Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Structure of Phytocenoses of the Yenisei Estuary and Adjacent Kara Sea Shelf in Late Spring

  • MARINE BIOLOGY
  • Published:
Oceanology Aims and scope

Abstract

The research is based on the materials collected during cruise 66 of R/V Akademik Mstislav Keldysh in the Yenisei estuary and over the adjacent Kara Sea shelf in the latitudinal range from 71°50.5′ to 75°55.0′ N. The studies were performed from July 25 to 27, 2016, three weeks after the end of the flood period. Two hundred fifty species of plankton algae were recorded. Well-pronounced latitudinal zoning in phytoplankton communities structure associated with changes in the hydrophysical and hydochemical conditions of the pelagic environmental was determined. The maximum species diversity was formed by diatoms, green and blue-green algae in the southern desalinated part of the estuary (<1 PSU) and by diatoms and dinoflagellates in the offshore areas. The highest algae abundance and biomass, 2.7–2.9 × 106 cell/L and 1.1–1.5 g/m3, respectively, were recorded in the inner desalinated part of the estuary, where freshwater diatoms of the genus Aulacoseira dominated. The distribution of freshwater algae northwards was bounded by the 12–15 PSU surface isohaline (74°20′ N). The most pronounced decline in phytoplankton abundance and biomass was found in the outer part of the estuary north of ~73° N. In the middle shelf to the north of the Yenisei estuary, the maximum abundance (up to 740 × 103 cell/L) and biomass (up to 240 mg/m3) of phytoplankton were recorded at the depths of 30–40 m with low illumination and high nutrient concentration, which was also typical of the Ob region in spring–summer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 6.
Fig. 7.
Fig. 8.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  1. E. G. Arashkevich, A. V. Drits, A. F. Pasternak, M. V. Flint, et al., “Distribution and feeding of herbivorous zooplankton in the Laptev Sea,” Oceanology (Engl. Transl.) 58, 381–395 (2018).

  2. K. V. Artamonova, S. A. Lapin, O. N. Luk’yanova, P. N. Makkaveev, and A. A. Polukhin, “The features of the hydrochemical regime in Ob inlet during the open water time,” Oceanology (Engl. Transl.) 53, 317–326 (2013).

  3. D. B. Babich, D. Yu. Bol’shiyanov, A. A. Zaitsev, et al., “Regional formation of estuarine-delta systems of the Arctic coast of Siberia,” in Estuarine-Delta Systems of Russia and China: Hydrological-Morphological Processes, Geomorphology, and Development (GEOS, Moscow, 2007), pp. 112–240.

  4. V. V. Gordeev, R. G. Dzhamalov, I. S. Zektser, et al., “Assessment of nutrient discharge with river and groundwater flow into marginal seas of the Russian Arctic regions,” Water Resour. 26, 206–211 (1999).

    Google Scholar 

  5. A. V. Drits, E. G. Arashkevich, A. A. Nedospasov, A. B. Amelina, and M. V. Flint, “Structural and functional characteristics of zooplankton in the Ob estuary and adjacent shelf areas of the Kara Sea in summer,” Oceanology (Engl. Transl.) 59, 347–357 (2019).

  6. A. G. Zatsepin, P. O. Zavialov, V. V. Kremenetskiy, et al., “The upper desalinated layer in the Kara Sea,” Oceanology (Engl. Transl.) 50, 657–667 (2010).

  7. M. D. Kravchishina, A. Yu. Lein, I. N. Sukhanova, et al., “Genesis and spatial distribution of suspended particulate matter concentrations in the Kara Sea during maximum reduction of the Arctic ice sheet,” Oceanology (Engl. Transl.) 55, 623–643 (2015).

  8. A. P. Lisitsyn, “A marginal filter of the oceans,” Oceanology (Engl. Transl.) 34, 671–682 (1994).

  9. P. R. Makarevich, Plankton Algocenosises of Estuarine Ecosystems (Nauka, Moscow, 2007) [in Russian].

    Google Scholar 

  10. P. N. Makkaveev, A. A. Polukhin, Yu. R. Nalbandov, and P. V. Khlebopashev, “Dynamics of biogenic elements in the Yenisei Bay during open water period,” Arkt.: Ekol. Ekon., No. 4 (36), 69–82 (2019). https://doi.org/10.25283/2223-4594-2019-4-69-82

  11. A. M. Nikanorov, V. A. Bryzgalo, L. S. Kosmenko, and A. O. Danilenko, Rivers of Continental Part of Russian Arctic (Southern Federal Univ., Rostov-on-Don, 2016) [in Russian].

    Google Scholar 

  12. P. A. Stunzhas and P. N. Makkaveev, “Volume of the Ob Bay waters as a factor of the formation of the hydrochemical inhomogeneity,” Oceanology (Engl. Transl.) 54, 583–595 (2014).

  13. I. N. Sukhanova, “Concentration of phytoplankton in a sample,” in Modern Methods of Quantitative Assessment of Distribution of Marine Plankton (Nauka, Moscow, 1983), pp. 97–105.

    Google Scholar 

  14. I. N. Sukhanova, M. V. Flint, E. Ju. Georgieva, et al., “The structure of phytoplankton communities in the eastern part of the Laptev Sea,” Oceanology (Engl. Transl.) 57, 75–90 (2017).

  15. I. N. Sukhanova, M. V. Flint, S. A. Mosharov, and V. M. Sergeeva, “Structure of the phytoplankton communities and primary production in the Ob River estuary and over the adjacent Kara Sea shelf,” Oceanology (Engl. Transl.) 50, 743–758 (2010).

  16. I. N. Sukhanova, M. V. Flint, E. G. Sakharova, et al., “Phytocenoses of the Ob estuary and Kara Sea shelf in the late spring season,” Oceanology (Engl. Transl.) 58, 802–816 (2018).

  17. I. N. Sukhanova, M. V. Flint, V. M. Sergeeva, et al., “Structure of phytoplankton communities in the Yenisei estuary and over the adjacent Kara Sea shelf,” Oceanology (Engl. Transl.) 55, 844–857 (2015).

  18. P. A. Stunzhas and P. N. Makkaveev, “Volume of the Ob Bay waters as a factor of the formation of the hydrochemical inhomogeneity,” Oceanology (Engl. Transl.) 54, 583–595 (2014).

  19. M. V. Flint, T. N. Semenova, E. G. Arashkevich, et al., “Structure of the zooplankton communities in the region of the Ob River’s estuarine frontal zone,” Oceanology (Engl. Transl.) 50, 766–779 (2010).

  20. A. B. Demidov, V. I. Gagarin, O. V. Vorobieva, et al., “Spatial and vertical variability of primary production in the Kara Sea in July and August 2016: the influence of the river plume and subsurface chlorophyll maxima,” Pol. Biol. 41 (3), 563–578 (2018).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. H. Deubel, M. Engel, I. Fetzer, et al., “The south Kara Sea ecosystem: phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthos communities influenced by river run-off,” in Siberian River Run-Off in the Kara Sea: Characterization, Quantification, Variability and Environmental Significance, Ed. by R. Stain, (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2003), pp. 237–266.

    Google Scholar 

  22. A. V. Drits, A. F. Pasternak, E. G. Arashkevich, et al., “Distribution and grazing of the dominant mesozooplankton species in the Yenisei estuary and adjacent shelf in early summer (July 2016),” Cont. Shelf Res. 201, 104–133 (2020).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. A. Drits, A. Pasternak, and M. Flint, “Distribution and grazing of dominant zooplankton species in the Ob estuary: influence of the runoff regime,” Estuaries Coasts 40, 1082–1095 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. D. K. Futterer and E. M. Galimov, “Siberian river run-off in the Kara Sea: characterization, quantification, variability and environmental significance,” in Siberian River Run-Off in the Kara Sea: Characterization, Quantification, Variability and Environmental Significance, Ed. by R. Stain, , (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2003), pp. 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  25. V. V. Gordeev, “River input of water, sediment, major ions, nutrients and trace metals from Russian territory to the Arctic Ocean,” in The Freshwater Budget of the Arctic Ocean, Ed. E. L. Lewis (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 2000), pp. 297–322.

    Google Scholar 

  26. V. V. Gordeev, J. M. Martin, M. V. Sidirov, et al., “A reassessment of the Eurasian river input of water, sediment, major elements, and nutrients to the Arctic Ocean,” Am. J. Sci. 296, 664–691 (1996).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. V. A. Volkov, O. M. Johannessen, V. E. Borodachev, et al., Polar Seas Oceanography: An Integrated Case Study of the Kara Sea (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 2002).

    Google Scholar 

  28. J. Le Fevre, “Aspects of the biology of frontal systems,” Adv. Mar. Biol. 23, 163–299 (1986).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. S. Menden-Deuer and E. J. Lessard, “Carbon to volume relationships for dinoflagellates, diatoms and other protist plankton,” Limnol. Oceanogr. 45 (3), 569–579 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Yu. I. Sorokin and P. Yu. Sorokin, “Plankton and primary production in the Lena river estuary and in the south-eastern Laptev Sea,” Estuarine, Coastal Shelf Sci. 43, 399–418 (1996).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. R. Stein, “Circum Arctic river discharge and its geological record,” Int. J. Earth Sci. 89, 447–449 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. R. R. Strathmann, “Estimating the organic carbon content of phytoplankton from cell volume, cell area or plasma volume,” Limnol. Oceanogr. 12 (3), 411–418 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. V. A. Volkov, O. M. Johannessen, V. E. Borodachev, et al., Polar Seas Oceanography: An Integrated Case Study of the Kara Sea (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 2002).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank A.B. Demidov for providing the data on the boundary of the photosynthetic layer, concentrations of chlorophyll and pheophytin and T.A. Kuzmichev for assistance in collecting and preparing phytoplankton samples. We would like to thank the anonymous reviewer for detailed analysis of the manuscript.

Funding

The study was conducted within a state task, topic no. 149-2019-0008. Processing of phytoplankton samples and computer analysis of the primary material were supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project no. 18-05-60069 Arctic. Hydrochemistry data were obtained with the support of the Russian Science Foundation, project no. 19-17-00196.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

    I. N. Sukhanova, M. V. Flint, P. N. Makkaveev & A. A. Nedospasov

  2. Papanin Institute for Biology of Inland Waters, Russian Academy of Sciences, Borok, Yaroslavl oblast, Russia

    E. G. Sakharova

  3. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Southern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 353470, Gelendzik, Russia

    A. V. Fedorov

Authors
  1. I. N. Sukhanova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. V. Flint
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. E. G. Sakharova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. V. Fedorov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. P. N. Makkaveev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. A. A. Nedospasov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. V. Flint.

Additional information

Translated by N. Ruban

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sukhanova, I.N., Flint, M.V., Sakharova, E.G. et al. Structure of Phytocenoses of the Yenisei Estuary and Adjacent Kara Sea Shelf in Late Spring. Oceanology 60, 748–764 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0001437020060107

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0001437020060107

Keywords:

Search

Navigation