Project Team
Proejct Leader
Cemal TURAN
Researchers
Özgür DARA
Servet Ahmet DOĞDU
Sebile NUR
RestorSEAGRASS
The seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) is an endemic species of the Mediterranean and has an important ecological and economic role. The distribution of seagrass meadows in the Aegean and Western Mediterranean ends within the borders of Mersin province (Tugutlular) in the Eastern Mediterranean and is not found further east. Although seagrasses are distributed in this region, their presence in the region is gradually decreasing due to factors such as bottom trawling, anchor dredging, pollution, global climate change and invasive species that threaten the species today.
In this project, we aim to;
- reveal the factors that threaten seagrasses in a regional sense,
- reduce or eliminate the threatening factors, and also restore the damaged or lost seagrasses on the regional scale,
- map seagrass meadows on a regional scale.
There are two main important functions of Posidonia meadows: They have the ability to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and therefore represent a valid strategy to combat climate change. Posidonia meadows also provide habitat and nutrition for many species of fish, crustaceans, molluscs, bryozoans.
We aim to ensure the sustainability of the ecosystem in the Mediterranean and make an important contribution to the biodiversity and ecological balance of the region.
We Transplanted Seagrass to Antalya Kaş-Kekova Marine Protected Area
Within the scope of our Seagrass Restoration project (RestorSEAGRASS), we have transplanted seagrasses to Antalya Kaş-Kekova Marine Protected Area for the restoration of seagrass meadows (Posidonia oceanica). We are supporting this activity by engaging Özgür Dara to do his master’s thesis within the scope of our project.
