Salmon as the basis for the functioning of the ecosystem of the Academy Bay (Okhotsk Sea). Possible threats to its degradation

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Abstract

In September 2022, high concentrations of total phosphorus and total nitrogen over background 2.5 and 15 μmol/l, respectively, were found by the expedition of POI FEB RAS on r/v “Professor Gagarinskiy” in the apex of the Ulban Bay (southern part of the Academy Bay). These hydrochemical data combined with physiological features of salmon reproduction (nine-month maturation of larvae, rolling of fry, transformation of fry into gregarious pelagic fish, their rapid growth), taking into account of the oligotrophic status of the Academy Bay and the results of observations over bowhead whales, led us to the idea that young salmonid fish are the main food of bowhead whales. The sustainability of the Academy Bay ecosystem strongly depends on the sustainability of pink and chum salmon populations that come to spawn in the rivers of the Academy Bay. Human activity caused by gold and coal mining, salmon fishing and implementation of the idea of creating a tidal power station in the Tugur Bay can lead to degradation of the Academy Bay ecosystem due to destruction of bowhead whale population.

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About the authors

Pavel Ya. Tishchenko

Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS

Author for correspondence.
Email: tpavel@poi.dvo.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3500-2861

Doctor of Sciences in Chemistry, Chief Researcher

Russian Federation, Vladivostok

Pavel Yu. Semkin

Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS

Email: pahnol@poi.dvo.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4639-918X

Candidate of Sciences in Geography, Senior Researcher

Russian Federation, Vladivostok

Pyotr P. Tishchenko

Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS

Email: eq15@poi.dvo.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2182-5477

Candidate of Sciences in Geography, Senior Researcher

Russian Federation, Vladivostok

Vyacheslav B. Lobanov

Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS

Email: lobanov@poi.dvo.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-9104-5578

Candidate of Sciences in Geography, Head of the Laboratory

Russian Federation, Vladivostok

Alexander F. Sergeev

Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS

Email: sergeev@poi.dvo.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4247-0791

Senior Researcher

Russian Federation, Vladivostok

Mariya O. Roginskaya

Saint Petersburg State University

Email: mari.dymka@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5168-5976

Student

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg

Ruslana S. Anokhina

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Email: rusya.anoxina@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5081-7620

Student

Russian Federation, Moscow

Yuri A. Barabanshchikov

Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS

Email: barabanshchikov.ya@poi.dvo.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0922-5500

Researcher

Russian Federation, Vladivostok

Anna A. Ryumina

Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS

Email: ryumina.aa@poi.dvo.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1740-6029

Graduate Student

Russian Federation, Vladivostok

Sergey S. Sagalaev

Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS

Email: sagalaev@poi.dvo.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1831-5209

Researcher

Russian Federation, Vladivostok

Maria G. Shvetsova

Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS

Email: shvetsova.mg@poi.dvo.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-7561-7599

Researcher

Russian Federation, Vladivostok

Elena M. Shkirnikova

Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS

Email: elmi@poi.dvo.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2380-1049

Researcher

Russian Federation, Vladivostok

Olga A. Ulanova

Pacific Oceanological Institute, FEB RAS

Email: shitkova@poi.dvo.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4655-1329

Candidate of Sciences in Biology, Researcher

Russian Federation, Vladivostok

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Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 1. Geographical position of the Shantar archipelago: 1 - Cape Wrangel, 2 - Cape Seneka, 3 - Tokhareu Peninsula, 4 - Tugursky Peninsula, 5 - Cape Tukurgu, 6 - Cape Ukurunru, 7 - Betty Spit, 8 - Ulban River, 10 - Syran River, 11 - Tugur River, 12 - Uda River, 13 - Bolshoy Shantar Island, 14 - Feklistova Island, 15 - Maly Shantar Island, 16 - Belichiy Island, a - Nikolay Bay, b - Academy Bay, c - Tugursky Bay, d - Udskaya Bay, e - Ulbansky Bay, f - Konstantin Bay

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3. Fig. 2. Location of hydrological and hydrochemical stations (circles) in the kut part of Ulbansky (a) and Tugursky (b) Bays. The triangle indicates the locations of bowhead whale sightings in Ulbaansky (23, 9 and 9 animals in the morning and afternoon of 14.09.2022 and evening of 15.09.2022, respectively) and Tugursky (9 animals in the morning of 17.09.2022) Bays

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4. Fig. 3. Distribution of Ptot concentration (μmol/l) in the Academy Bay in July 2016 (a, c) and September 2022 (b, d) in the surface (a, b) and bottom (c, d) water layers. In July 2016 (a, c) and September 2022 (b, d) in the surface (a, b) and bottom (c, d) water layers in Academy Bay

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5. Fig. 4. Distribution of Ntot concentration (μmol/l) in the Academy Bay in July 2016 (a, c) and September 2022 (b, d). In July 2016 (a, c) and September 2022 (b, d) in the surface (a, b) and bottom (c, d) water layers in Academy Bay

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6. Fig. 5. Distribution of total phosphorus (Ptot, a, b) and total nitrogen (Ntot, c, d) concentrations as a function of salinity (eps - units of practical salinity) for the estuaries of the Syran (a, c) and Ulban (b, d) rivers. Studies of the Syran River were conducted on 14.07.2016 and 14.09.2022, Ulban River - on 26.07.2016 and 15.09.2022. 1, 2 correspond to the results of 2016, and 3, 4 - to 2022. Surface water is marked by circles, bottom water by triangles

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7. Fig. 6. Growth of dissolved organic carbon (a), inorganic phosphorus (b), total nitrogen (c) and total phosphorus (d) concentrations in river water as a function of time (8 kg of freshly caught chum salmon in 200 litres of water from the Barabashevka River

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