Within the scope of the project, "Climate change effects on trophic structure and dynamics in saline and brackish water based on a space-for-time field sampling, controlled mesocosm experiments, palaeoecology, remote sensing and modelling (CLIM-SALTLAKES)", a project evaluation meeting was held covering the current status of the project process and the planning of the next period. Project coordinators and researchers were hosted by Dr. Korhan Özkan, one of the project coordinators, at METU Institute of Marine Sciences between 31 March and 3 April 2023.

The project evaluation meeting started with the opening speech of Prof. Dr. Erik Jeppesen, in which the project objectives completed so far within the scope of the project, the academic outputs published and the objectives expected to be achieved in the last year of the project were explained. During the 2-day meetings, the topics and contents listed below were discussed;

Chaoshuo Zhang - Chaoshuo Zhang, who recently joined the project, made a comprehensive presentation on his area of interest and expertise and informed the participants.

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Korkmaz - The results obtained by sampling in 2021 and 2022 during the project process were evaluated and the planned outputs were also discussed.

Gültekin Yılmaz - Presentation of the results and analyses obtained with greenhouse gases of the lakes sampled within the scope of field studies and detailed information about the article planned to be published in the related field was given and the current analyses were discussed.

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Korkmaz - The data obtained within the scope of the project field studies and the article on the effect of climate change on the endemic fish fauna of the central Anatolian ecoregion, which was obtained from the existing literature and submitted to the journal "Water", were presented and the data and outputs obtained for the stomach content analysis and trophic status determination of the fish samples obtained from the field studies were discussed.

Prof. Dr. Erik Jeppesen - With his presentation titled "Experiences, data and ideas for comparative studies based on Danish coastal lakes", meta-analyses of the data obtained from the field studies carried out within the scope of the project and ideas for planning comparative studies were discussed.

Prof. Dr. Korhan Özkan - He gave detailed information about the mesocosm test areas and their features, which were designed and constructed within the scope of the project. Deficiencies for the development of the existing mesocosm experimental areas were identified and evaluations were made for the completion of these deficiencies.

Dr. Cihelio Alves Amorim - The data obtained from mesocosm experiments modelling salinity gradient and heat waves carried out within the scope of the project were presented and the analyses of these data were evaluated.

Gül Canan Yavuz - The identification of zooplankton sampled during the salinity and heatwave interaction experiment and the analyses of the data obtained were evaluated.

Prof. Dr. Tolga Coşkun - Phytoplankton sampled during the experiments in which both salinity gradient and heat waves were modelled and the changes during the experiments were summarised and the results were evaluated.

Dr. Sarah S. Hasnain - A presentation was made on the effects of increased salinity and heat waves on zooplankton communities within the scope of experiments carried out in mesocosms and the relationship between this effect and zooplankton communities.

Dr. Mustafa Korkmaz - Details of the field study planned to be carried out in 2023 was presented. The lakes targeted to be sampled within the scope of the field study, the scope of the biota to be sampled in the lakes, the sampling method and the detailed field plan were discussed and the final field plan was created.

Prof. Dr. Meryem Beklioğlu gave detailed information about "The 15th International Conference on Salt Lake Research" to be held in Turkey in 2024 and informed the participants about the current developments.

Following the presentations and evaluations, a meeting was held to discuss the duration, scope and necessary conditions for the mesocosm experiment to be carried out in 2023. In addition, a list of academic publications planned to be made from the data obtained from the experiments and fields carried out so far was drawn up and target dates were set for the completion of the publications.

Finally, project coordinators Prof. Dr. Erik Jeppesen, Prof. Dr. Meryem Beklioğlu and Dr. Korhan Özkan concluded the project evaluation meetings with a meeting on current developments and future plans.