Underwater landscapes condition assessment in the Nakhodka bay (sea of Japan) port water area

Abstract

The diversity of natural resources and favorable economic and geographical location have always ensured a high degree of the coastal zone development. This is particularly pronounced in port areas, where there is not only a high concentration of production facilities, but also a high population density, leading to conflict situations and social tensions. Underwater landscapes monitoring results in the coal terminals area are presented. Contamination of bottom grounds by oil products and heavy metals has been noted. Marine bottom sediments are an active accumulator of contaminants which, when entering the marine area either independently or as a result of sorption on suspended particles of organic and mineral origin, gradually settle to the bottom. This makes them a potential source of secondary contamination of the water body. Excess of the maximum permissible concentrations for such indicators as easily oxidizing organics, phenols, petroleum products, and suspended substances in the bottom water horizon has been detected. Comparing the research results both in the bay head and at its outlet, it is necessary to note slight differences. The content of contaminating components in the tested biota samples has been found to correspond to the technical mariculture. An important parameter of the sustainable state landscape is not only the presence and diversity of biota, but also the concentration of major pollutants in it. Unstable dynamics of heavy metal concentration in hydrobiont tissues has been observed. It should be noted that the concentration of some pollutants, such as copper, chromium and cadmium, are slightly higher in biota living at the exit from the bay, than the one at the bay head. There is a change in the structure of landscape complexes: the control points are characterized by a high variety of benthos but decrease in the projective coverage by algae. The underwater landscape result analysis has showed that port facilities operating in the area under consideration have an impact on the environment corresponding to the production and technological process