HU Functional Ecology Lab.

Last 10 days to apply! 💥

🌲 The effect of elevation on forest structure and tree community composition in Trojan fir forests in Kazdağları (NW Anatolia, Türkiye)
Applied Ecology and Environmental Research
Authors: Usta, N.; Tüfekcioğlu, İ.; Avdancı, B.; Tavşanoğlu, Ç

Our first publications of 2026 are out!

🦌 Population status and recent threats to the northernmost isolated population of the endangered mountain gazelle (Gazella gazella)
Mammalia
Authors: Karaer, M.C.; Kankılıç, T.; Tavşanoğlu, Ç.

Positions Available Positions Currently, no positions are available in the laboratory. . Staj (Internship) Hacettepe Üniversitesi Fonksiyonel Ekoloji Laboratuvarı, lisans seviyesinde öğrencilere staj imkanı …

Of course! Here is the link: funecol.org/fel-staj-bas...
Please note that the webpage is in Turkish, but all application details are provided there.

Summer Internship Applications Are Now Open at the Functional Ecology Laboratory, Hacettepe University!

You can find detailed information on eligibility criteria and submit your application. For more detail visit the link in our bio.

🗓️ Application deadline: 15 February.

She contributed to mesocosm experiments simulating warming and salinization under climate change, including sample collection and physicochemical measurements (pH, chlorophyll-a, nutrients), gaining experience in lake ecosystem processes.

Our lab member Rüveyda Zehra Ögütverici completed her internship in June 2025 at the Aquatic Ecology Laboratory, METU Institute of Marine Sciences (Mersin), where she worked with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korhan Özkan and his research team.

During her visit, she gained experience in leaf anatomical analysis using cryosectioning and light microscopy, including cross-section measurements, and took part in fieldwork within the Horizon Europe FRUITDIV project.

Our undergraduate researcher Cansu Baran visited the Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment (ILFE) in Novi Sad, Serbia, as an intern, working with Dr. Srdjan Stojnić and his team on Fagus sylvatica L. 🌿

Nurbahar Usta — Forest Dynamics of Fir Forests in the Kazdağları Mountains and the Potential Effects of Climate Change on These Dynamics

Cansu Ülgen — Above and Belowground Plant Traits and the Plant Economic Spectrum in Central Anatolian Steppe Vegetation

We are proud to celebrate two great achievements from our lab.
Nurbahar Usta and Cansu Ülgen have successfully defended their PhD theses and graduated. Congratulations to both, and best wishes for their continued academic journeys.

New publication from our lab! Our new study, published in iForest, explores how Mediterranean woody species enhance their flammability through different functional traits — revealing multiple, species-specific strategies shaped by fire.
doi:10.3832/ifor4601-018

Our Fieldwork in Beytepe🌿
To identify the distribution of Ailanthus altissima, examine its changes over the years, and predict its future dynamics, we carried out fieldwork at Hacettepe University’s Beytepe Campus
Together with our intern team, we collected data in the pilot area of our research. 🌸

Beautiful days of fieldwork!

Our PI Çağatay Tavşanoğlu @ctavsanoglu.bsky.social explored alpine habitats & plant communities in Hasandağı (~ 3250 m) in centeral Anatolia with Jalil Noroozi and Golshan Zare.

Thanks to both for the great collaboration and inspiring exchange! 🌱

This Monday we had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Jalil Noroozi (Univ. of Vienna) in our lab for a discussion on his recent paper:
“Plant endemic diversity in the Irano-Anatolian hotspot is dramatically threatened by future climate change” (Moradi et al. 2025) 🌍🌿

🎉 Two great recognitions for our lab at #EEBST2025!

🏅 MSc Thesis Award — Mehmet Göktuğ Öztürk
🎤 Best Oral Presentation Award — Nurbahar Usta @nurbaharusta.bsky.social

Congratulations to both for their outstanding work and contributions! 👏🌿

🌼 “Pollinator Assemblages as Drivers of Plant Range: Evidence from a Marl Steppe in Central Anatolia”
was presented at #EEBST2025 by Gülseli Kırgıl @gulselinsect.bsky.social 🌾🪰

🎤 “Effect of Crown Fires on Temperate Mixed Forests of Northeastern Anatolia: A Modeling Approach” was presented today at #EEBST2025 by Anıl Bahar 🔥🌲

🔥 “Community Composition and Resistance Levels of Soil Bacteria and Fungi in a Mediterranean Forest Under Varying Wildfire Severities”
was presented today at #EEBST2025 by Bedirhan Avdancı. 🧫🌿

🌲 “Trojan Fir under Climate Warming: A Facilitator Species Facing Regeneration Limits”
was presented at #EEBST2025 by Nurbahar Usta, PhD researcher in our lab - and received the Best Oral Presentation Award! 🔥✨
Congrats to: @nurbaharusta.bsky.social

@ctavsanoglu.bsky.social

🎤 “The Intellectual Evolution of Ecology: Paradigm Shifts and Current Trends” was presented today at #EEBST2025 by Prof. Dr. Çağatay Tavşanoğlu, our principal investigator.

You can find Gülseli here: @gulselinsect.bsky.social

🎉 We’ve got great news! Our teammate Gülseli Kırgıl successfully defended her master’s thesis on June 16 and is now officially a graduate! 👩‍🎓✨

🐝🌸Thesis title: Patterns of insect pollinator diversity in rare and common plants growing in a marl steppe habitat in Central Anatolia

Congrats Gülseli! 🌿