In order to determine the relationships between the dynamics of benthic macroinvertebrates (both species number and individual number) and environmental variables, sampling was made at four different stations at monthly intervals during a year between March 2004 and January 2005 of Lake Gala which is a part of an important wetland and a national park in European part of Turkey (Enez/Edirne). Altogether, a total of 49 zoobenthic taxa which were grouped as "Oligochaeta", "Chironomidae", and "Varia", comprised of 1,628 individuals in per m 2 at average were recognised in the sampling stations of the Lake. The present study showed that larval chironomids comprising 57% abundance of the total specimens are the biggest part of benthic macroinvertebrates. It is followed by oligochaetes and the group varia comprising 34% and 9% abundance, respectively. Also, it was seen changing that the composition of zoobenthic group dominancy in the Lake as time passes.Furthermore, according to Shannon-Weaner index, species diversity for zoobenthic macroinvertebrate fauna of the lake was found as H'=1.21 at average. Also, similarities of the sampling stations and months, both the dynamics of benthic macroinvertebrates and physicochemical features were evaluated by using Bray-Curtis similarity index.According to Spearman correlation index, relationship between the number of individuals and some physicochemical variables such as temperature, turbidity (light permeability), and depth of the lake was determined statistically significant.

Larval chironomids feed on algae, diatomae, detritus, decaying plant and animal fragments. The larvae in turn are food for other carnivore and omnivore animals. Thus, larval chironomids have a very important role in the aquatic food cycle. In this study, the algal flora in the stomachs of Tanypus punctipennis, which is known as a very common species in Turkish Thrace, was examined in terms of qualitative and quantitative factors. It was found that Bacillariophyta was the dominant group with 42 taxa in the stomach of T. punctipennis. It was followed by Cyanophyta with 3 taxa, Euglenophyta with 6 taxa, Chlorophyta with 4 taxa, Carophyta with 2 taxa, and Rhodophyta with 1 taxa.

Freshwater resources are some of the most important basic needs necessary for usage by people, especially for drinking water. Reservoirs that are built to store freshwater resources and access water on demand, may be prone to get more environmental effects than natural resources. Phytoplankton, which is the first level of in primary production, is specifically affected by environmental changes in different ways. This study investigated the algal flora of Süloğlu Reservoir (Edirne, Turkey) which is utilized as a freshwater reserve, as well as environmental variables influential on its community structure. For this reason a sampling campaign was performed in three stations selected in the reservoir in 3 different depths between January 2013 and November 2013. The study found 111 phytoplanktonic algae taxa belong to the divisions of Chlorophyta, Bacillariphyta, Cyanobacteria, Euglenophyta, Charophyta Miozoa and Ochrophyta. Chlorophyta members were generally dominant, and some environmental factors (i.e. light, pH values, temperature) were significantly effective on the distribution of all algal communities. The Shannon diversity values changed in the range of 1.02-2.75. CCA analysis results showed that there was a noticeable relationship between water quality parameters (chlorophyll-a, pH and water temperature) and timebased changes in dominant phytoplankton species. Moreover, recommendations were provided for sustainable usage of the reservoir whose trophic level was determined.

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It is inevitable that the running waters which are used for a lot of different activities like fishing, irrigation, domestic water usage are under threat because of the settlements, industrial or agricultural activities. To provide the sustainable usage of these ecosystems we have to know their current features and their balance under changing environmental conditions. In the present study, the ecological status of Tunca (Tundzha) River which is located on Turkish Thrace was evaluated based on environmental conditions and bacterial features of the river. For this aim, the research has been carried out at 5 different stations in the river between October 2010 and September 2011 at monthly intervals. Some environmental conditions (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, salinity, chloride, turbidity, hydrogen sulfide, magnesium, calcium, total hardness, NO3-N, NO 2 -N, sulfate, orthophosphate, suspended solid substances, biological oxygen demand) and bacterial features (total coliform, fecal coliform, and Escherichia coli bacterial abundances) were examined performing at the same time samplings. Consequently, it was determined that the water quality of Tunca River has proper physicochemical conditions allowing surviving of living things, but bacteriological findings belonging to the river was not found proper for direct use of water by human. Also, the correlations were evaluated between the obtained environmental features and the bacteria by using Spearman's index. While positive correlations were found between TMAB density and some environmental parameters (water-air temperature, EC, magnesium, nitrate nitrogen, sulfate, o-phosphate, and suspended solids); negative correlations were found between TMAB density and the other parameters (pH, hydrogen sulfide, calcium, total hardness, and BOD 5 ).