Condition of coastal mesoplankton communities in the northeastern area of the Black Sea in 2005

The structure and distribution of mesoplankton in the northeastern part of the Black Sea along 6-mile and 100-mile sections in the area off Golubaya Bay (near the city of Gelendzhik) were analyzed. The studies were performed from R/V Akvanavt and the boat Ashamba. The observations were carried out during the vegetation season from the beginning of June to the first half of October 2005. Samples of mesoplankton were collected with use of a BSD net with an opening of 0.1 m² and a mesh size of 180 μm. Both the total (over the entire water column) and layer-by-layer (separately for the upper quasi-homogeneous layer, the seasonal thermocline, and the subthermocline layer) hauls were performed down to the bottom (at sea depths of less than 200 m) or down to the upper boundary of the hydrogen sulfide waters. The particular hydrophysical conditions that were observed in 2005 resulted in an approximately one-month advance of the phenological condition of the planktonic community as compared to the usual pattern. Beroe ovata appeared in the plankton at the end of July, the mass development of Mnemiopsis leidyi was suppressed, and the duration of its influence on edible zooplankton was essentially reduced. As a result, the total mesoplankton biomass in August–October 2005 was 1.5–2 times as great as that in 2004. The abundance of Acartia clausi increased approximately 4–5 times and the quantity of Sagitta setosa also considerably increased. At selected stations, Mnemiopsis leidyias, the main predator in the community, was replaced by Sagitta setosa.     

Interannual variability of the zooplankton on the shelf of the northeastern Black Sea in the autumn period

The variability of the mesozooplankton stock in the shelf pelagic communities was studied in the late summer and autumn of 2006–2008. The plankton community’s structure and distribution were described for the shoreward transect (Gelendzhik city vicinity). The indirect and direct effect of the ctenophores Mnemiopsis leidyi and Beroe ovata on the mesozooplankton community was studied. The long-term changes in the meso- and macroplankton communities of the Black Sea were analyzed for the period of 2001–2008. The effects of the climatic factors, the water mass circulation, and the factors’ interplay on the mesozooplankton dynamics were assessed. Despite the wide range of the environmental conditions, the stock biomass of Mnemiopsis leidyi appeared to be quite stable within the studied period.     

Air shower Cerenkov radiation as an instrument for very high energyγ-astronomy (I)

A method for calculating average characteristics of Cerenkov light from very high energy (1–100 TeV) air showers is described. Simple approximation of lateral distribution of light is presented which might be useful for experiment as well as for simulations.     

Influence of moonlight on the vertical migrations of benthopelagic organisms in the near-shore area of the Black Sea

From October 1999 to September 2000, six daily stations have been carried out to study the influence of the phases of the moon on the intensity of the vertical migrations of benthopelagic plankton in Golubaya Bay (near Gelendzhik). It was found that, at the full moon, the density and species diversity of the species of benthopelagic organisms are less than those in the first or the last quarters of the moon. The maximum abundance and diversity of benthopelagic organisms at the full moon occur at the beginning of the dark period. During the other phases of the moon, a gradual increase in the animal density is observed, whose maximum, as a rule, occurs in the middle of the night. At the full moon, benthopelagic animals are basically represented by juvenile individuals; all the adult individuals are males.     

Organic Matter Transformation in the Conjugate Series of Surface Water in Northern Karelia

Water Resources - The composition of organic matter in the conjugated series of natural water (soil, bog, creek, and lake water) has been considered. The composition of aliphatic and aromatic...     

Experimental Research on the Photodegradation of the Organic Compounds of Natural Waters

The photodegradation of organo-mineral complexes in natural conditions was studied using samples of soil and swamp waters to study the effect of sunlight on the composition and properties of organic matter and metal forms dissolved in natural waters. The total contents of certain aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids increased in the samples after irradiation. Photodegradation of organic matter of the natural waters with the high Fe content is accompanied by the formation of colloidal particles (Fe hydroxides). The number of negatively-charged complexes of Ni, Cu, Zn, and Cd increased under insolation in swamp waters and decreased in soil waters.     

Ground tilt variations in the Klyuchevskoi Volcano Area, Kamchatka

We consider the results of ground tilt observations in the area of Klyuchevskoi Volcano, Kamchatka at the Klyuchi and Apakhonchich stations using photoelectric tiltmeters. An anomalous tilt was recorded during a period of increased activity in the summit crater of Klyuchevskoi Volcano in November 1979. In January and February 1980 three more cases of anomalous tilting before the volcano’s active periods were observed. The tilts exhibit some common kinematic features that are quite consistent with the activity periods. Various disturbing influences were estimated as affecting the observations of tilts related to seismic and volcanic events. For the first time in Kamchatka, the parameters of the five principal elastic-tide waves have been determined. Sea tides exerted an indirect effect on the amplitude factors γ(M2) on the E-W component at both sites to decrease them relative to the global value, γ(M2) = 0.7. We investigated the influence of sea tides on the elastic solid earth tide along the Trans-Kamchatka and Kola traverses. The observed and theoretical γ(M2) factors at both traverses situated in different geodynamic areas are in approximate agreement.