The seasonal dynamics of the numbers of larvae of common fouling organisms-the barnacle Balanus improvisus and the bivalves Mytilaster lineatus and Mytilus galloprovincialis in Balaklava Bay (Black Sea)-were investigated during 2000 and 2001 within the framework of an ecological research project. Under the conditions of an increased anthropogenic load, seasonal fluctuations of the numbers and the distribution of larvae depend on rhythms of the breeding cycles of fouling invertebrates and on the hydrodynamic features of the region (water setup). The differences in the optimum temperatures, hatching intensity, and time of occurrence of larvae in the plankton, as well as the irregular distribution of larvae, allow the three major fouling organisms to reduce interspecific competition for food and the substrate.

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The results of the long-term monitoring of coastal waters off the Heracles Peninsula (Crimea, the Black Sea) are presented. The abiotic and biotic parameters, indicating the ecological condition of the coastal zone, have been studied. The following parameters have been measured by standard methods: water temperature, illuminance, concentration of particulate matter, organic matter, primary production, intensity of biotic reproduction of particulate matter, phytoplankton and meroplankton species diversity, abundance, and biomass, as well as shell morphometrics and sex ratio in mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis Lam. It has been found that upwelling water circulation is typical for the coastal waters off the Heracles Peninsula. The mean annual sea surface temperature over the study period 2000-2016 proved to be 2.7°С higher than that in the early 20th century. The maximum values of phytoplankton primary production are associated with inner waters of coves and with increased Twater and Еmax values. A reduction in phytoplankton and meroplankton diversity and a dominance of eurybiontic species have been recorded from the waters subject to anthropogenic impacts. The most pronounced shift of sex ratio toward predominance of M. galloprovincialis males and a high mussel Н/L shell index are observed in waters with increased technogenic load. The taxonomic structure of phytoplankton and meroplankton, sex ratio, and morphometric parameters of bivalves are the sensitive tools of ecological monitoring to assess the condition of the surrounding aquatic environment.

Главный редактор: кандидат географических наук Б. Н. Панов Редакционная коллегия: доктор биологических наук Е. П. Губанов доктор биологических наук А. П. Золотницкий доктор географических наук В. А. Брянцев кандидат биологических наук В. А. Шляхов А. А. Солодовников В. Н. Туркулова Н. А. Лебедева Современные проблемы экологии Азово-Черноморского региона: Ма