Ecological state of marine pelagic communities near the Verbyanaya spit (Temryuk Gulf, Azov Sea)

Phytoplankton, ciliates, holoplankton, meroplankton, ichthyoplankton, ctenophores were studied in the vicinity of the Verbyanaya spit in the Temryuk Gulf during the month of June, which is the most productive month. It has been discovered that formation of net zooplankton structure was largely determined by predator-prey trophic relations. Leanness of ichthyoplankton and mosaic distribution of holoplanktron and meroplankton is evidently explained by the abundance of large carnivorous comb jellies Mnemiopsis leidyi.. Dominant holoplankton complex was represented with marine euryhaline species of copepods – Acartia tonsa (93–98% of the total holoplankton amount). Larvae of Mytilaster lineatus bivalves, comprised a significant part of net zooplankton (43.5%). A total biomass of zooplankton on average reached 537.4 mg/m³, at that, ciliates comprised 38% of this amount. Abundance of zooplankton in the area of research is largely explained by a high level of trophicity of waters coming with the flow of the Kuban River. The obtained results offer an insight into ecological state of marine pelagic communities in protected zones of eastern Azov region and may be useful for subsequent monitoring of the region.