Dynamics of diversity and abundance of Amphipoda of mussel collectors (Sevastopol, Black Sea)

• Main Author: V. A. Grintsov
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: A. O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas of RAS 2017-12-01
• Series: Морской биологический журнал
• Subjects: Amphipoda; fouling; community; biodiversity; Black Sea
• Online Access: https://mbj.marine-research.org/article/view/94

Amphipoda are an important component of fish food. They serve also as bioindicators, intermediate hosts for parasitic organisms, and utilizers of primary and secondary production. In this work, dynamics of biodiversity and abundance of Amphipoda from the fouling community of mussel farm collectors in the open coastal zone near Karantinnaya Bay (Sevastopol, Black Sea) have been studied over 16 months. Eighteen species in 72 613 specimens of Amphipoda have been identified. Four species of Amphipoda dominate in the community in different seasons. Highly synchronous dynamics of number of Amphipoda and total wet weight of sessile organisms in the community was found (with correlation coefficient 0.95). Amphipoda have been systematized according to their biotopes, and the sizes of the Amphipoda populations have been evaluated.