The article presents the results of macrophytobenthos of the Glubokaya Spit area in Dzharylgach National Nature Park (Dzharylgach Isl.). It was revealed that the bottom vegetation is represented by the poly-dominant community Cystoseira barbata – Codium vermilara + Laurencia coronopus (with a projective cover (PC) of 70–90%) and the mono-dominant Codium vermilara community (PC 80–100%). This is the first record of the Cystoseira and Codium communities in the marine area adjacent to the central part of Dzharylgach Island. These communities inhabit anthropogenic solid substrates at the depth of 0.5–2.5 m with a total area of about 100 m². In total, 30 species of macroalgae (comprising one-third of all macroalgae species registered for Dzharylgach Bay) were identified: Rhodophyta – 16 species (53%), Chlorophyta – 8 (27%), and Ochrophyta (Phaeophyceae) – 6 (20%). All of them are registered in the Cystoseira community; in the Codium community only 10 species were found. Algoflora of the investigated area is predominantly oligosaprobic (63% of species); according to salinity, marine species dominate (63%). The rare fraction includes 8 species (7 species are listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine and one species in the Black Sea Red Data Book); 11 species are first cited for Dzharylgach Bay. The biotope formed by those macrophyte communities is subject to EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and the Bern Convention. In the area where mobile sandy soils dominate, the formation of a quasi-natural vegetation is noted locally on anthropogenic hard substrate. Therefore, for the protection and reproduction of such communities, besides increasing the reserved water area, it is advisable to consider constructing artificial reefs off the coast of Dzharylgachsky National Nature Park.

Keywords: Codium vermilara, Cystoseira barbata, Black Sea, conservation, Dzharylhach Bay, macrophytobenthos, seaweeds

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