IOWBSRC Workshop on Black Sea Fluxes

The rivers are the main sources both of sediments and pollutants. Their irregular supply from different catchment areas controls the nature of terrigenous sedimentation and contamination of the Black Sea. The role of aerosols in the Black Sea has not yet been estimated. As a result of studies in the Black Sea pre-Caucasian zone, it is revealed that fluxes of sediments and pollutants display a wide range of temporal and spatial variations. The spotty character of their spatial distribution in shallow water areas is conditionsed by peculiarities of the water ciruclation. Noticeable amounts of pollutants are accumulating in some areas of semi-enclosed bay; due to the strong anthropogenic contamination carried by small rivers. The continental rise is the main place of acucmulation of sediments and pollutants on deep basin areas of the Black Sea. Studis performed using sediment traps have revealed that fluxes of sediments and pollutants are much higher in near bottom waters of the shelf, in comparison with their rates of accumulation on the sea floor. A reverse picture is observed on the continental rise of the southwestern deep-sea basin. Additional data are required for budget estimations of both sediments and pollutants in the whole basin.