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Ecological Database Covering the Eastern Gulf of
Finland, Neva Bay, Neva River Waterway and Catchment Area
For several years the Laboratory of Mathematical Modelling of Evolution at the
Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry has been involved in
creating an ecological database for the Gulf of Finland and aquatories of North-West
Russia. This unique ecological database is being prepared in Excel format for IBM
compatible computers.
The database contains data of monitoring for the eastern part of
the Gulf of Finland, the Neva Bay, the Neva River and its catchment area (including the
Ladoga and Onega lakes) and some other territories of North-West Russia. The database
represents information collected from more than 140 stations between 1981 and 1991 in
spring, summer, autumn and winter when possible, i.e. as a rule with four points per year
per station. This data has been systematized in two parts.
The first part includes some information about phyto- and zooplankton as well as macro-
and meiobenthos. There are taxonomic composition (species list and one of taxa of higher
level), total density and biomass, production characters. Moreover, there are depth of
sampling, water depth, water temperature, texture of ground and saprobic coeffici- ents at
each station. The second part contains data on the main hydro- logical and hydrochemical
characteristics e.g. concentrations of oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as
pollutants (in particilar, oil and phenols). Finnaly, there are more than 30 different
parameters for each of about 130 stations in the Gulf of Finland.
The examination of database information can give quite interesting results - see our publications about the database. For example, analysis of
phytoplankton production for the 7 main groups (Cyanophyta, Diatomeae, Clorophyta,
Chrysophyta, Pyrophyta [Di- nophyceae + Cryptophyceae], Xanthophyta, Euglenophyta) between
1981-1989 has shown an alarming tendency to increasing relative density of Cyanophyta,
especially in the Neva Bay in particular after construction of the first section of the
Leningrad Dam in 1985 - 1986. In observing data from the Gulf of Finland, or Lake Ladoga,
we notice known phenomenon that, for each moment in time, there exists a mozaic structure.
In some parts of the survey area Cyanophyta dominate, in other parts Diatomeae dominate.
As a rule, the area where neither group dominates is relatively rather small. The
planktonic population ratio Cyanophyta / ("Diatomeae" + " Other planktonic
groups") depends on local conditions, the season and other factors, but does not, in
general, depend on either water flow or wind. Some additional information is given below
by small font.
It is possible to picture total density data summarising either period of time for each
used station- see our publication for Baltic Floating
University (BFU) bulletine. It is conveniently to give the relative densities for
Cyanophyta, Diatomeae and all other planctonic groups drawing them by separated fragments
of some vertical line which has the full length of 100 percents. Then the length of the
lower (for example) segment shall show the percent of total density for Cyanophyta, of the
middle segment -- the same for Diatomeae and at last the length of the upper segment shall
give the relative density by percent for other planktonic groups. If to put together all
those lines of each station on some graph picture by the such way that every horisontal
point presents the either station then we can get three graphs of relative total density
for the every of above planktonic groups. The lower graph shows the relative density of
Cyanophyta and it is more conveniently for much applications to sort out the data so, when
this graph to be grown. The discribed graph picture which shows the relative total
densities of planktonic groups as a function of number of station gives the possibility to
measure the following areas: between the curve of Cyanophyta and abscissa, between the
curve of Diatomeae and curve of Cyanophyta and between line of 100 percent and curve of
Diatomeae in order to estimate the contributions of the every groups. It is clear that
proper, suitable areas can be used to characterize the ratio
"Cyanophyta"/("Diatomeae" + "Other planktonic groups"). We
suggest that these areas can also show the ecological conditions of the such big water
ecosystems, as the Gulf of Finland.
Taking into a consideration that the known succcession cycle of periodical changing
Cyanophyta on other groups (Diatomea at first) and back exists into every local part of
water ecosystem always it can say that the increasing of above ratio shows the
prolongation of succession phase for Cyanophyta in the scale of all the Gulf of Finland.
Just the such phenomenon was noticed for the time period between 1981-1989 on the basis of
analysis of database data. All this demonstrates the increasing of euthrophication of the
Gulf of Finland for the last years.
The database is developed, new data concerning hydrological and
hydrochemical characteristicsis as well as new parts of aquatories and time periods is
being added to it. Information about this database has been presented at several
international Baltic conferences. Some database files is given
in our server.
Contact address:
V.Levchenko, D.Slavynsky. I.M.
Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Toreza av. 44, St.Petersburg, 194223 Russia.
Fax/phone: + 7 (812) 5523219,
E-mail: dslav@iephb.nw.ru , lew@iephb.nw.ru
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