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Ermenek River, Yerköprü Nature Park, Mersin Province, Turkey

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Brine Shrimp Legend Since 1965

Turkey, Mersin

The Ermenek Creek – here just below the waterfall in Yerköprü Nature Park, Mersin Province – flows here through a deep canyon formed by fractures in limestone rocks from the Cretaceous period, around 110 million years old.

Submitted by
Artem Korchagin
Approved by
Friedrich Bitter & Sujoy Banerjee
GPS
36.5346222, 33.2320518
Geographical region
Western Asia
Drainage Basin
Mediterranean sea
River catchment
Goksu river
Water body type
River
Water body name
Ermenek
Water body part
Rapids
Water body course
Upper course
Water body: tributary of
River
Tributary name
Goksu

Videos above and below water


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Water Chemistry

Water information

Water type
fresh-water
Water color
Clear water
Water transparency
High
Concentration of sediments
Low
Water temperature
Autumn: 14.60 ± 2.60; Winter: 9.60 ± 0.70; Spring: 14.60 ± 1.34; Summer: 21.60 ± 3.89; The average temperature is 15.10 °C
Water flow/curent
Slow

Chemical parameters

pH
8.6
Conductivity
300
GH
250 mg/l
dGH
KH
85 mg/l
dKH
Dissolved Oxygen

Substrate in nature

Sand
Beige
Pebble/Gravel
Beige
Stone
Beige
Stone form
Irregular
Silt/Mud
Beige
Leaves
None
Driftwood
Few
Submerged terrestrial vegetation
Yes

Aquatic Biotope

Date of collecting
May, 2023
Collecting area
River bank
Water depth
0,5m
Air temperature
19 °C
Sunlight
Full sun

Environment

Environment
Affected by human activity
Affected by human activity
Deforestation
Deforestation
Initial
Surrounding area

In this area, the Ermenek River has the characteristics of a typical mountain river, with banks and a riverbed formed by a striking accumulation of boulders.

Underwater landscape

Almost the only fish species in this section is the scraper Capoeta caelestis – one could say this is truly the kingdom of this species, with a very high concentration of fish in this area. The clear water allows one to observe the natural behavior of the fish in this small nature reserve in southern Turkey, where the fish are almost unafraid of humans.

Fishlist:

  • Capoeta caelestis (Cyprinidae)
  • Pseudorasbora parva (Cyprinidae)

Crustaceans:

  • Potamon potamios (Potamidae)

Molluscs:

  • Melanopsis costata (Melanopsidae)

Wetland plants:

  • Carex riparia (Сyperaceae)
  • Phragmites australis (Poaceae)
Threats to ecology

The Ermenek Stream is largely a cascade of reservoirs (hydroelectric power stations). The small Yerköprü Nature Park, located in a high-altitude section between two artificial reservoirs, is a successful example of preserving an almost untouched aquatic ecosystem.

Riparian zone

Trees near the aquatic habitat
Many -

Bibliography

  • J. Anatolian Env. and Anim. Sciences, 6(4), 705-711. - Current Fish Fauna of Göksu River (Turkey) and Evaluation of Its Ecological Status. by Küçük, F., Gülle, İ., Güçlü, S.S. & Turan, D. (2021)
  • Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Mersin Üniversitesi, 2019. - GÖKSU NEHRİ (MERSİN-TÜRKİYE)’NİN BAZI SU KALİTE PARAMETRELERİNDEKİ MEVSİMSEL DEĞİŞİMLER (Yüksek Lisans Tezi) by BOYAR, М.(2019)
  • NEVŞEHIR HACI BEKTAŞ VELI UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES. - FRESHWATER FISH FAUNA OF MERSIN (MSc Thesis) by G.Temiz (2019)
  • Fresenius Environmental Bulletin 28(4A):2992-3013. - CHECKLIST OF THE FRESHWATER MOLLUSCA OF TURKEY (MOLLUSCA: GASTROPODA, BIVALVIA) by M. Gürlek et al. (2019)
  • Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 7: 53-63. - The Fish Fauna of the Göksu River (Türkiye): Taxonomic and Zoogeographic Features. by F. Küçük et al. (2007)
  • FISHERIES & AQUATIC LIFE (2018) 26: 151 - 158 - A review of the freshwater crabs of Turkey (Brachyura, Potamidae) by M. Harlolu et al. (2018)

Comment by the expert

Friedrich Bitter: The participant introduces a very beautiful biotope in Turkey, which most tourists would probably not expect.

Sujoy Banerjee: Beautiful Biotope video with the rapids and the different zones as the river flows down the mountain. Well researched and actual video of the habitat is great reference. Very well documented.