BIOLOGIYA MORYA, 2017, Vol. 43, No. 6, pp. 393-402

Seasonal dynamics of Cystoseira crinita Duby, 1830 (Fucales: Phaeophyceae)-dominated communities in the northeastern Black Sea

© 2017 D. F. Afanasyev^{1, 3}, A. N. Kamnev², D. V. Seskova³, E. G. Sushkova¹

¹Azov Research Institute for Fisheries, Rostov-on-Don 344002;
²M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991;
³Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don 344007

E-mail:

The structure and seasonal dynamics of marine algal communities dominated by Cystoseira crinita Duby, 1830 were studied in the northeastern Black Sea at depths of 2, 5, and 10 m. Seasonal fluctuations were found to be mainly manifested in biomass changes of the dominant species C. crinita at 2 and 5 m depth. No seasonal changes in the studied parameters of communities were found at 10 m depth. The mean annual production of C. crinita was 1472.3 g/m², with the maximum at 5 m depth (2148.1 g/m²). Minimum production was observed at 10 m depth. At all depths, the production of C. crinita was highest in the spring; this index had zero values in the fall and winter.

Key words: Cystoseira crinita, Cystoseira barbata, phytobenthos, biomass, seasonal dynamics, production, Black Sea.