Ostracoda (Crustacea) of Lake Uluabat (Apolyont Gölü) (Bursa Province, Turkey)

AbstractLake Uluabat (Apolyont Gölü), an important bird conservation area, was sampled in summer, autumn, winter and spring, and ostracod species' seasonal and spatial distributions were investigated; many of the taxa collected are useful indicator species for monitoring within-basin conditions. The findings suggest that the Lake Uluabat ecosystem is already substantially degraded. Pollution, coupled with extensive water abstraction for irrigation, have the potential to damage the value of the lake, both commercially (as an inland waters fishery), and as an important site for wetland birds. We suggest that ostracod faunal analysis has value in the ecological study of such sites, particularly where more formal physicochemical monitoring methods are inappropriate or unavailable