PROTISTS (CILIOPHORA, GROMIIDA, FORAMINIFERA) IN THE BLACK SEA MEIOBENTHIC COMMUNITIES

Protists (Ciliophora, Gromiida, Foraminifera) in the Black Sea meiobenthic communities

Nelli G. Sergeeva, Derya Ürkmez, Igor V. Dovgal, Murat Sezgin

Institute of Marine Biological Research of Russian Academy of Sciences, 2, Nakhimov ave., Sevastopol, 299011, RUSSIA
Scientific and Technological Research and Application Center, Sinop University, Sinop, TURKEY
Department of Hydrobiology, Faculty of Fisheries, Sinop University, Sinop, TURKEY

Abstract

The aim of this work is to present a view on eukaryotic life under oxic and permanent anoxic conditions associated with hydrogen sulfide in bottom sediments of the Black Sea with emphasis on unicellular eukaryotes (protists). It was shown that benthic Ciliophora, Gromiida and Foraminifera are present at all studied depths. Thus, obtained results showed that benthic protists are the constant and integral components of the meiobenthic communities under varying conditions of the Black Sea. Unevenness has been detected in spatial and bathymetric distribution of the protozoans and metazoans. The contribution of benthic protists to meiobenthos at different parts of the Black Sea under conditions ranging from normoxia to anoxia enriched with hydrogen sulfide (to the 300 m water depth) was investigated in the present study.

Keywords: Hard-shelled foraminifera, soft-shelled foraminifera, Gromiida, Ciliophora, meiobenthos, abundance

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