ECOLOGICAL CONDITION OF THE CENTRAL PART OF SEVASTOPOL BAY DEPENDING ON THE ANTHROPOGENIC LOAD LEVEL
Based on monitoring observations of inorganic nitrogen content in the sea water of separated parts of the Sevastopol Bay, which are subject to various anthropogenic impact, the ecological state of the ecosystems of the Yugnaya Bay, the eastern and western parts of the bay and its central part is estimated. Depending on pollution sources localition, morphometry and meteorological conditions, in the Sevastopol Bay there are both relatively «pure» areas and areas of persistently high pollution levels (for example, the Yugnaya Bay). The central part of the Sevastopol Bay is under indirect influence as all coastal sources of pollution, intensive navigation, the Chernaya River runoff, especially during floods, it also depends on the hydrodynamic regime of the water area. Taking into account existing sources of pollution the ecosystem ability to naturally selfpurification has been estimated by calculating the assimilation capacity of this ecosystem in relation to inorganic nitrogen using the balance method. The rate of removal of mineral nitrogen and the maximum permissible volumes of its entry into the considered water area are obtained. Based on the calculated assimilation capacity, the ecosystem well-being indicator is estimated from averaged data for 1998 - 2012. It is shown that in all forms of inorganic nitrogen, the ecosystem of the central part of the Sevastopol Bay belongs to the area of sustainable ecological well-being. The load on the considered water area does not exceed its self-purification ability and, accordingly, does not disturb the normal functioning of the system.