Transcript No Slide Title

INCDM
PRESENT STATE AND EVOLUTION TRENDS OF
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN THE BLACK SEA:
DECLINE AND RESTORATION ASPECTS
Alexandru S. Bologa
Institutul National “Grigore Antipa” Constanta
INCDM
CONTENT
1. THE BLACK SEA BASIN
2. THE BLACK SEA COASTAL STATES
3. THE BLACK SEA “UNICUM HYDROBIOLOGICUM”
4. THE BLACK SEA (No.62 LME)
5. MACROPHYTOBENTHOS
6. ZOOBENTHOS
7. PHYTOPLANKTON
8. ZOOPLANKTON
9. LIVING RESOURCES
10. CETACEANS
11. BIODIVERSITY CHANGES / CONCLUSIONS
12. BLACK SEA COOPERATION
13. SELECTED BLACK SEA REFERENCES
14. OTHER JOINT BLACK SEA OUTPUTS
15. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS
INCDM
INCDM
The Black Sea and its coastal states
THE BLACK SEA
INCDM
"unicum hydrobiologicum"
“... the Black Sea, because of entirely
different conditions from those prevailing in
other seas, represents a real natural
laboratory ...”
Nikolay M. Knipovich
(1862 - 1939)
Grigore Antipa
(1867 - 1944)
"The problems of the Black Sea are not so different
as elsewhere, but they are more obvious, in part of
isolated, contained nature of the Black Sea"
Dr. Jane Lubchenko,
1998
INCDM
THE BLACK SEA
(No. 62 on LMEs map of World and Linked Watersheds)
 most endangered semi-enclosed continental sea (GEF, 1992)
 dramatic environmental changes !
- coastal erosion
- pollution / eutrophication
- decline of biodiversity
- loss of living resources
- degradation of landscapes
 severe ecological disequilibrium !
*
- chemical / oil, micro- & biological pollution
 (harmful ?) exotic species
INCDM
MACROPHYTOBENTHOS
 good indicator of state of eutrophication
 bioindicators for chemical and radioactive pollution
 331 species
80 Chlorophyta
76 Phaeophyta
169 Rhodophyta
6 seegrasses (Phanerogama / Magnoliphyta)
 domination of small-size species with fast growth rate
 decrease of species number and community biomass
 increase of Chlorophyta and decrease of Phaeophyta
 massive disappearance of perennial Cystoseira species on Black Sea shelf due to
intense eutrophication in ‘70s, but possible restoration (e.g. Danube – Dneper
interfluves, Romanian southern coast)
 decline of Phyllophora species in “Zernov’s field”
 replacement with tolerant eutrophic species of Enteromorpha, Cladophora,
Ceramium
INCDM
 development of other species (e.g. Desmarestia viridis, Polysiphonia sanguinea, Pylaiella
littoralis) in Ukrainian and Romanian coastal waters (’90s)
 morphological and ecological changes of macrophytes under prolonged influence of
eutrophication (different branching of Cystoseira and Gelidiella, 2 shallow-water forms of
Phyllophora nervosa)
 occasional macroalgal blooms dominated by opportunistic species (e.g. Romanian shore
25.000 t / 2008)
 sensitivity to climatic changes (domination of either winter or summer species)
improvement of ecological state (i.a. some restoration of Cystoseira barbata, seaweed
distribution in deep waters)
INCDM
ZOOBENTHOS
 most conservative bioindicator for ecosystem structural and functional changes
and related ecological health
 e.g. almost 800 taxa in Romanian coastal waters (1960-1970)
 NW Black Sea sector poorer as fauna and nourishing places for ecological
valuable fish species compared to ’60s
 drastic decrease of specific diversity, abundance and biomass
 simplified community structure
 dominance of smaller-size hypoxia tolerant groups and opportunistic species
 reduction of biofilter strength of ecosystem
 qualitative and quantitative worsening of benthic resources (especially mollusks)
INCDM
 crustaceans most sensitive to oxygen deficiency, polychetes less sensitive,
bivalves most tolerant
 even so significant changes of mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) settlements
 development of opportunistic species (worms)
 increasing invasion rate by some exotic species (Mya arenaria, Scapharca
inaequivalvis, Rapana venosa) in unoccupied ecological niches without
competitors and predators, predacious enemies of littoral malacofauna (e.g. of
oyster Ostrea edulis in Georgian waters)
 later decrease in Rapana abundance (by natural causes in Romanian waters or
due to commercial harvesting in Bulgarian ones)
only relative increase in zoobenthic species diversity and recovery of
hypoxia sensitive groups during post- eutrophication period / adjustment
process of benthic communities towards a new quasi- stable equilibrium
(slow recovery)
INCDM
PHYTOPLANKTON
 best indicators of assessment of state of eutrophication
 750 species in Black Sea
 composition (taxonomic structure) and abundance (numerical
density, biomass) considerably different in various areas
 main components
diatoms (Bacillariophyceae)
Skeletonema costatum
Chaetoceros socialis
Cyclotella caspia
dinophytes (Dinophyceae)
Prorocentrum cordatum
Protoperidinium pellucidum
Heterocapsa triquetra
 spatial and temporal change of their ratio
INCDM
 trend of shift from diatom dominant system to apparent dominance of
opportunistic dinoflagellates
(mainly along western shelf and southern Black Sea) due to change in nutrient
balance in addition to temperature regime of sea water
 substantial basin-wide increase of coccolithoforids (spring)
 occasional abundances of blue green, green and euglena algae
 blooms (Prorocentrum cordatum, Cerataulina pelagica,
requiring a systematic (monthly) monitoring
Emiliana huxleyi)
improvement of ecological state (i.a. less intense and frequent blooms)
INCDM
ZOOPLANKTON
 critical trophic link between autotrophic (phytoplankton) and higher trophic levels
 consumer of phytoplankton and microzooplankton (controls their abundance)
 food resource for pelagic fish larvae and fish (controls their stocks)
 more productive but lower species diversity (compared, e.g., with Mediterranean Sea)
 150 species (70 mainly Ponto-Caspian brackish – water types and about 50 meroplankton)
 thermophylic and euryhaline (Mediterranean) and cold-water (North Atlantic boreal) species
 both phytophagous and detriphagous
 strong basin-wide interannual variability in composition and abundance
 changes in taxonomic structure (with temporary decline of diversity of edible zpk)
INCDM
- prior increased abundance of gelatinous species (scyphozoan jellyfish Aurelia
aurita, cystoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans, opportunistic copepod Acartia
clausi), indicators of eutrophication, especially in NW Black Sea, due to
regional hydrochemical characteristics (nutrient supply from Danube, Dneper
and Dnester runoffs)
- exceptional development of alien ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi (since 1988)
praying on edible zpk, with major side – effects on all trophic levels (reduction
of food resources for planktivorous and predatory fish)
- introduction of predator ctenophore Beroe ovata (from Mediterranean or eastern
coast of N Atlantic ballast waters) about 1997
- reduction in abundance of some sensitive zooplanktonic species (Centropages
ponticus, Penilia avirostris)
- disappearance of some species (e.g. family Monstrillidae in Romanian coastal
waters after ‘80s)
improvement of ecological state (i.a. some, even fluctuant, recovery of edible
zooplankton community)
INCDM
MARINE LIVING RESOURCES
 Black Sea MLR = about 2oo fish species, <500 mollusks, few macrophytes
 greatest economic value not more than about 25 species producing about 98%
of catch
 2% - common less important fish, mollusks, crustaceans, other aquatic biota
 main catches: anadromous, pelagic, demersal fish
 total mean annual catch 410,000 tons in 1996-2005 (more than 30,000 t higher
than in 1989-1995)
- anadromous fish (Alosa pontica, Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, A. stellatus,
Huso huso)
- pelagic fish (Engraulis encrasicolus, Trachurus mediterraneus, Sprattus
sprattus, Sarda sarda, Pomatomus saltatrix)
- demersal fish (Squalus acanthias, Psetta maxima, Merlangus merlangus,
2 species of Mullus, 4 species of Mugil)
INCDM
ecosystem effects on fisheries:
 leading anthropogenic stressor
 overfishing
 pollution
 degradation of spawning and nursery
 illegal fishing
 use of destructive fishing gears
 fluctuating climate
 alien species (e.g. M. leidyi)
 blooms / hypoxia
 H2S production
= collapse of Black Sea fisheries (’90s)
 commercial mollusks (Mytilus galloprovincialis)
 sea snail (Rapana venosa)
 clams (Chamtea gallina)
 water plants (Cystoseira barbata, Phyllophora nervosa, Zostera marina)
improvement in state of MLR during 2000-2005 compared to collaps period (1989-1992)
but still inferior to baseline (1970-1988)
INCDM
CETACEANS
 3 cetaceans (Phocoena phocoena relicta, Delphinus delphis
ponticus, Tursiops truncatus ponticus) [and 1 pinniped
(Monachus monachus)]
 insufficiency of scientific information (abundance,
distribution, migrations, critical habitats, natural and
anthropogenic threats, pathology)
 commercial fishery (1930-1950) banned in 1966 / USSR,
RO, BG and 1983 / TR)
 accidental mortality in fishing gear, habitat degradation,
pollution / epizootics
INCDM
 need for multidisciplinary research
- taxonomy and genetics
- distribution
- abundance
- habitat and ecology
- life history
- past and ongoing threats
- population trend
- conservation tools and strategies
- national instruments
- international and regional instruments
- IUCN / Red list of Threatened Animals
- Conservation Plan for Black Sea cetaceans (2006)
major gaps in knowledge of Black Sea cetaceans
INCDM
BIODIVERSITY CHANGES / CONCLUSIONS
 present Black Sea ecosystem different from that documented in ‘60s
 improvement and rehabibilitation tendency of coastal Black Sea
ecosystems after 1995
 visible for water quality parametres and structural and functional
properties of biota (compared with conditions from mid ‘70s to early
‘90s)
 pelagic ecosystem of western Black Sea improved considerably due to
weakening of anthropogenic pressure:
- relative recovery of benthic ecosystem, still fragile
- recovery of some algal populations
- increasing plankton diversity
- fewer algal blooms
- increase of edible zooplankton,
- reappearance of some native fodder zooplankton
- decrease of opportunistic and gelatinous species
INCDM
 proposal of new diagnostic method to assess long-term improvement of pelagic
ecosystem (Yunev et al., 2008)
 fish stocks still out of balance (due to eutrophication, over fishing, exotic
intruders)
 restoration of ecosystem is a long-lasting process (depending
accomplishment of conservation, protection and management measures)
on
 gaps in knowledge due to absence of sufficiently comprehensive monitoring
data
 anthropic ecosystem damage shows very slow recovery rate despite
rehabilitation efforts (e.g. Baltic and North Seas)
INCDM
BLACK SEA CO-OPERATION AND INSTITUTIONAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
 CIESM, IOC, UNEP, UNDP, FAO, NATO, CECAF, IAEA, IMO, ESRB, IUHPS
 Commission on the Convention for the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (Black Sea Commission)
 Permanent Secretariat of the Commission (Istanbul, 2000)
 GEF / Black Sea Environmental Programme (BSEP)
 Programme Implementation Unit (of BSEP)
Advisory Groups (6)
Ad Hoc Working Group on Water Framework Directive (WFD)
 Activity Centres + National Focal Points
(1) Development of Common Methodologies for Integrated Coastal Zone Management
(2) Pollution Monitoring Assessment
(3) Control of Pollution from Land Based Sources
(4) Conservation of Biological Diversity
(5) Environmental Aspects of Fisheries and Other Living Resources Management
(6) Environmental Safety Aspects of Shipping
 International Centre on Water Research in the BSEC region (Kiev / Ukraine)
 International Centre for Black Sea Studies (Athens / Greece)
 IOI – Black Sea Operational Centre (Constanta / Romania) + Affiliated Centre Ukraine (Sevastopol)
 IOC – Regional Black Sea Centre (Varna / Bulgaria)
 MEDCOAST (Ankara / Turkey)
 Balkan Environmental Association (Thessaloniki / Greece)
INCDM
REFERENCES
Black Sea Commission, 2008 / State of the Environment of the Black Sea (2001-2007),
Istanbul / Turkey (in press)
Bologa A.S., 2001 - Destruction of marine biodiversity - A case study of the Black Sea, in
Oceans in the New Millennium: Challenges and Opportunities for the Islands, G.R.
South et al., (Eds.), Proceedings, IOI-PIM XXVII, Suva / Fiji, Ed. DaDa, Constanta,
249-254
Bologa A.S., 2001 - Recent changes in the Black Sea ecosystem. IOI Ocean Yearbook, 15,
463-474
Bologa A.S., Bodeanu N., Petran A., Tiganus V., Zaitsev Yu. P., 1995 - Major
modifications of the Black Sea benthic and planktonic biota in the last three decades, in
Les mers tributaries de Mediterranée. F. Briand (éd.), Bull. Inst. Océanogr., no. spécial
15, CIESM Science Series no.1, Monaco, 85-110
Dumont H.J. (Ed.), 1999 – Black Sea Red Data Book, UN / GEF – UNDP, 413 pp
GEF Black Sea Environmental Programme – Black Sea Biological Diversity, National
Reports: Romania (1997), Bulgaria (1998), Ukraine (1998), Georgia (1998),
Turkey (1998)
INCDM
National Institute for Marine Research and Development « Grigore Antipa »
(NIMRD), 2009 – Report on the state of marine and coastal environment in
2008 (in Romanian http: // www. rmri.ro + pps in English)
Zaitsev Yu.P. and Õztũrk B., 2001 – Exotic species in the Aegean, Marmara,
Black, Azov and Caspian Seas, Turkish Marine Research Foundation,
Istanbul / Turkey, 267 pp, Black Sea Environmental Series, vol. 4, 5, 7, 8, 9
Zaitsev Yu.P., Mamaev V., 1997 – Marine biological diversity in the Black Sea,
a study of change and decline, GEF Black Sea Env. Progr., UN Publ., New
York, 208 pp
INCDM
OTHER JOINT BLACK SEA OUTPUTS / REFERENCES
 Black Sea Environmental Programme (BSEP) (1993)
 Black Sea Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (GEF / 1997)
 Black Sea Strategic Action Plan (BS-SAP) (Istanbul / 1996-1997)
+ National Black Sea Action Plans
 Black Sea Pollution Assessment (Mee & Topping / 1998)
 Environmental Degradation of the Black Sea: Challenges and Remedies
(Besiktepe, Űnlűata & Bologa / 1999)
INCDM
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS
(1) Black Sea ecosystem still in advanced state of ecological disequilibrium
(2) Positive achievements in regional co-operation by successfull joint Black Sea
related research, monitoring and management projects / programmes
(3) Better knowledge of recent changes in Black Sea ecosystem, biodiversity and
appropiate management of living resources
(4) Strong need for adequate policies regarding Black Sea
environmental monitoring and protection
(5) Need for harmonization of National Black Sea monitoring programmes
(according to presently gained / shared experience) including biodiversity
(6) Need for continuing regional co-operation, including
Danube riparian countries and international expertise
(7) Need for exchange of environmental data and development of regional
databases and networks for scientific use, decision makers and end users
INCDM
THANK YOU
AND
WELCOME TO THE BLACK SEA