The Black Sea
443
no protective measures are taken, the complete extinction of the remaining Cystoseira barbata cannot be avoided.
The conspicuous recent decline of the Cystoseira biomass along the
Romanian and other coasts of the Black Sea, will necessarily have consequences for the associated flora and fauna. The Cystoseira belt provides
an ideal substrate and habitat for numerous photophileous and
sciaphileous algal species. In the Black Sea the following four associations have been distinguished of which the first two have been described for the Romanian coasts:
1. The Cystoseira barbata - Ulva rigida association; polydominant, multiannual, mesosaprobic, optimum abundance depth 1 to 3 m, maximal
93 macro algal species.
2. The Cystoseira crinita - C. barbata - Cladostephus verticillatusCorallina mediterranea association; polydominant, multi annual,
oligosaprobic, optimum depth between 1-10 m; up to 120 species.
3. The Cystoseira barbata - C. crinita - Dilophus fasciola association;
oligodominant, multiannual, oligosaprobic, optimum depth 1-3 m;
up to 60 species can be found in this association.
4. Cystoseira barbata - Phyllophora nervosa-Cladophora- dalmatica; a
polydominant, multiannual, oligosaprobic phytocoenosis; optimum
growth-depth ranging between 12-15 m; there is a maximum of 68
species.
In recent years, the Cystoseira - Ulva rigida association (1) has been
found only in some limited areas, far away from eutrophication or pollution (Fig. 19.2).
Among the most abundant species associated with Cystoseira were the
red algae Laurencia pinnatifida, L. coronopus, L. obtusa, Polysiphonia
subulifera, P. opaca, Dasya pedicellata, Chondria tenuissima, Gracilaria
verrucosa, Dermatolithon cystoseirae, and the brown algae Sphacelaria
cirrhosa, Cladostephus verticillatus, Corynophlaea umbellata, Feldmannia
irregularis, Stilophora rhizoides.
The decreasing number of species recorded in Romanian waters is a
warning signal for the deterioration of nearshore waters as a result of
human impact Whereas Kalughina-Gutnik (1975) in a comprehensive
monograph on macroscopic algae of the Black Sea listed 101 species for
the Romanian coasts from papers published between 1908 -1968, Skolka
(1969) identified only 77 macro algal species between Cape Midia and
Varna Veche (Table 19.6). During a survey of the biomass and productivity in 1972-1981, only 69 seaweeds were found (Vasiliu 1984).
The substratum between 0.5-6.5 m depth, formerly inhabited by the
Cystoseira associations, is now occupied by a diversity of other
443
no protective measures are taken, the complete extinction of the remaining Cystoseira barbata cannot be avoided.
The conspicuous recent decline of the Cystoseira biomass along the
Romanian and other coasts of the Black Sea, will necessarily have consequences for the associated flora and fauna. The Cystoseira belt provides
an ideal substrate and habitat for numerous photophileous and
sciaphileous algal species. In the Black Sea the following four associations have been distinguished of which the first two have been described for the Romanian coasts:
1. The Cystoseira barbata - Ulva rigida association; polydominant, multiannual, mesosaprobic, optimum abundance depth 1 to 3 m, maximal
93 macro algal species.
2. The Cystoseira crinita - C. barbata - Cladostephus verticillatusCorallina mediterranea association; polydominant, multi annual,
oligosaprobic, optimum depth between 1-10 m; up to 120 species.
3. The Cystoseira barbata - C. crinita - Dilophus fasciola association;
oligodominant, multiannual, oligosaprobic, optimum depth 1-3 m;
up to 60 species can be found in this association.
4. Cystoseira barbata - Phyllophora nervosa-Cladophora- dalmatica; a
polydominant, multiannual, oligosaprobic phytocoenosis; optimum
growth-depth ranging between 12-15 m; there is a maximum of 68
species.
In recent years, the Cystoseira - Ulva rigida association (1) has been
found only in some limited areas, far away from eutrophication or pollution (Fig. 19.2).
Among the most abundant species associated with Cystoseira were the
red algae Laurencia pinnatifida, L. coronopus, L. obtusa, Polysiphonia
subulifera, P. opaca, Dasya pedicellata, Chondria tenuissima, Gracilaria
verrucosa, Dermatolithon cystoseirae, and the brown algae Sphacelaria
cirrhosa, Cladostephus verticillatus, Corynophlaea umbellata, Feldmannia
irregularis, Stilophora rhizoides.
The decreasing number of species recorded in Romanian waters is a
warning signal for the deterioration of nearshore waters as a result of
human impact Whereas Kalughina-Gutnik (1975) in a comprehensive
monograph on macroscopic algae of the Black Sea listed 101 species for
the Romanian coasts from papers published between 1908 -1968, Skolka
(1969) identified only 77 macro algal species between Cape Midia and
Varna Veche (Table 19.6). During a survey of the biomass and productivity in 1972-1981, only 69 seaweeds were found (Vasiliu 1984).
The substratum between 0.5-6.5 m depth, formerly inhabited by the
Cystoseira associations, is now occupied by a diversity of other