Marine Ecology

Head: Dr biol. Elmīra Boikova e-mail: elmira.boikova@lu.lv Investigations carried out recently: The laboratory investigations are connected with complex Baltic marine  environment protection already from 1974. Concerning the main problem – eutrophication. During 90-ies a data bank  as well as new  brackish water investigations fields were  established. Recently main attention is devoted to coastal habitat biocenosis and their ecological role to buffer eutrophication and anthropogenic impact. Therefore macrophyte ecology and plankton organism ecology in littoral/sulittoral zone are carried out with priority.  To perfect knowledge about the state of coastal water quality both in the Gulf of Riga and open Latvian coast measurements of hydrology and hydrochemistry are carried out. A holistic approach to determinē the water quality is in process by introducing and adaptation new state indicators. Investigations carried out in the field of protozoology (ciliates) and microbial food web complex in our laboratory till now are the only between Baltic states in marine investigations. In a frame of complex investigations of biota and environment heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Zn, Cd  and others) distribution belongs to long term  research. Their levels are determined in water, sediments, organisms, but from 1997 – also in macrophytes. Obtained results are important for Latvian coastal water scientific backgraound in terms of their management as well as to implement the new European water directive and new Marine strategy for the  Baltic Sea. Publications: KALIŃSKA-NARTIŠA, E., STIVRINS, N. and GRUDZINSKA, I., 2018. Quartz grains reveal sedimentary palaeoenvironment and past storm events: A case study from eastern Baltic. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science,200, pp. 359-370. GRUDZINSKA, I., VASSILJEV, J., SAARSE, L., REITALU, T. and VESKI, S., 2017. Past environmental change and seawater intrusion into coastal Lake Lilaste, Latvia. Journal of Paleolimnology, 57(3), pp. 257-271. DOI: 10.1007/s10933-017-9945-3  LICITE, V., BOIKOVA, E., BOTVA, U., GRAUDA, D. and BUHOLCE, L., 2015. Microbial food web components as potential indicators of urban hydroecosystems. Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, Section B:, 69(3), pp. 98-104. BUHOLCE, L,. LĪCĪTE, V., BOIKOVA, E. and BOTVA,U., 2015. Structural composition of protozooplankton communities in relation to environmental factors in shallow lakes and reservoirs of Riga, Latvia.  Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Section B, 69(3), pp. 105–111. VUORI, K.A., LEHTONEN, K.K., KANERVA, M., PELTONEN, H., NIKINMAA,  M., BEREZINA, N.A., and BOIKOVA, E., 2015. Oxidative stress biomarkers in the copepod Limnocalanus macrurus from the northern Baltic Sea: Effects of hydrographic factors and chemical contamination. Marine ecology progress series, 538, pp. 131-144., doi: 10 3354/meps11471 BUHOLCE, L., LĪCĪTE, V., BOTVA, U. and BOIKOVA, E., 2015 Structural composition of protozooplankton communities in relation to environmental factors in the Riga city shallow lakes and reservoirs. Proceedings of the 57th international scientific conference of Daugavpils University, pp.98. SEISUMA, Z., KUĻIKOVA, I., BOTVA, U. and BOIKOVA, E., 2011. Long- term investigations of metals in the brown algae Fucus vesiculosus from the Gulf of Riga, Baltic Sea. Proc. Latvian Acad. Sci., Sect. B, 65(5/6), pp. 186-192. BOIKOVA, E., BOTVA, U. and Līcīte, V., 2008. The trophic status implementation for brackish water quality assessment in the coastal waters of the Baltic Sea. Proccedings of Latvian Academy of Science, Section B, 62(3), pp.115-119. SEISUMA, Z. and KUĻIKOVA, I., 2007. Behaviour of heavy metals in the Daugava plume zone (1999-2003, Gulf of Riga, the Baltic Sea). - Geologija. 58. pp. 10-15.