Current distribution of Zostera seagrass meadows along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast (SW Black Sea, Bulgaria) (2010-2020)

Abstract

The current distribution of Zostera spp. seagrass meadows along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast was studied. We used a combination of historical and recent observations of the habitat along the studied coastline. Remote sensing data (satellite images, sonar side-scans) was groundtruthed with georeferenced drop camera observations, scuba diving sampling and georeferenced scuba diving photo and video transects. Тhe total area of the habitat type ‘MB548 - Black Sea seagrass meadows on lower infralittoral sands’ (EUNIS habitat type list 2019) in the study area is 916.9 ha, of which only 17.9 ha are in man-made sheltered environments (harbours). All seagrass meadows identified in 1978-79 were also located during the current survey, despite the increased eutrophication pressure and overall degradation of benthic habitats in the western Black Sea during the 1980s and early 1990s.