Elena V. Anufriieva

Current Invasions of Asian Cyclopid Species (Copepoda: Cyclopidae) in Crimea, with Taxonomical and Zoogeographical Remarks on the Hypersaline and Freshwater Fauna

Abstract. The Crimean Peninsula holds a large number of hypersaline water bodies. Our studies focused on these poorly investigated habitats, and included few brackish and freshwater ponds. Seventeen species were identified, of which only 4(5) were collected from hypersaline waters sometimes with extremely high salinities (Acanthocyclops sp. copepodid, 210 ppt; Eucyclops sp. copepodid, 150 ppt; Diacyclops bisetosus and Cyclops furcifer, 140–150 ppt). We also report on the occurrence of three alien thermophilic species (Eucyclops roseus Ishida, 1997, Mesocyclops isabellae Dussart et Fernando, 1988, and Mesocyclops pehpeiensis Hu, 1943) from the brackish and fresh waters of Crimea. Morphological descriptions, illustrations of the diagnostic characters and comments on relevant taxonomic issues are supplemented with discussion of the putative ways of dispersal of the alien copepods to Crimea. We provisionally reinstate Eucyclops roseus, regarded by others as a subspecies of E. agiloides (G. O. Sars, 1909), and retain the name Acanthocyclops trajani Mirabdullayev et Defaye, 2002 which was recently synonymized with A. americanus (Marsh, 1893) here considered a nomen dubium. Species accumulation curves based on our and literature data showed that significantly larger sampling efforts could yield a total of 6–8 species in the hypersaline waters and 47–50 species in all types of continental waters of Crimea.

Do copepods inhabit hypersaline waters worldwide? A short review and discussion

A small number of copepod species have adapted to an existence in the extreme habitat of hypersaline water. 13 copepod species have been recorded in the hypersaline waters of Crimea (the largest peninsula in the Black Sea with over 50 hypersaline lakes). Summarizing our own and literature data, the author concludes that the Crimean extreme environment is not an exception: copepod species dwell in hypersaline waters worldwide. There are at least 26 copepod species around the world living at salinity above 100; among them 12 species are found at salinity higher than 200. In the Crimea Cletocamptus retrogressus is found at salinity 360×10-3 (with a density of 1 320 individuals/m3) and Arctodiaptomus salinus at salinity 300×10-3 (with a density of 343 individuals/m3). Those species are probably the most halotolerant copepod species in the world. High halotolerance of osmoconforming copepods may be explained by exoosmolyte consumption, mainly with food. High tolerance to many factors in adults, availability of resting stages, and an opportunity of long-distance transportation of resting stages by birds and/or winds are responsible for the wide geographic distribution of these halophilic copepods.

Does salinity change determine zooplankton variability in the saline Qarun Lake (Egypt)

Zooplankton and 14 abiotic variables were studied during August 2011 at 10 stations in Lake Qarun, Egypt. Stations with the lowest salinity and highest nutrient concentrations and turbidity were close to the discharge of waters from the El-Bats and El-Wadi drainage systems. A total of 15 holozooplankton species were identified. The salinity in Lake Qarun increased and fluctuated since 1901: 12 g/L in 1901; 8.5 g/L in 1905; 12.0 g/L in 1922; 30.0 g/L in 1985; 38.7 g/L in 1994; 35.3 g/L in 2006, and 33.4 g/L in 2011. The mean concentration of nutrients (nitrate, nitrite and orthophosphate) gradually increased from 35, 0.16 and 0.38 µg/L, respectively, in 1953–1955 to 113, 16.4, and 30.26 µg/L in 2011. From 1999–2003 some decrease of species diversity occurred. Average total zooplankton density was 30 000 ind./m3 in 1974–1977; 356 125 ind./m3 in 1989; 534 000 ind./m3 in 1994–1995; from 965 000 to 1 452 000 ind./m3 in 2006, and 595 000 ind./m3 in 2011. A range of long-term summer salinity variability during the last decades was very similar to a range of salinity spatial variability in summer 2011. There is no significant correlation between zooplankton abundance and salinity in spatial and long-term changes. We conclude that salinity fluctuations since at least 1955 did not directly drive the changes of composition and abundance of zooplankton in the lake. A marine community had formed in the lake, and it continues to change. One of the main drivers of this change is a regular introduction and a pressure of alien species on the existent community. Eutrophication also plays an important role. The introduction of Mnemiopsis leidyi, first reported in 2014, may lead to a start of a new stage of the biotic changes in Lake Qarun, when eutrophication and the population dynamics of this ctenophore will be main drivers of the ecosystem change.

Dormant stages of crustaceans as a mechanism of propagation in the extreme and unpredictable environment in the Crimean hypersaline lakes

A pool of dormant stages of planktonic organisms in saline lakes is a substantial component in the plankton communities; we need to take it into account to understand plankton dynamics. Hypersaline water bodies in Crimea, the largest peninsula in the Black Sea, constitute a very characteristic and peculiar habitat type in the region. We examined the presence of crustacean resting stages in sediments of dried up sites of the Crimean hypersaline lakes. Sediment samples were taken in 9 different lakes. Experiments performed on the hatching of these resting stages showed the presence of Moina salina (Cladocera), parthenogenetic Artemia and Artemia urmiana (Anostraca), Eucypris mareotica (inflata) (Ostracoda), and Cletocamptus retrogressus (Harpacticoida). Comparing the experimental results obtained with clean dried brine shrimp cysts and those kept in sediment samples, it was noted that clean cysts hatched much faster than those from sediments did. Some components in bottom sediments slow down and desynchronize hatching from resting eggs in different groups of crustaceans. The sediments of different lakes inhibited the nauplii output from Artemia and ostracod resting eggs to different degrees. More data are needed before we can discuss the reasons of this inhibition. The nonsynchronous output of active stages from the bottom resting ones may be an adaptation that allows crustacean species to exist in extreme and unpredictably changing environments, avoiding the risk that all may emerge at once under unsuitable conditions.

Resting Stages of Crustaceans in the Crimean Hypersaline Lakes (Ukraine) and Their Ecological Role

1 Introduction A presence of resting stages in various aquatic organisms is a long-known phenomenon as a mechanism of species adaptation to exist in unstable aquatic habitats,surviving adverse conditions in thesleepingstate(Radzikowski,2013).Bank of resting stages of planktonic organisms is an important component of the plankton community,without which we cannot understand community dynamics(Brendonck and De Meester,2003).

Intentional introduction of Artemia sinica (Anostraca) in the high-altitude Tibetan lake Dangxiong Co: the new population and consequences for the environment and for humans

The imbalance between supply and demand of Artemia cysts in China and around the world is increasing now. Salt lakes in Tibet may contribute to the solution of the problem. In Northern Tibet there are 26 saline lakes whose salinity and temperature may support Artemia survival at an altitude of 4 000–5 100 m. We found Artemia in 15 of these lakes. The saline lakes with Artemia populations mainly belong to the shallow basin lakes, and the majority of these lakes are small in area. The total area of lakes without Artemia is more than 1 000 km2. Lake Dangxiong Co (Co means lake in Tibet) was chosen for the intentional introduction of Artemia sinica. In 2004, 850 g of A. sinica cysts, originating from Qinghai, were introduced in the lake. Surveys in 2006–2014 showed that the average abundance of Artemia adults in the lake gradually increased from 20 ind./m3 in 2006 to 1950 ind./m3 in 2013. We assume that two subpopulations of A. sinica, separated by depth, may exist in the lake. The new Artemia population caused an increase in the number of species of phytoplankton and heterotrophic protozoa with a decrease of their total abundance. Water transparency also increased. Dominance in phytoplankton passed from cyanobacteria to diatoms. Changes occurred not only in the lake ecosystem; the number of water birds using the lakes also dramatically increased. Preliminary calculations showed that is it possible to harvest at least about 150 t cysts per year from the lake as well as 3.2 thousand tons of frozen or 350 t of dried biomass of adult Artemia.

Transformation of Gulf Sivash (the Sea of Azov) in Conditions of Growing Salinity: Changes of Meiobenthos and Other Ecosystem Components (2013-2015)

Nickolai V. Shadrinа,*, Nelli G. Sergeevaа, Aleksandr A. Latushkinb, Еlena А. Kolesnikovaа, Laura M. Kipriyanovac, Elena V. Anufriievaа and Anna A. Chepyzhenkob aA.O. Kovalevsky Institute of Marine Biological Research RAS 2 Nakhimov, Sevastopol, 299011, Russia bMarine Hydrophysical Institute RAS 2 Kapitanskaya Str., Sevastopol, 299011, Russia cInstitute for Water and Environmental Problems SB RAS 2 Morskoy, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia

Factors determining the average body size of geographically separated Arctodiaptomus salinus (Daday, 1885) populations

Arctodiaptomus salinus inhabits water bodies across Eurasia and North Africa. Based on our own data and that from the literature, we analyzed the influences of several factors on the intra- and inter-population variability of this species. A strong negative linear correlation between temperature and average body size in the Crimean and African populations was found, in which the parameters might be influenced by salinity. Meanwhile, a significant negative correlation between female body size and the altitude of habitats was found by comparing body size in populations from different regions. Individuals from environments with highly varying abiotic parameters, e.g. temporary reservoirs, had a larger body size than individuals from permanent water bodies. The changes in average body mass in populations were at 11.4 times, whereas, those in individual metabolic activities were at 6.2 times. Moreover, two size groups of A. salinus in the Crimean and the Siberian lakes were observed. The ratio of female length to male length fluctuated between 1.02 and 1.30. The average size of A. salinus in populations and its variations were determined by both genetic and environmental factors. However, the parities of these factors were unequal in either spatial or temporal scales.

Copepods in Hypersaline Waters Worldwide: Diversity, Environmental, Social, and Economic Roles

1 Introduction Copepods are a group of small crustaceans,which play an important ecological role in aquatic ecosystems.They occupy different ecological niches in aquatic food webs,contributes to biogenic element cycles,and transfer of organic matter from primary producers to higher secondary consumers.Copepods also have the potential to

Cyclopoida in Hypersaline Waters of the Crimea and the World: Diversity, the Impact of Environmental Factors, Ecological Role

Summarizing authors’ own results and literature data, a brief overview of the Cyclopoida species in hypersaline waters of the Crimea and the world was done. In total, 28 species of cyclops in these extreme conditions were found. Twice representatives of these copepods were observed at salinity up to 300 g/L. The frequency of cyclops occurrence depends on salinity. It was found that the salinity up to 120-150 g/L is not the main factor affecting the presence and abundance of cyclops in water bodies, the more important factors – the level of phytoplankton development and the concentration of osmolytes in its biomass.