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THE INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ON THE DOLPHIN POPULATION IN THE ROMANIAN COASTAL AREA
Abstract
In recent decades, there have been some changes in the salinity, quality, and average temperature of the Black Sea water. Among other modifications, there was a significant decrease in the dolphin population on the Romanian coast. The decrease in the number of species Tursios trucantus ponticus, Delphinus delphis ponticus, and Phoococena phocoena relicata species found in this area required more detailed research to obtain information about their living conditions and migration. Located at the top of the ecological pyramid, a dolphin accumulates inappropriate changes from the food chain and bears the consequences of human activities such as pollution, maritime traffic, fishing, and coastal urbanization. Measurements were made on the quality of sea water, in different analysis points for the entire Romanian coast, between Vama-Veche and Sulina, for depths between 0-40 m. Dolphin migration depends mainly on the migration and distribution of their food. The influence of non-biotic and biotic factors, especially of the new invasive species of large poisonous jellyfish, was analyzed. Viral infections and diseases caused by bacteria and micro-algae, and fungal infections were detected in dolphins found dead on the beaches on the Romanian coast. The influence of anthropogenic factors responsible for cetacean habitat degradation was also studied. The migration of fish, which is the food of dolphins and their changes of routes due to the many fishing or pleasure boats in recent years, affects the live of dolphins. A spatial distribution of living areas, migration routes, and determined causes responsible for the decrease in their number (diseases, catches, etc.) was established. Some conditions regarding group life, preferred habitats and the impact of commercial vessels on the areas where dolphins give birth to their young have been determined.
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