Kandalaksha Bay Research Articles

Stephanosphaera pluvialis (Volvocales, Chlorophyta) — редкий пресноводный вид cеверо-запада России

Stephanosphaera pluvialis Cohn is considered a rare alga, a habitant of rock pools. There are no signs of its findings after the mid 1930s in Russia, and it has never been seen in the Russian White Sea islands or in the Leningrad Region of Russia. In mid July, 2007, however, it dominated in two small pools in the Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea (66°19′40ʺ N, 33°52′10ʺ E) and in early September, 2013 in two very small puddles on the western coast of Lake Ladoga (60°34′15ʺ N, 30°41′9ʺ E). The cenobia and cells from both Ladoga probes were studied under the light microscope during long-time cultivation in a mixed culture, using liquid mineral medium supplemented by vitamins B6 and B12. In fresh material, the greater part of revealed 8- and 4-celled coenobia and cells were larger than it was described by Cohn, namely the sizes of coenobia in the first puddle were 62–66 μm, those of the cells 22–28 μm; the coenobia in the second one were 70–85.5 μm, the cells 26–30 μm. After 1.5–2 months cultivation, there were observed single coenobia of spherical cells organized in tetrades or giant (100 μm) coenobia with dying cells. In that period and later, single cells with thickened walls (cysts or zygotes) of different sizes were revealed. After 5 months of cultivation, few single cells with short appendix or very small young coenobia with rounded cells were observed.

Microbiological and isotopic geochemical investigation of Lake Kislo-Sladkoe, a meromictic water body at the Kandalaksha Bay shore (White Sea)

Microbiological, biogeochemical, and isotopic geochemical investigation of Lake Kislo-Sladkoe (Polusolenoe in early publications) at the Kandalaksha Bay shore (White Sea) was carried out in September 2010. Lake Kislo-Sladkoe was formed in the mid-1900s out of a sea gulf due to a coastal heave. At the time of investigation, the surface layer was saturated with oxygen, while near-bottom water contained sulfide (up to 32 mg/L). Total number of microorganisms was high (12.3 x 10(6) cells/mL on average). Light CO2 fixation exhibited two pronounced peaks. In the oxic zone, the highest rates of photosynthesis were detected at 1.0 and 2.0 m. The second, more pronounced peak of light CO2 fixation was associated with activity of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria in the anoxic layer at the depth of 2.9 m (413 μg C L(-1) day(-1)). Green-colored green sulfur bacteria (GSB) predominated in the upper anoxic layer (2.7-2.9 m), their numbers being as high as 1.12 x 10(4) cells/mL, while brown-colored GSB predominated in the lower horizons. The rates of both sulfate reduction and methanogenesis peaked in the 2.9 m horizon (1690 μg S L(-1) day(-1) and 2.9 μL CH4 L(-1) day(-1)). The isotopic composition of dissolved methane from the near-bottom water layer (δ13C (CH4) = -87.76 per thousand) was significantly lighter than in the upper horizons (δ13C (CH4) = -77.95 per thousand). The most isotopically heavy methane (δ13C (CH4) = -72.61 per thousand) was retrieved from the depth of 2.9 m. The rate of methane oxidation peaked in the same horizon. As a result of these reactions, organic matter (OM) carbon of the 2.9 m horizon became lighter (-36.36 per thousand), while carbonate carbon became heavier (-7.56 per thousand). Thus, our results demonstrated that Lake Kislo-Sladkoe is a stratified meromictic lake with active microbial cycles of carbon and sulfur. Suspended matter in the water column was mostly of autochthonous origin. Anoxygenic photosynthesis coupled to utilization of reduced sulfur compounds contributed significantly to OM production.

Таксономическая и биогеографическая структура литоральных беспозвоночных Кандалакшского и Онежского заливов Белого моря

Таксономическая и биогеографическая структура литоральных беспозвоночных Кандалакшского и Онежского заливов Белого моря

Anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria of the Kislo-Sladkoe stratified lake (White Sea, Kandalaksha Bay)

The community of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria (APB) in the water column of the Kislo-Sladkoe stratified lake recently isolated from the sea (White Sea, Kandalaksha Bay) was investigated in September 2010. The water of the sulfide-rich zone was greenish-brown due to intense development of green sulfur bacteria (GSB). Nine APB strains were isolated from the water samples: three belonging to GSB, five, to purple sulfur bacteria (PSB), and one, to purple nonsulfur bacteria (PNB). GSB predominated in the phototrophic community of the chemocline. Unexpectedly, two morphologically different green-colored GSB strains were found to be phylogenetically identical and related to the brown-colored @Chlorobium phaeovibrioides (99% similarity according to the 16S rRNA gene sequencing). Homology to the closest green-colored species (Chlorobium luteolum) was 98%. Two morphologically and physiologically similar PSB strains (TcrPS10 and AmPS10) had rounded cells containing okenonokenonee and gas vesicles. According to the 16S rRNA gene sequencing, these strains were most closely related (99%) to two different Thiocapsa species: Tca. marina (containing okenonokenonee and no gas vesicles) and Tca. rosea (containing spirilloxanthin and gas vesicles). The remaining isolates of purple bacteria were similar to the already described APB species.

Some features of the macrobenthos community structure in estuary ecosystems (Kandalaksha Bay, the White Sea)

The main trends of structural changes in macrobenthos communities are described for the estuary ecosystems of the White Sea (Kandalaksha Bay). In the macrobenthos communities, all the major structural parameters (total density, total biomass, and species density) increased longitudinally regarding the growth of water salinity, from the brackish to the marine environment. These parameters of studied communities also increased when moving from the upper littoral to the middle and lower littoral areas (vertically), i.e., in accordance to the tide level zone. The similarity of the species composition increased from the upper to lower littoral, as well as from the brackish to the marine areas. However, the manifestation of these changes and the structural variability between them differed significantly. The number of zones characterized by different water salinity was linked to the number of zones with different species structure and resulted in high total diversity of the community. Both the size of organisms and the ABC-indices increased, from the estuary areas (brackish waters) and disturbed macrobenthos communities to the “normal” communities (pristine marine environment).

Nematode assemblages from the Kandalaksha Depression (White Sea, 251–288 m water depth)

The shallow-water nematodes of the White Sea are relatively well studied; however, information on the nematode fauna inhabiting the deepest part of this sea is very scarce. The composition of the nematode assemblages (at species and genus level) was studied in samples collected during four sampling occasions in the deepest part of the Kandalaksha Depression (the White Sea) in July 1998, October 1998, May 1999, and November 1999. Samples were collected from a depth of 251–288 m with the aid of a multicorer. In total, 59 nematode morphotypes belonging to 37 genera and 18 families were distinguished. The genera Sabatieria and Filipjeva dominated at all stations, followed by Aponema, Desmoscolex, and Quadricoma. The composition of the dominant genera can be considered typical for this depth range in temperate and Arctic waters, although Filipjeva and Aponema were among the dominant genera for the first time. The most abundant species were Sabatieria ornata, Aponema bathyalis, and Filipjeva filipjevi. In general, diversity of the nematode assemblages was lower than in the temperate and Arctic continental shelf and slope with reduced evenness and species richness. The evenness of nematode assemblages and other diversity indices decreased with increasing sediment depth. Based on the valid species and genera recorded, the nematode fauna of the Kandalaksha Depression showed a higher resemblance to that found in the shallow waters of Kandalaksha Bay.

Lost and found: Short-term dynamics of the flora on 100 small islands in the White Sea

The aim was to uncover factors that influence short-term (decade) flora dynamics and species richness of northern marine islets characterized by poor flora and weak anthropogenic pressure. The study used presence–absence data of vascular plant species on 100 small uprising islets of the Kandalaksha Gulf of White Sea (Northern Karelia, Russia). We investigated the influence of islands' attributes on species richness and rates of flora dynamics. Two island types were analyzed separately: younger, stone-like and older, islet-like (which generally are larger and have higher diversity of habitats). Sampled islands were studied via classical biogeographical per island approach and metapopulation per species approach. Stone-like islands had noticeably poorer flora with higher rates of immigration and extinction when compared to those of islet-like islands. The species number for islet-like islands correlated positively with number of habitats, abundance of different habitat types and island area. Species richness of stone-like islands correlated positively only with number of habitat types. Plant species associated with birds, crowberry thickets and coastal rocks were the most stable, and the species of disturbed habitats were significantly less stable. Floristic changes that have occurred have been caused by the massive establishment of new species rather than the extinction of pre-existing taxa. Thus, most of these islands are still in the colonization (assortative) stage. While we found no relationship between island area and species number for stone-like islands, this relationship was seen on islet-like islands.

A review of the leaf-beetle genus Chrysolina Motschulsky (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) from Russia and European countries of the former USSR. III. Remarks on the systematics and distribution of the species

Chrysolina didymata (Scriba, 1791) is repeatedly recorded from Ukraine (Kamianets-Podilskyi), Ch. cuprina (Duftschmid, 1825) is recorded from the South Urals (Bashkiria) for the second time, Ch. oirota Lopatin, 1990 is recorded from Russia (W. Altai), Ch. staphylaea sharpi (Fowler, 1890) is recorded from Russia (the Kandalaksha Bay coast) for the first time. The presence of Ch. roddi in Lipetsk Province (the Galichia Gora Nature Reserve) is confirmed after the finding of three males. The host plant of this species is found to be Seseli intermedia. Chrysolina daghestanica (Reitter, 1912) is synonymized with Ch. cuprina (Duftschmid, 1825); Ch. dudkoi ivanovskiana Mikhailov, 2000 is synonymized with Ch. dudkoi dudkoi Mikhailov, 2000; Ch. tolli kodarensis is synonymized with Ch. cavigera pirka Takizawa, 1970. The infrasubspecific rank of the variety Ch. hyrcana var. cyanescens Jacobson, 1894 is confirmed. The neotype of Ch. sahlbergii (Menetries, 1832) is designated. The systematic position of Ch. arctoalpina Mikhailov, 2006, Ch. kholsunica Mikhailov, 2001, Ch. kuznetzowi (Jacobson, 1897), Ch. soiota khakassa Mikhailov, 2002, Ch. cuprina dilecta Bechyne, 1952, Ch. poretzkyi (Jacobson, 1897), Ch. seriepunctata (Weise, 1887), and Ch. ambulans (Faldermann, 1835) is discussed. The authorship and date of the original publication of one name are improved, namely: Chrysomela discipennis Menetries, 1848.

Oxygen isotope composition of water and snow-ice cover of isolated lakes at various stages of separation from the White Sea

This study aimed to analyze the oxygen isotope composition of water, ice, and snow in water bod� ies isolated from the White Sea and to identify the structural peculiarities of these pools during the winter period. The studies were performed during early spring in Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea, in Velikaya Salma Strait and in Rugoserskaya Inlet. The studied water bodies differ in their degree of isolation from the sea. In particular, Ermolinskaya Inlet has normal water exchange with the sea; the Lake on Zelenyi Cape rep� resents the first stage of isolation; i. e., it has permanent water exchange with the sea by the tide. KisloSlad� koe Lake receives sea water from time to time. Trekhtsvetnoe Lake is totally isolated from the sea and is a typ� ical meromictic lake. Finally, Nizhnee Ershovskoe Lake exhibits some features of a saline water body. The oxygen isotope profile of the water column in Trekhtsvetnoe Lake allows defining three layers; this lake may be called typically meromictic. The oxygen isotope profile of the water column in KisloSladkoe Lake is even from the surface to the bottom. The variability of δ 18 O is minor in Lake on Zelenyi Cape. A surface layer (0-1 m) exists in Nizhnee Ershovskoe Lake, and the oxygen isotope variability is well pronounced. Deeper, where the freshwater dominates, the values of ?18Ivary insignificantly disregarding the water depth and tem� perature. This fresh water lake is not affected by the seawater and is not stratified according to the isotope pro� file. It is found that applying the values of ?18I and profiles of temperature and salinity may appear as an effec� tive method in defining the water sources feeding the water bodies isolated from the sea environment.

Metal forms in sediments from Arctic coastal environments in Kandalaksha Bay, White Sea, under separation processes

This study focuses on sediments from small restricted exchange environments along the Karelian shore of Kandalaksha Bay (White Sea, Russian Arctic), which are known as separating basins and are characterised by contrasting oxidising conditions within the water column and the occurrence of anoxia. In the basins that were studied, no significant contamination by trace heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Zn and Cr, in particular) was detected. The comparative study of the two most bioavailable metal forms, namely, labile (acid soluble) and organically bound (alkali soluble) forms, indicated that acetic acid and sodium pyrophosphate released 3–11% and 2–12%, respectively, of the total metal content from sediments. The most bioavailable parts of metals are weakly bound to organic matter and, to a greater extent, associated with easily soluble amorphous Fe-oxides. Among the studied elements, most of the bioavailable Zn and Cu was most likely bound to organic substances, whereas bioavailable Cr and Mn were controlled to a greater extent by the formation of Fe-oxyhydroxide. The elements studied could be arranged in the following decreasing order of average potential bioavailability: Cu > Zn > Mn > Fe > Cr > Pb. In the separating basins, the relative proportion of labile bioavailable metals is enhanced in relation to the neighbouring open coastal sea.

Summer migration activity of the beluga whale Delphinapterus leucas in Dvina Bay, the White Sea

Part of the beluga whale population overwinters in the White Sea every year, but active migrations start after the ice melts, in May–June. It is assumed that the whales distribute among the bays when they migrate along the Terskii Coast to the inner parts of the White Sea, Onega and Kandalaksha bays. The whales pene� trate to Dvina Bay along the Zimnii Coast. The whales may migrate to Mezen’ Bay also migrating along Ter� skii Coast, but they turn eastwards when passing the margin between Voronka and Gorlo. The outbound migration from the inner parts of the White Sea back to the Barents Sea in July and August usually occurs along the coasts of the Kanin Peninsula [3–6, 10, 11]. The maximal abundance of beluga whales is observed in July in Onega and Dvina bays, when the herds con� sisting of whales of different ages and both sexes join together. The total abundance of this species in the White Sea (summer period) varies from several dozens of hundreds up to 15 000 specimens [4, 12, 13].

Анализ изменчивости микросателлитных локусов у сельдей (Clupea pallasii marisalbi) Белого моря

The genetic diversity among spawning groups of herring from different parts of the White Sea was assessed using ten microsatellite loci. All loci were polymorphic with the expected heterozygosity estimates varying in the range of 12.7-94.1% (mean was 59.5%). The degree of genetic differentiation displayed by White Sea herring was statistically significant (theta = 2.03%). The level of pairwise genetic differentiation F(ST) was 0-0.085, and it was statistically significant in most of the comparison pairs between the herring samples. A hierarchical analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed the statistically significant differentiation of White Sea herring. 96.59% genetic variation was found within the samples and 3.41% variation was found among the populations. The main component of interpopulation diversity (1.85%) falls at the differences between two ecological forms of herring, spring- and summer-spawning. Within the spring-spawning form, the presence of local stocks in Kandalaksha Gulf, Onega Bay, and Dvina Bay was demonstrated.

Comparative analysis of genetic variability of White Sea Cod (Gadus morhua marisalbi) at allozyme and microsatellite markers

Variability of cod spawning and feeding schools from Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea, was examined at six allozyme and eight microsatellite loci. The degree of genetic differentiation at allozyme loci constituted 0 = 0.36% [95% bootstrap interval 0.0458; 0.6743]. The differentiation estimates obtained using microsatellite markers were higher, 0 = 1.33% [0.057; 3.11]. It was demonstrated that the level of genetic diversity in the White Seacod was lower than that established for the Atlantic cod from Barents Sea using the same set of al- lozyme and microsatellite markers. The genetic data obtained support the opinion that the White Sea cod is a reproductively independent group formed as a result of the Holocene dispersal of Atlantic cod.

Long-term fluctuations of soft-bottom intertidal community structure affected by ice cover at two small sea bights in the Chupa Inlet (Kandalaksha Bay) of the White Sea

The effect on bottom organisms of periodic freezing of the upper layer of intertidal sediments during abnormal cold winters has been studied for a long time in seas of a moderate climatic zone. However, the effect of ice cover every year on intertidal communities in polar seas is still poorly investigated. Seasonal and long-term variation in the structure of intertidal soft-bottom communities in two small bights in the White Sea with annual ice cover was studied for over two decades. Sampling was carried out four times a year, in the hydrological spring, summer, autumn, and winter. It was found that bottom macrobenthic communities at upper and lower horizons of the intertidal distinctly differed in the studied sites. Periodic changes caused by the effect of abnormal ice conditions, including the partial removal by ice of sediment with in situ organisms, were discovered. Recovery of communities after disturbance normally took less than half a year. Communities at the lower and upper horizons of the intertidal zone were more stable than intermediate communities, which led to periodic shifts of the biological border between lower and upper intertidal assemblages.

Postglacial RSL changes of White Sea according the lithological data and sporo-pollen proxy (Kandalaksha Bay, NW Russia)

Postglacial RSL changes of White Sea according the lithological data and sporo-pollen proxy (Kandalaksha Bay, NW Russia)

Long-term temporal and spatial variation of macrobenthos in the intertidal soft-bottom flats of two small bights (Chupa Inlet, Kandalaksha Bay, White Sea)

Despite the dynamic nature of spatial pattern, the temporal variation of spatial structure of marine benthic assemblages is rarely assessed using several temporal scales. We quantified the variability of density and biomass of main benthic species in the intertidal soft-bottom flats at two bights in Chupa Inlet (Kandalaksha Bay, the White Sea). The data cover the 21-year period (1987–2008) of a long-term monitoring survey (1987–present) using a hierarchical sampling design with two temporal (year, season within a year) and three spatial scales (bights—7 km, stations within a bight—10–100 m, and replicate samples—10 s cm apart). We used nested ANOVA to test significance and variance components to compare the relative contribution of different scales of variability of density and biomass of 18 most occurring macrobenthic species. Some species demonstrated high large-scale variability, however, the majority showed high small-scale variability and residual variance. The interactive variability was at least as important as the temporal effects, indicating that the spatial pattern changes through time. The assemblages were more variable at small scales and more stable at larger scales. Potential implications for sampling design are discussed.

Dynamics of the ice cover and peculiarities of the ice transportation of the sediments at the tidal flats of the Kandalaksha Gulf of the White Sea

Ten years of semistationary studies of the interaction of the ice cover and the coastal relief of the Kandalakhsa Gulf in the White Sea allowed us to reveal the peculiarities of these processes in the warm and cold years and the mechanisms of the origination of ice forms, including ice tents, which govern the character of the tidal flats. Three dynamic fast ice zones are distinguished by their geomorphological location, morphology, and ice dynamics. The dependence of the mechanisms and volumes of the enrichment of the fast ice in the sediments on the coastal zone’s relief was established. At the coast of the Kindo Peninsula (Velikaya Salma Strait), the ice mostly contains fine-sandy sediments. Coarser sediments, including boulders, are occasional and frozen into the ice at the contact of the fast ice and the bottom. At the expense of the ice’s spreading by 4–6 times in the warm years and 2–4 times in the cold years, several thousand tons of sediments mostly from the tidal flat’s surface (100–700 m3 from 1 km of coast in the wide tidal flats and <50 m3 on the steep coasts) are delivered to the water area.

Green microalgae isolated from associations with white sea invertebrates

Endophotosymbionts (cyanobacteria, microalgae, or their functionally active chloroplasts) were found in mollusks, sponges, corals, anemones, freshwater hydra, worms, and ascidians [1–2]. Associations of colonial hydroids with epibiotic microalgae and cyanobacteria were previously described [3 ⎯5]. It is known that isolation of animal microsymbionts is sel� dom successful. The information on the isolation of phototrophic microrganisms associated with inverte� brates of the high latitude seas, especially the White Sea, is limited and mainly refers to cyanobacteria [4]. The goal of the present work was to study the microalgae isolated from associations with the White Sea invertebrates and to characterize their morphol� ogy, ultrastructure, and the composition of pigments and fatty acids. Microalgae analyzed in the study were isolated from the benthic animals collected in the region of the Moscow State University White Sea Biological Station ( 66°34′N, 33°08′E) in the Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea. Microalgae were isolated from the inverte� brates with green zones containing red autolumines� cent bodies within their tissues or covers. Isolation and microscopy were carried out as described [4, 5]. Fatty acid and pigment analysis was carried out according to the method in [6]; molecular genetic analysis was car� ried out as described in [7].

Spatial Distribution and Species Co-Occurrence in Soil Invertebrate and Plant Communities on Northern Taiga Islands

Geographical gradients of patterns of species associations in ecological communities are largely unknown. Previous evidence indicated nested community assembly — caused mainly by unequal colonization probabilities and habitat capacity — and a tendency towards negative species associations in arid and tropical plant and animal communities. Patterns of community assembly in arctic environments are poorly studied. Here we use a data set on arctic plant and animal species obtained from arctic islands of the Kandalaksha Bay (White Sea), to infer patterns of species association across taxa and trophic groups. We performed co-occurrence and nestedness analyses to study patterns of community assembly and diversity of 1109 plant and animal species grouped according to taxa, dispersal ability, and ecological guild membership. Twelve out of 50 (24%) sufficiently species-rich families and orders on the environmentally relatively stable forested islands showed significantly negative species associations (segregation), while this proportion decreased to less than 13% on less stable heath, rocky, and sea-shore islands. Segregation was not linked to spatial species turnover across islands. Species richness of plants and animals decreased at higher levels of disturbance. We detected evidence for a gradient in species richness and ecological interactions from the most disturbed sea-shore and rocky islands to more stable forested islands. Species spatial distributions appeared to be largely random, in contrast to previous meta-analyses that used mainly communities at lower latitudes. We speculate that in arctic environments spatial turnover of species (vicariant segregation) is of less importance than turnover-independent (checkerboard) segregation. Our data support the view that ecological assemblages in high-latitude environments are less structured by ecological interactions than comparable assemblages in lower latitudes. We also add to the evidence that environmental disturbance regimes work against stable community structures. We notice the need for a formal meta-analysis on latitudinal trends in community structure.

Abstracts of the 17th International Symposium on Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence ‐ (ISBC 2012)

WARNING : The light-emitting molecular structures responsible for the chemiluminescence and fluorescence phenomena are not necessarily the same!