Plankton and benthos Sea of Azov

green algae (and other plankton species) responsible colour of sea of azov waters.

because of shallow waters, development of aquatic life in sea of azov more characteristic of lagoon, , plankton patterns rather similar in open sea , near shores. despite shallowness, water has low transparency, bottom plants poorly developed , algae of planktonic type. sea characterised high concentrations of organic matter , long blooming periods. specific feature of sea variable salinity – low in large bays , higher in open sea, near kerch strait. therefore, plankton species distributed inhomogeneously in sea of azov. although many additional species brought in saltier black sea, of them cannot adjust variable salinity of sea of azov, except euryhaline species. 600 species of planktonic algae known in sea of azov. number of species dominated diatoms , green algae; blue-green algae , pyrophites significant, , euglena , yellow-green algae form 5% of species. green algae responsible colour of sea in satellite images (see photos above).

regarding zooplankton, fresh waters of tanganrog bay inhabited cladocera, copepoda , rotifers, such brachionus plicatilis, keratella curdata , asplanchna. western part of sea, more saline, hosts 3 forms of acartia clausi, centropages ponticus, meroplankton , larvae of gastropoda, bivalvia , polychaete.

benthos species reside @ sea bottom , include worms, crustaceans, bottom protists, coelenterata , mollusks. mollusks account 60–98% of invertebrate biomass @ sea of azov bottom.

sturgeons among major , valuable commercial fish species of sea of azov.