Microphytobenthos in the Hypersaline Water Bodies, the Case of Bay Sivash (Crimea): Is Salinity the Main Determinant of Species Composition?

Shadrin, Nickolai; Balycheva, Daria; Anufriieva, Elena

doi:10.3390/w13111542

Cited by 9 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Hence, in seagrass meadows, oxygen availability generally increases with the distance to the rhizome (Borum et al, 2007). Other macroalgae mats have been shown to inhabit a high abundance of microphytobenthos along a vertical gradient, which is a food source for associated organisms (Shadrin et al, 2019(Shadrin et al, , 2021Prazukin et al, 2020) and causes high phototrophic activity. In the present study, we found a 1.1-fold stronger light gradient over a shorter distance in P. crispa mats, which implies that the layer of high phototrophic activity is in closer proximity to the deeper layer of heterotrophic activity.…”

Section: Potential Relevance For Ecosystem Functionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This associated community benefits from the algal habitat as a food source, substratum for spawning, material for the construction of nests, or shelter from predators (Zaitsev, 2008). Provision of food or protection for rich associated communities are also characteristics of other algal habitats, such as Cladophora mats (Shadrin et al, 2019(Shadrin et al, , 2021Prazukin et al, 2020) or Cystoseira beds (Mineur et al, 2015).…”

Section: Ecological Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fleshy Red Algae Mats Influence Their Environment in the Mediterranean Sea

et al. 2021

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In the Mediterranean Sea, the fleshy red alga Phyllophora crispa forms dense mats of up to 15 cm thickness, mainly located on rocky substrates in water depths below 20 m. Because of the observed density of these mats and some first observations, we hypothesize that P. crispa is a yet undescribed ecosystem engineer that provides a multitude of ecological niches for associated organisms along small-scale environmental gradients. Therefore, we conducted an in-situ pilot study in the Western Mediterranean Sea to assess potential influence of the algae mats on the key environmental factors water movement, temperature and light intensity. We comparatively and simultaneously measured in P. crispa mats, in neighboring Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows, on neighboring bare rocky substrates without algae mats, and in the directly overlying water column. We used several underwater logging sensors and gypsum clod cards. Findings revealed that P. crispa significantly reduced water movement by 41% compared to the overlying water column, whereas water movement was not affected by P. oceanica meadows and bare rocky substrates. Surprisingly, P. crispa increased the water temperature by 0.3°C relative to the water column, while the water temperature in P. oceanica and on bare rocky substrates was reduced by 0.5°C. Light intensity inside the red algae mats was reduced significantly by 69% compared to the water column. This was similar to measured light reduction of 77% by P. oceanica. These findings highlight the strong influence of the dense red algae mats on some key environmental factors. Their influence is obviously similar or even higher than for the well-known seagrass ecosystem engineer. This may be a factor that facilitates associated biodiversity similarly as described for P. oceanica.

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Section: Potential Relevance For Ecosystem Functionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Ecological Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fleshy Red Algae Mats Influence Their Environment in the Mediterranean Sea

et al. 2021

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“…The use of new and published data [12,[18][19][20] showed that since the closure of the North Crimean Canal, salinity, TSS, and DOM increased in Bay Sivash (Figure 7). As was shown before, the content of TSS positively correlates with salinity in different water bodies of Crimea [12,22] and different regions [23][24][25][26][27].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Accelerated cliff erosion may also contribute to the TSS increase in the Bay Sivash. The increase in DOM concentration can probably be explained by the TSS increase and/or the addition to primary production due to the development of floating mats of filamentous green algae Cladophora [4,12,19]. The intensive development of Cladophora in hypersaline water bodies can increase their primary production by more than 10 times [3,28].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Human-Induced Sharp Salinity Changes in the World’s Largest Hypersaline Lagoon Bay Sivash (Crimea) and Their Effects on the Ecosystem

Anufriieva

Колесникова

Revkova

et al. 2022

Water

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Lakes and lagoons play an important role worldwide, and salinity fluctuations significantly affect their ecosystems. Bay Sivash, the world’s largest hypersaline water body, underwent a sharp change in salinity, induced by the closing of the North Crimean Canal. To monitor a shift in the ecosystem, a study was carried out from 2014 to 2020 at 15 sites of the lagoon. Since the closure of the canal, the average salinity increased from 22 g L−1 (2013) to 94 g L−1 (2020). Suspended solids and dissolved organic matter also increased. When salinity increased above 50 g L−1, the number of taxa significantly decreased; this was a negative linear relation. The increase in salinity significantly changed the structure of zooplankton and benthos. The most dramatic changes occurred with the salinity increase from 25 to 70 g L−1. Chironomidae larvae numbers began to increase greatly in the ecosystem of the bay, and since 2014, they have rapidly increased their contribution to the abundance of benthos and plankton. The concentration of benthic–planktonic species increased in plankton, in particular, in Harpacticoida and Chironomidae. At salinity above 80–90 g L−1, nauplii and adult brine shrimp appeared to become abundant in plankton and benthos. The transit of the ecosystem to a new alternative state occurred.

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