This paper reveals the character of the biotic links between the various organisms that compose the fouling community of Odessa Bay (Black Sea). The fouling community of solid substrates is formed by 62 species of invertebrates and 12 species of macrophytes. The edificator species of the community is the Black Sea mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819. The environment-forming role of the mussel, which is represents the core of the corresponding consortia, was examined. The leading role of sessile organisms in the formation of a superorganismic structure that significantly modifies the properties of the environment was revealed. Together with the mussel, this structure is formed by the bivalve mollusc Mytilaster lineatus (Gmelin, 1791) and the barnacle crustacean Amphibalanus improvisus (Darwin, 1854). The proportion of sessile organisms accounts for 24.6% of the total number of species in the community. In this case, they significantly dominate in relative abundance and biomass (78.9% and 98.8%, respectively). The mussels during the process of growth form complexly organized druses, which are peculiar three-dimensional formations, consisting of mussels of different sizes, fastened together with a substrate by an entire network of strong byssus threads. These formations increase the level of heterogeneity of the substrate and increase the variety of available habitats for other animals. The aggregate of these druses is a kind of sedimentary trap in which particles of nutritive detritus accumulate. The availability of accessible habitats, convenient shelters and food reserves attracts various species of invertebrates to the community. Around the core of the consortia a cluster of organisms formed associated with edificator species. An important role is played by trophic links between different mobile organisms and the phyto-component of the community. The ability of the Black Sea mussel to condition the environment, creating favourable conditions for the development of other organisms, characterizes it as an autogenic ecosystem engineer. Trophic and mediopathic links between the organisms that compose the fouling community go beyond it and extend to the inhabitants of the pelagic environment.
The trophic structure of the coastal fouling community of Odessa Bay (Black Sea), which was composed of 10 species of macrophytes, 57 invertebrate species and 4 species of fish, was determined. The basic trophic relationship between organisms composing the community is shown. A minimization of interspecific trophic competition within the community is noted. The main sources of food material entering the fouling community were determined. We show that a significant proportion of food in the form of detritus, dissolved organic matter and small planktonic organisms enters the community from the water column. Filtration and pumping activity of sestonophage-organisms, particularly mussels, helps to attract food material to the community. Primary producers of the community are macrophytes and microphytes, which develop on account of their photosynthetic activity and ensure the provision of food to herbivores. The trophic group of detritophages consumes different fractions of the detritus which accumulates in the byssus threads of bivalve molluscs. In this context, mussel druses act as sediment traps, collecting detritus. Numerous polyphages, which are essentially omnivores and do not usually lack food material, were noted in the community. A small group of carnivorous invertebrates, whose representatives actively attack small animals, was identified. The abundance of these species in the community was about 1%, and their biomass less than 0.6%. Fish living in macrophyte weeds are the consumers in the community. We determined that the highest relative abundance (over 36%) in the fouling community was reached by sestonophages and polyphages. We found that the undisputed leader in the relative biomass (over 97%) in the fouling community ofOdessaBaywas the sestonophages (mainly composed of mussels). We determined that the trophic structure index of the community was 0.94, which confirms the significant dominance in biomass of bivalves over other species in the fouling community.
Выявлена половая структура популяции и определены особенности цикла размножения Echinogammarus olivii (Milne-Edwards, 1830) в сообществе обрастания Одесского залива Черного моря. Показана годовая динамика соотношения полов у этих ракообразных. Размножение E. olivii происходит в течение всего года, но наиболее интенсивно весной. Приведены данные по плодовитости вида в условиях прибрежного сообщества обрастания. Показана связь данного параметра с длиной и массой ракообразных. Приведены уравнения зависимости сырой и сухой массы самцов, яйценосных и неяйценосных самок E. olivii от их длины. В конце лета зафиксированы массовые миграции этих ракообразных из прибрежной зоны в глубинные, менее прогретые слои воды.
The qualitative composition and features of the quantitative development of zoobenthos of the salt Shagany and Burnas lagoons in the summer season of 2018 were determined. For comparison, the zoobenthos of the freshwater Maly Sasyk lagoon, connected by a channel to the Shagany lagoon, was studied. These reservoirs belong to the Tuzlovskaya group of lagoons, located in the Northern Black Sea region in the middle part of the Danube-Dniester interfluve. The depth in the sampling areas was 0,3–0,5m. It was noted that the water temperature in these reservoirs during the study period was about 30°C. Salinity in the Shagany and Burnas lagoons ranged from 24,55 to 32,56‰, and in the Maly Sasyk lagoon – from 4,79 to 7,06‰. As a part of the benthic community of lagoons, 21 species of invertebrates belonging to 9 taxes were found. The species composition of the zoobenthos of Shagany and Burnas lagoons did not differ much in view of the fact that these reservoirs are interconnected by wide straits passing through the Alibey lagoon. The largest number of species found belonged to Polychaeta worms, Amphipoda and Bivalve. One hundred percent occurrence was characteristic of eight invertebrate species. These species under conditions of shallow lagoons reached the greatest quantitative development. It was shown that a small species diversity of the bottom community of these lagoons was accompanied by high abundance and biomass of several invertebrate species. The mass invertebrate species was gastropod mollusks Hydrobia acuta, the abundance of which ranged from 1450 to 3675 ind.m-2. Most of the species found belonged to eurybiotic invertebrates, able to survive in a wide range of fluctuations of abiotic environmental factors. The nature of bottom sediments influenced not only quantitative development parameters, but also the size structure of bivalve mollusk populations living in the Shagany and Burnas lagoons.
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