Didem Ambarlı – PI
Didem is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Middle East Technical University (METU) and leads the Terrestrial Ecology Laboratory. She obtained her Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. degrees in Biology from METU, specializing in biodiversity and conservation. Her research focuses on terrestrial ecology and conservation science, with a particular emphasis on understanding the drivers of biodiversity patterns under global change. She studies the spatial and temporal dynamics of biodiversity along land-use gradients and investigates how these patterns translate into ecosystem functioning, especially in temperate grasslands and steppe ecosystems. Her work integrates multivariate statistics, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and extensive field surveys across multiple taxa, including plants, birds, and butterflies. In addition to ecological research, she incorporates socio-economic dimensions into conservation by working with land-use data and stakeholder inputs. She has extensive experience in international research projects and collaborations and has contributed to biodiversity monitoring and conservation initiatives at regional and global scales.
Contact: dambarli@metu.edu.tr
Ilgın Ertan Gürol
Ilgın is a doctoral student in the Terrestrial Ecology Laboratory at Middle East Technical University (METU), where he also obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biological Sciences. His research background is rooted in community ecology, with a focus on integrating taxonomic and functional dimensions of biodiversity to investigate how avian communities and diversity patterns respond to environmental drivers such as land cover and bioclimatic components across multiple spatial scales. His current research employs a wide range of quantitative approaches, including clustering algorithms, multivariate statistics, modeling, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Remote Sensing (RS), combined with field-based data collection methods such as acoustic monitoring and camera trapping. He aims to predict the effects of climate change on avian and mammalian assemblages in mountainous regions using a space-for-time substitution framework. Outside the laboratory, his interests include amateur nature photography, cycling, botany, and trekking. Contact: ilgingurol@gmail.com, ilgin.gurol@metu.edu.tr – Scholar – ResearchGate
Selen Akçakoca
She is currently a doctoral student. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics and Master’s degree in Biology from Middle East Technical University. In her undergraduate research, she focused on honeybee populations in Turkey, and in her Master research, she focused on the effect of afforestation on plant functional diversity in the steppes of Turkey. She completed her undergraduate studies in Molecular Biology and Genetics at METU, and she obtained her Master’s degree in Biology. She is currently working on a project about the butterflies of METU campus and Lake Eymir.
Contact: selenakcakoca@gmail.com, selen.akcakoca@metu.edu.tr
Kemal Atakan Kavak
He holds a B.Sc. in Biology from Middle East Technical University (METU), where he is furthering his education as an M.Sc. student in Biology. He began working as a TÜBİTAK STAR scholar and continues in this lab as a master’s student. His work focuses on determining the population densities of species, such as red deer and the endemic Anatolian wild sheep, using the Random Encounter Model (REM) and comparing its efficacy with traditional population estimation methods. He also has a personal interest in and enjoys studying species such as butterflies, insects, spiders, and ants as a hobby.
Contact: kemalatakankavak@gmail.com, atakan.kavak@metu.edu.tr
Zeynep Fesiha Yavuz
Fesiha graduated from Middle East Technical University (METU) in 2025 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. She is currently a Master’s Student in Biology at Terrestrial Ecology Laboratory, where she keenly studies plant composition and diversity in mountainous regions to demonstrate the effects of climate change on biodiversity. She previously studied plant-insect interactions in her undergraduate studies (e.g., Solanum rostratum and Bombus terrestris) and is interested in how insects influence the ecology and evolution of flowers in terms of their colours, patterns, and shapes. Additionally, she is an eager birdwatcher under METU’s Birdwatching Society.
Contact: zfesiha@gmail.com / fesiha.yavuz@metu.edu.tr
Belce Su Uykusuz
Belce is a Master’s student specializing in community ecology. She completed her undergraduate studies in Biology at Middle East Technical University. Her current research focuses on steppe butterflies, specifically examining the impact of afforestation on species composition and functional diversity. Broadly interested in conservation biology, she aims to utilize multidisciplinary approaches to answer ecological questions. Beyond her academic work, she is active in student science clubs and explores her creative interests through photography, graphic design, and plastic arts.
Contact: belce.uykusuz@gmail.com
Tarık Emre Karaman
Tarık has completed his undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics at METU in 2024. During his studies, he has developed a strong interest in plant ecology and urban ecology as an emergiing research field, which led him to pursue a Master’s degree in Biology with a focus on Urban Ecology. He is currently researchs plant diversity at Terrestrial Ecology Laboratory, specifically focusing how different urban land-use types influence spontaneous plants Taxonomic and functional diversity, and he combines ecological fieldwork with GIS-based spatial analysis of urban environments. Outside of his academic work, he enjoys drawing, theatre, and playing board games with friends.
Contact: tarik.emre123@gmail.com / tarik.karaman@metu.edu.tr https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tarik-Karaman?ev=hdr_xprf
Jelena Erdal
Jelena is a postdoctoral researcher at the Terrestrial Ecology Laboratory, Middle East Technical University (METU). She obtained her BSc degree from the Department of Biology at the University of Kragujevac (Serbia), and her MSc and PhD degrees from Biological Sciences Department at Middle East Technical University (Türkiye) in the field of botany. During her postgraduate studies, she worked on the family Plumbaginaceae Juss. and the genus Festuca L., and acquired knowledge of general plant taxonomy, the flora of Türkiye, field and herbarium techniques, as well as plant collection and identification. Her current research interests include floristic studies, vegetation ecology, plant systematics, plant conservation, and botanical illustrations, with a particular focus on grasses (family Poaceae Barnhart and genus Festuca L.).
Contact: jelenaerdal@gmail.com – ResearchGate – Scholar
ORCİD: 0000-0002-5132-0755