Scientific publications

In this work, we analyzed the human impact on the zooplankton community in Blagopoluchiya Bay (Bolshoy Solovetsky Island, Solovetsky Archipelago). Samples of mesozooplankton were collected, and water temperature, salinity, chlorophyll a, and total phosphorus concentrations were measured in June 2025 and in August 2024 and 2025 at 5 sites at different distances from the top of the bay. A decrease in the total abundance of zooplankton toward the bay top was revealed. A particularly sharp decline was recorded in August in 2024 and 2025 at the site located in close proximity to the outfall of wastewater from the Solovetsky settlement into the bay. The total phosphorus concentration at this site was significantly (by an order of magnitude) higher than in the neighboring sampling points. Thus, the most likely reason for the decrease in zooplankton abundance in the inner part of Blagopoluchiya Bay is anthropogenic pollution. In addition, the alien species Eurytemora americana was found in the inner bay. The species reaches high abundances in the summer (up to 18,000 ind./m3), which suggests it may have great potential to colonize brackish coastal areas of the White Sea.