Home – Home – Jornals – Contemporary Problems of Ecology 2021 number 1

Climatic fluctuations are among the most important factors causing changes in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The review considers the main mechanisms of the influence of climate change on the structure and functioning of ecosystems of water bodies and shows the need to consider these mechanisms when developing a strategy for the conservation of biological resources of aquatic ecosystems. Climatic fluctuations affect aquatic ecosystems through changes in temperature, surface runoff of nutrients and other substances and their relationships, the intensity of water mixing during the circulation period and other mechanisms. Additional nutrients that come in rainy periods from the catchment and directly with precipitation stimulate the development of primary producers and cause the risk of further eutrophication of water bodies. An increase in temperature promotes the development of potentially toxic phytoplankton species and exacerbates the problem of “green tides,” the massive development of multicellular algae in the coastal zone. Organic substances coming from the catchment area during wet periods stimulate a “microbial loop” in aquatic ecosystems. In shallow lakes, climate fluctuations can cause food web dynamics and a change in ecological regime. Climate-induced changes in the composition of producer communities often lead to weakened pelagic-benthic relationships in aquatic ecosystems. Climate-induced changes in the composition of phytoplankton often lead to weakening of pelagic-benthic coupling in aquatic ecosystems. In some cases, climate change has contributed to invasions of alien species. The natural dynamics of ecosystems due to climate fluctuations deserve close attention and require the development of special adaptive management of aquatic biological resources. In some cases, it is necessary to apply more severe measures for the protection and restoration of water bodies, which would take into account adverse changes in the natural background that occur with long-term changes in natural factors.