Surface and Vertical Nutrient Profiles in the Northwestern Black Sea: Trends, Comparisons, and Sample Preservation Assessment
Journal: Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Year: 2025

This study investigated the physicochemical properties and nutrient dynamics on the Romanian shelf of the northwestern Black Sea in July 2024, collecting data across 36 stations (13–1116 m depth) heavily influenced by Danube discharges. Vertical CTD profiling revealed a pronounced seasonal thermocline and a deep-lying permanent halocline. The Cold Intermediate Layer (CIL) boundary, defined by the 8 °C isotherm, was absent, indicating warmer subsurface waters. Surface nutrient concentrations, par