the Dardanelles and domestic inputs of Çanakkale city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a summer bloom of coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi (Lohmann) Hay & Mohler, 1967, in 2003, a winter bloom was observed for the first time between late December 2003 and early January 2004 in the Dardanelles. Microscopic observations showed that the cell dimensions of E. huxleyi (Ehux) varied from 9.85 to 13.50 μm in diameter (mean: 11.20 ± 1.38 p.m). While Ehux revealed a relatively small population density (1.60 × 104 cells L-1) in early December 2003, the bloom started in middle December 2003 (7.86 x 106 cells L-1) and then peaked in early January 2004 (5.03 × 107 cells L-1) in the superficial layer. The peak dramatically decreased in late January 2004 (7.50 × 106 cells L-1). Ehux was the dominant species and represented about 90.0% of the phytoplankton assemblage. The bloom started flourishing after the diatom and dinoflagellate blooms under nitrogen depletion and moderate light, temperature and salinity conditions. Water temperature (10.31 ± 1.14°C) and salinity values (27.05 ± 0.88 ppt) were usually stabile. Surface chlorophyll-a concentrations ranged from 1.23 to 2.32 μg L-1 during the bloom. The ratios of N:P (mean: 4.12 ± 2.22) and Si:P (40.35 ± 16.25) of the bloom period were lower than those of the non-bloom periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reason for the opening of the Dardanel Front was to establish a link between allies and Russia and to push The Ottoman Empire out of the war. In order to reach this cause, upon Churchill's suggestion, the English War Committee met on 28 January 1915 and decided to attack the Dardanels on February 19. The allies fleet tried to pass the Dardanels several times but they failed. Their biggest attack for the Straits took place on 18 March, which was failed and the fleet lost one third of its power. After the failure on the sea to pass the Straits the allies landed on Gallipoli to invade İstanbul. Landing took place from April 1 to December 22 the wars on lands lasted more than 8 months, during which Turkish army fought heroic battles. Fierce battles took place on Kabatepe, Seddülbahir, Alçıtepe, Kilitbahir, Anafartalar, Arıburnu. Upon failure on the land the allies started to withdraw from this front on 8 January 1915. The Dardanels wars which was lost by the allies caused the First World War to continue two more years. Tsarist regime was collapsed in Russia and its place Bolshevik regime came. The Turks put aside bad results of the Balkan Wars and became again a heroic nation. Because of his successes Mustafa Kemal became a genious commander. Most importantly Dardanels wars gave its honours to the Turkish army. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Dardanelles (Canakkale Strait) is a water passage connecting the Aegean Sea and Sea of Marmara. The average depth of the Dardanelles is 60 m; the deepest part reaches more than 100 m. Environmental parameters such as temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen and total dissolved solids were measured at different depths in the Dardanelles. The sampling period was between December 2002 and March 2003. All the data was measured by a YSI 6600 Model Multiple Probe System. Also, a Geographic Information System was used to create a tabular and spatial database, with the aim of integrating the physicochemical properties in the Dardanelles. Temperature and salinity profiles by the Geographic Information System showed that there was stratification and formation of two different water masses in the Dardanelles. The measurements showed that lower layer waters (>20 m) are saltier than upper layer waters of the Dardanelles. Therefore, the lower layer waters also hold higher values for total dissolved solids. Although the temperature and salinity characteristics of the Dardanelles are specific due to its topographic structure and some fresh water discharges, the stratification in the Dardanelles is generally similar to other parts of the Turkish Strait System (Bosphorus and Sea of Marmara) because of large salinity differences between the Aegean and Black Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is on the Decapoda Brachyura found in the Dardanelles, included in the Turkish Straits system. Samples of Brachyura were collected at different depths (0-40 m) at 5 stations chosen in the Dardanelles, using a set fishing net and scuba divers during 1998-1999. A total of 19 species belonging to the Brachyura was identified, and 12 of these are new records for the Dardanelles. However, Parthenope angulifronsLatreille, 1825 is reported from the Turkish Straits system for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]