Purpose: In this study, the in vitro regeneration potential of Matricaria recutita L., a medicinal and aromatic plant, was investigated Method: Six different sterilization processes were tested to determine the sterilization protocol of capitulum explants isolated from plants grown under field conditions. For regeneration studies, plant growth regulators BAP (0.5-1-2 mg/L) and NAA (0-0.5-1-2 mg/L); KIN (0.5-1-2 mg/L) and 2.4-D (0-0.5 mg/L) were applied to capitulum explants at 24 different concentrations and combinations. Findings: In the experiments carried out for sterilization purposes, the best results were obtained in 70% ethanol for 3 minutes, in 30% NaOCl for 10 minutes and in 1% AgNO3 for 20 minutes. The best shoot lengths were determined as 3.02 and 3.00 cm in MS nutrient medium containing 0.5 mg/L BAP+0.5 mg/L NAA and 0.5 mg/L BAP+2 mg/L NAA, respectively; the best shoot number per explant was determined as 23.91 and 18.29 in MS nutrient medium containing 0.5 mg/L BAP+0.5 mg/L NAA and 0.5 mg/L BAP+2 mg/L NAA plant growth regulators, respectively. Conclusion: According to the results obtained from in vitro regeneration studies, in terms of the applied plant growth regulator combinations, BAP and NAA gave more successful results than KIN and 2.4-D applications

Lichenized fungi are the most dominant macro organisms in Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems. Studies on lichens in Antarctica have a history of approximately two centuries. Especially with the recent use of DNA-based techniques in taxonomy studies, lichen biodiversity studies in Antarctica has accelerated. Dismal Island is the largest of the Faure Islands, 1.9 kilometers long and 60 meters high, mostly covered with ice in Marguerite Bay on the west coast of Graham Land. In the literature, there is no study directly addressing or examining lichen biodiversity on Dismal Island. In this context, the aim of this study is to examine anatomically-morphologically and to perform DNA barcoding of some lichenized fungi species from Dismal Island. Lichen samples collected from Dismal Island during the 6th Turkish National Antarctic Scientific Expedition by the second author. The collected samples were identified by anatomical and morphological examinations and DNA barcoding was performed with ITS gene region primers. As a result of the study, DNA barcoding of 11 species was performed. This species are Austroplaca hookerii (C.W. Dodge) Søchting, Frödén &Arup, Buellia russa (Hue) Darb., Candelariella flava (C.W. Dodge & Baker) Castello & Nimis, Mastodia tessellata (Hook & Harv.) Hook & Harv., Polycauliona candelaria (L.) Frödén, Arup & Søchting, Rhizoplaca aspidophora (Vain.) Follmann, Rhizocarpon geographicum (L.) DC., Tephromela atra (Huds.) Hafellner ex Kalb., Tetramelas anisomerus (Vain.) Elix., Umbilicaria antarctica Frey & I.M. Lamb., Usnea antarctica Du Rietz.

IPurpose: In this study, we developed synthesis of hybrid organic-inorganic nanoflower (NF) composed of flavonoid-rich apple peel extract and Cu2+ ions acted as organic and inorganic components, respectively. The apple peel extract based NFs (Ap-NFs) showed peroxidase mimic and antimicrobial activities. Method: The Ap-NFs were characterized with by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) for monitoring morphology (size and shape), Fourier transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) for bending and stretching vibrations and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) for elucidation of crystal structure of Ap-NFs. Findings: In terms of the catalytic activities, Ap-NFs catalyzed oxidation of guaiacol (2-methoxy phenol) to 3,3-dimethoxy-4,4-diphenoquinone in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) through the Fenton reaction. Benefiting from both the Fenton reaction and porous morphology of Ap-NFs, their antimicrobial activities were tested towards, Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Candida albicans (C. albicans). Conclusion: It is worthy to mention that, the Ap-NFs exhibited great antimicrobial activity in the presence of H2O2 by killing almost 99% of all microorganisms. The results are quite promising and we claim that Ap-NFs can be ideal candidate for catalytic activity and antimicrobial studies.

The Hatay-Amanos line is one of the most important migration routes through which African and Eremial fauna elements entered Anatolia during glacial and post-glacial periods. Therefore, the fauna of Hatay province has a very important place in terms of zoogeographical studies. Despite this, faunistic studies on this region, which affects the Ephemeroptera species diversity in Anatolia, are quite outdated and limited. This study, conducted to contribute to the knowledge of Ephemeroptera fauna in Hatay province, examined mayfly larvae (nymphs) collected from four different localities along Ballıöz creek. As a result, six taxa belonging to five genera from three families were identified out of 229 examined specimens. Three of the identified species (Baetis (Baetis) vernus Curtis, 1834; B. (Nigrobaetis) digitatus Bengtsson, 1912 and Epeorus (Epeorus) zaitzevi Tshernova, 1981) were reported for the first time from Hatay province.

Lamiaceae familyası geniş bir coğrafi yayılım kapasitesine sahip olmakla beraber kimi yerde endemik olarak bulunan türleri bünyesinde barındırmaktadır. Teucrium türleri, bu familyanın bir üyesi olup, tıbbi özelliklerinden dolayı geleneksel yöntemlerde kullanılabilmektedirler. Bu çalışmada da endemik iki Teucrium türünün uçucu yağı içeriği, bileşenleri ve antioksidan aktivitelerinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Clevenger aparatı kullanılarak elde edilen uçucu yağların bileşenleri GC-MS ile belirlenmiştir. Antioksidan tayininde: 2,2-difenil-1- pikrilhidrazil (DPPH) serbest radikal süpürme metodu, toplam fenolik madde miktarının belirlenmesinde ise Folin-Ciocaltaeu yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Analiz sonuçlarına göre T. polium subsp. polium ’ un uçucu yağ oranı %0.80 olarak belirlenmiş, uçucu yağın ana bileşenlerinin ise β-pinene (%27.85), germacrene D (%18.84),α-pinene (%14.73) olduğu tespit edilmiştir. T. scordium subsp. scordioides' türünün ise % 0.32 uçucu yağ içerdiği belirlenmiştir. Uçucu yağın major bileşenlerinin ise β-pinene (%16.83), caryophyllene oxide (%13.06),α-pinene (%10.96)olduğu tespit edilmiştir. T. polium subsp. polium ’ un DPPH antiradikal aktivitesi %16.99±0.16, gallik asit bakımından fenolik madde içeriği ise 11.60±2.45mg/100 mlolduğu tespit edilirken, T. scordium subsp. scordioides’in DPPH antiradikal aktivitesi %17.09±1.95, gallik asit bakımından fenolik madde içeriği ise 10.46±2.32 mg/100 ml olarak tespit edilmiştir.

Acknowledgement The authors extend their sincere gratitude to Prof. Dr. Rainer Willmann from the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen for his invaluable support and guidance throughout this research endeavor.

In this study, it is aimed to contribute to the systematic situation of Bufo bufo and B. verrucosissimus by comparing some blood parameters for the first time. For that, fieldwork was done in Lake Borçka Karagöl, Artvin for B. verrucosissimus and Lake Uzungöl, Trabzon for B. bufo in 2022. A total of 6 adult individuals (3 males, 3 females) were captured per species. For each individual, 1 ml blood sample was acquired from spontaneously pulsating heart ventricle and blood smears were prepared. Under a microscope, 40 randomly chosen erythrocytes from each smear were measured to acquire 9 distinct blood cell parameters. Additionally, erythrocyte and leukocyte counts were calculated using Neubauer hemacytometer. It was found that female individuals had larger values for measurement of blood cell parameters. Mean erythrocyte and leucocyte numbers were higher in the blood of B. bufo than B. verrucosissimus but there was not a significant difference between species for erythrocyte and leukocyte counts. In females, erythrocytes were larger and narrower in B. verrucosissimus than B. bufo species. Alike, nuclei were larger and narrower as observed in B. verrucosissimus, similar to erythrocytes. However, B. bufo had larger and wider erythrocytes but larger and narrower nuclei in males. Given the differences between sexes, these characters thought as not diagnostic. In addition, PCA analysis showed overlapped position of species in morphospace and supported the weak discrimination power of the characters. Our findings will contribute to the future studies as a reference source for basic blood parameters.

Phylogenetic analysis of Kars' endemic plant species through amplification of the 26S rDNA gene region Asiye Uluğ1*, Funda Özdemir Değirmenci2 ORCID: 0000-0001-5524-8431; 0000-0002-8875-0273 1 Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Literature, Kafkas University, Kars, Türkiye 2 Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ahi Evran University, Kırşehir, Türkiye Abstract The province of Kars, hosting 16% of Türkiye's plant cover, exhibits a high degree of floral diversity, including 71 endemic species. These species are located at the intersection of Türkiye's Caucasian lands, the Iran-Turan, Euro-Siberian, and Mediterranean flora regions. In this study, the 26S rDNA region of 14 endemic plant species sampled from Kars was amplified, and sequence data were obtained. NCBI GenBank database searches confirmed the first-time sequencing of the 26S rDNA gene region for these endemic plant species. The molecular characteristics of the 26S rDNA region of the 14 endemic plant species were examined, providing significant genetic data on the diversity and evolutionary relationships of endemic plants. Comparative analysis of the 26S rDNA sequences of the studied endemic species revealed notable genetic relationships within these plant groups, uncovering considerable variations among the species. The observed high polymorphism in the 26S rDNA region suggests its potential for accurate species identification. The genetic data obtained in this study have the potential to contribute to genetic research for the conservation of endemic species and biodiversity, emphasizing the importance of exploring and documenting the genetic uniqueness of endemic species. Furthermore, the genetic data obtained not only contribute to understanding the phylogenetic relationships among endemic species but also have implications for preserving and sustaining biological diversity by providing molecular identity to endemic plants in international databases. Keywords: Kars, endemic, 26S rDNA, diversity, conservation ----------  ---------- Kars’ın endemik bitki türlerinin 26S rDNA gen bölgesi amplifikasyonu ile filogenetik analizi Özet Türkiye'nin bitki örtüsünün %16'sine ev sahipliği yapan Kars ili, 71'i endemik olmak üzere yüksek oranda floral çeşitliliğe sahiptir. Bu türler, Türkiye'nin Kafkas toprakları, İran-Turan, Euro-Sibirya ve Akdeniz bitki coğrafyasının kesişim noktasında bulunmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, Kars ilinden örneklenen 14 endemik bitki türünün 26S rDNA bölgesi amplifiye edilerek sekans verileri elde edilmiştir. NCBI GenBank veri tabanı eşleştirmeleri bu endemik bitki türlerinin 26S rDNA gen bölgesinin ilk defa sekanslandığını göstermiştir. 14 endemik bitki türünün 26S rDNA bölgesinin moleküler özellikleri incelenerek, endemik bitkilerin genetik çeşitlilikleri ve evrimsel ilişkileriyle ilgili önemli genetik veriler elde edilmiştir. Çalışılan endemik türlerin 26S rDNA dizilerinin karşılaştırılması, bu bitki grupları arasında önemli genetik ilişkileri ortaya koyarak, türler arasında dikkate değer varyasyonları açığa çıkarmıştır. Yüksek polimorfizm 26S rDNA bölgesinin doğru tür tanımlamasında ki potansiyelini göstermiştir. Bu çalışmada elde edilen genetik veriler, endemik türlerin ve biyoçeşitliliğin korunmasına yönelik genetik araştırmalara katkıda bulunma potansiyeline sahiptir ve endemik türlerin genetik benzersizliğinin keşfedilmesinin ve belgelenmesinin önemini açığa çıkarmaktadır. Ayrıca elde edilen genetik veriler, endemik türler arasındaki filogenetik ilişkilerin anlaşılmasına katkı sağlamasının yanı sıra, uluslarası veri tabanlarında endemik bitkilere moleküler kimlik vermede kullanılabileceğinden biyolojik çeşitliliğin korunması ve sürdürülebilir olması açısından önem arz etmektedir. Anahtar kelimeler: Kars, endemik, 26S rDNA, çeşitlilik, koruma

The herb Melissa officinalis L., most commonly recognized as lemon balm, has been used as a treatment for problems with the brain and central nervous system, headaches, nervousness, digestive disorders, respiratory and circulatory conditions, various types of cancer and rheumatism. This investigation was designated to compare the impacts of 3 discrete magnetic field strengths (50 mT, 100 mT and 150 mT) with various time periods of exposure (5 min, 15 min, 30 min, 1 hr and 3 hr) on M. officinalis seed germination (rate and onset) and seedling growth (length of shoot-root, weight of fresh-dry and water content). The seeds, which were surface sterilized in petri plates, were subjected to different applications, including exposure to various magnetic fields and control (without exposure). Germination was assessed by observing the radicular protrusion. The number of germinated seeds was recorded over 20 days. In all 3 magnetic field applications, exposure to magnetic field for 1 hr caused the highest number of seed germination (36%, 52% and 50% for 50 mT, 100 mT and 150 mT, respectively) comparing to control (28%). The onset of seed germination was earlier with magnetic field application (day 7) compared to control (day 11). Growth elements and water contents of the seedling were assessed in order to understand the impact of different magnetic field applications. Implementation of 100 mT and 150 mT magnetic field for 1 hr increased shoot and root length in addition to fresh weight of the seedlings. The maximum dry weight increase was provided by 150 mT-5 min, 15 min and 30 min. The highest water content (%) was observed with exposure to 150 mT (68%) and 100 mT (66%) for 1 hr compared to control (44%). Magnetic field intensity of 100 mT and 150 mT for 1 hr was the most efficient in the seed germination and seedling growth.

Many studies have shown that anthropological acts driven by human demands have led to the extinction of numerous plant and animal species, or have put them in danger of becoming extinct. Deforestation is a serious occurrence that damages the ecosystem permanently, reduces biodiversity, and interferes with an entire ecological niche's capacity to function. Evidence on the causes and impacts of vehicle mobility in a forest reserve area is provided by the present research. Animal mortality was shown to be higher during the lockdown with traffic relaxation and somewhat lower during the lockdown without relaxation. The present study shows how unregulated automobile access into the Mannur Protected Forest results in significant faunal fatalities. The state has to be persuaded to exclusively adopt Good Environmental Practices (GEP) while constructing roads through the forest, and the appropriate authorities must keep an eye on the movement of automobiles through the remote forest zone.