**5. The problem of diversity conservation of algae in the western Bering Sea including Commander Islands**

Conservation of biodiversity is a primary condition for stability of biosphere. Studies on biodiversity became a component part of National strategy of Russia more that 10 years ago. Creation of the system of the specially protected nature areas (SPNA-s) serves as the most important instrument of biodiversity conservation in our country. At present 9 SPNA-s with marine coastal area aimed at conservation of hydrobionts diversity have been created in the studied sector of the North Pacific. The northernmost of these areas – Nature Park "Beringia" is located within administrative borders of Chukchi Autinomous District and is just mentioned but not included in our discussion.

### **5.1 Commander State Biosphere Reserve**

Commander State Biosphere Reserve is the most important among the rest 8 SPNA-s. It embraces practically the whole archipelago Commander Islands (Fig. 1). Necessity of protection of the unique biodiversity of Commander Islands was acknowledged in Russia many years ago.

In 1958 the Soviet government prohibited fishery and other economic activity in 30-miles sea area around the Islands with the purpose of conservation of marine mammals (sea otters, fur seals). In 1993 in accordance with Decision of the government of the Russian Federation the state biosphere "Komandorskii" (Commander) reserve with the area of 3648679 hectares was established, its coastal area covering 3463300 hectares. This is one of the largest reserves in the world and taking into account the size of its coastal zone it could be considered as a marine reserve. Main objectives of this state biosphere reserve are: studies and protection of the unique natural complexes of the archipelago, genofond of plants and animals, protection of large rookeries of marine mammals, population of blue fox, nesting spots of rare birds and also conservation of historical traces of Vitus Bering's expedition. Besides that Commander Islands are the place of compact residence

Pacific islands and archipelagos. For instance, aboriginal flora of Hawaiian Islands (without agricultural and invasive species) is more allied with the flora of the Old World than with that of their nearest neighbour – North America (Drude, 1890).

the floras of south-eastern Kamchatka and western part of Bering Sea is a little less (K**<sup>j</sup>** = 0.63), and it is the least between the floras of the Commander Islands and western continental coast of Bering Sea (K**j** = 0.51). I explain phenomenon of such low similarity (in other words, considerable difference) between floristic complexes of geographically close water areas by peculiarities of the system of ocean currents in this sector of the North Pacific, existence of already mentioned Eastern Kamchatka and Alaska currents (Fig. 1) providing favourable conditions for penetration of invasive species of different origin from the adjacent areas, namely from the Arctic into northern part of Bering Sea and from the American continent to Commander Islands. To tell the truth, such deviations in comparative floristic coefficients may happen due to purely statictical reasons (Kafanov et al., 2004). Nevertheless my conclusions are in agreement with the data of K.L. Vinogradova & L.P. Perestenko (1978) who also showed considerable difference of marine flora of the western

Bering Sea from those of the south-eastern Kamchatka and Commander Islands.

**including Commander Islands** 

just mentioned but not included in our discussion.

**5.1 Commander State Biosphere Reserve** 

neighbour – North America (Drude, 1890).

many years ago.

**5. The problem of diversity conservation of algae in the western Bering Sea** 

Conservation of biodiversity is a primary condition for stability of biosphere. Studies on biodiversity became a component part of National strategy of Russia more that 10 years ago. Creation of the system of the specially protected nature areas (SPNA-s) serves as the most important instrument of biodiversity conservation in our country. At present 9 SPNA-s with marine coastal area aimed at conservation of hydrobionts diversity have been created in the studied sector of the North Pacific. The northernmost of these areas – Nature Park "Beringia" is located within administrative borders of Chukchi Autinomous District and is

Commander State Biosphere Reserve is the most important among the rest 8 SPNA-s. It embraces practically the whole archipelago Commander Islands (Fig. 1). Necessity of protection of the unique biodiversity of Commander Islands was acknowledged in Russia

In 1958 the Soviet government prohibited fishery and other economic activity in 30-miles sea area around the Islands with the purpose of conservation of marine mammals (sea otters, fur seals). In 1993 in accordance with Decision of the government of the Russian Federation the state biosphere "Komandorskii" (Commander) reserve with the area of 3648679 hectares was established, its coastal area covering 3463300 hectares. This is one of the largest reserves in the world and taking into account the size of its coastal zone it could be considered as a marine reserve. Main objectives of this state biosphere reserve are: studies and protection of the unique natural complexes of the archipelago, genofond of plants and animals, protection of large rookeries of marine mammals, population of blue fox, nesting spots of rare birds and also conservation of historical traces of Vitus Bering's expedition. Besides that Commander Islands are the place of compact residence

Pacific islands and archipelagos. For instance, aboriginal flora of Hawaiian Islands (without agricultural and invasive species) is more allied with the flora of the Old World than with that of their nearest

of indigenous small people of the North – Aleutians with their traditional mode of life and culture that also need protection. Based on these grounds the Commander Reserve was included in the worldwide net of the biosphere reservations in the frames of the UNESCO program "The man and the biosphere" (MAB).

Organization of the state reserve helps to take under protection all marine organisms inhabiting the Islands, including marine macrophytic algae. And this fact inspires optimism because the majority of rare species included in the Red Data Books of Kamchatka and Russia grow on Commander Islands. In most cases the Islands are the only area of their inhabitance within the Russian coasts (Selivanova, 2007). Conservation of these species in the nature has not only scientific importance but is an integral part of conservation of biodiversity of the coastal zone in its broad sense (i.e. not only of the species diversity but also diversity and stability of marine ecosystems).

It is expedient to note that all species included in the Red Data Book of Kamchatka are rare because of natural reasons, their number is not reduced by human activity and their conservation needs rather non-interference in natural habitats than any active measures of protection. However it is necessary to exclude anthropogenic pollution of the coastal area and poaching in the Reserve's water area. Of course, rare algae themselves cannot be the objects of harvesting but irrational catch of other hydrobionts may cause nonreversible changes in marine ecosystems and as a result – extermination of rare species of algae. In fact there are groups of algae growing on Commander Islands that should be attributed to the category of so called vulnerable species and these are commercial laminarian species (*Laminaria*, *Saccharina*). At present they are abundant on the Islands and there are no real threats for decrease in their diversity. In my opinion remoteness of the Islands, small number of their human population and relatively low demand for the plant marine products will prevent local community from poach harvest of seaweeds as it happened in the vicinity of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskii. However there is a risk of their overharvest in case of large-scale uncontrolled commercial catch. I think that this perspective should be treated as a possible threat for the biodiversity conservation on the shelf of the Commander Islands.
