Ecological Systems and Devices Annotation << Back On identifying zones of influence of building work suspension on plankton organisms at the sea shelf Novikov М.А. The development of oil and gas fields on the shelf of Russia is associated with estimation of ecological risks including, in particular, a negative impact on the sea plankton. The increase in water turbidity is often the main impact of this kind. To solve the problem a new methodological approach to detection of the ecological risk zones in the sea area is proposed. A visual diagram (model) of the suspension propagation at the sea bottom during the hydrotechnical works and its impact on plankton survival is presented. The role of sea currents in forming the sea zones subjected to the damage effect of suspended matter was shown. To forecast the suspension effect within the given Barents Sea area the GIS-technologies were used. As a result of the investigations, the area of influence of hydrotechnical works to lay the communication cabel in the Barents Sea on zooplankton was shown using a specific example. The extent of impact on plankton is associated with its biomass in the relevant sea areas. The pointed areas of cabling influence on plankton organisms are stretched for tens of kilometers westward from the area of works, i.e. they are significant in extension and the area coverage. Thus, if the proposed approach is used the risk zones for plankton organisms considerably increases as a result of such works. If the works are prolonged the volumes of water masses influenced may be considered as great even despite a relatively small expected width of the suspension tails. Keywords: Ecological risks; Barents Sea; hydro technical works; impact of suspension; plankton; zoning. Contacts: E-mail: mnovik@pinro.ru Pp. 50-55.