Expert Warns Türkiye Forest Fires Pose Risks to Marine Life

(MENAFN) Forest fires extend their devastation beyond land, posing serious risks to marine and freshwater ecosystems, a leading Turkish specialist has revealed. While post-fire attention in Türkiye largely concentrated on terrestrial damage, aquatic environments have sustained severe, enduring harm, said Herdem Aslan, chairperson of the Water Ecosystem Protection Association and marine biologist at Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University’s Faculty of Science, during an interview with media.

Reflecting on the aftermath of the 2021 Marmaris wildfire, Aslan described her underwater observations made 18 months later: “This sediment prevented all organisms from receiving light and oxygen, causing them to suffocate. I observed that many creatures had died. Especially sessile organisms living on the seafloor — such as corals, sponges, and seagrasses — as well as small organisms that serve as important food sources for fish, were literally buried alive. This is a phenomenon that can still be observed years later.”

Aslan further highlighted the danger posed by iron particles from ash, dispersed by wind and rivers into the sea. “This substance increases photosynthesis in microorganisms living in the sea. Phytoplankton — microscopic organisms found in both saltwater and freshwater and responsible for every second breath we take — multiply excessively with this fertilizer. As phytoplankton increase, so do zooplankton, the primary consumers that feed on them, which in turn can provide food for fish larvae,” she explained.

“At first glance, this may seem beneficial, but in the long run, it is not, because such a biomass increase leads to oxygen depletion in the seas. After the major forest fires in Australia in 2021, excessive amounts of iron carried into the ocean caused mass die-offs in marine life,” Aslan added.

In addition, Aslan emphasized the role of wildfires in accelerating climate change by releasing black carbon—tiny particles created when organic matter burns at high temperatures. She recounted: “Burned trees produce what is called ‘black carbon.’ Currently, forest fires produce around 40 million to 250 million tons of black carbon per year globally. This, too, reaches oceans and seas via rivers and rainfall.”

She warned of the lethal impact black carbon has on marine organisms: “About 6% of known marine sediments already consist of this material, but if forest fires continue to increase due to climate change, human negligence, and inadequate precautions, this number will rise to terrifying levels.”

Research corroborates her concerns, showing coral reefs experience 100% mortality and seagrass meadows drastically decline after forest fires. The ongoing effects of climate change, exacerbated by these fires, remain among the most critical threats confronting humanity, according to numerous scientific studies and expert bodies.

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