Biotic links in the fouling community of Odessa Bay (Black Sea)

Abstract

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.

Interannual Changes in the Population Structure of the Mediterranean Mussel Mytilus Galloprovincialis Lam. In the Bottom Settlements of the Odesa Region, Black Sea in 2005–2020

“…Formirovanie fil'tracionnogo potenciala poselenij midij i mitiljastera v antropogenno preobrazovannoj pribrezhnoj zone morja [Formation of the filtration potential of mussel's settlements and Mytilaster in the anthropogenically transformed coastal zone of the sea]. Gidrobiologicheskiy zhurnal -Hydrobiological journal, 45(6), 3…”

Feeding intensity and daily mussel consumption of Rapa whelk (Rapana venosa) in the north-western Black Sea

“…Mass settlements of the species have a noticeable effect on the composition and structure of the benthic communities (Topaloglu & Kihara 1993;Çinar & Gonlugur-Demirci 2005;Çinar et al 2008;Bondarev 2013;Revkov & Boltachova 2021). They serve as an additional substrate for fouling organisms and shelter for fish and other aquatic species (Gutiérrez et al 2003;Varigin 2018). However, in recent decades, there has been a decreasing trend in the abundance of this mollusc and a significant reduction in the biomass of the extensive mussel assemblages that were previously located at depths of more than 10 m, ensuring the proper quality of the coastal waters (Zaika et al 1990;Vorobyova et al 2017;Snigirov et al 2019).…”

The Impact of Floodplain Vegetation on the Erosion-Sedimentation Processes in Fluvisols During Flood Events

“…As pointed out by Sponseller et al (2013), running water ecosystems illustrate several principles governing the interaction of landscape form and ecological function. Whereas the control of sediment dynamics by hygromorphic plants has been identified as an important component of intertidal ecosystem function (Passarelli et al, 2014;O'Brian et al, 2018;Kazakova, 2018;Varigin, 2018), the effect of riparian vegetation on sediment erosion and deposition within fluvial systems has been studied mainly from the geomorphic perspective of landform dynamics (Bywater-Reyes et al, 2015).…”