4SEAS

"Fascinating Invaders-Jellyfish" events include presentation of 4Seas
project, the "Dramatic Changes in the Black Sea" and spectacular
videos on significant changes in the Black Sea during 20 years in
different student auditoriums in local universities. Special accent
was made on effect of different jellyfish on the Black Sea
environment. Using multimedia with live comments scientist showed the
jellyfish environment, how jellyfish are studied, videos on biology of
the jellyfish invaders of the Black Sea and devastation of the Black
Sea ecosystem by jellyfish Mnemiopsis through grazing zooplankton,
leaving fish larvae without food and increasing phytoplankton blooms.
The attention of the public was attracted to the fact, how
unpredictable could be human activities in the sea: i.e.
eutrophication of waterbodies and transport of alien species
(jellyfish Mnemiopsis) with the ballast water to unprotected marine
environment with the following cascade leading to practically
deceasing of fragile marine ecosystem. Only arrival of other jellyfish
Beroe grazing Mnemiopsis improved the situation in the Black Sea
ecosystem.