Assessing the state of the Akyatan and Tuzla lagoons of the Mediterranean coast of Turkey

We report evidence for the physical-geographical characteristic of two large water areas of Turkey's wetlands, the Tuzla and Akyatan lagoons of the Mediterranean coast. Their location, morphometric parameters, and the characteristics of the hydrological regime are provided. For the first time, an assessment is made of the state of the lagoons from physicochemical and hydrobiological indices. The pioneering monitoring studies are used to make recommendations for optimization and the possible restoration of the lagoons.