Comparative study of the vertical distribution of bioluminescence intensity in the north-western and north-eastern parts of the Black Sea
A.B. Polonsky, E.B. Mel’nikova, A.N. Serebrennikov
Natural and Technical Systems Institute of the RAS, Sevastopol, Russia
Keywords: Black Sea, satellite data, geostrophic currents, near-surface wind, intensity of bioluminescence, vertical distribution of temperature and salinity, hydrobionts
Abstract
The spatiotemporal distribution of the intensity of bioluminescence formed by hydrobionts in the Black Sea based on the data of expeditionary research conducted in June 2013 and September 2014 during the voyages of NIS “Professor Vodyanitskiy" (IBSS) was investigated. Comparison of this characteristic in the N-W and N-E parts of the Black Sea has been done. Satellite data on near-surface wind and geostrophic currents are used to explain the causes of spatiotemporal variations in the intensity of hydrobiont bioluminescence. It has been shown that in the vertical distribution of bioluminescence intensity, most stations had one maximum at the top part of the seasonal thermocline. At deep-sea stations in the north-western part of the sea located in the zone of weak vertical movements, two maxima were observed due to the development of heat-loving hydrobiont species in the upper maximum and cold-loving species in the lower one. The maximum values of the integral intensity of hydrobiont glow were observed in the divergence zone in the deep-water north-eastern part of the sea, which is explained by more active enrichment of waters with biogenic substances due to more intense upward movements. Obtained results can be utilized for more accurate assessment of the upper layer water bioproductivity in the Black Sea from satellite data.
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