Revision of macrophytobenthos of the protected territorial-aquatic complex of the Bakalskaya Spit (the Black Sea)
The territorial-aquatic complex of the Bakalskaya Spit located in the northwestern Crimean Peninsula is a unique natural object, with a high variety of biota and landscapes. Despite the fact that it has the conservation status of a landscape park, its components undergo significant anthropogenictransformation. In this complex, structural and functional basis of the most coastal-marine and lagoonal biotopes is formed by microphytobenthos. However, the information on flora species composition and systematic structure was incomplete, and the latest changes in nomenclature and taxonomy adopted in phycology were not taken into account. In this regard, based on the data of our own research, we revised the macrophyte flora of marine and lagoonal water areas within the boundaries of the protected territorial-aquatic complex. As established, the flora includes 64 species: Chlorophyta, 23; Ochrophyta, 5; Rhodophyta, 31; and Tracheophyta, 5. The taxonomic structure includes 5 classes, 16 orders, 26 families, and 37 genera. According to the analysis of the ratio of ecological and floristic groups, 51.6 % are oligosaprobes. Short-vegetation species prevail (68.7 %). Among halobity groups, prevalence of marine and brackish-marine species was registered (in total, 90.7 %). A warm-water complex prevailed (45.3 %), but the contribution of cosmopolitan species characterized by eurybiontity was quite large (15.6 %). The rare fraction of the marine macrophyte flora includes 21 genera (32.8 %); habitats formed by macrophyte communities are listed in the EU Habitats Directive - Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May, 1992 (codes 1110, 1150, and 1160). Considering high sozological significance of the territorial-aquatic complex analyzed, industrial sand mining must be stopped, since this is the main threat and a transforming factor. Moreover, the area of the complex has to be expanded, and the conservation status has to be risen (either as an independent object or as part of a large national park). It is also advisable to include the complex in the Emerald Network to provide additional opportunities for its protection and preservation. The presented results are the basis for additional hydrobotanical studies aimed at revealing the scale and vector of alterations in the composition and structure of macrophytobenthos and the entire ecosystem.