Aquatic ecosystem profile

Abstract

This chapter considers the White Sea ecosystem, paying special attention to the food web connections that are continuously establishing between the main bird and mammal species. The White Sea ecosystem is complicated, as each of its levels is characterized by numerous trophic ties that vary in the annual cycle and depend on the current environmental settings in both the White and Barents Seas. The state of phytoplankton and zooplankton communities controls the living conditions at the upper trophic levels. Therefore, these entities are mandatory for the inclusion into any ecosystem models. Constituting the crowning constituent of the hierarchy of the ecosystem ties, sea birds and marine mammals are important in terms of attaining adequate estimates of the inherent aquatic resources, and sustainable development and nature protection. Section 5.1 details the structure and functional characteristics of the phytoplankton community in the White Sea. Section 5.2 describes the same for zooplankton. Section 5.3 describes sea birds and their role in the White Sea ecosystem, while the same is done for marine mammals in Section 5.4.