Information about large mammals in Turkey usually does not go further than species lists or annual counts of particular species such as the wild goat. Camera trapping is a very useful technique to overcome this deficiency by gathering information about species presence, numbers, habitat use and behavior. Hence, a one year long camera trap study was conducted to demonstrate the diversity, activity, distribution patterns, habitat preferences and interspecific interactions of medium and large mammals in a 148 km2 large pine woodland near Ankara. Brown bear (Ursus arctos), wolf (Canis lupus), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), golden jackal (Canis aureus), jungle cat (Felis chaus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), Eurasian badger (Meles meles), stone marten (Martes foina), red deer (Cervus elaphus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), brown hare (Lepus europaeus), Caucasian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) and southern white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor) were the 13 mammal species captured during the study. Spatial segregation was observed among canid species indicating intraguild competition and competitive exclusion. Prey-predator interactions were documented at both spatial and temporal scales between wolves, deer and wild boars. Red deer showed seasonal and sex differences in activity patterns that appeared to be influenced by wolf predation risk. The presence of two felids unknown to the local people were revealed by camera trapping, showing the utility of this technique for such secretive and rare species. However, the low encounter rates for particular species such as lynx, brown bear and jungle cat indicated the importance of the length of study. Based on various evidence, resident adult population sizes were estimated for wolf (2-5), Eurasian lynx (2-4), brown bear (0-2) and jungle cat (2-3). The study showed that lynx can exist in high densities in a relatively small area when prey species are abundant. This study area hosted a rich mammal fauna in spite of human activities such as livestock grazing, logging and hunting. A relatively intact ecosystem, high altitudinal and habitat diversity, and a positive attitude of local people are believed to be the reasons of this observed high diversity.

ABSTRACT INCREASING WALKABILITY IN PUBLIC SPACES OF CITY CENTRES: THE CASE OF TUNALI HILMI STREET, ANKARA GHADIMKHANI, PARISA M.Sc., the Department of City and Regional Planning in Urban Design Supervisor: Assist. Prof. Dr. M&Uuml / GE AKKAR ERCAN May 2011, 204 pages Liveability and walkability have recently become one of the major policy topics in the agenda of many cities all over the world because of the negative effects of car-oriented urban developments that have impoverished physical, social, cultural, economic and environmental values of cities. In Ankara, however, the urban development policies based on the decentralization of the city centre and inner city, the impoverished public transportation services and infrastructure, the increasing car-dependent development and the neglect of pedestrians accessibility within the urban public spaces in last twenty years have decreased the walkability and therefore liveability of the city center. This thesis aims to investigate the notion of &lsquo / walkability&rsquo / in urban space, specifically in urban public space, and to identify the measures of &lsquo / walkability&rsquo / . By employing a case study method, it examines how far Tunali Hilmi Street (THS) - one of the major high streets and public spaces of Ankara - is a walkable street and identifies the positive and negative factors which effect its walkability capacity. The analysis on THS is carried out through six measures of the walkability: safety, orientation, attractiveness, comfort, diversity and local destination. Based on the findings of the investigation, this thesis gives recommendations which are practical and which can be implemented on the design of the case study area, as well as on the public spaces that are similar to THS in Ankara or other cities. Key words: Liveability, sustainability, walkability, public space, urban design, Ankara, Tunali Hilmi Street

Anisotropy in engineering properties of soils occurs due to the depositional process forming the soil fabric and/or different directional stresses in soil history. This study investigates the anisotropy in undrained shear strength and drained compressibility of preconsolidated, stiff and fissured Ankara Clay. The compressibility behavior is determined using standard oedometer testing while the shear strength anisotropy is investigated through large diameter unconsolidated-undrained triaxial testing on undisturbed samples taken in vertical and horizontal directions from several deep excavation sites along the Konya Road in &Ccedil / ukurambar-Balgat Area, Ankara. According to the results achieved, Ankara Clay is slightly anisotropic in compressibility, with an anisotropy ratio between 0.72 and 1.17 in terms of coefficient of volume compressibility for several pressure ranges between 50 kPa and 1600 kPa. On the other hand, while a slight anisotropy in undrained shear strength at a ratio ranging between 0.87 and 1.19 in terms of deviator stress can be observed in Ankara Clay, considering the great variation in the test results of samples in same direction which mostly overlaps with the range of results obtained in the other direction, it has been concluded that the Ankara Clay located in this area can be regarded as isotropic in terms of shear strength for practical purposes.

Water distribution network models are used for different purposes. In this study, a model, used for daily operational issues is concerned. Models results should be consistent with actual conditions for sound decisions during operational studies. Adjusting model parameters according to site measurements in order to fit the model to obtain realistic results is known as calibration. Researchers have carried out numerous studies on calibration and developed various methods. In this study, an actual network (N8.3 Pressure Zone, Ankara) has been calibrated by two classical methods developed by Walski (1983) and Bhave (1988). The network parameter calibrated in this study is Hazen-Williams roughness coefficient, C-factor, and other parameters have been lumped in the C-factor. Results of the analysis showed that, C-factors have been found in a wide range.

Today, the loss of many qualified twentieth century buildings and the scarcity of studies for conservation of these buildings indicates the need for researches on this topic. In that respect the subject of the thesis study is to prepare a conservation proposal for the case Atat&uuml / rk Orman &Ccedil / iftligi Hamami, which was designed by an important architect of the Republic period buildings architect Ernst Egli in 1937s a part of a complex with Beer Factory and its mass housing. The building couldn&rsquo / t keep up within the transformation of the site and lost its function. Today the building is away from attention and under danger of destruction due to several material and structural problems. As a milestone project of modernization of a nation, Atat&uuml / rk Orman &Ccedil / iftligi&rsquo / s important role on the community, with its recreation areas and industrialization of agriculture has also been evaluated in the study and the building is studied as a whole with its close environment. In that respect a new function is proposed that will help the transformation of site in a positive manner together with considering the problems and the values of the building. By this way the building existing situation is documented, the values and problems are revealed out by systematic methods / and with proposed new function a conservation project that fore seen to reveal the importance of the building, preserve it by using and pass inheritence to next generations.

This dissertation aims to scrutinize the fractions of the Turkish middle class, based on Bourdieu&rsquo / s theory of social, cultural, economic capitals and habitus. Distinction among the fractions was identified through lifestyles and tastes via home furnishing and decoration. A quantitative field research was conducted in two towns of Ankara, the capital city of Turkey, namely Ke&ccedil / i&ouml / ren and &Ccedil / ankaya, and the data was collected by applying a detailed questionnaire on a sample that is not representative. The data was analysed with SPSS. The outcomes of factor and multiple correspondence analyses were formulated as four fractions of the Turkish middle class: Lower/bitter, Middle/resentful, Upper/contemptuous, and Well-off/happy middle class. The structural and material conditions, social-psychological utterances of the respondents and interviewees, survey results, field notes and observations as well as insights collected from furniture/decoration magazines provided the basis for defining and naming these subcategories. This categorization is an important step for further studies of lifestyles and tastes of the fractions. Lifestyles were defined as everyday habits/routines/activities, and tastes as selections/arrangements of furniture/accessories of everyday life objects. The finding of the dissertation is that the middle class(es) in Ankara is stratified within itself and these fractions have different lifestyles and tastes of their own: The well-off/happy fraction has an &lsquo / outgoing&rsquo / lifestyle, and &lsquo / legitimate/highbrow taste&rsquo / the upper/contemptuous fraction has a &lsquo / shopping mallcentred&rsquo / lifestyle, and &lsquo / middlebrow taste&rsquo / the middle/resentful fraction has an &lsquo / emulationcentred&rsquo / lifestyle and &lsquo / popular taste&rsquo / finally, the lower/bitter fraction has a &lsquo / &lsquo / stuck to home, family and neighbors&rsquo / lifestyle and &lsquo / taste of necessity&rsquo / .

Today, it is observed that shopping centers that are increasingly growing in number, especially in metropolitan cities, are used as public spaces by many urban inhabitants. Shopping centers have become places where social life is experienced and leisure time is spent through a wide range of activities offered besides shopping. On the other side, city centers that can be regarded as the most essential public spaces of urban areas are in a process of deterioration both in terms of physical quality and functional features. These two developments are essential indicators of a change and transformation concerning the public space&rsquo / s role and its features like openness to everyone&rsquo / s use, high accessibility and social integration. Within this context, in this study, finding the direction of this transformation and the extent that shopping centers possess the characteristics of public space are aimed. In this respect, after a literature review about public space, city center and shopping center within the context of the aim, the development of city centers and public spaces of Ankara is examined. After the development of shopping centers that flourished within the last ten-fifteen years in Ankara and their socio-spatial effects upon the city are discussed, hypothesis is tested through the findings of the questionnaire survey made in Migros Akk&ouml / pr&uuml / Shopping Center. Lastly, findings and conclusions are summarized and interpretations for future and policy proposals are made concerning the changing functions and uses of public spaces and shopping centers.

This study aims to analyze the emergence and evaluation of a new type of suburbanization in T&uuml / rkiye, which are concomitant with the rise of new middle class having a high purchasing power. It examines different urbanization and suburbanization processes in various societies and demonstrates that the suburbanization of T&uuml / rkiye does not exactly fit in these models. Such a suburban expansion is taking place under the prevailing impact of political economy in the world and leads to a social segregation within metropolitan areas, which is argued to become permanent. Upper middle class have developed privatized, enclosed, and monitored exclusive spaces of residence, work, leisure, and consumption. The main focus of the study, therefore, is the gated communities, which is the last extension of suburbanization. In this thesis, the gated communities are mainly residential in character and offer a new concept of life-style, which is based upon the idea of total security and retreat from the illnesses of the urban core in terms of noise, dust, disorder, crowds and related issues. It is argued that, in the specific case of Angora Evleri-Kooperatif-18, gated communities can be viewed as a further theme of fragmentation of the city of Ankara. The new urban fragmentation indicates a dual process of increasing social and spatial polarization on the urban land. These dualities have been identified in society. One part of the society has experienced affluence, and success while the other has suffered degradation. The economic growth has been at the expense of sharp increases both at the top and bottom ends of the income distribution. Social inequality, in return, has manifested itself spatially.

This thesis examine the problems in the transformation process of Kaziki&ccedil / i Bostanlari, which was planned as a &ldquo / central development area&rdquo / after 1970&rsquo / s, in terms of the Ankara city center problematic. For Kaziki&ccedil / i Bostanlari, which shows the transition zone character, decisions were taken by three Master Plans to be new Central Business District and for the application a Development plan was prepared. But starting from the 1970&rsquo / s the area has been going on its development according to its inner dynamics. In this thesis, first, theories about CBD are analyzed. Then, general characteristics of Ankara city center and Kaziki&ccedil / i Bostanlari and interventions to Kaziki&ccedil / i Bostanlari in respect to the CBD transformations are discussed. Finally, Kaziki&ccedil / i Bostanlari and its current situation in terms of transition zone characteristics, and threats and opportunities concerning the CBD transformation are evaluated.

This thesis explores the ways in which the concept of &ldquo / city junction&rdquo / has been considered as an element of the urban image within the network of circulation. The aim of this study is to make an historical analysis of urban transformation in In&ouml / n&uuml / Square at Ankara, instigated by the respect to recent traffic problem-centered nodal interventions in the area. Akay Junction, which is thought as 1930&rsquo / s representative space also having historical power as well as being a node where two significant axis intersect, is studied in its social, cultural and political context, through written and visual historical sources, with its relevant physical spatial components and relations to space and its nearby environment. Presenting the interactions within the historical process and considering the traffic based physical transformation, the role of the concept of city junction in the formation of urban public space in terms of architecture is questioned. Based on the material research the thesis presents the existing and the possible alternative models together with a proposal, regarding the further possible transformations especially with the extension planned for the underground rail transport to the area. The alternatives indicate the qualitatively different results that will be got with respect to providing a viable urban public space as such a node.