MAKÜ Geography Department students gained field experience at Burdur Lake

Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University (MAKÜ) Geography Department students successfully completed the field application of the courses Applied Geomorphology, Field Study, Historical Geography, and Turkey's Geopolitics for the Spring Semester. The technical field study conducted on a 13-kilometer track started from the MAKÜ İstiklal Campus and ended on the southern shore of Lake Burdur.

The study, led by Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Onur Yayla and Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Uğur Tozkoparan, introduced students to the fundamental components of both physical and human geography. Throughout the field trip, the water withdrawal Lake Burdur has experienced in recent years, the changes this withdrawal has caused in limnic facies, and erosion processes were examined on-site.

Students who analyzed the geomorphological characteristics of the exposed lake areas had the opportunity to evaluate erosion traces and topographic processes. Within the scope of the study, which also focused on the region from historical and geopolitical perspectives, the surroundings of Hacılar Höyük, which bears settlement traces from the Neolithic Period, and the development of human settlements on the shores of Lake Burdur were scrutinized. The relationship between water resources and settlement, the effects of lake withdrawal on human life, and the historical geopolitical transformation of the region were discussed.

The effects of global climate change in the context of energy geography and the increasing renewable energy investments within the framework of the Paris Climate Agreement were also observed in the field. In this context, evaluations were made on wind and solar energy facilities, and students' awareness of the subject was reinforced.

Throughout the field study, students were equipped with academic and practical skills such as recognizing geomorphological units, reading maps, analyzing natural processes, and interpreting the interaction of physical and historical geography. With this multidisciplinary field experience, the applied courses conducted throughout the semester were successfully completed.

The participating students were congratulated by the faculty members for their interest and scientific curiosity.