Sea Of Azov Research Articles

Molecular phylogeny, morphology and distribution of Amphitetras antediluviana Ehrenberg from the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov

The intriguing large-celled species of Amphitetras antediluviana Ehrenberg was originally described as a fossil species (Ehrenberg, 1840), but later noted in a living state in various regions of the World ocean. Our recent studies revealed that the species has been found for the last decade in significant numbers in many habitats along the coast of the Azov-Black Sea basin. Two strains—the large valves from Laspi Bay, the Black Sea (BL-5_12092019) and the small valves from the Sea of Azov (AZ-12_24122019)—were isolated and analyzed using light and scanning electron microscopy along with molecular-genetic investigation. Specimens of the two populations differ in valve sizes and structure, however, their belonging to the same species was confirmed with the help of molecular analysis. Taxonomic positions of the strains of A. antediluviana isolated from two marine waterbodies were clarified. In addition, we provided a detailed morphological diagnosis of the species with a description of the valve ultrastructure and its elements, as well as geographical distribution and taxonomic history.

Pollution and Ecological Risk Assessment of Potentially Toxic Elements in Sediments Along the Fluvial-to-Marine Transition Zone of the Don River

The quality of sediments in the mixing zone of river freshwater and marine saline water as an important geochemical barrier for potentially toxic elements (PTEs) remains poorly understood. This study aims to analyze the current pollution with PTEs and associated ecological risks in sediments of the Don River delta and the surrounding area of the Taganrog Bay of the Sea of Azov (Russia). The PTE content was determined in fifty-four collected samples using the WDXRF and assessed using geochemical and ecotoxicological indicators. The source of Cr, Mn, Ni and Pb is mainly river runoff, and Cu, Zn and Cd are from a variety of anthropogenic sources. As shown by the assessment of the geoaccumulation index (Igeo), single pollution index (PI) and contamination factor (CF), these elements are the priority pollutants. According to these estimates, high and very high contamination of sediments in the estuarine zone of the Don River with Cd and Pb was detected in 72–94% and 2–57% of samples, respectively. However, environmental risks are determined almost exclusively by the level of Cd. Total contamination as assessed by the Nemerow pollution index (NPI), modified degree of contamination (mCd) and metal pollution index (MPI) is of concern in 83–98% of the samples studied. The most heavily polluted sediments are in the vicinity of residential areas of the Taganrog Bay. Despite the lower average pollution levels of deltaic sediments, freshwater biota are exposed to higher potential toxic risks of adverse effects by PTE, particularly from Ni and Pb. Thus, the complex hydrological regime and uneven anthropogenic impact predetermine the geochemical state of the sediments of the estuarine zone of the Don River.

GREEK SHIPPING ON THE BLACK AND AZOV SEAS AT THE TURN OF THE 40s - 50s OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY (BASED ON THE MATERIALS OF THE AUSTRIAN CONSULAR REPORTS AND THE AUSTRIAN PRESS)

The article aims to examine the participation of the Greek merchant fleet in the navigation of the Black and Azov Seas in the mid-nineteenth century on the basis of a complex of Austrian sources that has been little studied in Ukrainian historiography. The latter included published reports from Austrian consular offices in Odesa, Berdiansk, Mariupol, Trebizond, and Galați. Materials from the Austrian press of the time are also used, primarily from the Austrian Ministry of Commerce's “Austria” newspaper, which was published as a daily newspaper from 1849 to 1856 and as a weekly from 1856. During the period under review, the Greek fleet was in a leading position in shipping in the Black and Azov Seas, successfully competing with the Austrian, British and Italian fleets. The success of the Greek merchant fleet was due, among other things, to the fact that seafaring was an ancient Greek craft, and in Ottoman times they were able to maintain the continuity of experience and tradition. In addition, this was facilitated by the developed network of Greek trading houses, which were widely represented in the main area of their fleet's navigation, in the Mediterranean Sea, especially its eastern part, and in the Black and Azov Seas. Therefore, the radical political and economic changes in the Black and Azov Seas regions did not take them and the Italians by surprise, and they were the first to take advantage of the rapid development of trade and transport traffic there. And despite increased competition in the mid-nineteenth century from the Austrians and the British, the Greeks continued to hold top positions in the shipping of the Black and Azov Seas. Moreover, unlike the Sardinians, they were gradually involved in long-distance voyages beyond Gibraltar, mainly to Great Britain. At the same time, the challenges for the traditionally sailing Greek merchant fleet from the emergence of steamship lines on the Black Sea were outlined. The first indicators were the activities of some of the Greeks' main competitors, the Austrians, in the Danube ports and on the Bulgarian coast, and the British, Austrians and Turks in the Anatolian ports.

The influence of climatic factors on the effect of growth regulators in agrocenoses of spring barley

Relevance. In recent years, under the conditions of climate change, there has been a tendency to reduce the acreage of spring barley, reduce the quantity and quality of grain. From the point of view of ensuring the stability of gross grain harvests and ecology, it is necessary to manage the agrocenosis.Methods. The experiments were conducted in 2021–2024 agricultural years in the conditions of the Azov sea zone of the Rostov region. Objects of research: Leon spring barley variety and growth regulators “Artafit” (0.3 l/ha), “Biodux” (3 ml/ha), “Obereg” (60 ml/ha), “Trainer” (3 l/ha), “Fulvohumate” (0.4 l/ha).Results. The climatic conditions in 2024 were extreme in terms of low rainfall and high amounts of spring temperatures. The year 2023 was the most favorable from this point of view. The yield level correlates with the level of moisture in the spring period, the highest indicators were observed in 2023, and the lowest in 2024. In the current market conditions and annual price increases, unit production costs are increasing. Thus, in 2024, the cultivation of spring barley turned out to be unprofitable. Moreover, the use of biological products did not allow us to gain a plus. In 2022 and 2023, the use of the drug “Trainer” turned out to be unprofitable due to the high cost of the drug. “Biodux” and “Obereg” showed the highest profitability.

Index of development of transport infrastructure as a factor of sustainable development of the coastal zone of the Sea of Azov, Russia

As a zone of interaction between land and sea, coastal zones are becoming a strategic area for achieving a sustainable expansion of economic space. The object of study is the coastal zone of the Sea of Azov (Rostov Region and Krasnodar Territory). The subject of the study is an assessment of the dynamics of transport infrastructure development index as a factor in the sustainable development of the coastal zone of the Sea of Azov.Methodological approaches to assessing the sustainable development of the territory were based on a methodology based on methods of system analysis, mathematical modeling, and GIS technologies. An indicator has been formulated that considers the area of the territory, the population, the length of public roads of local importance, the shipment of goods of local production, the work and services performed on their own, in order to measure the ‘economic’ load on the transport infrastructure.The analysis of the state of the transport infrastructure of the regions of the coastal zone for the period from 2015 to 2021 was carried out. Based on an analysis of the transport infrastructure index, it was concluded that the attraction of municipalities to the Rostov agglomeration, together with the strengthening of social, trade and infrastructure contacts with megacities will lead to a further increase in the anthropogenic load on the territory. The areas studied of the Krasnodar Territory belong to the Northern Economic Zone – a territory with a diversified economy, characterised by cross‐border links with neighboring regions.Highways are the most important link in the transport and logistics system. The level of development and the technical condition of the road network have a significant and diverse impact on the economic and social development of both the state as a whole and it individual regions.

The East Asian species <i>Thermocyclops taihokuensis</i> (Harada 1931) (Crustacea, Copepoda, Cyclopoida) in the Taganrog Bay of Azov Sea

In August–September 2021–2023, the composition and abundance of pelagic Copepoda in the Don River delta and in the eastern part of the Taganrog Bay of Azov Sea were studied. The East Asian copepod, Thermocyclops taihokuensis (Harada 1931) was recorded for the first time from the eastern part of the bay at a water salinity of 3.5–5.8‰. The species must have entered the Taganrog Bay with water from the Don River. The largest population of the invader was registered in the Don River delta in August 2021 ( 7.000 ind./m3); in the bay in September 2023 it reached 4.000 ind./m3. The body size and fertility of the invader were close to those in the Tsimlyansk Reservoir and the Don River. In 2023, the reproduction of T. taihokuensis was noted in the bay with an extremely low (about 1%) proportion of mature individuals in the population. The species seems to have not yet been fully naturalized in the bay, its population still being supported by bioflow from the Don River delta. The potential consequences of the introduction of this alien copepod for the zooplankton of Taganrog Bay are discussed.

Analysis of fauna of mollusks, pollen assemblages and sedimentary environments in the Taganrog Bay of the Sea of Azov

The paper presents the results of a comprehensive study of well sections drilled on the coastal spits of the Taganrog Gulf of the Sea of Azov and bottom sediment columns selected in the water area. A detailed analysis of the early malacological communities, an important participant in the sedimentary process, made it possible to trace changes in their living conditions in the Holocene. Based on determining the absolute age (14C) from the valves of mollusk shells buried in situ, it is shown that at the beginning of the Phanagorian regression, in the area of the distal part of the Dolgaya Spit, there was a sea reservoir with an Azov-Black Sea complex of reference species. Based on the results of palynological analysis, changes in the natural conditions of the Azov region over the past few thousand years have been reconstructed and arid and humid climatic phases have been identified.

New find of Roman military equipment of the period of the Roman–Bosporan war of 45–49 AD from the Eastern Crimea

The Artezian fortified settlement in the Azov Sea coast of Eastern Crimea perished in a strong fire at the beginning of the Roman–Bosporan war in 46/47 AD. In the homogeneous fire layer, along with numerous items of jewellery, silver, bronze and glass vessels, a heavily burned out round bronze plaque, 7.7–7.8 cm in diameter with a hole in the centre was found. The plaque is decorated along the edge with a figural frieze, depicting two pairs of animals opposing each other: ‘dog–bull’, ‘dog–wild boar’. Besides two animals are running after each other: a lion and a roe deer. The decoration of the plaque from Artezian finds parallels among plaques from the military camps along the limes of Lower and Upper Rhine and Danube. Objects similar in shape depicting animals in circular friezes are also known in Dacia and in the South-Western Crimea. The parallels to the images of the plaque and options of interpreting the function of the piece are discussed. The combination of pairs of opposing animals and animals running after each other finds parallels only on the belt plaques from Asciburgium and Magdalensberg. Thus, there are reasons to consider the disc from Artezian as an element of Roman military equipment of the first half of the 1st century AD.

Oceanographic conditions of spring migration of European anchovy as a factor of formation of its spawning stock in the Sea of Azov

The aim of the work is to determine the influence of sea water circulation and temperature on the formation of the spawning stock of anchovy in the Sea of Azov.Materials and methods: Fishery and biological data on the spawning stock of the Azov anchovy were collected in surveys and bioresources monitoring carried out by the Azov-Black Sea branch of the VNIRO («AzNIIRKH») in 2000–2021. Satellite sea level data were used in the analysis of sea water circulation. These data, as well as satellite information on sea surface temperature for March-June 2000–2021 for the north-eastern part of the Black Sea and the southern part of the Azov Sea were taken from the website of the Copernicus Marine Service information system. Graphical and statistical methods of analyzing multi-year changes in the data were used in the work. The novelty of the performed work lies in the study of oceanographic conditions of spring migration of anchovy to the Sea of Azov as factors determining the size of its spawning stock in this sea.Result: intensive growth of the spawning stock of anchovy in the Sea of Azov was observed in 2008, 2010 and 2011. This was facilitated by: predominance of north-western geostrophic currents in the north-eastern part of the Black Sea in April 2008–2011, weakening of the Azov currents in the Kerch Strait in April 2007–2010 and predominance of the Black Sea currents in May 2004–2012, Decrease in the meridional gradient of water temperature in the Kerch Strait in April 2007–2010.Practical significance: the possibility of using oceanographic information for April-May to predict the size of the spawning and commercial stock of anchovy in the Sea of Azov.

Current state of sturgeon fish off the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov

The aim: the characteristics of sturgeon fish that make seasonal migrations to the near-shore zone of the Azov Sea.Material — scientific monitoring of commercial fishing with stationary seines in the water area of the Sea of Azov adjacent to the Primorsko-Akhtarsk district in October 2022, 2023 and April 2023, 2024.The results: Russian Sturgeon and Starry Sturgeon (Sevruga) were encountered in stationary seines from 50% to 100%, and the average catch of these species per facility was 1.3–7 sp./day in the autumn and spring periods, respectively. In the fall of 2022, the prevalence of Sevruga in bycatch was almost double — 63% of the total bycatch; in the spring and fall of 2023, 2024, the superiority was with Sturgeon — 63–83% of the bycatch. Size range of Sturgeon in 2022–2024 was from 22 to 148 cm; Sevruga — from 23 to 123 cm. The weight range of Sturgeon was from 0.1 to 30.0 kg, Sevruga — from 0.2 to 7.8 kg. The share of fish that reached the commercial length was on average 20.7% of Sturgeon and 36.6% of Sevruga. The age of the fish varied from fingerlings to 16+ for Sturgeon and up to 8+ for Sevruga. The average fullness coefficient of Russian Sturgeon in the autumn was 0.72; in spring, — 0.79; Sevruga: in the autumn of 2022 and 2023–0.45, in the spring of 2023–0.58. The state of Russian Sturgeon in the near-shore aggregations indicates the formation of its full-fledged mixed-age population in the Sea of Azov, that allows to expect its commercial fishing in the near future, on the background of the increasing its stock. The state of the Sevruga requires more in-depth research. A high fish fatness coefficient indicates their sufficient food supply.Practical value: Observations of bycatch in stationary seines in the near-shore area of the sea are an important addition to the accounting trawl survey data for understanding the structure of the Russian Sturgeon population in the Azov Sea and practically the main source of information on the state of the Sevruga population.

Gammarus aequicauda (Аmphipoda) as a promising target for hypersaline aquaculture: New data and potential to serve as an aquafeed

Gammarus aequicauda (Amphpoda) is one of the most promising gammarid species for hypersaline aquaculture. Its population was studied in a hypersaline lake located in Crimea with field sampling from 2019 to 2023, as well as in different laboratory experiments. Here, the COI fragments was sequenced in two color morphs (gray and pink), and two unique COI haplotypes independent of the morph were found. They belong to MOTU3 according to the classification of Hupalo et al., 2019, which is entirely consistent with this genetic group being distributed along the coasts of the Black and Azov Seas. The distribution of G. aequicauda in the lake has never been uniform; significantly higher concentrations were observed in the thickets of seagrass Ruppia, in the spring on average more than 5 times. The highest recorded abundance of this species in the lake was 89,200 m−3, and its total biomass then was 558 g m−3. In spring and summer, their numerical abundance in the Ruppia thickets was proportional to the density of Ruppia shoots and increased exponentially from March to July. The abundance of G. aequicauda observed in the lake even exceeded the values found in brackish and marine conditions. This species has three generations in Lake Moynaki during the growing season. It can be cultured at different salinities, including very successfully in 45 to 65 g L−1. It would be possible to obtain 5000 kg of its wet weight (approximately 710 kg of dry weight), per year from a hypersaline pond of 1 ha (0.01 km2).

Distribution and Genesis of Aliphatic Hydrocarbons in Bottom Sediments of Coastal Water Areas of the Crimea (the Black and Azov Seas)

The aim of the article is to assess the level of aliphatic hydrocarbon (AHC) contamination in bottom sediments of the Azov–Black Sea coast of the Crimea, as well as to identify potential sources of its formation. Bottom sediment samples obtained from 19 stations during the research cruise of the R/V “Professor Vodyanitsky” (June 2020) were used as the material for this investigation. Sampling stations were located along the coast of the Crimean Peninsula and the Caucasus coastlines (the Black and Azov Seas). N-hexane extracts of sediments were studied by gas chromatography to determine the AHC amount and composition. It was established that AHC concentrations in the study area varied from 1.30 to 127.8 mg/100 g. Generally, bottom sediments of the Black and Azov Seas were characterized by low AHC contents, while increased AHC contents were found in the outer harbor of Sevastopol and Yalta regions. To identify potential hydrocarbon sources, various hydrocarbon markers were used. In most of the study areas, n-alkane composition was determined by similar sources of inputs and organic compound transformation. At the same time, oil pollution linked with use of fuel was recorded almost everywhere.

The Albanian Diaspora in Budzhak and Priazovye: A Problem of Language and Identity

The article analyses the problem of language and identity among the Albanian diaspora – an ethnic minority living along the Black Sea coast in the Budzhak region and the Azov Sea area in the Priazovye region. The paper outlines the history of Albanian settlements in Eastern Europe and traces various strategies for self-identification and the nuances of being an Albanian during different historical periods. In the last two decades of the 21st century, the Albanian diaspora has experienced a big rise in interest in the Albanian language, culture, and traditions. This surge has brought new group initiatives, a search for connections to the historical homeland, new ways of marking ethnic identity, and efforts to preserve the native language. Based on the author's field data, the research focuses on local ethnic activism and contemporary communication and “recognition” between representatives of the Albanian diaspora and Albanians from the Balkans. Particular attention is paid to the issue of the Albanian dialect and standard Albanian, which plays a significant role in the policy of integrating the Albanians of Budzhak and Priazovye into the transnational diaspora space.

Wind-Sea and Swell Climate in the Black and Azov Seas, Based on 42-Year Spectral Wave Hindcast

Long-term wave climates of the Black and Azov Seas are widely assessed based on the bulk wave parameters of the mixed sea. However, studies based on spectral wave partitions are rarely documented. Assessment of the wave climate based on the individual wave systems provides a more reliable description of the sea states' characteristics and the variability in the long-term wave climate. For instance, the wind-sea climate may reflect a real change in the local climate. However, local change in swell characteristics may not necessarily reflect a change in the local climate, and it can locally influence the mixed sea climate variability. This study assessed the spatial distributions of the long-term averages and maxima of mixed seas, wind-sea, and swell partitions at annual and seasonal scales. The contributions of wind-sea and swell partitions to the mixed-sea were computed, and their spatial and temporal variability was also assessed for overall and extreme sea state conditions. Finally, the occurrence in main wave systems' directions and occurrence of crossing, opposing, and following wind-sea and swell interactions were computed. The wind-sea contribution to the mixed-sea exceeds 70 % in all Black Sea and >95 % in the Azov Sea. The swells are more dominant on the Northeastern and Northwestern Black Sea basins. Thus, the results show spatial and temporal variability in the wind-sea climate close to the mixed sea but largely different compared to the swell climate. The inter-annual trends in the swell partitions and wind-sea are inversed at some locations.

National trends in the use of aquatic bioresources

The article examines the domestic trends in the use of aquatic biological resources for more than a century. Until the early 1950s, inland waters, primarily the Caspian and Azov Seas, played a key role. Total catch volumes did not exceed 2 million tons. Anthropogenic impact has led to global negative changes in the ecosystems of the south seas of our country. The fishery importance of inland reservoirs has significantly decreased. The active development of oceanic fishing in the 1960s and 1980s made it possible to increase the volume of extraction of aquatic biological resources to 10−11 million tons. Starting in 2018 Access to the use of aquatic biological resources largely depends on the involvement of domestic industrial companies in the construction of new ships at Russian shipyards. The proven reserves of even traditionally mined hydrobionts make it possible to fully ensure the fishing capacities of all vessels currently under construction and under design. The contribution of commercial fish farming to the total production of domestic fish products in the foreseeable future, apparently, will not exceed 10%.

Diatoms of the Macroalgae Epiphyton and Bioindication of the Protected Coastal Waters of the Kazantip Cape (Crimea, the Sea of Azov)

Diatoms of the Macroalgae Epiphyton and Bioindication of the Protected Coastal Waters of the Kazantip Cape (Crimea, the Sea of Azov)

Mathematical Modelling of Catastrophic Surge and Seiche Events in the Azov Sea Using Remote Sensing Data

Mathematical Modelling of Catastrophic Surge and Seiche Events in the Azov Sea Using Remote Sensing Data

Tamarix laxa (Tamaricaceae), a new species in the flora of Ukraine

Tamarix laxa, a new species for the flora of Ukraine, is first reported for the Bilosaraiska Spit on the northern coast of the Sea of Azov in the Meotyda National Nature Park, Donetsk Region, Ukraine. Its main range extends from the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov to China. Thus, the new location is the extreme northwestern point of the species' natural distribution range. The presence of representatives of the genus Tamarix at the Bilosaraiska Spit has been known for more than 100 years, but T. laxa probably appeared here only in the early 1990s. In ecological and phytosociological terms, the species is confined mainly to the shores of shallow brackish and periodically drying water bodies (bakai) and occupies the same eco­logical niche as T. gracilis; the latter has long been known in the Bilosaraiska Spit and is listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine. Represen­tatives of the genus Tamarix are reliably identified only during the flowering period, so the growth of related species together makes it difficult to identify them during other periods. The diagnostic characters used for identification of the species of the genus growing in the Bilosaraiska Spit are discussed. It is suggested that the range of T. laxa has been gradually expanding westward during recent decades.

Киммерийская фортификация

Early examples of northern Iranian fortification date back to the Cimmerian era. Thus, the fortifications on the modern Kerch and Taman peninsulas, made up of a system of ramparts and ditches that fenced off the Bosporus from the steppe barbarians, were called “Cimmerian” by ancient authors. The Cimmerians are the most ancient people of southeastern Europe known to us. Their country Cimmeria covered the modern Crimean and Taman peninsulas, the Northern Black Sea region, the Azov region and the Northern Caucasus. During the Central Asian campaigns, the Cimmerians had to confront the advanced armies of that time - Assyrian and Urartian, with their perfect fortresses (in particular, the so-called “Cyclopean”, in the shape of a circle or square), which required the development of siege and assault techniques (polyorcetics), which were successfully used during hostilities. The Cimmerian Wall crosses the middle of the Kerch Peninsula (between the Kerch Peninsula and the rest of Crimea) at its narrowest point and has a length of 40-42 km. The shaft or its individual fragments are also called Asandrov, Uzunlarsky, Turkish, Akkozsky, etc. The rampart (circa 400 BC), reinforced with stonework running along its crest, reached a width of 20 m at the base, a height of up to 7-8 m, and its ditch, 5 m deep, had a width of 10-15 m. Along the entire length of the rampart, the same type of square tower-forts measuring approximately 10x12 m were erected, at a distance of about 2.5 km from each other. Roads run along the rampart, and in the rampart itself there are about a dozen passages, fortified with stone and flanking towers. The Cimmerian Wall on the Taman Peninsula began at the northeastern protrusion of the Taman Gulf and stretched for about 7 km to the shore of the Sea of Azov. According to other materials, it had a length of about 40 km and ran along the bottom from the center of the Taman Bay about 20 km to the northeast, and continued the same amount along the land part, ending before reaching the shore of the Temryuk Bay. The remains of this fortification were noted on topographic maps of the second half of the 20th century as the Cimmerian Val. The аrticle, based on dаta from аrchaeologicаl and written sources, аnаlyzes Cimmerian fortificаtion and polyorcetics. The most significant defensive structures of the Cimmeriаns are exаmined; the most charаcteristic аrchitectural forms аnd construction techniques are noted.

Anadromous sturgeon fish of the Azov Sea under conditions of natural and anthropogenic transformations of the water ecosystem

The aim: assessment of the state of populations of anadromous sturgeon in the Sea of Azov, the efficiency of their reproduction and the possibility for the existence of populations in the medium term until 2030–2040. Methods: the calculation of the biomass and population size of sturgeon in the Sea of Azov was carried out using the direct counting method and a modified cohort solution of the Baranov equation. 18and 25-meter bottom trawls were used as standard fishing gear. The assessment of the number of juvenile sturgeon in the Don River was carried out with 3and 2-meter beam-trawls. Molecular genetic methods for the analysis of microsatellite loci and sequencing of a fragment of the control region of mitochondrial DNA were used.Novelty: materials are presented on natural reproduction of sturgeon in the Don River after flow regulation, and the rate of decline in the survival rate of generations of Russian sturgeon and stellate sturgeon under the influence of illegal fishing is shown. Based on the results of a study of the genotypes of Russian sturgeon individuals, migrations sturgeon from Azov to the Black Sea, as well as Black Sea populations to the Sea of Azov, were confirmed.Results: an analysis of the dynamics and current state of anadromous sturgeon in the Sea of Azov is presented under the conditions of anthropogenic transformation of their habitat, loss of natural reproduction and climate-related fluctuations in the salinity of the sea waters. A retrospective overview of their commercial use from the mid-19th century to the present is given. The prospects for restoring commercial stocks of sturgeon fish are considered.Practical significance: the possibility of restoring commercial stocks of sturgeon in modern conditions is shown by increasing the number of released juveniles and increasing the effectiveness of fish conservation measures to a level of more than 90 thousand tons and creating an commercial population of sturgeon in the Sea of Azov.