The Structure of the Zooplankton Communities in Sukhoe More Bay, Southeastern White Sea

Abstract

This paper presents the results of our investigation of the zooplankton communities from Sukhoe More Bay, located in the southeastern part of Dvina Bay of the White Sea, in July−August, 2018. The species composition, quantitative characteristics and spatial distribution of zooplankton were studied. The zooplankton communities are composed of 34 species of hydrobionts. Copepods were the dominant group in the entire study area. The zooplankton communities were characterized by high quantitative indicators. Juvenile stages of copepods were a significant contribution to the formation of the total number of zoocenoses. During high water level, the abundance of zooplankton was 37 000 ind./m3, biomass, 0.6 g/m3 (wet weight). During low water level these parameters were 210 000 ind./m3 and 1.7 g/m3 (wet weight), respectively. The structure, abundance and spatial distribution of zooplankton in the bay are determined by the morphometric features of the reservoir (shallow water), the influence of a complex of environmental factors (temperature and salinity), as well as tidal phenomena.