Scientific Priorities As Perceived by the Black Sea Scientific Community
General Oceanography and Climate Change
Discussion of interannual-to-interdecadal variability of the Black Sea
meterological and oceanographic fields showed that regional changes are under
strong control of the global processes in the climatic system and
anthropogenic pressure.
The Following Problems Have Been Emphasized:
- Insufficiency of long-term deep sea and marine meteorologocal observations
- Absence of long-term strategy of monitoring and study of
the Black Sea climate change as one of the key elements of environmental
management
- Lack of knowledge on key physical and biogeochemical processes controlling
the Black Sea ecosystem state
- Lack of interface between decision makers and scientists
General Recommendations
- To promote an exchange of climatic and oceanographic data sets between
interested research teams from different countries, targeted among the other by
creating of unified data base
- To coordinate a long-term srategy of Black Sea observations and research
with an emphasise on compatibility of historical and current mesurements
- To integrate and assimilate biological, physical and chemical data into
interdisciplinary models
- To achieve these goals, a working group on Climate Change and Variability
under the umbrella of the BSC should be established
Physical Oceanography: Priority Research Area
- Physical processes responsible for horizontal and vertical mixing and
exchange between the shelf and deep basin
- Deep water circulation, thermohaline structure, diapycnal exchange: their
temporal and space variability
- Characteristics of heat, salt and water balance (exchange through the
straits, river runoff, precipitation and evaporation)
- Coastal dynamical processes including wind-wave propagation, transformation,
near shore circulation (as a factors affecting distribution of matter of
different origin), sediment resuspension, transportation and redistribution (as
a factor affecting the shore-line displacement in intra-decadal time scale)
Physical Oceanography: Observations and Monitoring.
- Developing of an autonomic observational sensor network based on satellite
tracked drifting buoys and Argo floating profilers for systematic measurements
of upper and deep layer currents, vertical and horizontal temperature, salinity
and density distributions
- Providing of long-time series of multidisciplinary measurements of currents,
temperature, salinity, turbidity, PAR, dissolved oxygen etc., based on autonomic
mooring buoys technology at fixed spots on the shelf, continental slope and in
the deep sea.
- implementing multidisciplinary observations on board of research vessels with
seasonal time-scale resolution (predominantly on fixed year-to-year transects
and polygons).
- Collecting, processing and analysis of satellite data (SST, SLA, chlorophyll
"a" etc.) and validation of these data on the base of in situ observations
Physical Oceanography: Modeling and Monitoring
- provide an inter-comparison of the existing physical and biochemical
ecosystem numerical models and validate them on the base of in situ
observations.
- apply validated coupled physical and biochemical ecosystem numerical models
for assembling continuous time series of the basic sea state parameters,
displaying their trends and changes
Hydrochemistry : Priority Research Area
- interaction of aerobic and anaerobic waters. The position and thickness of
the suboxic zone and possible changes of its position is permanenet field of
monitoring. Now the upper part of suboxic zone (it can be determined as
subaerobic zone, where the oxygen concentration 0 < O2 < 10 uM) becomes of the most important field of biochemical investigations in the Black Sea waters
- Hazardous substances in the northwestern shelf (NWS). The NWS collects more
than 80% of the fresh water input (Danuba, Dnieper, Dnister rivers inflow),
stemming to the Black Sea, and being contaminated by nutrients and pollutants.
The impact of it is possible fish mass mortality in summertime. No guarantee the
system will return to its pristine state
- Nutrient supply into the photic layer
- in the Black Sea the photic layer is isolated from deep waters by suboxic
layer where concentrations of main nitrogen species (NO3 and NH4) are close to
zero, distribution of phosphate also has minimum. Rivers are the main source of
nutrients to the north-west part of the BS. The pathways of riverine
nutrients and the supply of nutrients from sediments or deep see layers to the
photic layer should be specifically investigated over the whole Black Sea
- Deep waters of the Black Sea: the deep waters are renewed only with waters of
Marmara Sea through the Bosporus strait in way of so-called Bosporus plume. The
deep waters are not homogeneous but have some peculiarities at depth 400-600 m.
The following reasons are suggested: peculiarities of waters supplied by the
Bosporus plume and influence of subwater volcanoes. Volcanoes supply into water
reduced substances such as methane and might have significant importance for
relevant evaluation of methane quantity and distribution in the Black Sea.
investigation of the Bosporus plume, its general distribution in depth and
horizontally, change in time and variability in space could not be well
understood without thorough studies of its chemical parameters
Hydrochemistry:
- impovement of hydrochemical and hydrobiological monitoring of the
northwestern part of the Black Sea including shelf waters of Ukraine, Romania,
Bulgaria for the prediction of harmful events in the Black Sea
- Study of the suboxic zone using new technique and through international
cooperation
- investigation of the hydrological and hydrochemical parameters of the
Black Sea abyss
- control on eutrophication through integrated and adaptive management
Biology
- provide time-series observations in the affected zones of the Black Sea
- study impact of anthropogenic pressure on the ecosystem through relevant
environmental indicators
- specify the effect of extreme events on the ecosystem
- harmonization of biological data sampling and processing and unification of
data sets
indicators of Black Sea Climate Change
- While integral indicators (like fresh water and heat flux balance) are more
significant for climate change evaluation, still they cannot be estimated with a
reasonable errors. Therefore, we suggest the following measurable indicators
(easily available on regular basis) :
- Sea surface and sea air temperature
- Sea level pressure and wind field
- River discharges
- RiM current intensity (monitored at standard sections)
- Biophysical characteristics – their complex usage should become an important
part of strategy toward further development of the Black Sea ecological
monitoring Program
- Relationship between climate factors and small pelagic fish conditions (needs
further investigations)
- Threshold level of nitrification (recovery or decline of ecosystem, needs
further investigations)
Biodiveristy
- investigations on structural and functional biodiversity of the Black Sea
ecosystem.investigations in the field of systematics and taxonomy of BS
hydrobionts. Organize publication of up –to-date guide-book(s) for
identification of BS species
- Promotion of integrated monitoring based on correlation between environmental
factors / quality and state of marine habitats, biodiversity and living
resources
- Renew neuston investigations for additional confirmation of the BS ecosystem
recovery. Targeted scientific expeditions to the open BS areas
- Strengthening of institutional capacity in the field of marine biodiversity
in the Black Sea region
- Work out criteria and methodology of BS landscape identification and mapping
- identification of Reference conditions for the major Black Sea habitats
- Methodological development in the field of taxonomic competence (training of
research personnel is crucial for data quality and data compatability at the
regional level)
- Creation of taxonomic collections for training and verification purposes
- Assessment of all identified species by common agreed criteria (e.g. iUCN)
for their assigning to certain conservation status
- Studies on effects of hydrotechnical works and dredging on marine
biodiversity, e.g. Cystoseira and Zostera populations, in neighboring habitats
- Maintenance of the Marine Reserve 2 Mai – Varna Veche at the southern
Romanian coast and its extention across the Bulgarian boarder for biodiversity
conservation development in both EU accessing countries.
- implementation of the Pan-Europian Ecological Network (PEEN) principles for
protected marine areas, management of protected marine areas and sustainable use
of marine living resources
- incorporation of PEEN into national iCZM legislations and its implementation
through cooperation of civil societies interested in nature protection
- Development, testing and validation of relevant ecological state indicators,
specific for particular pressures. Support in deriving information on
photosynthetic parameters as indicators of the Black Sea ecosystem state
- Studies on sensitivity and opportunistic character of Black Sea
benthic species
- Studies on the role of bacteria in the pelagic food web
Marine Living Resources
- Elaboration at Black Sea regional level of common methodology for
assessments of pelagic and demersal fish stocks and for their populations
analyses; trainings and inter-calibration exercises
- Development of specific management objectives and indicators for
measuring the health of Black Sea living resources; their testing in the
annual reporting system to the Black Sea Commission
- Assessment methodologies for habitats states and procedures for
establishing of “fishing free zones”
1. Operational issues
- Creation of regional network of centres of excellence with respect to
fisheries and aquaculture, marine living resources habitats and biodiversity
- Strengthening of operational capacity of national specialised scientific
research units through improvement of methodologies and equipments,
development of informational systems, training and mobility of personnel,
etc.
- Agreement at the regional level of extended list of indicators for
marine living resources habitats, key species and fisheries
activities; establishing of corresponding parameters to be collected during
fisheries monitoring
- Development of fisheries informational system through: compilation of
historical and present data and information, creation of a system for
facilitating access to the publications at the national level and creation
of a regional scientific – technical publication containing: relevant
reprints of national publications, documents issued by the AG FOMLR,
representative papers delivered at Scientific Conferences, international
projects, etc.
- Evaluation of the scientific and technical implications of European
common Policies and European marine strategy implementation in the Black Sea
region; development of common platform for cooperation with GFCM, iCES,
ACCOBAMS, etc.
- Creation of inventory of habitats and sites of regional importance (for
the Black Sea living resources and marine mammals)
- Organization of regular annual assessment of Black Sea fish stocks by
specialized operational group
2. Thematic issues
- Developing of more extended spatial research on macrophytobenthos state;
structural and functional role of marine living resources habitats
- Temporal and spatial monitoring of environmental conditions,
identification of those favourable for marine living resources
- Studies on fish stock peculiarities based on biochemical markers and
genomic analysis
Black Sea Cetaceans:
Basin-wide cetaceans survey is urgently needed
- The impact of sound generated by oil & gas exploration was discussed. it
was advised to have special focus on the impact of oil-gas exploration
activities on the cetacean populations. information about the influence of
military sonars on the cetaceans is not available and was not considered as
important impacting factor in the Black Sea
- identify areas that contain cetacean critical habitat; (b) assess the
presence of specific threats to those habitats, and whether the
establishment of an MPA could address such threats effectively; (c)
designate the area and include specific mitigation activities in management
plan. it was agreed that in the imminence of performing a basin-wide
cetacean survey (see Action 13, below), it would be sensible to wait
for the results of the survey before a comprehensive set of proposals for
MPAs could be made
- There was no doubt among participants that regular research and
monitoring activities that will provide essential information about the
numbers and distribution of cetaceans in the Black Sea are of highest
priority. Such activities will also provide a good opportunity for non
member countries to ACCOBAMS to be involved in the regional processes.
Everybody agreed on the ranking of this action as high priority
Black Sea Radioactivity and Radiotracer Applications: Priorities for Future
Work
Radioecology
- Coordinated radiological monitoring in seawater, beach deposits and
biota (indicators), with methodological and data QA/QC support, in a
harmonised way integrated into BSC monitoring programme
- Studies on impact of Radionuclide Fluxes at transition zones of
river-sea interface (Danube, Dnipro, Coruh)
- Defining some sensitive “Hotspot” coastal areas for complex
multidisciplinary case-studies (e.g. Sevastopol Bay for non-radioactive
contaminants, Caucasus for Chernobyl-origin radionuclides)
- Fluxes of radionuclides and other contaminants between the Black Sea and
the Mediterranean Sea through Bosphorus and Dardanelle straits and between
the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov through the Kerch strait
Radiotracers Application in interdisciplinary Study
- Quantification of mass exchange between different key compartments of
the Black Sea ecosystems based on experimental work with radiotracers
technique (proxy for pollutants and nutrients transport), including
atmospheric component
- Radiotracers application for Geochronological reconstruction of
long-term trends in eutrophication, pollution and structural changes in the
key environments of the Black Sea e.g. caused by climatic changes
- Study of anthropogenic and recent climate change impact on environmental
changes in the Black Sea on the background of historical reference climatic
conditions (reconstucted from perfectly preserved records in deep-sea
sediments)
- Using radionuclides (3H, 90Sr, 137Cs, 226Ra, 228Ra etc) as tracers in
investigations of water exchange and mixing
Marine Living Resources
- Assessment of the combined effects of radioactive and non-radioactive
contaminants (radiotoxicological) on sensitive biota species, mapping the
environmental impact and risk zones in the Black Sea using equidosimetric
criteria
- Primary and secondary production - working tools for assessment of
ecological state of the Black Sea ecosystem in the context of its recovery
- Development of sampling criteria, data interpretation and
quantative characterisation of factors controlling Po-210 concentrations, as
main dose contributor, in biota (mussels as indicator species)
Essential Organizational Measures
- Workshops and Seminars
- intercomparison exercises
- Benchmarking laboratory performance
- Regular (at least each 5 year) international cruises with basin-wide
scale survey program
