Ecological and biochemical monitoring of some intertidal mussel Mytilus edulis L. settlements in Kandalaksha nature reserve

Mussels Mytilus edulis L. living on the littoral are traditional objects for monitoring the state of coastal ecosystems. In the process of ecological and biochemical studies of some littoral settlements of these mussels in the Kandalaksha Nature Reserve, some modifications have been identified in the structure of local populations, and biochemical markers have also been searched at the level of lipid composition reflecting the chronic action of environmental factors. Investigations of the size and age structure of some intertidal settlements of the Mytilus edulis L. have shown inter-annual dynamics reflecting the natural processes associated with the regime of replenishment by juveniles and the elimination of generations. The revealed significant differences in the density and biomass of Mytilus edulis L. settlements probably reflect the influence of anthropogenic load on their livelihoods (first of all, prolonged discharge of fresh water from the hydroelectric station system)...