Black Sea Day is celebrated all over the world on October 31st. More than 20 years ago, a meeting of representatives of countries bordering the Black Sea was held. On the same day, they signed a document indicating a plan of necessary actions in order to protect the Black Sea. This document sets out the structure of joint efforts of 6 states located off the coast of the Black Sea. It describes the future of the sea basin, which they strive for to this day.
History of the holiday International Black Sea Day
Interesting facts about the Black Sea
Many of us have swam in the Black Sea at least once in our lives. And today is just the day when you can slowly remember the warm waves of the Black Sea, humming a tune familiar from childhood.
International Black Sea Day is celebrated annually on October 31 in memory of the day in 1996 when six Black Sea countries - Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine - signed a Strategic Action Plan for the rehabilitation and protection of the Black Sea. It was then decided to establish today’s environmental holiday.
The plan was developed after comprehensive studies of the marine environment showed that its viability had deteriorated significantly compared to the previous three decades, and there was a risk of destruction of the unique natural complexes of the water area. His main goal was to attract the attention of the international community to the irreparable damage to the sea caused by overfishing, water pollution and global warming. The Black Sea is an inland sea of the Atlantic Ocean.
This is an important transport area and one of the largest resort regions in Eurasia. This region has been densely populated by humans since ancient times, so the Black Sea coast and the river basins flowing into it are areas with high anthropogenic impact. All this upsets the balance in the ecological system of the sea.
Traditions of the holiday International Black Sea Day
October 31st, will be held again public events, educational conferences, scientific meetings, round tables, video screenings, exhibitions, competitions and quizzes. After all, this is how it is customary to celebrate this significant day on the calendar. The scientific community never ignores this date; specialists and scientists always travel together with students of higher educational institutions and high school students to the Crimean region
Now the most important thing is to raise the public and pay attention to the problem of the sea of ordinary citizens, form their opinion on helping to maintain order and cleanliness of the pool, and educate the general environmental culture of the population. Residents of the Black Sea coast actively participate in all events. Hundreds of different events are being held throughout cities aimed at protecting water spaces from the negative impact of human activities.
IN Lately Another tradition has emerged - holding environmental flash mobs. One of them has become the most popular - the “Feed the Sea with Stones” campaign. Dozens of young people go to sea to fill it natural stones, which are very useful for the biota of the water basin.
Another form is scientific and practical seminars where they discuss serious problems ecology of the Black Sea, ways to solve each of them separately. As a rule, well-known scientists, both Russian and foreign, participate in discussions. After all, the International Black Sea Day itself is celebrated in all countries participating in the Strategic Plan for the preservation and restoration of the marine ecology signed in 1996.
Read alsoNibiru 2018 - last news for today 11/24/2018
Main issues addressed by International Black Sea Day
Among the most pressing problems of the Black Sea are the following:
1. Oil pollution (oil slicks are spreading more and more across the sea area, causing marine animals to die and poisonous fumes being released into the air).
2. Sea pollution by the waters of flowing rivers (rivers carry, firstly, household garbage, and secondly, fertilizers washed away from fields; fertilizers, in turn, provoke excessive growth of algae, the so-called sea bloom, which affects marine life).
3. Uncontrolled fishing (because of this, today, according to the European Environment Agency, 90% of all living organisms in the sea are jellyfish).
There are actually a lot of problems. Therefore, on International Black Sea Day, it is important, first of all, to remember how detrimentally humans impact the marine environment. And also think about what we can do to prevent his death. After all, the Black Sea is the cradle of hundreds of species of flora and fauna, as well as simply a pearl, which you and I have been entrusted with preserving.
1. The ancient Greek name of the sea is Pont Aksinsky (Greek Πόντος Ἄξενος), which means “Inhospitable Sea”. It is assumed that the sea was named so because of difficulties with navigation. Later, after the successful development of the shores by Greek colonists, the sea began to be called Pontus Euxine (Greek Πόντος Εὔξενος, “Hospitable Sea
2. Characteristic feature The Black Sea is a complete (with the exception of some bacteria) absence of life at depths above 150–200 m. The fact is that the deep layers of the Black Sea are saturated with hydrogen sulfide.
Scenario of the event dedicated to Black Sea Day.
Form of conduct: oral journal
Goals:
Expand and deepen students' knowledge about native land;
To provide historical and biological knowledge about the Black Sea;
To cultivate love for the homeland and the desire to protect nature;
To introduce the environmental problems of the Black Sea;
Acquaintance with the works of poets, writers, composers and artists dedicated to the Black Sea.
Equipment:multimedia projector, computer, nature music
Against the backdrop of the sounds of the sea surf and calm music, a student recites a poem
Reader 1 ( K. Kleymenov “Black Sea”) (slide 1)
The Black Sea is not black at all,
Someone made this up out of spite.
It's blue and spacious
only the surf foam is white.
Here it sighs a little, sways,
A flat pebble rings lightly...
You can hear some kind of music in it,
What excites and attracts me...
Presenter 1
Our event is dedicated to the International Black Sea Day and includes: an oral journal, a quiz and summing up the results of the correspondence quiz and wall newspaper competition.
Presenter 2 (slide 2)
On October 31, 1996, 6 countries: Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey signed the document “Strategic Action Plan for the Rehabilitation and Protection of the Black Sea.” The need to draw up such a document arose after the announcement of the results of studies of the Black Sea, which showed that over the past 30 years its condition has worsened. To stop these processes and take care of the sea, the Black Sea states took this step.
Since 1997, this day has been celebrated as International Black Sea Day. The Strategic Plan represents the first attempt to unite and coordinate the actions of all Black Sea countries to save the Black Sea. And today it is very important that every person not only understands the essence of this Plan, but also actively participates in its implementation. Our oral journal is a small contribution to the great cause of saving this unique pearl of nature.
And today we will make a wonderful journey across the Black Sea.
Reader 2 ( A.S. Pushkin about the Black Sea) (slide 3)
A sea of fairy tales and mysteries
The Black Sea protects!
The scent of legends is so sweet
The magic of legends is a magnet!
A sea of truths, revelations,
A sea of fiction and secrets,
Sea of thousands of generations
A sea of hundreds of thousands of countries!
There were Turks, Persians, Greeks,
And the Tatar horde
Made raids here
To posts and cities.
Along the Caucasian passes,
Along the riverbed of Assa at sunset,
They walked loaded with goods,
Tehran and Samarkand.
Let us remember a song about Jason,
His journey was not long,
But Argo was driven by the waves
At sea - Pont is still Aksinsky!
The lands of the fabulous Colchis,
Amazon's distant shore,
Here we could find everything,
What secrets were hidden from us.
History of the formation of the Black Sea (slides 4 - 8)
Throughout its geological history, the Black Sea has been either a lake or a sea.
About 50 million years ago, the Black Sea was a bay of the huge salty Tethys Ocean, which covered the south of Europe and the north of Africa with its waters. It was named in honor of the daughter of the king of the seas, Tetis (or Thetis). When, under the influence of powerful geological forces, mountain ranges rose above the surface of the ocean (the Balkans, the Carpathians, the Crimean and Caucasus Mountains, the Pamirs), the ocean was fragmented into a number of separate seas: the Mediterranean, the Black, the Marmara, the Azov, the Caspian, and the Aral. Periodically, these seas connected and separated, and new seas were formed.
The last connection of the Black and Mediterranean Seas occurred approximately 7,500 thousand years ago and was catastrophic. A powerful earthquake split the land. The modern Bosphorus Strait emerged. Huge masses of salty Mediterranean water rushed into the Black Sea basin, which at that time was the deepest freshwater lake on Earth, causing the death of a huge number of freshwater inhabitants. So many of them died that the decomposition of the remains of their organisms in the depths of the sea, deprived of oxygen, created that initial supply of hydrogen sulfide, which continues to exist to this day. The Black Sea became the “Sea of Dead Depths.”
Historians believe that this entire cataclysm took place before the eyes of the people who lived here. Are these events not global flood? After all, as you know, Noah moored his ark to the Caucasian Mount Ararat, which then could well have looked like an island in the raging stream of the confluence of two seas.
History of the origin of the name Black Sea (slides 9 - 13)
In ancient times it was called the Pontic Sea or simply Pontus. In the 6th century BC. the Greeks called it Pont Aksinsky - the Inhospitable Sea, later, in the 5th century. BC. they began to call it Pontus Euxine - the Hospitable Sea. It was also called by the names of the peoples who inhabited its shores - the Tauride Sea, Scythian Sea, Sourozh Sea, Greek Sea, Russian Sea. From written sources it is known that from the 13th century. sailors and merchants of Southern Europe called the sea Great and Black, the Turks called it Kara Deniz - the Black Sea, it bore the name Mavri Thalassa.
For the first time realNamefound in chronicles of the 13th century.
There are several versions of why the sea was called Black.
Turkish hypothesis
According to the historical hypothesis, the modern name of the Black Sea was given by the Turks and other conquerors who tried to conquer the population of the sea coast. On the shores they met fierce resistance from the Circassians, Circassians and other tribes, for which they nicknamed the sea Karaden-Giz - Black, inhospitable.
Sailors' hypothesis
From the point of view of sailors, the sea is called the Black Sea because of strong storms, during which the water in the sea darkens. True, strong storms are rare on the Black Sea, and strong waves (more than 6 points) too - no more than 17 days a year. And the change in water color is typical for any sea, not only the Black Sea. They also claim that the sea could be called Black because of the black silt that remains on the shore after a storm. But this silt is more gray than black.
Hydrologists' hypothesis
According to hydrologists, the sea is called Black because any metal objects lowered to great depths rise to the surface blackened. The reason is hydrogen sulfide, which is saturated in the Black Sea water at a depth of more than 200 m.
Because of hydrogen sulfide, the Black Sea is also called the sea of dead depths. The thing is that the water does not mix well there, and hydrogen sulfide accumulates at the bottom. This is a product of the vital activity of bacteria that live in large numbers in the depths. They decompose the corpses of animals and plants. Starting from a depth of 150-200 m, there is no other life in the Black Sea. Over millions of years, bacteria have accumulated more than a billion tons of hydrogen sulfide.
There is no single scientific theory on this issue.
Black Sea today ( slides 14 - 31)
Black Sea- swimming pool. The strait connects with the sea, then through the strait with the Mediterranean seas. connects with the sea. From the north it cuts deep into the sea. The water boundary between and runs along the surface of the Black Sea. Flowing rivers: , . The area of the Black Sea is 422,000 km; according to other data, it is 436,400 km. The outline of the Black Sea resembles an oval with the longest axis about 1150 km. The greatest length of the sea from north to south is 580 km. The greatest depth is 2210 m, the average is 1240 m. The volume of water in the sea is 555 thousand km 3. The sea washes the shores of Russia, and (the territories located around the sea are traditionally referred to by the term “”).
The Black Sea is an important transport area.
A significant volume of maritime transport consists of flights that provide exports to and from ports. Novorossiysk oil terminals are capable of receiving. A deep-sea gas pipeline was laid along the bottom of the Black Sea, connecting Russia and Turkey. Its length is 392 km. The international transport corridor Europe - Caucasus - Asia passes through the Black Sea.
In addition to oil and petroleum products, which occupy the main place, ores, metal, cement, and grain are exported. The main import volumes are non-ferrous metal ores, metal, sugar and other food products, machinery and equipment. Container transportation is widely developed in the Black Sea basin, and railways () - () and () - () operate. Marine passenger transportation is also developed in the Black Sea.
Favorable climatic conditions in the Black Sea region determine its development as an important resort region. The largest resort areas on the Black Sea include:( , ) in Ukraine, ( , ) in Russia, in Abkhazia, and in Bulgaria, and .
In addition, the Black Sea retains an important strategic and military significance. In and are the main Russian military bases.
Inhabitants of the Black Sea (slides 32 - 42)
Vegetable world sea includes 300 species of multicellular green, brown, redbottom (, , and etc.).
Included Black Sea - no less700 species. Among them are flagellates, includingor peridinian algae, various, etc.
The Black Sea is noticeably poorer than the Mediterranean due to the low salinity of the water and the presence of hydrogen sulfide at a depth of 200 meters. In the Mediterranean Sea - 9 thousand.
In the Black Sea lives:
- mammals - 3 species, fish - 180 species, - 500 species, 200 species, the rest are unicellular and invertebrates.
Among the harmless animals there are also species that are dangerous to humans: Cornerot and Aurelia jellyfish, Scorpionfish, Sea dragon and Stingray.
Environmental problems of the Black Sea (slides 43 – 48)
Today there areseveral important environmental problems of the Black Sea:1) Severe pollution of rivers flowing into the sea, especially with runoff from fields containingpesticide,mineral fertilizers, Vfeatures and . This entails overfertilization (of) the sea waters.
2) Water pollution with oil and oil products (the most polluted areas are the western part of the sea, which accounts for the largest volume of tanker traffic, as well as port waters). As a consequence, this leads to the death of marine animals caught in oil spills, as well as atmospheric pollution due to the evaporation of oil and petroleum products from the surface of the water.
3) Massive fishingover the past 50 years has led to a radical restructuring of the sea ecosystem twice. In the 1970s, populations of large predators such as dolphins, mackerel and tuna declined. As a result, small fish like sprat and anchovies multiplied. Fishermen switched to small fish, and by the early 1990s there were none left. As a result, jellyfish filled the vacated ecological niche, making up, according to data,, up to 90% of the mass of all living organisms in the Black Sea.
4) Pollution of sea waters with human waste. Thus, 20 European countries discharge untreated or insufficiently treated into the Black Sea, including through the Danube, Prut and Dnieper, with the main load falling on the northwestern, shallowest part, where 65% of all living organisms originate and the main spawning grounds are located.
5) Changes in the composition of flora and fauna water world due to alien species brought into the sea.As a result of the massive dumping of so-called , Marine organisms enter the water that should not naturally be present in it. It was in this way that species such as the mollusk entered the Black Seaand caused significant damage to the local area.
Presenter 2
Framed by the snow-white lace of the surf, it, calm or stormy, fascinates, makes you look at yourself tirelessly, and be surprised, and admire, and calm down.
Since ancient times it has been known to mankind and sung by many poets. Its wonderful landscapes and mild climate remain in the memory of everyone who has ever visited the Black Sea shores.
Poets about the Black Sea (slides 49 – 53)
Reader 3 ( Polezhaev A.I.)
I saw the sea, I measured
His greedy eyes;
I am in the strength of my spirit
In front of his face I believed.
"Oh sea, sea! - I dreamed
In sad and deep thought, -
Who was the first to think and stand
On your high shore?
Who, unsolved for centuries,
I noticed the first shine of azure,
War of thunder and fury of the storm
In your baby waves?
Reader 4 (M.Yu. Lermontov “To the Sea”)
Sea without end and edge,
Black and green rolling!
Howl, playing with fountains,
Feel free to hit the shores!
Love the fire-winged soul
The rumble of struggle - make noise, boil!
Let me rejoice in strength
To her, calling to a new land.
Sea, sea, the whole community
Throw a wave after a wave
With anger, brilliance, the light of hell -
To the cliffs, to the heights!
Evil, rolling on the steep
Throw the wave after the wave,
Shake the clouds in the sky!
Reader 5 ( Bulat Okudzhava "Black Sea" »)
Unruly blue wave
everything runs, everything runs, it doesn’t end.
The Black Sea is like a cup of wine,
everything sways in the palm of my hand.
I keep thinking about one thing, about one thing,
like leaving the shore of hope.
The Black Sea is like a cup of wine,
I drink in your name, throwing back.
Unchanging among many seas,
How to part with you without despair?
The Black Sea is in the palm of my hand,
like a longboat leaving, it sways.
Reader 6 ( Sergey Baruzdin "Black Sea")
Here it is -
Black Sea,
Look how spacious it is!
You can't hug him with your arms,
It cannot be measured in steps.
It is like a big bowl,
But without end and edge.
Here it is -
The sea is huge
Beats against mountain rocks.
Near the Black Sea
People turn black.
People are roasting in the sun
The sea blows cool,
Here old people don't grow old
This is where kids grow up.
Here it is -
The sea is spacious.
There are white lambs in the sea.
Near the Black Sea
People are becoming brave.
In the world of beauty (slides 54 - 66)
The Black Sea became a source of inspiration for the famous Russian marine painter Ivan Aivazovsky. Storms and quiet surfaces, beaches, rocks, secluded bays on the shores of the Black Sea became the basis for thousands of the painter’s works. In Feodosia there is an art gallery by I.K. Aivazovsky.
The most famous creation masters - “The Ninth Wave”. A huge wave of the raging sea is ready to crash onto the wreckage of a ship with a handful of people. This spectacle is scary and beautiful at the same time: the formidable element of water is conveyed with amazing art in the finest shades of color.
“The Black Sea” is a painting by Ivan Aivazovsky, painted in 1881. Another title of the painting is “A storm begins to break out on the Black Sea.” This picture shows the stormy Black Sea - this is an image of the sea element. The horizon is distant and calm, but as you approach, small waves appear on the surface of the sea. And now they have become huge ridges of waves. The water is still just swaying, but the movement is already menacing and inevitable.A ship is barely visible in the distance. The painting has only dark colors.
The critic Kramskoy wrote about this picture: “There is nothing in it except sky and water, but this is a boundless, endless ocean, and the sky, if possible, is still infinite.” Among his works there are others, for example: “Brig “Mercury” attacked by two Turkish ships”, “Storm at sea at night”, “Sea battle of Revel”, “Storm over Evpatoria”, “Review of the Black Sea Fleet in 1849”,"Sunset at sea"“Ship “Maria” during a storm” and others.
Another marine painter is Rylova A.A. His most famous painting“In the Blue Expanse” was written in 1919. "This is the Sea! How big it is! And above him is the same big sky.
Blue waves are running across the sea. The wind hurries them, filling the white sails of the ship. White snow lies on brown rocks. In a spacious blue sky white clouds are floating. And between the sea and the sky, large blue birds fly with their strong wings spread wide. The artist gave us not only the sea and the sky, but also vigor and strength.”
Black Sea in cinematography (slides 67 - 69)
Presenter 1
Favorable climate and abundance sunny days made the Black Sea a real paradise for filmmakers former USSR. Many films that went down in the history of Soviet cinema were shot at the Odessa Film Studio, Yalta Film Studio, and other film companies. Among the thousands of films that used the nature of the Black Sea, such hits as “ Scarlet Sails", "The Diamond Arm", "Ivan Vasilyevich changes his profession", "Amphibian Man", "Assa" and many others.
Presenter 2
So we have turned the last page of our oral journal. And now the floor is given to our teachers, who will conduct a quiz with everyone present in this room and sum up the results of the correspondence quiz and wall newspaper competition held as part of this event.
Quiz
The quiz consists of 11 questions that you have to answer. For each correct answer, a token will be given. Answers to questions can be supplemented and you can also receive tokens for this. Based on the results of the quiz, the winners will be determined. larger number tokens. All winners will be awarded memorable souvenirs.
Answers:
1. If we go down into the sea to a depth of more than 150 meters, we will not see living organisms there. What is the reason for this phenomenon?
(If you go down into the sea to a depth of more than 150 m, there is really no life there. The reason for this is the lack of oxygen. Because the bacteria living there at the bottom and in the water column decompose the remains and release hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is harmful to plants and animals. Its concentration is at a depth of 150 m = 0.1-0.2 mg/l of sea water, and in the depths of the sea, at the bottom - 10 mg/l. One of the legends about the origin of the Black Sea is associated with hydrogen sulfide: people lowered a metal weight on a rope into the sea to measure the depth. And when they picked it up, it turned out to be black)
2. In the works of what famous artist the main topic was the description of the Black Sea?
(The Black Sea was a source of inspiration for the Russian artist Ivan Aivazovsky. There is a national Aivazovsky art gallery in Feodosia)
3. Which animal predicts the approach of a storm 10-15 hours in advance?
(Ordinary jellyfish can “anticipate” the onset of a storm within a day. Sometimes in clear and sunny weather they disappear somewhere unnoticed. Locals They know that if there are no jellyfish near the shore, there will be a storm. And indeed, after 12-20 hours. huge waves are already hitting the shore. Jellyfish are poor swimmers, and they try to move away from the shore ahead of time so as not to die in the surf zone. The secret of such accurate storm forecasting was discovered by the Soviet physicist V.V. Shuleikin. He revealed that when the sea is rough as a result of air movement over the ridges and troughs sea waves vortices are formed, generating infrasonic vibrations. These vibrations propagate at a speed significantly higher than the speed of the wind and are invisible to humans and instruments, but are easily perceived by seabirds, fish, marine mammals, jellyfish and other sea inhabitants using certain organs. This organ of the jellyfish has the most simple structure - the infraear - an organ of balance capable of detecting infrasonic vibrations with a frequency of 8-13 Hz. The jellyfish's infraear served as a model for Soviet designers to create an electronic automatic instrument for predicting storms. This device allows not only to determine the onset of a storm 15 hours in advance, but also to determine the power of the storm)
4. What famous films were shot at the Odessa and Yalta film studios using the Black Sea landscape?
(“Scarlet Sails”, “Amphibian Man”, “The Diamond Arm”, “Pirates of the 20th Century” and others. The most famous film in the world shot on the Black Sea is S. Eisenstein’s black and white film “Battleship Potemkin” (1925)
5. Why does the Black Sea glow at night?
(During the day they sparkle like rainbows, and at night they glow. These are ctenophores. They have 8 sparkling cords running along their body - rows of rowing plates, they are so thin that the light passing through them is split into rays of different colors - and each of the thousands of plates plays semi-colored flashes. The cresting wave starts at the top of the head and runs to the other end of the body. The comb jelly floats, and it seems to us that a multi-colored electric discharge slides through it. The smallest comb jelly is pleurobrachia, the largest is mneopsis, beroe).
6. Is there ice on the Black Sea?
(It happens. Almost every year the Gulf of Odessa freezes for several days. In cold winters, the ice stays here for two to three weeks, extending into the open sea.)
7. The skin of which fish was used in ancient times to polish valuable wood?
(To polish the wood, they used shark skin. Shark scales are the same teeth of a shark, but growing from the skin. The scales are sharp and durable, directed back towards the tail. Therefore, when you stroke a katran from head to tail, you feel as if there is a smooth, cold surface under your palm silk, but moving your hand in the opposite direction will not work at all: hundreds of needles - scales - will dig into the skin).
8. Which states are located on the shores of the Black Sea?
(Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Romania, Bulgaria, Türkiye)
9. Name the main pollutants of the Black Sea
1) nitrogen and phosphorus compounds coming from insufficiently treated wastewater;
2) oil produced in the Caspian Sea is transferred to tankers in our city;
3) pesticides from fields and heavy metals from industrial enterprises and thermal power plants;
4) radioactive substances after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant;
5) municipal solid waste that is thrown into the sea or on the shore;
6) exotic species of plants and animals in new conditions do not have enemies.
10. Name the largest peninsula of the Black Sea?
(Crimean peninsula)
11. Which animals have poisonous glands?
1) jellyfish cornet (burns the skin like boiling water, should not be handled);
2) aurelia jellyfish (if you held it in your hands and then rubbed your face and eyes, it would be no laughing matter);
3) sea ruffe, scorpion fish (the rays of the dorsal fin are turned into spines, at the base of which there is a poisonous gland. This is a weapon of defense. Wounds from thorns cause pain, the area around the injections turns red and swells, general malaise of the body, the temperature rises. Treat the wound with iodine);
4) sea dragon (5 rays of the anterior dorsal fin and a spine growing back from the gill cover are poisonous. Treat wounds with iodine);
5) stingray - stingray (has a spine on its tail, up to 20 cm long, the edges are sharp and jagged, a groove runs along the blade, along which dark poison flows from the poisonous gland on the tail. If you step on it, it inflicts chopped deep wound, which needs to be processed).
Presenter 1
Our journey is coming to an end. Of course, it would not be complete without a song (a song about the sea performed by a student).
International Black Sea Day is celebrated annually on October 31. On this day in 1996 in Istanbul (Turkey), representatives of the governments of Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Georgia signed a strategic action plan to save the Black Sea.
The need for such a document arose due to the danger of destruction of the unique natural complexes of the water area. At the same time, it was decided to make October 31 International Black Sea Day.
The Black Sea is an inland sea of the Atlantic Ocean. The Bosphorus Strait connects with the Sea of Marmara, then, through the Dardanelles, with the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. The Kerch Strait connects with the Sea of Azov. From the north, the Crimean Peninsula cuts deep into the sea. The water border between Europe and Asia Minor runs along the surface of the Black Sea.
Area 422 thousand square kilometers (according to other sources - 436.4 thousand square kilometers). The greatest length of the sea from north to south is 580 kilometers. The greatest depth is 2210 meters, the average is 1240 meters.
The sea washes the shores of Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Georgia.
The largest rivers flow into the Black Sea: Danube, Dnieper, Dniester, as well as smaller Mzymta, Psou, Bzyb, Rioni, Kodori, Inguri (in the east of the sea), Chorokh, Kyzyl-Irmak, Ashley-Irmak, Sakarya (in the south), Southern Bug (in the north).
The flora of the Black Sea includes 270 species of multicellular green, brown, and red bottom algae.
The fauna of the Black Sea is noticeably poorer than that of the Mediterranean Sea. The Black Sea is home to 2.5 thousand species of animals (of which 500 species are unicellular, 160 species of vertebrates - fish and mammals, 500 species of crustaceans, 200 species of mollusks, the rest are invertebrates different types), for comparison, in the Mediterranean there are about 9 thousand species.
A characteristic feature of the Black Sea is the complete (with the exception of a number of anaerobic bacteria) absence of life at depths above 150-200 meters due to the saturation of the deep layers of water with hydrogen sulfide.
The Black Sea is an important transport area, as well as one of the largest resort regions in Eurasia.
In addition, the Black Sea retains important strategic and military significance. The main military bases of the Russian Black Sea Fleet are located in Sevastopol and Novorossiysk.
The Black Sea coast and the river basins flowing into it are areas with high anthropogenic impact, densely populated by people since ancient times. The ecological state of the Black Sea is generally unfavorable. Among the main factors that disturb the balance in the ecological system of the sea are:
— severe pollution of rivers flowing into the sea, especially with runoff from fields containing mineral fertilizers, especially nitrates and phosphates. This entails rapid growth of phytoplankton (sea bloom - intensive development of blue-green algae), a decrease in water transparency and the death of multicellular algae;
— water pollution with oil and oil products (the most polluted area is the western part of the sea, which accounts for the largest volume of tanker traffic, as well as port waters). This leads to the death of marine animals and air pollution due to the evaporation of oil and petroleum products from the surface of the water;
- pollution of sea waters with human waste - discharge of untreated or insufficiently treated wastewater, etc.
— mass fishing and prohibited but still used bottom trawling, which destroys bottom biocenoses;
- changes in the composition of the flora and fauna of the aquatic world under the influence anthropogenic factors(including the displacement of indigenous species by exotic ones appearing as a result of human impact).
For security environment in the Black Sea region in 1998, the ACCOBAMS (Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area) agreement was adopted, where one of the main issues is the conservation of cetaceans of the Black Sea.
The main international document regulating the protection of the Black Sea is the Convention for the Protection of the Black Sea from Pollution, signed by six Black Sea countries - Bulgaria, Georgia, Russia, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine in 1992 in Bucharest (Bucharest Convention). Also in June 1994, representatives of Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine and the European Union signed the Convention on Cooperation for the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Danube River in Sofia (Bulgaria). As a result, the Black Sea Commission (Istanbul) and the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (Vienna) were created. These bodies perform the function of coordinating environmental programs implemented within the framework of the conventions.
Every year as part of the celebration International Day The Black Sea carries out activities aimed at preserving the unique ecosystem of the Black Sea, drawing attention to problems and finding ways to solve the most pressing of them. In all cities of the Black Sea coast and regional centers, environmental campaigns, round tables, competitions and other events are held aimed at shaping public opinion in defense of the sea, promoting the development of an environmental culture among the population.
The material was prepared based on information from open sources
It is difficult to meet a person indifferent to the sea. The love for the sea coast unites us during the summer holidays, and it just so happens that the most accessible vacation spot for the countries of the post-Soviet space was and is the Black Sea. But few people know that October 31 International Black Sea Day was proclaimed. On this date in 1996, in the Turkish port city of Istanbul, representatives of the Russian Federation, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Georgia and Turkey signed a plan for the strategic rescue of the Black Sea. The importance of this plan has become urgent due to the increasing threat of destruction of the unique natural complexes of the water area. This date is not just a celebration, it is an occasion to think about the importance of maintaining a normal ecosystem of the most important natural object for the life of people and the entire planet.
Thanks to his geographical location, being the inland waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the Black Sea is under the influence of human activity along the entire coast. Its waters wash the shores of 6 states: Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Bulgaria, Georgia and Abkhazia. The Black Sea territories developed under the direct influence of the maritime neighborhood, providing:
- trade routes,
- strategic position,
- economic basis,
- cultural exchange.
These truths were known to the ancient Greeks, who founded their colonies on the coast of Pontus Aksinsky. Greek sailors named the formidable waters Pontus Aksinsky or the Inhospitable Sea. Other ancient Greek sources indicate the name - Scythian, and Arabic records mention the designation Russian. But the Russians did not have the sea for long, and the entire 18th century Russian empire participated in numerous battles, victories in which made it possible to seize access to the Black Sea.
Since the 18th century, scientific study of marine geography, currents, flora and fauna began. Research continued throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. By the end of the 20th century, a collection of detailed navigation maps was released, an oceanographic platform was erected, and international environmental monitoring became mandatory.
A detailed study of the sea showed that human factor does not always have a positive effect on its environmental condition. And under the influence of the technological revolution of recent decades, the Black Sea has become the most polluted in the world. The most dangerous polluting factors include:
- the condition of river arteries carrying fertilizers from the fields;
- oil and oil products carried from port waters and by carrier tankers;
- human waste, including wastewater.
In addition, the normal ecosystem of the Black Sea basin is disrupted by bottom trawling, mass fishing, and mutations of marine life under the influence of human activity.
All of the above together makes us think about the inevitability of forecasters about the complete disappearance of the sea in its original form in the near future, as well as about its complete unsuitability for proximity to people. The threat of a possible catastrophe becomes more obvious every year, so on October 31, environmental campaigns, cleanup companies, and beach flash mobs are held along the entire Black Sea coast.
But the main actions should be to instill environmental ethics in all residents coastal zones, as well as among vacationers and tourists who fill the still attractive beaches of the Black Sea basin in the warm season. After all, if we don’t come to our senses now, the common misfortune will affect the current younger generation. And today’s children will no longer have access to a wonderful holiday on the Black Sea coast.
International Black Sea Day- this holiday has been celebrated since October 31, 1996, when six Black Sea countries - Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Georgia - signed the Strategic Action Plan for the rehabilitation and protection of the Black Sea.
Experts are increasingly coming to the conclusion that last years The dynamics of Black Sea pollution has increased significantly. Bottom areas have appeared in the sea, where practically not a single living organism has been recorded. On one third of the shelf area of the northwestern part of the Black Sea, vast zones without oxygen are recorded, which leads to the death of all living things.
Being a closed basin, the Black Sea accumulates all the pollutants brought by the waters of the Danube, Dnieper, Southern Bug, Dniester and other rivers, not only of Ukraine, but also of Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania. River flow accounts for more than 50% of the total volume of water entering the sea. According to researchers, more than 60% of the pollutants in the Black Sea “come” with river runoff from the territory of about 20 countries of industrial Europe. In just 30 years, this has led to irreversible changes in the marine ecosystem.
The strategic plan to protect the Black Sea was signed in Istanbul after extensive studies of the marine environment showed that its viability had deteriorated significantly compared to the previous three decades.
One of the most pressing aspects of activities within the framework of environmental protection of the Black Sea in the regional dimension remains the unsustainable public position, lack of awareness, activity and awareness of the need to consolidate efforts to solve urgent environmental problems of the Black Sea.
At the same time, Ukraine is the only state in the Black Sea basin where the national plan for the protection of the Black Sea is approved by law in the Program for the Protection and Restoration of the Azov and Black Seas for 2001-2010.
In the context of protecting the Black Sea, 2007 became a defining year for Ukraine.
On the one hand, in March 2007, the law signed by the president “On the ratification of the Protocol on the Conservation of Biodiversity and Landscapes of the Black Sea to the Convention for the Protection of the Black Sea from Pollution” came into force. Under the Protocol, Ukraine has undertaken to take all necessary measures to regulate the intentional introduction and prevent the accidental introduction of non-native species or genetically modified organisms into wild flora and fauna. The document applies to the Black Sea area north of Cape Kelagra and Dalyan, as well as to the waters, seabed, soil up to the fresh water line.
On the other hand, the autumn of 2007 dealt a significant blow to the ecology of the Black Sea. November 11 due strong storm In the Kerch Strait, seven ships sank one after another, including two tankers and several bulk carriers with sulfur. Several thousand tons of oil products and about 7 thousand tons of sulfur ended up in the sea. A significant part of the coast of the Taman Peninsula was flooded with oil products. The Tuzla spit was completely flooded with oil, the Chushka spit from the side Kerch Strait, coast near the villages of Ilyich and Priazovsky. Along the Black Sea coast, oil reached the Fakel recreation center, located near the village of Volna in the southern part of the Taman Peninsula. As a result of oil pollution, tens of thousands of birds died - the oil literally covered them with a film. In addition, due to the fuel oil spill into the sea, about 9 thousand fish and even food organisms (phyto- and zooplankton) died.
Some Ukrainian politicians consider the activities of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, based in Crimea, to be another disaster for the Black Sea. According to bloc representative Yuri Zubko, the Black Sea waters are “catastrophically polluted by gasoline emissions from fleet ships.” And the $97 million that Moscow paid for the basing of the Russian Black Sea Fleet does not cover the damage caused by the fleet to the ecology of the peninsula.
Black Sea Day was introduced to unite active and attract new participants in the environmental movement to protect the sea, widely involve the public in solving environmental problems, and strengthen international partnerships.
Today, the existing network created within the framework of the Black Sea Environment Program (BSEP GEF) contributes to the solution of environmental problems of the Black Sea. The network consists of 6 international and 36 national centers for special monitoring and assessment of pollution (Odessa, Ukraine); integrated management coastal strip(Novorossiysk, Russian Federation); biodiversity conservation (Batumi, Georgia); environmental aspects shipping ( rapid response at emergency situations) in Varna (Bulgaria); fisheries and other living marine resources (Romania).
