home Folk remedies Sea of Azov - physical geography. Black Sea and Azov Sea: comparison, coordinates, depths

Sea of Azov - physical geography. Black Sea and Azov Sea: comparison, coordinates, depths

Geographical features of the Sea of Azov

Sea of Azov located between 45 and 47 degrees north latitude and between 33 and 39 degrees east longitude. From west to east, the maximum length of the Sea of Azov is 343 kilometers. From north to south - 231. The surface area of the Sea of Azov is 37,605 square kilometers. Interestingly, the islands and spits of the Azov Sea have a total area of about 108 square kilometers. For a person planning a vacation on the Sea of Azov, it will be interesting to know that the length of the coastline is as much as 1,472 kilometers, most of which are beautiful sandy beaches. The maximum depth of the Azov Sea is 14.4 meters. Of course, this figure may seem quite large to you, but do not worry, such depths are found mainly in the central part of the Azov Sea. The average depth level of 5 meters is located 2 kilometers from the shore. To summarize, we can add that the average depth of the Azov Sea is within 6-8 meters.

The bottom of the Sea of Azov is a shallow plain, the maximum depth of which in its central part reaches 15 m. The leveling of the relief was achieved as a result of the burial of uneven roofs of continental Upper Pleistocene loams under a layer of marine sediments (thickness 30-40 m). Only in the western part of the sea, in the area of the sea banks, and in the east between the Elenina Spit and the Zhelezinskaya Bank, the flat surface of the sea bottom is broken by small local uplifts, which rise relative to the surrounding areas by 3-4 m.

Based on the nature of modern sedimentation in the Sea of Azov, an area of intense sediment accumulation, a zone of material transit and weak accumulation, and a zone of stable erosion are distinguished.

The area of intensive accumulation is located in the eastern and southeastern parts of the Taganrog Bay, where the river carried out is deposited. The bottom is suspended material, and in the central part of the Azov Sea, characterized by intense subsidence in the Quaternary Holocene.

The Sea of Azov is shallow. Its maximum depth is 15 m. Depths in the open part of the sea are 10-13 m. The greatest depth at the entrance to Taganrog Bay is 9.6 m; from the entrance towards the top of the bay, the depths gradually decrease and at its top do not exceed 5 m.

The bottom of the sea is very flat, only shallows extend from the spits.

The soil is mostly soft. Along the coast there is a wide strip of sandy soils with an admixture of shells. The bottom of the central part of the sea is covered with soft silt. Rocky soil is found only near the southern coast of the sea.

The softness of the soil determines the intensity of sedimentation in channels and fairways. Therefore, every time you intend to enter a port, you should definitely inquire about the depth of the channel or fairway leading to it.

The area of weak accumulation and transit of material corresponds to the zone of wind currents encircling the sea in a ring. This area is located at a depth of 6-10 m. Here, thin material agitated by wave movements and fragments of shells are moved by wind currents.

The zone of stable erosion covers the coastal strip of the sea to a depth of 6-7 m on average. In the northern and western parts it is confined to the eastern shores of accumulative forms and the Arabat Spit, in the eastern part - to the Yeisk Peninsula, Akhtarsky and Beysugsky estuaries. In this zone, the dynamics of sediment is determined by the formation of abrasion material due to the activity of the surf flow in the coastal zone, the movement of destruction products along the coast, the total effect of the surf flow and alongshore currents, as well as the movement of particles from the coast and their deposition in the accumulation zone. The total area of the zone of stable erosion reaches 20% of the seabed surface.

A feature of the modern dynamics of the shores of the Azov Sea is the predominance of abrasion and the local nature of accumulation. Not only the primary shores, but also the accumulative forms are subject to erosion.

The main sources of terrigenous material forming bottom sediments in the Sea of Azov are products of abrasion of the sea coast and river alluvium. Thus, as a result of the active abrasion destruction of the coast, 16-17 million tons of terrigenous material enter the sea annually. River alluvium comes from the runoff of the Don and Kuban rivers, as well as rivers on the northern coast of the sea. The volume of sedimentary material introduced annually by rivers is about 19 million tons.

Bottom sediments are mainly composed of clayey silt, silty silt, silty sand and sand. Sands in the Sea of Azov are distributed to a depth of 7 m. On the western coast, sands are limited to an isobath of 4-5 m, and on the eastern coast - to depths of up to 2 m. Clayey silts (fraction less than 0.01 mm) are most widespread. They occupy almost the entire central part of the sea, an area with depths of more than 9-10 m. The rest of the seabed is occupied by silty silt.

In the north-eastern part, the sea forms the shallow, desalinated Taganrog Bay, which protrudes far into the land, and in the west, the highly salty, shallow-water Sivash Bay, separated from the sea by a sand-shell embankment - the Arabat Spit - and connected to the sea by the Tonkiy Strait.

The eastern coast of the sea south of the Beysugsky estuary is a vast floodplain with a large number of estuaries interconnected by a complex network of channels of the river delta. Kuban.

The northern coastal part of the sea is divided by sand spits extending far into the sea into areas isolated from each other. The sand spits here extend in a southwestern direction and end in the sea with a number of sandbanks.

There are very few natural landmarks on the shores of the Azov Sea. Only on the southern coast are several capes, hills and mountains noticeable.

The western and eastern shores of the Sea of Azov are mostly flat and monotonous. In many places, especially near river mouths, there are floodplains. Most of the coast is bordered by sand and shell beaches. The southern part of the eastern coast, approximately from the northern branch of the Kuban River delta to the top of Yasensky Bay, is the so-called Priazovskie plavni, crossed by a large number of branches and eriks. N from the top of Yasensky Bay, the eastern shore is high and steep. There are no forests either on the western or eastern shores of the sea, only here and there there are thickets of bushes and groups of trees. In the west, the Arabat Strelka spit separates the vast but shallow Sivash Bay from the Sea of Azov.

The southern coast of the Sea of Azov, formed by the northern sides of the Kerch and Taman peninsulas, is hilly and steep; In some places, rocky headlands jut out from it. The vast Temryuk Bay juts into the eastern part of the southern coast, and the Kazantip and Arabat bays into the western part.

The banks of the Kerch Strait are high. It contains Kamysh-Burunskaya and Kerch bays, as well as the vast Taman Bay. In some places, sand spits protrude from the shores of the strait, of which the largest are the Tuzla and Chushka spits.

The northern coast of the sea drops steeply into the sea almost along its entire length. Mounds rise on it; in many places it is cut through by beams. A characteristic feature of the northern coast is the presence of low and long shallow spits. The largest of them are the Fedotov, Obitochnaya and Berdyansk spits. The coast between the spits is intensively eroded and retreating, as a result of which extensive bays have formed: the Utlyuksky estuary, bounded to the SE by the Fedotov Spit and its continuation - the Biryuchiy Island Spit; Obitochny Bay, located between the Fedotova and Obitochnaya spits; Berdyansk Bay between the Obitochnaya and Berdyansk spits.

The northeastern part of the sea is the vast but shallow Taganrog Bay, stretching eastward for almost 75 miles. Several small shallow bays, bounded by spits, jut into its shores. On the southern side of the bay is the shallow Yeisk estuary.

The only large strait in the described area is the Kerch Strait. The strait is shallow, so a canal has been dug along almost its entire length, the safety of navigation through which is ensured by means of navigation equipment. Branching off from the main channel are channels, recommended paths and fairways leading to ports, ports and populated areas of the strait.

The narrow strait of Thin Bay Sivash connects with the Sea of Azov.

There are no large islands in the Sea of Azov. There are only small low islands: Lyapina Island - near the coast east of the port of Mariupol; artificial island Turtle - on the approach to the port of Taganrog; Sandy Islands - on the approaches to the port of Yeisk.

The waters of the Sea of Azov have low salinity due to difficult water exchange with the Black Sea and a large influx of river water. This is another argument in favor of relaxing on the shores of the Azov Sea - the low salinity of the water is less irritating to the skin, which encourages long swims and is useful for children's recreation. The combination of low salinity of water and its saturation with minerals gives every bath an excellent cosmetic effect. Due to the low salinity, the waters of the Azov Sea easily freeze in winter. Interestingly, before the Don River was regulated, the water was even fresher. The minimum water salinity is at the mouth of the Don, the maximum is near the Kerch Strait.

The climate of the Sea of Azov belongs to the continental climate of temperate latitudes. It is characterized by moderately mild, short winters and warm, long summers.

Seasonal weather changes in the Sea of Azov are formed under the influence of large-scale synoptic processes. In autumn-winter, the Sea of Azov is affected by the spur of the Siberian anticyclone. This causes a pronounced predominance of northeastern and eastern winds with an average speed of 4-7 m/s. The increasing intensity of this spur causes strong, up to stormy, winds, accompanied by a sharp cooling. The average monthly air temperature in January is -2... -5°С, but during northern and northeastern storms it drops to -25°С and lower. In spring and summer, the Azov Sea is affected by the spur of the Azores High. This period is characterized by the predominance of low wind, cloudless and warm weather. The winds are unstable in direction, their speed is insignificant (3-5 m/s). There is often complete calm. In spring, Mediterranean cyclones are observed over the sea, which are accompanied by southwestern winds at a speed of 4-6 m/s. The passage of atmospheric fronts causes thunderstorms and short-term showers. In summer, the air over the sea warms up greatly; in July, the average monthly air temperature is 23-25 °C.

The average monthly isotherms of the cold period of the year are elongated zonally. During the warm period, the distribution of air temperature over the sea is significantly different. In summer (June-August) the field of average monthly air temperatures is very uniform. During transition seasons, isotherms over the sea look like closed rings. In April-May, the minimum air temperature is observed over the central part of the sea and increases towards the coast. In September-October the temperature distribution is reversed. The maximum (up to 43 °C) air temperature is observed in July-August, the minimum (up to -33 °C) in January-February. The average monthly temperature varies from -1... -5 °C in January-February to 23-24 °C in July-August.

In the daily variation of air temperature, there is one maximum in the middle of the day and one minimum before sunrise. The maximum daily fluctuations in air temperature (up to 10°C) were observed in July-August on the northeastern coast of the sea.

The frosty period usually lasts from December to March and is accompanied by frequent thaws. The number of days with negative air temperatures is approximately 105-110 days in the northern part and 75-80 days in the southern part. The duration of the frost-free period varies from 200 days in the northern part to 300 days in the southern part.

On average, over a long-term period, 418 mm of precipitation per year falls on the surface of the Sea of Azov. The distribution of precipitation over the sea area is uneven. The greatest amount falls in the northeastern (Taganrog Bay) and eastern (Primorsko-Akhtarsk) regions of the sea. Moreover, throughout the year, the amount of precipitation falling on the coast exceeds the amount of precipitation falling on the surface of the sea.

In the seasonal course of precipitation, there is a winter maximum, amounting to 28-39% of the annual amount, and a summer (June-July) maximum, amounting to 21-29%. Summer precipitation has the least frequency, and winter precipitation has the greatest frequency. The average intensity of summer precipitation is 3-4 times greater than winter.

The distribution of precipitation over the sea by season shows the following features: from April to October the least amount falls in the central regions of the sea; from November to March the least precipitation is observed in the western and southwestern regions of the sea.

Large precipitation anomalies are local in nature and mainly relate to summer rainfall. Showers are observed relatively rarely and on average account for about 20-25% of the number of days with precipitation.

Solid precipitation on the coast of the Azov Sea can be observed from October to April. Snow cover on the coast is established from December to March. On average, snow cover in the southern regions of the coast lasts for 20-30 days, and in the northern regions - 50-70 days and can reach a thickness of 50 cm.

The hydrological and hydrochemical regime of the sea is formed under the influence of river flow, water exchange with the Black Sea and climatic factors. The shallowness of the sea also plays a significant role. Excess fresh water (river flow plus precipitation), limited supply of Black Sea waters through the Kerch Strait cause low salinity of sea waters, which is approximately 1.5 times lower than the salinity of Black Sea waters and almost 3 times lower than ocean waters. The spatial distribution of salinity is characterized by significant horizontal gradients in the Taganrog Bay, especially in its eastern part, and on the Kuban coast, a low-gradient field in the central part of the sea and increased salinity in the area adjacent to the Kerch Strait.

Due to the small volume of the sea and the large temporal variability of river flow, interannual changes in salinity can reach 1%0 or more, and long-term changes - over 4%0.

Due to the large amount of incoming solar radiation, the Sea of Azov has a fairly high average annual water temperature of 11.5°C. In July-August, the water temperature reaches 24-25°C, and off the coast it can exceed 30°C. In winter, the water temperature is at or close to freezing. During the periods of greatest cooling (January-February) and greatest warming (July-August), the water temperature fields are of low contrast. In the spring transition season (April-May), due to the influence of depths on the heating of water, its temperature increases noticeably from the central regions of the sea to the coastal ones. In autumn (October-November), due to differences in heat reserves at different depths, the opposite picture is observed - the water temperature decreases from the open sea to the coastal areas. Intense wind-wave mixing of waters at shallow sea depths helps equalize temperatures from the surface to the bottom. The temperature difference throughout the entire water column does not exceed 1°C on average.

Ice appears on the Sea of Azov every year. Ice phases are highly variable in time and space. Thus, the earliest appearance of the initial types of ice in the Taganrog Bay was noted at the end of October, and in the Kerch Strait - at the end of December. The latest clearing of ice occurs first in the coastal areas of the northern part of the sea, Temryuk Bay and the Kerch Strait (3rd ten days of April), then in the southwestern part of the sea, where floating ice is driven by the prevailing winds (beginning of May). During severe winters, most of the ice season the sea is covered with continuous or very compact floating ice. During mild winters, most of the open sea usually remains ice-free and only in February is covered with floating ice with a concentration of 7-8 points.

Fauna of the Sea of Azov

Along the banks of rivers and reservoirs, on the spits of the Azov Sea there are a lot of waterfowl - geese, ducks, steppe waders, lapwings, red-breasted geese, mute swans, curlews, black-headed gulls, laughing gulls, quacks. The steppe reservoirs are inhabited by the marsh turtle, lake frog, pond frog, some mollusks - reel, pond snail, meadow snail, crayfish and about 30 species of fish. The fauna of the Azov Sea includes about 80 species of fish. The most important species are bream, pike perch, beluga, herring, ram, anchovy, large flounder, and goby.

o Fish catch per hectare of surface in the Sea of Azov is 80 kilograms, for comparison in the Black Sea - 2 kilograms, in the Mediterranean - 0.5 kilograms.

It is interesting to see how the number of Mediterranean species of animals and plants decreases from west to east. More than 6,000 species of organisms are found in the Mediterranean Sea, 1,500 in the Black Sea, 200 in the Azov Sea, 28 in the Caspian Sea, and only 2 species of Mediterranean organisms in the Aral Sea. This suggests that these seas gradually separated from the Mediterranean Sea in the distant past.

Mullet, herring and anchovies (anchovies) move from the Black Sea to the Azov Sea in the spring to feed. In autumn, when the water temperature drops to 6 degrees, the fish return back to the Black Sea. Sturgeon fish spawn in the Don, Kuban, and Dnieper rivers.

Belugas, in addition to their large weight, are also distinguished by their longevity. They live 70 - 80 years. True, compared to the pike, which lives up to 200 years, and the sea turtle, which lives 400 - 500 years, the beluga's lifespan is short, but compared to the lifespan of other marine fish, it is still significant. Probably not many people know that the age of fish is determined by their scales and cut bones. These parts of the fish's body have annual rings, just like those on trees. There is an expression “roars like a beluga,” but strangely enough, it has nothing to do with beluga. It is not the beluga who roars, but the beluga whale - a northern sea animal. Beluga spawns in the same rivers as other sturgeon. Their caviar is highly valued. However, there are cases when the dangerous botulinus bacterium settles in sturgeon meat, the poison of which is dangerous to humans.

Interesting flounder. This fish, flat and often lying on the ground, is distinguished by its ability to quickly change color to match the color of the underlying surface. In the skin of a flounder there are individual colored cells that, when moving, change its color. Scientists put colored glasses on flounders, and the fish tried to copy the color of their glasses. Interestingly, blind flounders are always black. They seem to see darkness in front of them and change body color accordingly. For some reason, flounder is considered one-eyed. This is not true, she actually has two eyes. Flounder weighs up to 15 kilograms and lives up to 25 years. Interestingly, its fry have a body shape that is flattened in a vertical plane; Gradually, one side of the fish’s body begins to develop faster than the other, and the flounder seems to lie on its side.

Fish and sea animals hear perfectly. In relation to fish, it would be more correct to say that they do not hear, but feel, since they perceive the vibrations of water that arise when sounds pass through the surface of their body, especially the lateral line. Fish also have some semblance of an inner ear, auditory ossicles that perceive sounds. It should be recalled that sound travels faster and further in water than in air. Our method of catching mullet in the Black and Azov Seas is based on this property of fish: they are scared away by noise. Fish not only hear sounds, but some of them can make them. For example, scienae, dark croakers, gurnards and other fish found in the Black Sea “talk” to each other by squeezing sounds from their swim bladder (playing it like a drum). What do these sounds sound like? The gurnard "grinds its teeth" if it is dissatisfied, and when pleased it makes more melodic sounds, croakers "croak", herring "whisper", and horse mackerel "bast" loudly. Dolphins pulled out on deck “grunt”, “meow”, “croak”. Some fish make very loud sounds, such as the dark croaker. When a flock of croakers is at a depth of 40 meters, you can hear them “talking” on the surface of the water. Military sailors believe that during the war, some acoustic mines exploded not from the noise of the ship's propellers, but from the screams of the loudest fish. From this it is clear that the popular expression “dumb as a fish” is not always true.

In addition to the sounds that we can hear, fish produce ultrasounds. With their help, they detect food or danger; this largely replaces their vision. It is not surprising, therefore, that blind fish can find food and spawning sites on the same basis as sighted ones.

How fast do fish swim? Which fish are considered the best swimmers? Can a person match the swimming speed of a fish? However, the majority will probably answer the last question in the negative. And perhaps only hydrobiologists can answer the first two questions. This is what they say. The speed of small fish is from 2 to 12 kilometers per hour. The larger the fish, the faster, as a rule, their speed. A shark and a dolphin can easily outrun a passenger ship, and a swordfish can reach speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour. Man is a very weak swimmer compared to fish. The world champion swimmer cannot reach a speed of more than 6 - 7 kilometers per hour, that is, he swims twenty times slower than the fastest fish.

Sea of Azov: brief description

The Sea of Azov is located in the southern part of Russia, it is a semi-enclosed type of sea and is related to the Atlantic Ocean basin. The sea is connected to the ocean by a chain of straits and various seas. The salinity of the water is ensured by the influx of water masses from the Black Sea, but for the most part they are diluted by river runoff. In recent years, people have been active on the sea coast, so the influx of fresh water has decreased significantly. This fact affected the population of marine life.

Black Sea: briefly about the main thing

The Black Sea is an inland sea of the Atlantic Ocean and is connected to the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas by various straits. The water area has long been inhabited by people; now Russia, Turkey, Georgia and Bulgaria have access to the waters of the Black Sea.

One of the features of the water area is the impossibility of life existing at great depths. This is due to the release of hydrogen sulfide at a depth of more than one hundred and fifty meters; moreover, this feature does not allow different layers of water to mix with each other. Therefore, large temperature differences are observed at shallow depths in the Black Sea.

Where did the Sea of Azov come from?

In ancient times, the Sea of Azov did not exist; this territory was swampy. Scientists believe that the water area was formed approximately five thousand six hundred years BC as a result of the Black Sea flood. This version was expressed by ancient philosophers and is supported by modern hydrologists and oceanologists.

During its existence, the Sea of Azov changed its name many times. Using them, you can even trace the history of the development of the reservoir itself, because the ancient Greeks classified it as lakes, and the Romans as swamps. Although the Scythians already used the word “sea” in their name for the water area.

Scientists have counted more than fifty different names. Every nation that chose the shores of the Sea of Azov sought to give it a new name. It was only in the eighteenth century that the familiar word “Azov” became established in the Russian language. Although back in the first century AD, some Greek scientists mentioned a name that sounded close to the modern pronunciation.

History of the Black Sea

Hydrologists believe that a freshwater lake has always existed on the site of today’s Black Sea. It is worth noting that at that time it was the largest in the world; the filling of the water area with sea water occurred as a result of the same Black Sea flood, thanks to which the Sea of Azov was formed. A large flow of salt water caused a massive death of freshwater inhabitants of the lake, which became the source of the release of hydrogen sulfide from the depths of the sea.

I would like to note that the Black Sea almost always had names close to today’s. It is believed that the Scythian tribes who lived on the coast called the sea “dark”. The Greeks, in turn, changed the name and began to call the water area the “Inhospitable Sea.” This is associated with frequent storms and difficulties in passing the fairway. Some hydrologists have put forward a hypothesis according to which sailors since ancient times have noticed that anchors, when lifted from the depths, acquire a deep black color. This served as the prerequisite for the name of the sea.

Where are the Black and Azov Seas located: coordinates and dimensions

The Black Sea has an area of more than four hundred thousand square kilometers, the length of the surface between the two most distant points is approximately five hundred and eighty kilometers. The volume of water in the water area is equal to five hundred and fifty cubic kilometers. The coordinates of the Black Sea lie between forty-six degrees thirty-three minutes and forty degrees fifty-six minutes north latitude and between twenty-seven degrees twenty-seven minutes and forty-one degrees forty-two minutes east longitude.

The area of the Sea of Azov is thirty-seven square kilometers, the length between the most distant points is equal to three hundred and eighty kilometers. The sea coordinates lie between 45°12′30″ and 47°17′30″ north latitude and between 33°38′ and 39°18′ east longitude.

Depth

The Black Sea and the Sea of Azov differ significantly from each other. The first thing that strikes the average person is the difference in depth. The fact is that the depth of the Azov Sea is constantly changing. Scientists are seriously concerned about the trend towards shallowing of the Azov waters. At the moment, the sea is one of the smallest in the world, and the process of shallowing is gaining momentum and becoming more active every year. According to the latest data, the average depth of the Sea of Azov is only seven meters, the deepest place in the entire water area is thirteen and a half meters.

The Black Sea has a heterogeneous bottom topography. Therefore, the depth in different areas differs significantly. The maximum depth reaches two thousand meters. In the Yalta area, the average depth is five hundred meters, and this mark is reached already several kilometers from the coast.

It's amazing how interconnected everything is in our world. This also applies to the seas. Every schoolchild knows that the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov are connected to each other. It is a narrow strip of water, not exceeding four kilometers in width. The average depth of the strait is five meters.

Those who often visited the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov in Soviet times know that there is an absolutely unique place where you can see the contact of the two seas. If you come to Tuslova Spit, then on one side of you there will be the Sea of Azov, and on the other - the Black Sea. Tourists claim that this spit is an unusually good place to relax. There are practically no people here, and the opportunity to swim in both seas at once cannot but delight unspoiled vacationers.

It is worth noting that in comparison with the Sea of Azov, the waters of the Black Sea look lighter. Scientists find it difficult to say what this is connected with.

What does the sea coast look like?

The coasts of the Black and Azov Seas are significantly different from each other. Azov is represented by flat beaches with slightly indented relief. Most of the beaches are covered with sand; the Russian part is two hundred and fifty kilometers of coastal strip. A special feature of the coast of the Sea of Azov are the alluvial spits; they usually protrude deeply into the water area and do not exceed five kilometers in width.

The length of the Russian part of the Black Sea coast is four hundred and fifty-seven kilometers. The coastal strip is slightly indented and is represented mainly by pebble beaches, which in some places are more than three hundred meters wide. The Black Sea is distinguished by a large number of islands, chaotically scattered throughout the water area.

Transparency and color of water masses

The Black Sea and the Sea of Azov have different water compositions, which affects their color. If you look at the Black Sea on a sunny day, you will see how the water takes on a deep cobalt hue. This is due to the absorption of red and orange spectrum rays from the sun. The Black Sea is not one of the most transparent, but nevertheless, visibility on a clear day here reaches more than seventy meters.

The waters of the Azov Sea in calm weather have a greenish color, but the slightest wind immediately turns the water into a dirty yellow substance. This is explained by the large amount of phytoplankton that has filled the sea area. The fact is that shallow water with heated water is ideal for its development, which corresponds to the indicators of the Sea of Azov. It is shallow depths that affect the transparency of the water; it is almost always cloudy with low visibility.

Flora and fauna of the seas

Hydrologists and oceanologists often compare the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov in terms of the richness of flora and fauna. This indicator reveals significant differences between the two water areas.

At one time, the Sea of Azov had no competitors in terms of the quantity of fish; several large companies were engaged in catching it. In recent years, the population of marine species has declined significantly. According to oceanologists, more than one hundred and three species of fish live in the Sea of Azov. Almost all of them are commercial:

herring;
stellate sturgeon;
sprat;
flounder and so on.

The Black Sea is considered relatively poor in terms of marine life, because at depth, due to hydrogen sulfide emissions, life is simply impossible. The sea is home to about one hundred and sixty species of fish and five hundred species of crustaceans. But phytoplankton is represented by six dozen species, as opposed to two species in the Sea of Azov.

Despite the fact that the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov are located nearby and even have a common border, they differ significantly from each other. Some of these differences can only be determined by scientists, while some are clearly visible even to ordinary vacationers, who often prefer the coast of these seas to foreign resorts.

The Sea of Azov has the shape of a semi-enclosed area of the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the southern part of the Russian Plain. Its area is one of the smallest on the planet, only about 40 thousand km 2. It is connected to the Black Sea through the Kerch Strait and washes the shores of two countries: Russia and Ukraine. A distinctive feature is its shallow depth, on average 6-8 m, even the lowest point does not exceed -30 m. The legal status of the sea is determined by several approved documents recognizing it as the internal waters of Russia and Ukraine.

Part of the scientific community does not recognize Azov as a sea in the general sense of this definition. Some scientists call it a shallow bay of the Black Sea, due to its shallow depth, small area and water composition (mixing of Black Sea and river flows).

The shores of the Sea of Azov in the eastern and northern parts are subject to the destructive effects of erosion, as they are composed of sandstones and clays. The more durable parts of the coast belong to the Kerch and Taman peninsulas, where limestone rocks are common. The coast of Azov is composed of sandy beaches with an abundance of shells. There are many estuaries here - this is what oblong bodies of water near the sea are called in this area.

Shores of the Sea of Azov in Russia

The territory of the Russian Federation includes the following geographical units washed by the Sea of Azov:

In the northeast: Miussky Estuary, Taganrog Bay, Yeisk Estuary, Beglitskaya Spit, rivers: Eya, Kagalnik, Sambek, Mokry Elanchik, Mokraya Chuburka, Don, Mius;
In the east: Glafirovskaya Spit, Beisugsky Estuary, Yasensky Bay, Akhtarsky Estuary, Cape Chumbursky, Yasenskaya Spit (Beisugsky Estuary), Long Spit, Kamyshevatsky Spit, Achuevskaya Spit (Akhtarsky Estuary);
In the southeast: Cape Achuevsky, Temryuk Bay, Cape Kamenny, rivers: Kuban, Protoka;
On the territory of the Kerch Strait: Chushka Spit.

After the annexation of Crimea to Russia in 2014, the Arabat Spit and the Sivash Bay (Rotten Sea) became the de facto administrative borders of the Republic of Crimea and the Kherson region. They partially belong to both countries, but the Ukrainian side considers this zone temporarily occupied by Russia.

The shores of the Azov Sea in Ukraine

The coastline of the Sea of Azov on the territory of Ukraine is represented by saddle geographical objects:

In the north-west: Molochny Estuary, Obitochnaya Bay, Berdyansk Bay, Utlyuksky Estuary, Biryuchy Island Spit, Berdyansk Spit, Obitochnaya Spit, Fedotova Spit, many small rivers: Berda, Obitochnaya, Lozovatki and many others;
In the northeast: Krivaya Spit, Belosarayskaya Spit.

Cities on the Sea of Azov in Russia

The list of Russian cities washed by the Sea of Azov includes the following settlements in the Southern Federal District:

Republic of Crimea (Leninsky district, Kerch urban district);
Rostov region (Neklinovsky district, Azov district);
Krasnodar region (Kanevsky district (facing the Beisugsky estuary), Slavyansky district, Yeysky district, Primorsko-Akhtarsky district, Temryuksky district, Shcherbinovsky district);
Taganrog urban district.

Cities on the Sea of Azov in Ukraine

(Berdyansk, Zaporozhye part of Ukraine)

On the territory of Ukraine, the Sea of Azov washes the borders of the following administrative units:

Kherson region (Ghenichesk district);
Zaporozhye region (Melitopol district (top of the Molochny estuary), Priazovsky district, Akimovsky district, Primorsky district, Berdyansky district)
Donetsk region (Mangush district)
Mariupol City Council (Volnovakha district, Levoberezhny district, Primorsky district, Novoazovsky district).

In autumn and winter, the weather of the Azov Sea is influenced by the Siberian Sea. As a result of its influence, winds predominantly blow from the northeastern and eastern directions. Their average speed is 4 – 7 m/s. During this period, powerful storms are observed, the speed of which reaches over 15 m/s. At the same time, a sharp drop in temperature occurs. The average temperature in January is about – 2 – 5°C. During stormy periods it drops to – 25 – 27°C.

In spring and summer, the climatic conditions of the Azov Sea are influenced by the Azores Maximum. When exposed to it, winds of various directions are observed. Their speed is quite low - 3 - 5 m/s. In the warm season there are complete calms. In summer on the Sea of Azov it is quite high. In July, the air warms up to + 23 – 25°C on average. In spring, less often in summer, the sea is at its mercy. At the same time, winds from the southwestern and western directions are observed. The speed of these winds is 4 – 6 m/s. During cyclones, short showers are also observed. In the spring-summer period, sunny weather prevails, with high temperatures.

Two large rivers carry their waters into the Sea of Azov: the Kuban and about 20 small rivers. Small rivers mainly flow into the northern part of the sea. The river flow of the Sea of Azov is determined by the volume of water carried by the Kuban and Don rivers. The waters provided by small rivers are spent on evaporation. On average, the sea receives about 36.7 km 3 per year.

The largest amount of water is provided by the Don (more than 60%), which flows into the Taganrog Bay in the northeastern part of the sea. Kuban brings its waters to the southeastern part of the sea. The waters of the Kuban account for 30% of the total flow. Most of the river water flows into the eastern part of the sea and is absent in the rest of the mainland. The sea receives the greatest amount of fresh water in the spring and summer. After the Kuban and Don rivers began to be regulated, the seasonal distribution of continental flow changed. Before this, in the spring the rivers brought about 60% of the total flow, in the summer - 15%. After the creation of waterworks on the rivers, the share began to be 40%, and the share of summer ones increased to 20%. An increase in winter and autumn runoff is observed. A greater change was made on the Don than on the Kuban.

Water exchange between Azov and occurs through. During the year, the Azov Sea releases about 49 km2 of water, the Black Sea about 33.8 km3 of water. On average, the waters of the Black Sea increase their volume per year at the expense of the Sea of Azov by approximately 15.5 km 3 . River flow and sea water exchange are closely related. If there is a decrease in river flow, then there is a decrease in the water flow of the Azov Sea and an increase in the influx of Black Sea water. The waters of the Sea of Azov interact with the waters through the Tonky Strait. During the year, the sea gives out about 1.5 km 3, and receives about 0.3 km 3 from Sivash.

On average, the Sea of Azov loses and receives approximately the same amount of water per year. The sea waters are fed by river runoff (about 43%) and the waters of the Black Sea (40%). During the year, the Sea of Azov loses its waters as a result of water exchange with the Black Sea (58%) and evaporation from the surface (40%).

Ice forms on the expanses of the Azov Sea every year. Due to the fact that winter here is short and frosts are not constant, ice formation is irregular. During the winter, ice undergoes various changes: it appears and disappears again, becomes drifting, and then freezes to a stationary state. At the end of November, the first ice begins to appear in the Taganrog Bay. In early December, ice covers the northeastern and northwestern parts of the sea. Only in mid-January does ice appear in the southwestern and southern regions. The timing of ice formation may vary depending on the specific year. The greatest thickness that ice can reach is 80 – 90 cm. On average, the thickness of the ice can be about 20 cm, with a relatively mild winter.

Sea of Azov (photo by Mikhail Manaev)

In mid-February the ice gradually weakens. At the end of February it begins to collapse near the coast in the southern part of the sea. By the beginning of March, the ice collapses in the northern part, and in mid-March - in the Taganrog Bay. The sea is completely free of ice only by mid-March - April.

Human economic activity is widely developed in the Sea of Azov. Fishing is well developed here. A large number of valuable species of fish (especially sturgeon) and a large number of various marine products are caught here. Currently, the volume of fishing is declining due to a decrease in the number and diversity of sea fauna. There are reserves in the depths of the Azov Sea. The waters of the sea produce various goods. There are also resort areas for recreation on the sea coast.

I stand enchanted over your abyss,

You are alive; you breathe; confused love,

You are filled with anxious thoughts.

Silent sea, azure sea,

Reveal to me your deep secret.

V. Zhukovsky

The plot of land on which the Sea of Azov is located has undergone many changes and transformations over the multimillion-year history of its geological development. The Sea of Azov has its own, unique features and characteristics. First of all, the unique dimensions of this smallest sea. It is smaller than the Aral Sea - 1.5 times, the Caspian Sea - 10 times, the Black Sea - 11 times.

Its area is 39.1 thousand square kilometers. Of the 2,686 km of coastline, most of it is in Ukraine. The Sea of Azov is a shallow basin: the average depth is 8 - 10 m, and the greatest - 14 m. The surface of its bottom is flat, the shores are low, with numerous sand spits (Arabatskaya Strelka, Belosarayskaya, Berdyanskaya, Obitochnaya), the coastal strip has a depth of up to 5 m. The largest bays* of the Azov Sea are Temryuk and Taganrog. In the southern part, the sea forms the Arabat and Kazantip bays, and the shallow Sivash adjoins it from the west.

The climatic conditions of the Azov Sea, unlike the Black Sea, have continental features. In winter, polar air with northeastern winds dominates over it; in summer, western and northwestern winds predominate. The water temperature in the sea in summer, thanks to good heating, reaches 24-25 0 C, and in the coastal zone sometimes the water warmed up even to 32 0 C. In winter, the water gradually cools to +3 - -3 0 C. From December, the Sea of Azov begins to gradually freeze, but By the end of February - beginning of March the ice has already thawed. Water salinity* was always no higher than 10.9‰ (ppm)* .

Diagram comparing sea areas

Productivity of the Azov Sea

The physical and geographical conditions of the Sea of Azov give grounds to assert the existence of large fish reserves in it. Until relatively recently, the fish stocks of the sea, despite their small size and shallow waters, were unusually large, as evidenced by Professor A.A. Zenkevich : “No sea body of water on the globe known to us can compare with the Sea of Azov in terms of the extreme intensity of production processes and the relative efficiency of fishing.”

In the Sea of Azov there are many species of fish, among which commercially important are sprat, anchovy, pike perch, flounder, bream, ram, herring, stellate sturgeon, sturgeon, goby, and mullet. Spawning grounds* in the lower reaches of the Don and Kuban occupied 400 sq.m. Until the 40s of the 20th century, the Sea of Azov provided 20% of the all-Union (in the former USSR) fish catch and 31% of the catch in inland waters . In terms of its productivity (70 - 80 kg per hectare), it had no equal in the world. From each hectare of its area, fish were caught 6 times more than in the Caspian Sea, 8 times more than in the Baltic Sea and 25 times more than in the Black Sea

In some years, catches reached 300 thousand tons, of which 160 thousand tons, i.e. half of the fish caught were fish of valuable species.

What are the reasons for such high productivity of the sea?

The reason for such biological productivity* of the sea was that extremely favorable natural conditions formed here:

Firstly, The Azov Sea is shallow, which facilitates the easy return of nutrients from the bottom into the water and their good mixing. Mixing of water occurs in both vertical and horizontal directions.

Secondly, In summer, the sea quickly warms up - up to 30-32 0 C near the coast, up to 25-30 0 C in the middle part, while the entire water column is illuminated.

Third, 20 rivers flowing into the Sea of Azov (the largest are Don and Kuban) bring here a lot of organic and mineral substances. Thanks to this, huge masses of benthos* and plankton* develop in the Azov Sea, most of which go to feed fish. The average autumn biomass* of its benthos is 418 g/m3. In addition, the growth rate of animals in the Sea of Azov is 6-8 times higher than in the Barents Sea.

Fourthly, due to the fact that the Azov Sea was less salty than the Black Sea, there were no jellyfish and rapana gastropods, greedily eating food intended for fish and their fry.

Sea of ​​Azov - physical geography. Black Sea and Azov Sea: comparison, coordinates, depths

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