In Young Explorers of Our Seas, the country's largest citizen science project, participants aged 7 to 77 used specially made equipment to collect samples from the seas in the coastal provinces where they were on Eid al-Fitr vacation.
The experiment, conducted with volunteers, saved 250,000 liters of fuel without the need for months of shipping and avoided a carbon footprint of 650 tons of carbon dioxide.
“Community participation in scientific processes was promoted through Citizen Science”
METU Rector Prof. DR. Mustafa Verşan Kök commented on the first analysis of the data collected in the “Young Explorers of Our Seas” project.
Emphasizing that METU continues to play a leading role in projects that bring science together with society, in addition to its contributions to science with its qualified researchers, Kök pointed out that the first Science Communication Office established at a university in Turkey is also located at the university.
Kök explained that “citizen science” is one of the outstanding methods of science communication in recent years and that this method promotes the participation of society in scientific processes.
Kök said that they have set up volunteer research teams in the coastal cities of Turkey and TRNC from the METU Science Communication Office, pointing out that in this way, while bringing the society together with science, they have carried out a project that will last from 7 to 77 months with the support of the public, leaving a low carbon footprint.
Rector Kök said that within the scope of the project, which is one of the most comprehensive environmental experiments in the country, the participants, consisting of METU students, graduates and their relatives, measured the temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and pH of seawater in 28 coastal provinces and the TRNC using experiments and measurement kits developed by METU. He stated that he measured the data and stated that the study of these data would begin to contribute to scientific studies to determine seawater quality, which would be conducted by the METU Marine Sciences Institute (DBE).
A special device has been developed that collects data in a few minutes
Kök explained that a device called Explorer-1 was developed for the project by METU Design Factory and DBE researchers, which allows parameters of great importance for the oceans to be collected within minutes, and said: “These parameters were combined in the central database with the coordinates and prepared for interpretation by the scientists of our institute. said.
Rector Kök said, “We are very happy to announce the first results of the great environmental experiment on May 19, Atatürk Memorial Day, Youth and Sports Day, where Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk lit the torch of independence and enlightenment,” he said.
Compared to the previous year, higher temperatures were measured
All data collected from the measurements of METU volunteer researchers were collected and compiled in the database of Science Communication Office, and the researchers of METU DBE and METU Climate Center, Prof. Dr. Barış Salihoğlu and Assistant Professor Devrim Tezcan carried out the initial analyses.
METU’s first analysis report on the project contained the following statements:
“Based on the data analyzed by METU DBE, this study not only shows once again that global warming is becoming more noticeable year after year, but also confirms the fact that our country, like many other regions, has experienced record temperatures,” with the effects of El Niño this year.
The average sea surface temperature increase in the Turkish seas in April calculated from satellite data was compared with last year's satellite data. Accordingly; the sea surface temperature increase was measured 1.5 degrees higher in the Mediterranean Sea, 1 degree higher in the Aegean Sea, 1.8 degrees higher in the Marmara Region, 2.3 degrees higher in the Western Black Sea Region and 1 degree higher in the Eastern Black Sea Region. Our experimental results were also compatible with the satellite data measurements for the year 2024.
The data measured in the experiment confirmed that the temperature rise in coastal regions in April 2024 was 1.5 to 3 degrees higher than the long-term average data of the last 40 years.
Similar results to this general trend were obtained in measurements taken with the Young Explorers of Our Seas in different regions. For example, while the average temperature in Mersin was 20 degrees, in Antalya 19 degrees and in Muğla 19 degrees, around 15 degrees was measured in Giresun.”
Pollution and biological productivity values
The analysis report made the following assessments of pollution and biological productivity on the coasts:
“A first impression: The pH values of the Black Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean were measured below 8, in parallel with the pollution and biological productivity on our coasts, which means that a more acidic situation was observed in these regions.” Values around 7.7 on the coast of Mersin, 7.8 in the Black Sea and 7.9 in Marmara. Relatively more “In TRNC, where there are clean coasts, a more alkaline situation (around 8.4) was observed.”
Oxygen levels measured during the day
The report notes that measuring ocean pH over a longer period of time will also provide insight into the ocean acidification effect of climate change, adding: “Daytime oxygen levels were 6-7 mg/L at the upper level, as expected in surface waters.” Statements have been recorded.
The report noted that the unique characteristics of different seas in terms of salinity levels were revealed and the following findings were taken into account:
“For example, it was observed that the values measured in the Black Sea are around 20 units, while in the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas they are around 38 units. That salinity values are lower than expected in the spring months indicates particularly high river inputs, and seasonal changes can be observed if measurements are continued throughout the year. In addition, in the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, “a geographical correspondence was observed in the measurements on the Marmara and Black Sea coasts.”
METU researchers stated that if the experiment is carried out over a longer period of time and with wider participation, it will be a very valuable source of data and will even be able to provide input for climate studies.
A joint scientific article will be published
Director and Project Coordinator of METU Science Communication Office, Prof. DR. Eren Kalay said that the information provided by the measurements taken as part of the Young Explorers of Our Seas Project is the first step towards learning and understanding how the ecosystem works.
Kalay explained that the final results of the experiment will be published as a scientific article with the signatures of all volunteer participants, thus contributing to the literature: “We will continue the experiments in the summer period within the framework with new volunteer participants.” “In the next phase of the project, we will take samples from lakes around the world within the framework of an EU project.” Volunteers in different countries. shared his information.
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