Editing Sea of Azov (section)

==Flora and fauna==
Historically, the sea has had rich marine life, both in variety, with over 80 fish and 300 invertebrate species identified, and in numbers. Consequently, fishing has long been a major activity in the area. The annual catch of recent years was 300,000 tonnes, about half of which are valuable species (sturgeon, [[Sander (genus)|pike-perch]], [[bream]], [[Black Sea roach|sea-roach]], etc.).<ref name=k76/> This was partly due to extremely high biological productivity of the sea, which was stimulated by the strong supply of nutrients from numerous rivers feeding the sea, low water salinity, ample heating due to shallow waters and long vegetation period. However, diversity and numbers have been reduced by artificial reduction of river flow (construction of dams), over-fishing and water-intense large-scale cultivation of cotton, causing increasing levels of [[pollution]]. Fish hauls have rapidly decreased and in particular [[anchovy]] fisheries have collapsed.<ref name=k65>Kostianoy, p. 65</ref><ref name=k76/><ref name=k86>Kostianoy, p. 86</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?11262/Alien-invaders-in-our-seas|title=Alien invaders in our seas|last=Battle|first=Jessica Lindström|date=14 February 2004|website=[[World Wide Fund for Nature|WWF Global]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140705105841/http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?11262%2FAlien-invaders-in-our-seas|archive-date=5 July 2014|url-status=live}}<!-- originalurl=http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/features/?11262/Alien-invaders-in-our-seas --></ref>

===Plankton and benthos===
[[File:Green algae.jpg|thumb|[[Green algae]] (and other plankton species) are mostly responsible for the colour of the Sea of Azov waters.]]
Because of the shallow waters, the development of aquatic life in the Sea of Azov is more characteristic of a lagoon, and the plankton patterns are rather similar in the open sea and near the shores. Despite its shallowness, the water has low transparency, so bottom plants are poorly developed and most algae are of planktonic type. The sea is characterised by high concentrations of organic matter and long blooming periods. Another specific feature of the sea is the variable salinity – low in the large bays and higher in the open sea, especially near the Kerch Strait. Therefore, the plankton species are distributed inhomogeneously in the Sea of Azov. Although many additional species are brought in from the saltier Black Sea, most of them cannot adjust to the variable salinity of the Sea of Azov, except for the [[euryhaline]] species.<ref name=k77>Kostianoy, p. 77</ref> About 600 species of planktonic algae are known in the Sea of Azov.<ref name=k76>Kostianoy, p. 76</ref> The number of species is dominated by [[diatom]]s and [[green algae]]; [[Cyanobacteria|blue-green algae]] and pyrophites are significant, and [[euglena]] and [[yellow-green algae]] form only 5% of the species. Green algae are mostly responsible for the colour of the sea in the satellite images (see photos above).<ref name=k77/>

Regarding [[zooplankton]], the fresh waters of the Tanganrog Bay are inhabited by [[cladocera]], [[copepod]]a and [[rotifer]]s, such as ''[[Brachionus plicatilis]]'', ''Keratella curdata'' and ''Asplanchna''. Western part of the sea, which is more saline, hosts three forms of ''[[Acartia clausi]]'', as well as ''Centropages ponticus'', [[meroplankton]] and larvae of [[gastropoda]], [[bivalvia]] and [[polychaete]].<ref name=k78>Kostianoy, p. 78</ref>

[[Benthos]] species reside mostly at the sea bottom and include worms, [[crustacean]]s, bottom [[protist]]s, [[coelenterata]], and [[Mollusca|mollusks]]. Mollusks account for 60–98% of the invertebrate biomass at the Sea of Azov bottom.<ref name=k78/>

[[File:Sturgeon.jpg|thumb|[[Sturgeon]]s are among the major and most valuable commercial fish species of the Sea of Azov.<ref name=k76/>]]

===Fish===
There are 183 ichthyofauna species from 112 genera and 55 families in the Sea of Azov region. Among them, there are 50 rare and 19 endangered species, and the sturgeon ''[[Bastard sturgeon|Acipenser nudiventris]]'' is probably extinct in the region.<ref name=k79>Kostianoy, p. 79</ref>

The fauna of the freshwater Taganrog Bay is much poorer – it consists of 55 species from 36 genera and 16 families; among them, three species are rare and 6 are endangered.<ref name=k81>Kostianoy, p. 81</ref>

===Flora===
[[File:Nelumno nucifera open flower - botanic garden adelaide2.jpg|thumb|Lotus.]]
The shores of the Sea of Azov contain numerous [[estuary|estuaries]] and marshes and are dominated by reeds, [[Cyperaceae|sedges]], ''[[Typha]]'' and ''[[Sparganium]]''. Typical submerged plants are [[Charales]], [[Potamogeton|pond weed]], [[Ceratophyllum|hornworts]] and [[Nymphaeaceae|water lilies]]. Also common is [[Nelumbo|sacred lotus]].<ref name=kki/> The number of species is large; for example, the Belosaraysk and Berdyansk spits alone contain more than 200 each. Some spits are declared national [[nature reserve]]s, such as Beglitsk,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.donland.ru/print/info.asp?infoId=17818|script-title=ru:Основные положения о территориальном планировании, содержащиеся в "Схеме территориального планирования рекреационного комплекса прибрежных территорий Азовского моря и Нижнего Дона"|access-date=August 20, 2002|language=ru}}{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
Belosaraysk,<ref name=eco>{{cite web|url=http://ecotour.iatp.org.ua/Nature/donetsk_reg.htm |title=List of nature reserves |access-date=August 30, 2002 |language=ru |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071222072819/http://ecotour.iatp.org.ua/Nature/donetsk_reg.htm |archive-date=December 22, 2007 }}</ref> Krivaya<ref name=eco/> and Berdyansk Spits.<ref name=b1/><ref name=osnova>{{cite book|language=ru|url=http://feht.donntu.edu.ua/strukt/pd/img/index.htm|title=Basics of ecology|publisher=Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine|year=2005|access-date=August 30, 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100426123556/http://feht.donntu.edu.ua/strukt/pd/img/index.htm|archive-date=April 26, 2010|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name=berd>{{cite web|url= http://www.berdyansk.net/berd/kosa.html |title=Berdyansk Spit|publisher=Web Site of Berdyansk|access-date=August 30, 2002|language=ru}}</ref>

===Fauna===
[[File:Ab bird 023.jpg|thumb|[[Great cormorant]]s and seagulls on the Belosaraysk Spit.]]
Estuaries and spits of the sea are rich in birds, mostly waterfowl, such as wild geese, ducks and seagulls. Colonies of [[Great cormorant|cormorants]] and [[pelican]]s are common. Also frequently observed are swans, herons, [[sandpipers]] and many birds of prey. Mammals include foxes, wild cats, hares, hedgehogs, [[weasel]]s, [[marten]]s and wild boar.<ref name=berd/> [[Muskrat]]s were introduced to the area in the early 20th century and are hunted for their fur.<ref name=kki/>

===Migrating and invading species===
[[File:Rapana Black Sea 2008 G1.jpg|thumb|''[[Veined rapa whelk|Rapana venosa]]'' from the Black Sea.]]
Some ichthyofauna species, such as [[anchovy]], [[garfish]], Black Sea [[merlangius merlangus|whiting]] and [[Esox|pickerel]], visit the Sea of Azov from the Black Sea for spawning. This was especially frequent in 1975–77 when the salinity of the southern Sea of Azov was unusually high, and additional species were seen such as [[bluefish]], [[turbot]], chuco, [[spurdog]], [[Salmo labrax|Black Sea salmon]], [[mackerel]] and even [[corkwing wrasse]], rock hopper, [[European bullhead|bullhead]] and [[eelpout]]. Unlike the Black Sea plankton which does not adapt well to the low salinity of the Sea of Azov and concentrates near the Kerch Strait, fishes and invertebrates of the Black Sea adjust well. They are often stronger than the native species, are used to the relatively low temperatures of the Black Sea and survive winter in the Sea of Azov well.<ref name=k84>Kostianoy, pp. 83–85</ref>

''[[Balanus improvisus]]'' is the first benthos species which spread from the Black Sea in the early 20th century and settled in the Sea of Azov. Its current density{{clarify|date=November 2024}} is 7&nbsp;kg/m<sup>2</sup>. From 1956, ''[[Veined rapa whelk|Rapana venosa]]'' is observed in the Sea of Azov, but it could not adjust to low salinity and therefore is limited to the neighborhood of the Kerch Strait. Several Sea of Azov mollusks, such as [[shipworm]] (''Teredo navalis''), [[soft-shell clam]] (''Mya arernaria''), [[Mediterranean mussel]] (''Mytilus galloprovincialis'') and ''Anadara inaequivalvis'', originate from the Black Sea. Another example of invading species is the Dutch crab ''[[Rhithropanopeus harrisii]]'' which is observed both in saline and freshwater parts.<ref name=k84/>

Formerly three types of dolphins, [[short-beaked common dolphin]], [[common bottlenose dolphin]] and [[harbour porpoise]], regularly visited the Sea of Azov from the Black Sea although the common dolphin usually avoided the basin and Kerch Strait due to low salinity.<ref>{{Cite iucn|url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/133729/3875256|title=The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species|access-date=2018-10-25}}</ref> One sub-species of harbour porpoise, ''Phocoena phocoena relicta'', used to live in the Sea of Azov and was therefore called "Azov dolphin" ({{lang|ru|азовка}}, azovka) in the Soviet Union. Nowadays, dolphins are rarely observed in the Sea of Azov. This is attributed to shallowing of the sea, increasing navigation activities, pollution, and reduction in the fish population.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://novosti.dn.ua/details/114488/|language=ru|date=19 February 2010|publisher=Novosti.dn.ua|title=Dolphins are leaving the polluted Sea of Azov}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Klinowska |first=M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QynOriR1MxEC&pg=PA89 |page=89 |title=Dolphins, porpoises and whales of the world: the IUCN red data book |publisher=IUCN |year=1991 |isbn=978-2-88032-936-5}}</ref>

Various species of [[pinniped]]s and [[beluga whale|belugas]]<ref>Anderson R.. 1992. [https://www.chicagotribune.com/1992/03/12/black-sea-whale-aided-by-activists/ Black Sea Whale Aided By Activists]. [[Chicago Tribune]]. Retrieved on April 21. 2016</ref> were introduced into Black Sea by mankind and later escaped either by accidental or purported causes. Of these, [[grey seal]] has been recorded within Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235948607|title=Grey seal Halichoerus grypus in the Black Sea: The first case of long-term survival of an exotic pinniped|website=www.researchgate.net|accessdate=Jul 29, 2022}}</ref> [[Mediterranean monk seal]]s became extinct in the [[Black Sea]] in 1997,<ref name=iucn>{{cite iucn |author=Karamanlidis, A.|author2=Dendrinos, P.| title = ''Monachus monachus'' | volume=2015 | page = e.T13653A45227543 | year =2015 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T13653A45227543.en }}</ref> and the historic presence of large whales such as [[minke whale]]s in the Black Sea is recorded,<ref name=GreekCetacea>{{cite web|year=2003|title=Current knowledge of the cetacean fauna of the Greek Seas|url=http://cetaceanalliance.org/download/literature/Frantzis_etal_2003.pdf|pages=219–232|access-date=2016-04-21|website=cetaceanalliance.org|archive-date=2008-09-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907032339/http://www.cetaceanalliance.org/download/literature/Frantzis_etal_2003.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=BlackSeaWhales>{{Cite web |url=http://smena-online.ru/stories/kity-v-chernom-more |title=Киты в Черном море (cached) |access-date=2021-12-24 |archive-date=2019-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203170118/http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3ALvWTpr2qpQgJ%3Asmena-online.ru%2Fstories%2Fkity-v-chernom-more&num=1&hl=en&gl=nz&strip=0&vwsrc=0 |url-status=live }}</ref> although it is unclear whether these mammals historically occurred in the Azov basin.