A method for assessing the productivity of marine areas by the integrated intensity of bioluminescence of the planktonic community
A method for the comparative assessment of the productivity of marine water areas based on an analysis of the vertical distribution of the glow intensity (bioluminescence) of the community of planktonic organisms is presented. It is noted that planktonic communities that have a quick response to changes in the ecosystem can serve as an operational indicator of the effects of various environmental factors on it. Bioluminescence intensity measurements do not require laboratory processing of samples and are carried out in real time.A methodology for calculating the integral intensity of bioluminescence of hydrobionts (IIBH), which characterizes the total biomass, the number of aquatic organisms, and the biological productivity of water, is described. As a result of the studies carried out in the coastal waters of the Crimea, 5 regions were distinguished, differing in total biomass and number of organisms of planktonic communities. For selected areas, IIBH calculation was performed. A comparative assessment of the water productivity of the selected areas showed that the highest IIBH (an average of 37830pW/(cm2·L)) was observed on the southwestern shelf of Crimea. In the area of the Kerch Strait, IIBH was 1.2 times less than on the highly productive south-western shelf of Crimea. In the north-western deepwater part of the sea, stable stratification of the waters promoted the formation of two layers with a high concentration of hydrobionts located at depths of 8-14 m and 40-45 m. At the same time, IIBH of the upper layer was the smallest in the study area and was 8 times lower than the value on the south-western shelf of Crimea. The results obtained on the productivity of water areas and the total biomass of plankton communities serve as the basis for the development of measures for the rational use of natural resources.