Journal article

Publication year: 2020

Pages: 1227-1239

Journal: Journal of Great Lakes Research

Volume number: 46

Issue number: 5

Open access status: Hybrid

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2019.04.001

Publisher: Elsevier

Abstract: 

The native Caspian Sea fauna underwent severe changes since the early 20^th century, mostly due to anthropogenic activities. However, the nature, magnitude and rate of biodiversity change can only be assessed by comparison with natural baseline settings. A mostly in-situ mollusk fauna retrieved from Late Pleistocene (Hyrcanian, 107 ± 7 ka) deposits at Selitrennoye (Astrakhan province, Russia) provides a snapshot of a natural Caspian assemblage. In total, 24 gastropod and 13 bivalve species were identified. The fauna is predominantly endemic/native (94% in species numbers and 99% in abundance) and is dominated by three families (Cardiidae, Dreissenidae and Hydrobiidae). The Selitrennoye assemblage is a natural baseline of a pre-invasive Caspian Sea fauna living in a shallow (15–25 m), lower mesohaline (5–8 psu) open lake environment. The species-rich Selitrennoye fauna contrasts with the largely depleted and invasive-dominated fauna that currently occupies similar habitats in the Caspian Sea and underlines the magnitude of the current biodiversity crisis.

Harvard Citation style: van de Velde, S., Yanina, T., Neubauer, T. and Wesselingh, F. (2020) The Late Pleistocene mollusk fauna of Selitrennoye (Astrakhan province, Russia): A natural baseline for endemic Caspian Sea faunas, Journal of Great Lakes Research, 46(5), pp. 1227-1239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2019.04.001

APA Citation style: van de Velde, S., Yanina, T., Neubauer, T., & Wesselingh, F. (2020). The Late Pleistocene mollusk fauna of Selitrennoye (Astrakhan province, Russia): A natural baseline for endemic Caspian Sea faunas. Journal of Great Lakes Research. 46(5), 1227-1239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2019.04.001