Water quality of Kahta Stream (Adıyaman) discharging into Atatürk Dam Lake

In this study, it is aimed to determine the water quality of Kahta Stream which is poured into Atatürk Dam Lake by following some hydrological and physico-chemical characteristics between April 2012 and March 2013. For this purpose, monthly measurements were made at five stations from the source to the downstream and water samples were taken. During the monitoring period, water temperature 5.0-25.2 °C; electrical conductivity 216-359 μS/cm; total dissolved solids 147-244 mg/L; dissolved oxygen 8.67-13.36 mg/L and pH were measured in range of 7.08-8.76. Suspended solid 2-138 mg/L; turbidity 0.92-96.70 NTU; total alkalinity 102-200 mg/L; chloride 0.71-5.02 mg/L; ammonium nitrogen 0.007-0.400 mg/L; nitrite nitrogen 0.003-0.060 mg/L; nitrate nitrogen 0.12-1.19 mg/L; dissolved reactive phosphorus 0.007-0.033 mg/L; silica 5-23 mg/L; sulphate 8-33 mg/L and chemical oxygen demand were determined betwen 0.63-9.18 mg/L. Kahta Stream with slightly alkaline character, in terms of the parameters monitored, it is determined that the Surface Water Quality Regulation has the characteristics of Class I (high quality water) according to the Environmental Quality Standards. With this characteristic, it has been determined that Kahta Stream has a high potential to be used for drinking water supply, it can be used for re-use, trout farming, animal production and other farm needs. In addition, when the temporal relationship of variables was analyzed statistically, a significant difference was found among all variables except SiO2 (p <0.05). This result shows that the variables are affected by seasonal changes.

Select biological characteristics of the mossul bleak Alburnus mossulensis Heckel, 1843(Actinopterygii: Cyprinidae) in the Ataturk Dam Lake, Turkey

Maturity, growth and reproductive characteristics of the mossul bleak Alburnus mossulensis, from Ataturk Dam Lake (Euphrates) were assessed. Maturity composition of the analysed samples varied between age groups I and VII. The ratio of females to males was 1.047:1. Fork length of the samples varied between 40-198 mm and weights were in the range of 0.45-68 g. The regression equations derived for the length-weight relationship was Log W = -5.5531+3.2958 Log FL (r2=0.9593) for females and Log W=-5.3695+3.2112 Log FL (r2=0.9487) for males. Mean condition factor was determined as 1.069 for females and 1.062 for males. Absolute fecundity was established to be between 288 and 3380. The age of sexual maturity was 3 years in females and 2 years in males.

Effect of season on the fatty acid profile of total lipids, phospholipids and triacylglycerols in Mastacembelus mastacembelus (Atatürk Dam Lake, Turkey)

The present study investigated the lipid content and FA profiles of total lipids, phospholipids (PL) and triacylglycerols (TAG) of Mastacembelus mastacembelus from the Atatürk Dam Lake (Turkey). The results showed that the total lipid content of the dorsal muscle varied seasonally from 0.50% to 3.59%. Wide ranges of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) (36.21 to 50.52%) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (25.22 to 42.02%) were found in the PL fraction. However, higher monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) (37.63 to 45.07%) and SFA (34.71 to 38.82%) were found in TAG (triacylglycerol). The ratios of ω-3 to ω-6 PUFA ranged from 0.65 to 1.32 and 1.07 to 3.48 in PL (phospholipid) and TAG fraction, respectively. The results also showed that the major components were palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1ω-9), palmitoleic acid (C16:1ω-7), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6ω-3), arachidonic acid (AA, C20:4ω-6) and docosapentaenoic acid (C22:5ω-3) in total lipid, C16:0, C18:1ω-9, AA and DHA in PL, C16:0, C16:1ω-7, C18:1ω-9, linoleic acid (LA, C18:2ω-6), and DHA in TAG extracted from the muscle of M. mastacembelus in all seasons.

Reproductive characteristics of an invasive species Carassius gibelio (Bloch, 1782) in Ataturk Dam Lake, Turkey

In this study, sex composition, spawning period, fecundity and sexual maturity of the gibel carp, Carassius gibelio (Bloch, 1782), an invasive species in the Atatürk Dam Lake, on Euphrates River,Turkey were studied. C. gibelio specimens were analysed from Ataturk Dam Lake and the percentage of the males and females was 45.55% and 55.45% respectively out of the 110 specimens studied, ranging between age groups I -VI. The age at first maturity was three years for both females and males. The diameter of the egg was smallest in September, with a mean of 0.62 mm, while the mean egg diameter in June was greatest, at 1.54 mm. The absolute fecundity ranged from 1054 to 22548. Reproduction of gibel carp in Atatürk Dam Lake in Turkey was characterised by a young age at first maturity and high spawning capacity that would facilitate population expansion in aquatic environments.

Variations in the fatty acid compositions of the liver and gonad tissue of spiny eel (Mastacembelus mastacembelus) from Atatürk Dam Lake

Objective:The aim of the study was to investigate quantitative and qualitative fatty acid profiles of the gonad and liver tissue of femaleMethods:Total lipids were extracted with 5 mL of chloroform-methanol (2:1 v/v). Samples containing gonad and liver lipid were transesterified with acidified methanol. The fatty acid methyl esters were extracted with hexane. Fatty acids were detected by gas chromatography (GC).Results:The major saturated fatty acids (SFAs) were myristic acid (C14:0), palmitic acid (C16:0) and stearic acid (C18:0) in both gonad and liver tissue. Oleic acid (C18:1 ω-9) and palmitoleic acid (C16:1 ω-7) were the prominent monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA). The dominant polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 ω-6), arachidonic acid (AA, C20:4 ω-6), docosapentaenoic acid (C22:5 ω-3) and docoesahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6 ω-3). The ratio of ω-3/ω-6 ranged from 1.55 to 3.44 and 1.18 to 2.71 in the gonad and liver tissue, respectively.Conclusion:The findings of this study will be useful for understanding the seasonal distribution of fatty acid composition in the liver and gonad of spiny eel.