Kulikovskiy, M.

Lange-Bertalot, H.

Nevrova, E.

Petrov, A.

Witkowski, A.

English

A.O. Kovalevsky Institute of Marine Biological Research Open access repository

5th Cen5th Central European Diatom Meeting, Szczecin, Poland 2011 5th Central European Diatom Meeting, Szczecin, Poland 2011
Abstracts of the
5th Central European Diatom Meeting
(5th CE-DIATOM)
Beiträge vom
25. Treffen Deutschsprachiger Diatomologen
mit Internationaler Beteiligung
2427 March 2011
Szczecin 
Poland
Szczecin 2011
5th Central European Diatom Meeting, Szczecin, Poland 2011
87
Current state of benthic diatoms exploration in the Black Sea: 
diversity, taxonomic structure and response to pollution
Nevrova1 Elena, Petrov1 Alexey, Witkowski2 Andrzej, Kulikovskiy3 Maxim, Lange-
Bertalot2 Horst
1Institute of Biology of Southern Seas NASU, 2 Nakhimov av, Sevastopol 99011, Ukraine;
el_nevrova@mail.ru, alexpet-14@mail.ru,
2Palaeoceanology Unit, University of Szczecin, Mickiewicza 18, PL-70-383 Szczecin,
Poland; a.witkowsk@gmail.com,
3Institute of Biology of Inland Waters RAS, 152742 Yaroslavl, Nekouz, Borok, Russia, 
max-kulikovsky@yandex.ru
Benthic diatoms is one of the most important taxonomic group in
microphytobenthos of the Black Sea (BS) sublittoral communities regarding abundance,
species richness and their role in trophic relationships of coastal ecosystem. BS benthic
diatoms have been studied for over a century; however, the published information on that
issue is still scarce. Earlier studies were mostly performed for the Western and
Northwestern part of the BS basin, whereas the shores of Crimea and Caucasus were less
investigated and information on the diatoms from the Southern part is almost lacking. Most
of the publications are devoted to floristic analysis, species composition and seasonal 
dynamics [5, for review], and rather few studies dedicated to diatom assemblages structure
and to assessment of diversity features in relation to influence of environmental factors
including pollution [2, for review].
Principal changes into recent diatom taxonomy and accretion of disembodied
data has stipulated for the necessity of the BS diatoms inventory. Even recent studies [1]
also did not encompass all available information. The taxonomic database of Black Sea
Bacillariophyta, based on the review of available literature (e.g. 30 ref.) consideration of 5
regions (Caucasian, Crimean, Bulgarian, Romanian coasts and North-Western shelf) and
results of own sampling surveys (1984-2010), was created using Microsoft Office Access.
Updated inventory of Black Sea benthic Bacillariophyta holds 728 species (877 sp. and
ssp.), pooled in 130 genera, 59 families, 32 orders and 3 classes, according to the recent
taxonomical systems [4, 7].
The latest check-list of Crimean coast includes 586 species (668 species and
intraspecific taxa), belonging to 114 genera, 52 families, 27 orders. Thus, the highest
species richness of diatoms, ever registered in the Black Sea, was recorded near Crimea
(76% of the total number). For the NW shelf 55 % (485 sp. but without species-dwellers
only in brackish-water lagoons) were marked. Regarding other regions, the species
richness and this relative index were lower: for Bulgarian coast were marked 270 species
and varieties (31 %); for Romanian shore – 360 (41 %); for Caucasian area – 279 (32 %).
The most representative families of Black Sea benthic diatoms are Bacillariaceae
(5 genera / 108 sp. and ssp.), Naviculaceae (10 / 106), Catenulaceae (3 / 82),
Cocconeidaceae (2 / 47). The highest richness at genera level has scored by the family
Fragilariaceae (16 / 48).
Recent studies of the Crimean coast and collections of A.I. Proshkina-Lavrenko
by light and electron microscopic observations revealed the occurrence of new genera for
Black Sea flora: Astartiella, Amicula, Cocconeiopsis, Chamaepinnularia, Hippodonta, 
Rhoicosigma, Trachysphenia. Their representatives are: Astartiella bahusiensis, 
A. producta, Amicula specululum, Cocconeiopsis breviata, C. fraudulenta, C. pullus, 
Chamaepinnularia alexandrowiczii, Ch. clamans, Ch. margaritiana, Ch. truncata, 
Rhoicosigma compactum, Trachysphenia australis and 4 species of Hippodonta.
Besides, more than 50 newly-found for the Black Sea diatom flora species were
found.
5th Central European Diatom Meeting, Szczecin, Poland 2011
88
Comparative analysis of benthic diatom taxocenes from several bays of Crimea,
differing by level of anthropogenic pollution load, has been fulfilled [2, for review].
The influence of sediment-associated inorganic (heavy metals) and organic
pollutants (PAHs, PCBs and pesticides) on diatom assemblages’ structure had been
comparatively studied by methods of multivariate statistical analysis. The environmental
gradients through the investigated bottom areas with different pollution extent were
assessed by PCA analysis. Cluster analysis and MDS ordination of environmental factors
were employed to distinguish the stations grouping in relation to key pollutants levels. The
most significant species (i.e. discriminating species) that are mainly responsible for
differences between the assemblages, corresponding to each of the locations, were carried
out. There are Nitzschia compressa, N. sigma, Bacillaria paxillifer, Grammatophora marina, 
Synedra tabulata, S. gaillonii, Thalassionema nitzschioides, Diploneis smithii, Caloneis
liber, Melosira moniliformis, Lyrella abrupta, Cocconeis scutellum, Amphora proteus [2, 3].
Evaluation of Spearman rank correlation have shown that the highest value of
ρmax corresponded to the combination of key abiotic variables: depth, % of sand fraction,
PCBs, TOC, Eh, pesticides and heavy metals (Hg, Cd, Mn, Zn). This set of factors is best
correlated with the alteration in biotic parameters and presumably is the cause of changes
in the structure of diatom assemblages at a different extent of pollutants.
Taxonomic Distinctness Indices (TaxDI) were also applied [6] for comparative
estimation of diversity features in diatom assemblages from different regions of the Black
Sea. By means of TaxDI calculations and comparative taxonomical analysis,
phylogenetically separated mono- and oligo-taxonomic branches on hierarchical tree of
diatoms and the species attributed to such branches in each region were identified. Every
of these species has been considered and graded in context of their taxonomic
exclusiveness, since if such taxa disappear, the entire phylogenetic branch, including
genus, family and order, would also be eliminated from the diatom flora. Therefore,
presence or disappearance of such species in the certain location can lead to pronounced
changes in the total phylogenetic structure of whole diatom assemblages. Results of
comparative quantitative and taxonomical evaluation of diatoms diversity should be
employed for protection of nearshore environment and conservation of marine flora
diversity at the modern transformation of the Black Sea shores.
1. Algae of Ukraine. 2009. Diversity, Nomenclature, Taxonomy, Ecology and Geography.
2. Bacillariophyta. Tsarenko, P.M., Wasser, S.P., and Nevo, E., eds. Ruggell, A.R.G.
Gantner Verlag K.G. 413 p.
2. Nevrova, E. & Petrov, A. 2008. Taxonomic diversity of benthic diatoms of the Black
Sea / Microalgae of the Black Sea: problems of biodiversity, preservation and
biotechnology. In U. Tokarev, A. Gaevskaya, eds. NAS Ukraine, IBSS. Sevastopol:
Ekosi-Gidrophyzika. pp. 60-84.
3. Petrov, A., Nevrova, E., Terletskaya, A., Milyukin, M. & Demchenko, V. 2010. Structure
and taxonomic diversity of benthic diatom assemblage in a polluted marine
environment (Balaklava bay, Black Sea). Polish Botanical Journ. 55(1): 183–197.
4. Round, F.E., Crawford, R.M. & Mann, D.G. 1990. The Diatoms. Biology and
morphology of the genera. Cambridge University press, Cambridge. 747 p.
5. Ryabushko, L. 2006. Microalgae of Black Sea benthos. Sevastopol, Ekosi-
Gidrophyzika. 143p.
6. Warwick, R. M. & Clarke, K. R. 1998. Taxonomic distinctness and environmental 
assessment. Journ. Appl. Ecol. 35: 532-543.
7. Witkowski, A., Lange-Bertalot, H. & Metzeltin, D. 2000. Diatom flora of Marine coast 1.
Iconographia diatomologica. VII. A.R.G. Gantner Verlag K.G. 926 p.


Current state of benthic diatoms exploration in the Black Sea: diversity, taxonomic structure and response to pollution

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Current state of benthic diatoms exploration in the Black Sea: diversity, taxonomic structure and response to pollution

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