Seasonal dynamics and interannual variability in abundance of the non-indigenous calanoid copepod Pseudodiaptomus marinus Sato, 2013 in the Sevastopol Bay and its distribution in adjacent waters
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Abstract
Seasonal dynamics and interannual variability in abundance of the new non-indigenous calanoid copepod Pseudodiaptomus marinus Sato, 2013 were analyzed in Sevastopol Bay [Black Sea) from 2016, when the species initially appeared in plankton, to 2020. The study was based on long-term routine observations of zooplankton in Sevastopol Bay and adjacent waters. The species was not found in the bay in the first half of the year, and single individuals appeared in June, the pick was reached in October-November. The maximum of abundance during the study period (7773 ind. m-3) was recorded in October 2020. This is one of the highest concentrations of P. marinus in the Mediterranean basin. It was shown that at night, the abundance of the invader in the bay plankton is significantly higher than during the day, when the most of the population is at the bottom. The species was first discovered outside the bay in 2020. The biological features of the species that contributed to its widespread distribution in the World Ocean are discussed.