Macrophytocenoses as biogeochemical barriers to hypereutrophication of waters by mineral phosphorus in the waters of the south-western Crimea
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Abstract
The purpose of the work was to study the features of mineral phosphorus concentration by brown algae Cystoseira crinita and Cystoseira barbata listed in the Red Book of the Black Sea and to assess the role of macrophytobenthos of the coastal ecosystem of southwestern Crimea in the creation of biogeochemical barriers that regulate the competitive relations of producers for biogenic elements. According to the new nomenclature of the Sargassaceae Kütz family, these algae species are part of the ericaria phytocenosis Ericaria crinita + Gongolaria barbata – Cladostephus spongiosus – Ellisolandia elongata (Ericaria Sp.), which accumulate mineral phosphorus to levels of 170.0–377.1 mg·kg−1, or an average of 224.7 ± 55.7 mg·kg−1 wet weight with accumulation factors of 15454–92244 or an average of 35300 ± 27800 units. In general, brown algae of coastal biotopes absorb and retain over 80% of the volume of mineral phosphorus forms contained in the aquatic environment, and daily return to the aquatic environment only up to 16% of its maximum absorbed flux, which is a significant factor in conditioning the biogenic composition of waters.