Macrobenthos of Brackish-Water Areas in the Intertidal Zone of Del'fin Bay (Shikotan Island, Small Kuril Islands)

The paper describes brackish-water areas of Del'fin Bay and provides quantitative characteristics of macrobenthos communities in these areas considering changes that took place after the lowering of the island and a result of the earthquake of 1994. A comparative biogeographical analysis have been performed of brackish-water areas in Del'fin Bay in comparison with open seaward Gorobets Bay (Shikotan Island). The most peculiar elements of biota in the brackish-water areas are represented by marine eurybionthic and brackish-water species of the subtropical–low boreal complex. The communities of brackish-water areas of Del'fin Bay have been referred to the Amur-Japanese Subprovince of the Sino-Indian Brackish-Water Province, unlike the assemblage of organisms in typically marine coasts of Shikotan Island, which are referred to the Low-Boreal Subprovince (Subzone) of the marine Pacific Boreal Province (Zone).