1. NATURAL GEOGRAPHY IN SHORE AREAS (NaGISA) AND ARCTIC TRANSECT PROJECTS V.L. Kasyanov and Yu.Ya. Latypov Institute of Marine Biology, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok 690041, Russia

2. Institute of Marine Biology The Institute of Marine Biology (Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences) was founded in 1967 by Prof. Alexey V. Zhirmunsky as the Marine Biology Department at Vladivostok. On January 1,1970, the Department was reorganized into the institute. It situates directly on coast of Pacific Ocean. At present more than 150 scientists work at the institute (one with rank Academician, 31 with rank Doctor of Sciences; more than 100 with rank Candidate of Sciences; 32 graduate students; and 15 research assistants) in 19 laboratories and departments. They conduct research in 35 major scientific projects according to the goals outlined in the federal programs. The scientists also work on projects supported by competitive grants, which are funded by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) and international funds and institutions.

3. Institute of Marine Biology the study of the flora, fauna, ecology, and production of biota in the shelf zone of the seas of the Russian Far East and the adjacent waters of the Pacific Ocean; the study of the flora, fauna, ecology, and production of biota in the shelf zone of the seas of the Russian Far East and the adjacent waters of the Pacific Ocean; research and development in the fields of conservation, reproduction, and sound management of biological resources in the shelf zone; research and development in the fields of conservation, reproduction, and sound management of biological resources in the shelf zone; the study of adaptations, ontogenesis, and evolution of marine organisms the study of adaptations, ontogenesis, and evolution of marine organisms The major research objectives of the institute are:

4. Forward for studying a biodiversity The Institute of Marine Biology has highly skilled hydrobiologists and taxonomists which have experience of expedition works in various areas of World Ocean. Employees of Institute own techniques of gathering and processing intertidal and sublittoral samples. They can participate in species identification of the following groups of animals: Meiobenthos can be disassembled on groups. Amphipods, Decapods, Isopods, Echiurida, Foraminifera, Gastropods, Fishes, Hydroids, Mollusks, Ostracods, Polychaetes, Priapulida, Sipuncula. Meiobenthos

5. Schematized map of Bering Sea coast of Kamchatka Kamchatka Ps. Bering Sea Olutorskyi Gulf Karaginskyi Gulf Karaginskyi Is. _ intertidal stations and transects In the intertidal zone of Bering Sea coast of Kamchatka more than 20 communities were found. 33 standard biological transects in 14 various places were made. Marked domination of algae L.bongardiana, F.evanescens and other algae and animals (the same as on Commander Islands) was described. In the community Fucus evanescens from this area of Kamchatka 14 common species of algae and animals with the same community of Commander Islands are marked. (Kusakin, Ivanova, 2002)

6. Schematized map of Commander Islands and coast of Kamchatka Detailed researches of an intertidal and the sublittoral of Commander Islands and some areas of Bering Sea coast of Kamchatka have begun from 70- 80th years of the last century. Tens standard hydrobiological sections have been executed, hundreds qualitative and quantitative samples of a macrobenthos and some thousand herbarium sheets of various groups of algae are collected. By points are designated intertidal and subtidal transects and SCUBA diving stations. Mednyi Is. BERING SEA BERING SEA

7. Community of Laminarian algae. In the community of Laminarian algae of Mednyi Island 47 species of macrophytes algae and 116 species of macrobenthic animals were found, excluding some species of actinians, nemerteans, and ascidians that are still unidentified. With respect to species diversity the first place were shared by polychaetes (35 species), red algae (24), brown algae (17), gastropods (20), amphipods (19) and bivalve mollusks (12 species). (Kusakin, Ivanova, 1995) 0 10 20 30 40 Number of species Species richness of the intertidal of Mednyi Island red algae brown algaepolychaetesgastropodsBivalves amphipods

8. Community of shallow waters of the Commander Islands Flora and fauna of shallow zone of Commander Islands have been investigated. From 648 species of Commander Islands shallow water zone almost a quarter is presented by macrophytes. (Benthic flora…,1997) The data on the species composition, their ecology and distribution are given for macrophytes (150 species), sponges (47), hydrozoans (52), nemerteans (17), polychaetes (125), bryozoans (141), chitons (18), bivalves (20), gastropods (29), decapods (25 species). (Up to 15 m)

9. Bivalve mollusks on the Commander Islands A comparative analysis of the degree of similarity of the bivalve fauna of the Commander Islands shelf with that of other North Pacific regions shows that in bivalve composition the Commander Islands are most similar to Kamchatka and the least similar to the Aleutian Islands and Alaska Dendrogram of similarity for bivalve species composition for the seven North Pacific shelf zone regions. 1-Kurile Islands; 2-Pacific coast of Kamchatka; 3- southwestern Bering Sea; 4-Anadyr Bay; 5-Commander Islands; 6-Aleutian Islands; 7-Bering coast of Alaska (by Kamenev, 1995).

10. Commonality of community elements between Commander and Aleutian Islands At present it is impossible to perform a detailed comparison of the composition and structure of the intertidal communities of Commander Islands and Aleutian Islands due to the lack of detailed description of the intertidal biota. However, many belt-forming communities appears to be common for both Mednyi Islands and the Aleutian Islands. These are Laminaria longipes, L. yezoensis, Odonthalia floccosa and some others (Ester et al., 1978, Dethier, Diggins, 1988, Kusakin, Ivanova, 1995). Among the mass species of invertebrates mentioned by these authors for the lower intertidal zone and subtidal fringe of the Aleutian Islands such species as Strogylocentrotus polyacanthus, Cryptochiton stelleri, Collisella pelta, and some others are also typical for the Commander Islands.

11. Sampling design for rocky shore/macroalgal habitats. Vertical horizontal quadrat sample design is shown (only one row is shown as an example) within a study site within a study site 1mx1m 50x50cm 25x25cm 5 replicates per sampling strata 1x1m quadrat digital image/drawing counts of individuals % cover of colonies 50x50cm quadrat removal of all macrophytes except from 25x25 cm area 25x25cm quadrat digital image followed by removal of all organisms high mid low 1 m 5 m 10 m intertidalintertidal subtidalsubtidal

13. Schematized map of Commander Islands and coast of Kamchatka Five biodiversity transects will be conducted within the Russian portion of the project, specifically along the Commander Islands and the Kamchatka Peninsula. Sampling sites will be on Mednyi Island, two sites on Bering Island as well as two sites at the Kamchatka Peninsula. Sampling strategy will comply with the standardized NaGISA protocols with replicate sampling in seven depth strata. By points are designated intertidal and subtidal transects and SCUBA diving stations. Arrows designate prospective transects Mednyi Is. Bering Sea