A Decade of Observations of Intertidal Benthic Communities at the Water Area of Vitino Specialized Marine Oil Port (Northern Part of Kandalaksha Bay, White Sea): A Methodological View

Abstract

Studies of the intertidal benthos of the water area of the Vitino Specialized Marine Oil Port using typical hydrobiological methods were carried out for more than ten years. From the analysis of the structure of intertidal communities using different mathematical methods, a quasi-cyclic dynamics of their biomasses was found. The dynamics of the main features of the intertidal blue mussel bed was found at one particular sampling site. In addition, some analytical approaches to the expert assessments of the state of sea floor ecosystem are discussed specifically regarding the diagnostics of the anthropogenic influence. It was shown that a single sampling cannot serve as reliable assessment due to permanent quasi-cyclic processes taking place in the intertidal communities, and the applied methods based on a sampling taking into account the shifting alongside K-, r-axis should be used only with great precaution. Long-term monitoring is needed to make the proper conclusions. The number of samplings at each station should be set in a way that can help outweigh the aggregated distribution of particular species.