Биология северо-западной части Черного моря

In this monograph data are presented of investigations of the biology of the northwestern part of the Black Sea conducted in 1954—1962 at the Odessa Biological Station of the Institute of Hydrobiology Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR. The results of some additional investigations during 1963—1965, carried out in this part of the sea by the Odessa Branch of the Institute of Biology of Southern Seas, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR are also discussed. The monograph contains a characterization of the northwestern part of the Black Sea from the geomorphological, hydrological and hydrochemical standpoints so far as it can be useful for a more complete representation of certain, abiotic factors of the environment which influence biological processes. The monograph contains a characterization of the microbiological features of the northwestern part of the Black Sea, its phyto- and zooplankton, hyponeuston, macrophyto- and macrozoobenthos, ichtyofauna and marine mammals. Various data are cited pertaining to the specific composition of the flora and fauna of free-living (non-parasitic) components, including 750 representatives of different groups of the animal and plant marine population in the northwestern part of the Black Sea. The monograph also gives the biochemical characteristics of the plankton in this part of the sea, including its elementary composition. Attention is paid to the biocoenosis of Zernov's phyllophora field, one of the most unique accumulations of red algae in the World Ocean. Thus the monograph represents the first attempt at a complex regional report of data characterizing different aspects in the study of the extensive north-western shallow waters of the Black Sea influenced by the fresh waters of the largest European rivers (the Danube, the Dnieper and the Dniester). In spite of this, the waters of the northwestern part of the Black Sea are in close contact with the contiquous waters of the open regions of the Black Sea.