Macrozoobenthos in various biotopes of the head of Kruglaya Bay (the Black Sea, Crimea)
M.V. Makarov, R.E. Belogurova
Section: Monitoring of natural and anthropogenically disturbed areas
The species composition and trophic affiliation were determined, the abundance, biomass, and occurrence of macrozoobenthos were calculated in the head of Kruglaya Bay on loose soils and in the epiphyton of macrophytes for the period from November 2022 to July 2023. 24 species of bottom macrofauna were noted on soft substrates and 29 species in algae thickets. The average number on loose surfaces was 4169±259 ind./m2, the average biomass was 10.5 ± 1.0 g/m2. In terms of these indicators and occurrence, the gastropod Hydrobia acuta Draprnaud, 1805, dominates. The community of the above mollusk was identified based on the functional abundance index (FAI). The size structure of this species in March and June was dominated by individuals measuring 2.1−3.0 mm, in July − less than 2.1 mm. The maximum abundance and biomass of benthos were recorded in November (on average 7650 ind./m2 and 13.3 g/m2), the minimum in March (1875 ind./m2 and 2.545 g/m2, respectively). Detritivores predominate in terms of the number of species, abundance and in biomass. Macrozoobenthos in the biotopes of various algaes is distributed unevenly. Thus, 18 species were found with an average abundance of 1152 ind./kg and an average biomass of 8.7 g/kg in the Cystoseira epiphyton. We found 15 species in the Cladophora epiphyton, but the average abundance was higher – 3861 ind./kg, and the average biomass was lower – 2.3 g/kg. On the Ulva intestinalis Linnaeus, 1753, lived 16 species, but with a small average abundance (505 ind./kg) and average biomass (0.6 g/kg). There were 11 species with an abundance of 2656 ind./kg and a biomass of 3.4 g/kg in Cystoseira + Ulva + Cladophora macrophyte associations. We identified 8 species with a number of 1801 ind./kg and 10 g/kg maximum biomass in the epiphyton of U. rigida C.Agardh, 1823.
ISSN 1995-4301
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