Kandalaksha Bay Research Articles

Материковый сток в Кандалакшский залив Белого моря с Карельского берега в теплый сезон года (с конца весеннего паводка до осеннего половодья

In order to determine the flow of fresh water from the Karelian coast in the warm season, in 2018–2023. Seasonal observations of water flow were carried out in watercourses flowing into the Chupa, Medvezhya, Kiv, Keret and Letnyaya bays of the Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea. In rivers and streams, changes in water flow per day were studied, starting from the end of the spring flood to the end of the autumn flood. It was revealed that river water flow in the warm season of the year from this part of the Karelian coast does not exceed 750 million m3, and stream flow – 60 million m3. Seasonal water flow has two maximums (end of May–first ten days of June and end of September–mid-October) separated by a summer low-water period. Despite the length of the summer low-water period, its share in the total seasonal runoff does not exceed 40 % (on average 34±1 %). Over the course of 6 years, the volume of stream flow in this part of the Karelian coast increased on average by 2–3 % per year, and river flow by 1–2 % per year. Two years with a low total seasonal runoff (2018 and 2022) and two years with an increased total seasonal runoff (2021 and 2023) are distinguished. The data obtained indicate that freshwater runoff from the Karelian coast to the waters of the White Sea is subject to cyclical nature with a slight increase in the total volume of continental runoff.

Marine Hunting of Pinnipeds (Pinnipedia) on the Coats of the White Sea in the Eneolithic

This is a study of initial stages of adaptation of the ancient human population to the use of aquatic food supplies in the White Sea. The main aim of archaeozoological analysis was to study the processes of formation of faunal remains and strategies on seals hunting during the Eneolithic in the White Sea region. The archaeological source material consists of faunal remains recovered from two Eneolithic sites of the Kandalaksha bay. The results of archaeozoological studies confirmed the high importance of the ringed seal and harp seal in the hunting prey of the inhabitants of the studied sites. Eneolithic hunting strategies of the White Sea region were closely related to the behavioral and ecological patterns of seals. The seal hunt was based on a model of exploiting a massive seasonal resource. Hunting pressure on the ringed seal and harp seal populations was significant. Seals were the main suppliers of meat, skin and fat for the inhabitants of the Eneolithic sites of this part of Fennoscandia. The studies of the lithic tools from the Early Metal period settlements from Kandalaksha bay provide additional evidences of a specialized marine hunting. Apparently, in the Eneolithic (IV – III millennia calBC), the economic and cultural type of sea hunters was formed on the shores of the White Sea.

David versus Goliath: An interspecific comparison between small-sized Halicryptus spinulosus and large-sized Halicryptus higginsi (Priapulida)

Halicryptus includes two priapulid species with highly different adult body sizes, small-sized Halicryptus spinulosus von Siebold, 1849 and large-sized Halicryptus higginsi Shirley and Storch, 1999. Due to ambiguity of diagnostic characters from juvenile to adult size and between species, a detailed morphological and molecular comparison is needed to resolve the distribution and characteristics of each species. We investigate an adult paratype specimen of H. higginsi, and young adult specimens of H. spinulosus from the Beaufort Sea and H. spinulosus from Kandalaksha Gulf, White Sea. Molecular analysis of the mitochondrial CO1 gene confirm the existence of two species of Halicryptus, a wide distribution of H. spinulosus across the Northern Hemisphere and the co-occurrence of both species in the Beaufort Sea. Our morphological analyses reveal undocumented characters for Halicryptus, such as the presence of three different sizes of buccal papillae, scattered small trunk papillae, and a loose ring of flosculus-tubulus-complexes on the posterior trunk. For both species, we revise characters, such as the number of long introvert retractors, pharynx protractors and lateral cusps of anterior teeth, and the maximum number of scalids in a row in H. spinulosus. We propose a total of ten reliable and potential diagnostic characters distinguishing the two species and revise the terminology of Halicryptus-specific characters due to inconsistency in the literature. In addition, we discuss the effect of body size on selected morphological traits.

A new species of Angursa (Tardigrada, Heterotardigrada) from the White Sea, North Russia

A new species of Angursa (Tardigrada, Heterotardigrada, Styraconyxidae) found on an intertidal sandy beach in Kandalaksha Bay, White Sea, North Russia is described. The new species Angursa olenevskii sp. n. differs clearly from all other Angursa species in having equally long sense organs on legs I–III, long peduncles on the external digits extended to the claw, and evident absence of secondary and tertiary clavae (with possible exception of A. bicuspis).

Semibalanus balanoides (L.) and Balanus crenatus Bruguière (Balanidae) Are Intermediate Hosts of Fimbriarioides intermedia (Fuhrmann, 1913) and Two Species of the Genus Microsomacanthus (Cestoda: Hymenolepidae), Parasites of Sea Ducks from the Atlantic Sector of the Arctic and Northern Pacific.

Metacestode infestation of Semibalanus balanoides (L., 1767) and Balanus crenatus Bruguiеre, 1789, collected in the Barents and White Seas and in the northern part of the Sea of Okhotsk in 2020 and 2021, respectively, was studied. A total of 313 S. balanoides from Mogilnaya Bay of Kildin Island (Barents Sea) and isolated mature wrinkled barnacles B. crenatus, two and four specimens from the Pechora Sea and Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea, respectively, were examined in 2020. Metacestodes Fimbriarioides intermedia (Fuhrmann, 1913) (Cyclophyllidea, Hymenolepididae) were found in 1.0 ± 0.6% of S. balanoides in the Barents Sea with an invasion intensity (I. I.) of 2-5 specimens, and in one of two B. crenatus from the Pechora Sea (I. I. 15 specimens). For the first time, in both B. crenatus from the Pechora Sea, taken from the valves of the mussel Mytilus edulis, metacestodes Microsomacanthus sp. I (I. I. 13 and 20 specimens) with proboscis hooks 38-41 (39.4 ± 0.1) µm long and blades of 9.5-11 (10.7 ± 0.1) µm were obtained. One of four B. crenatus from the Kandalaksha Bay was infected with another Microsomacanthus sp. II (I. I. 19 specimens) with proboscis hooks 44.0-49.5 (45.7 ± 0.5) µm long and blades 14.0-16.0 (14.8 ± 0.07) µm long. A total of 362 S.balanoides were collected and dissected in Gizhiginskaya Bay of the northern part of the Sea of Okhotsk in 2021, of which 8.0 ± 1.4% were infected with F. intermedia metacestodes (I. I. 1-19 specimens). Study results of the infestation of S. balanoides on the Koni-Pyagin coast of the Sea of Okhotsk (according to the collections of 2006-2007) were supplemented and clarified. Description of metacestodes and the taxonomic affiliation of cysticercoids Microsomacanthus spp. are given.

Новые памятники археологии на северном побережье Кандалакшского залива Белого моря

The article is devoted to the results of the archaeological expedition of the Kola Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the northern shore of the Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea near the city of Kandalaksha and on the Kolvitsa River in 2023. Three new archaeological monuments have been recorded: Niva XXIII — boulder pit, Kandalaksha XVI – charcoal pits and Kolvitsa – stone structures. The boulder pit is located on an ancient sea terrace, on the western slope of Mount Volosyanaya, 1 km from the Niva River. Three charcoal pits are located on the northern shore of Malaya Pitkulya Bay, near the southern slope of Mount Krestovaya, not far from the labyrinth. This is the first discovery of such objects in Russian Lapland and they date back to the late 15th–16th centuries. Seven formations of boulders are located on the northern bank of the Kolvitsa River near the rapids. Analogs are known to them in other places of Russian Lapland. There are also boulder pits on the Khlebnaya River and on the coast of the Barents Sea. The dating and ethnicity of the boulder structures are still speculative.

Chitin Degradation by Microbial Communities of the Kandalaksha Gulf, White Sea

Chitin is among the most widespread biopolymers on Earth and occurs in high quantities in the exoskeletons of marine invertebrates. Chitinolytic bacteria are therefore typical components of marine ecosystems and play an important part in chitin biodegradation. The Kandalaksha Gulf area near the White Sea Biological Station, Moscow State University, which is inhabited by numerous invertebrates, is a promising site for the isolation of such bacteria. The composition of environmental prokaryotic communities and of enrichment cultures grown on chitin was determined, and pure cultures of active chitinolytics were isolated and identified as Pseudoalteromonas undina and Vibrio alginolyticus. The chitinolytic potential of the genera predominant in enrichment cultures was assessed; these may include previously unknown chitinolytic microorganisms.

Joint seasonal dynamics of phytoplankton and zooplankton in the sub-Arctic White Sea

The seasonal succession of phytoplankton species composition and biomass plays a pivotal role in driving the seasonal variations in zooplankton community structure and biomass. Our study focused on the seasonal dynamics of planktonic communities in the Chupa Inlet (Kandalaksha Bay, White Sea) to determine if there are distinct complexes of phyto- and mesozooplankton species associated with different seasons, and whether these complexes are interconnected. Four seasonal groups of phyto- and zooplankton samples were revealed, each characterized by a specific composition of typical species. The winter and spring groups of phytoplankton and zooplankton corresponded to each other in their temporal span. Later in the year, this temporal correspondence was disrupted as early copepodite stages of Calanus glacialis dominated the community briefly in late spring, forming the basis of a separate seasonal group. From July until the end of the study period, warmer-water species constituted the community core, shaping the summer-autumn seasonal group. The role of smaller species in both phyto- and zooplankton communities increased during summer and autumn. The size structure and motility of the phytoplankton were found to significantly influence the seasonal succession of the zooplankton. This apparently contributes to better trophic coupling between phyto- and zooplankton throughout the seasonal cycle.

COMPARATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT METABOLOME OF MACROPHYTES IN DIFFERENT WATER BODIES IN THE WATER AREA OF THE KANDALAKSHA BAY OF THE WHITE SEA

The Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea underwent a first-of-its-kind comparative examination of the composition of essential oils of structure-forming macrophytes growing in freshwater and saltwater habitats. The essential oils of the aquatic macrophytes Nuphar lutea (L.) Sm., Ruppia maritima L., Zostera marina L., Fucus vesiculosus L., and Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jolis were obtained by steam hydrodistillation using the Clevenger apparatus from dried plants. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS complex SHIMADZU GCMS-QP2010 Ultra) was used to analyze the qualitative and quantitative composition of LMWOCs (low molecular weight organic compounds). The component composition of the low molecular weight metabolome (LM) of macrophytes was shown to depend on both plant species specificity and plant habitat conditions (hydrological features, trophic state). More LMWOCs are found in plants from freshwater habitats than from marine ones. The investigated plants had only a few major compounds, ranging in number from 4 to 14. They accounted for between 70 and 83% of the overall concentration of all compounds in freshwater N. lutea and between 82 and 95% of the total concentration of LMWOCs in marine macrophytes. The most significant (% of the total essential oil) main components in macrophytes were carboxylic acids, specifically hexadecanoic, tetradecanoic, linoleic, and linolenic. The outcomes gained proved that the presence of carboxylic acids is a sign of a healthy macrophyte environment. The composition of LM of plants from northern habitats (marine and freshwater) contains high total concentrations of LMWOCs (including valuable ones from the perspective of economic use), making it possible to consider them as a valuable natural renewable resource for obtaining raw materials for various economic uses.

Chitin Degradation by Microbial Communities of the Kandalaksha Bay, White Sea

Chitin Degradation by Microbial Communities of the Kandalaksha Bay, White Sea

Environmental evolution of the south shore of Kandalaksha Bay, as indicated by the study of bottom sediments from small lakes

Environmental changes on the south shore of Kandalaksha Bay in Holocene time were reconstructed by analyzing the data obtained by palynological and 14C methods. Diatom complexes of marine, freshwater and transition facies are described. The possible application of pollen indicators for a better understanding of the genesis of sediments is discussed.

Structure and heterogeneity of the Cladocera taphocoenoses in lakes of the Sredny Island (Keretsky archipelago, Kandalaksha bay of the White Sea)

Surface sediments, which were selected from various depths in three lakes of the Sredny Island (Karelia, Russia), were analyzed for subfossil Cladocera assemblages. In total at least 30 taxa remains were identified in samples of surface sediments. Predominance of cold-water littoral and cosmopolitan taxa was noted according to biotypic characteristic. Eurybiont Chydorus cf. sphaericus and typical of wetlands, the phytophilous Alonella nana, were most common in Cladocera taphocoenoses. Spatial heterogeneity was noted in subfossil Cladocera assemblages from various depths. Pelagic taxa proportion increased just as littoral taxa proportion decreased towards the center of lake. Several species remains were only found in littoral surface sediments samples.

Disjunct habitat of cryptic Terebellides (Annelida, Trichobranchidae) species shows a phylogenetic link between polychaetes from the White and the North Seas

Understanding the distribution and biodiversity of marine species is crucial for developing effective conservation strategies and maintaining the health of global ecosystems. Advancements in molecular data utilization have significantly improved our understanding of biodiversity within the genus Terebellides. In this study, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis on polychaete samples from the Kandalaksha Bay, White Sea, revealing their affiliation with a putative undescribed species of the genus Terebellides found in two locations of the North Sea. Interestingly, this species was not detected in the Norwegian and Barents Seas, leading us to propose a disjunct distribution scenario for this Terebellides species. This unique distribution pattern might be attributed to the succession of polychaetes by new species, facilitated by the Gulf Stream and a climate change role in driving shifts in species' ranges and altering marine ecosystem dynamics.

Food Selectivity in Juvenile Three-Spined Stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus L. (Gasterosteidae) at Nursery Grounds in the White Sea

The spatial and temporal variability in the dietary preferences of juvenile three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus were studied across the typical coastal habitats of Keret Archipelago, Kandalaksha Bay(the White Sea). The sampling of fish using a beach seine was conducted in the late July–early August period and in late August. Additionally, zooplankton samples were collected to conduct a quantitative assessment of the abundance of potential prey items. The similarity percentage (SIMPER) analysis was applied to the data obtained from the stomach content and revealed the five planktonic taxa most prominently contributing to the diet of juvenile sticklebacks. Among these, the copepod Temora longicornis was the most important prey item at marine sites, while Acartia longiremis dominated the diet of fish in the marine lagoon. The calculation of the selectivity index revealed that some taxa (such as A. longiremis) were always avoided by juvenile fish, whereas the selectivity of some taxa increased in late August. In general, juvenile sticklebacks demonstrated a pronounced individual variation in their selectivity, even when a particular prey item was selected positively during the whole period of study. Our data highlight that despite the predominant consumption of easily available prey by juvenile sticklebacks, they demonstrate taxonomic- and size-specific prey selectivity.

SEISMICITY of the RUSSIAN PART of EAST EUROPEAN PLATFORM and ADJACENT TERRITORIES in 2018–2019

Seismic observations by 48 stationary seismic stations, including twelve temporary seismic stations located in the area of Novovoronezh and Kursk nuclear power plants, were carried out on the Russian territory of the East European Platform. A feature of seismicity in 2018–2019 is a unique Kandalaksha earthquake of November 5, 2019 with ML=3.8 in the Belomorsky region. Its focal mechanism was represented by a normal fault. For the first time, a noticeable earthquake with МL=3.4 was recorded on September 5, 2019 at the Pashninskoye and Beregovoye fields in the Timan-Pechora oil and gas province. It was felt in Neftepechorsk working settlement with an intensity of up to 4 MSK-64. As before, weak natural seismicity was recorded on the Baltic Shield: in Karelia, in areas bordering Finland, near the Kandalaksha Bay, near the Khibiny and Lovozero massifs on the Kola Peninsula, on the Voronezh crystalline massif territory, especially in the zone of its junction with the DnieperDonetsk trough.

Paleogeographical reconstructions of the environment on the Karelian shore of the White Sea (Keret Area, Russia)

Archeological sites of ancient people have been identified on the Karelian coast of the White Sea, near the mouth of the Keret River. The aim of our studies was to determine the position of the sea shoreline, correlate archeological sites with it, date ancient settlements, and reconstruct the paleoclimatic conditions and habitats of ancient people. We analyzed the bottom sediments of five small lakes that became separated from the sea at various times during the Holocene, using a combination of Quaternary geological methods such as spore-pollen, diatoms, radiocarbon (14C), etc. New data have been obtained regarding the timing when the study area resurfaced and the possibility of its subsequent habitation by humans. We have generated q curve illustrating the relative displacement of the White Sea coastline, thus reconstructing the migration of the sea coastline. The article also presents parameters detailing the differentiated movements of various blocks of the crystalline basement along the Karelian coast of the White Sea. Additionally, we produced paleogeographic reconstructions describing the natural conditions of the habitat of ancient people and the development of the territory from the beginning of the Holocene to the present day. Our findings indicate that people likely began inhabiting this area no earlier than 6500 years ago. Furthermore, we propose that a potential catastrophic event, such as a tsunami)= resulting from an earthquake near Veliky Island and the Velikaya Salma Strait (Kandalaksha Bay), occurred no earlier than 2600–3000 years ago.

Diversity of heterotrophic picoeukaryotes in the ice of the Kandalaksha Gulf (White Sea, Russia) based on rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing

Diversity of heterotrophic picoeukaryotes in the ice of the Kandalaksha Gulf (White Sea, Russia) based on rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing

Microbial Community Composition as an Indicator of the State of Basins Located at the Sea Coast (Exemplified by the Kanda Bay, Kandalaksha Gulf, White Sea)

Microbial Community Composition as an Indicator of the State of Basins Located at the Sea Coast (Exemplified by the Kanda Bay, Kandalaksha Gulf, White Sea)

Anoxygenic Phototrophic Bacteria of the Meromictic Lake Bol’shie Khruslomeny (Oleniy Island, Kandalaksha Gulf, Murmansk Oblast, Russia)

Anoxygenic Phototrophic Bacteria of the Meromictic Lake Bol’shie Khruslomeny (Oleniy Island, Kandalaksha Gulf, Murmansk Oblast, Russia)

Phylogenetic Diversity of Prokaryotic Communities of the Upper Sediment Layers of the Kandalaksha Bay, White Sea

Phylogenetic Diversity of Prokaryotic Communities of the Upper Sediment Layers of the Kandalaksha Bay, White Sea