Marine Macrophytic Algae of the Western Sector of North Pacific (Russia)

Abstract

Marine algal flora of the western coasts of Bering Sea is studied non-uniformly, i.e. to a variable degree in different areas. Perhaps, algae of the Commander Islands are studied more thoroughly as compared to the other areas of the Russian Pacific. The data on marine algae of the Islands were presented in many published works by the Russian authors. The comprehensive survey of the literature on the Islands’ marine flora was given in our papers (Selivanova & Zhigadlova, 1997 a, b, c). Thereafter we continued our floristic and taxonomic studies on the Commander Islands and published many new papers: Selivanova, 2001 a, b; 2008 a, b, c; 2009; Selivanova & Zhigadlova, 2000; 2003; 2010; Zhigadlova, 2009. In contrast to Commander Islands algae of the continental part of the Bering Sea are studied rather poorly. Though floristic investigations began there above 200 years ago information on algal flora and structure of benthic communities of this area is still scanty. Remoteness and inaccessibility, severe climate and ice conditions, and a short navigation season make this area very inconvenient for natural studies, so they were episodic and uncoordinated. Practically no seasonal field observations have been conducted there, no marine biological stations have ever existed, and scientific expeditions have been infrequent and sporadic. Therefore information on benthic algae of the area is limited. Special publications on this subject are rare (e.g.Vinogradova, 1973a; 1978; Perestenko, 1988; Zhigadlova & Selivanova, 2004), although data on the marine algae of this area may be found in some general taxonomic, floristic and hydrobiological studies (e.g. Kongisser, 1933; Petrov, 1972, 1973; Vinogradova, 1973b, 1974, 1979; Vinogradova et al., 1978; Vinogradova & Perestenko, 1978; Kussakin & Ivanova, 1978; Perestenko, 1994). The most detailed and contemporary information on marine algae of the Russian part of Bering Sea is given in our recent publication (Selivanova & Zhigadlova, 2010). This work however was published in Russian in a book with a small number of copies so it is scarcely available to phycologists outside Russia. Partially data on algae of western part of Bering Sea (from Ozernoi Gulf to Dezhnev Cape) was presented earlier in my work (Selivanova, 2002), its electronic version is still available at the address: http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/constancea/83 Data from this publication are cited in the species list of Bering Sea algae presented in a current paper. However some part of this information has already become out-of date due to considerable and fast changes in the algal systematics caused by the application of