BOTTOM NATURAL COMPLEXS OF Kruglaya Bay (BLACK SEA, SEVASTOPOL)
The application of a landscape approach acquiring scientific and practical significance in marine research is being widely discussed nowadays. It involves an integrated study of natural systems, which then allows the development of scientific and methodological recommendations on environmental and coastal zone management. Accumulated knowledge about Black Sea underwater landscapes is scarce especially in the coastal zone of the Crimean peninsula. This specific zone is being characterized by the considerable diversity of species, unique habitats, and a high degree of preservation of water areas. Subaqual researches of the Kruglaya Bay were being held during the summer of 2018, by applying the scientific method of detailed study of key bottom areas alongside landscape profiling. For the first time, the landscape profiles for five transects were drawn up for the coastal zone of the bay. As a part of research nine BNC were identified and a landscape map was compiled. The landscape structure of the Kruglaya Bay can be characterized with 9 types of BNC. The formation of the landscape structure is influenced by the lithological composition of bottom sediments, the nature and dynamics of the alongshore sediment flows, which are directly related to the geological and geomorphological structure of the coastal zone. The diversity of the geological-geomorphological structure influenced by hydrodynamic conditions of the bay caused in a variety of macrophyte communities, where both seagrass and seaweeds are represented. It was revealed that the water area adjacent to the exit capes of the bay is characterized by abrasion and abrasion-accumulative BNC on submarine slopes composed with rocky-psephite gravel alongside predominance of Cystoseira sр. There are typical accumulative and abrasion-accumulative BNC of weakly inclined planes dominated by seagrass in the central and estuary parts of the bay. In the landscape structure of the Kruglaya Bay, BNC was identified with the participation of key macrophyte species: Cystoseira and Zoster a. Those BNC have special protection status due to scientific and conservation value. For the preservation of landscape and biological diversity, it was proposed to include the Kruglaya Bay into the network of promising marine conservation areas, which will optimize the ecological network of the Sevastopol city. The application of the landscape approach in marine research makes it possible to reflect the regional patterns of BNC spatial distribution. Such methodological approach is the key step to identify priority areas for conservation and as a result, formation of an ecological network of marine protected areas.