Ecological interactions driving spring dynamics of Aurelia aurita medusae (Linnaeus, 1758) in the western and north-western Black Sea
Journal: Nature Conservation
Year: 2025

This study examined the ecological factors influencing spring fluctuations in the medusa population of the moon jellyfish ( Aurelia aurita ) in the western and north-western Black Sea between 2009 and 2015. Data were collected at 216 sampling stations, mainly covering coastal and shelf waters of Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine. The north-western Black Sea exhibited the highest mean abundance (2.48 ind/m 3 ± 0.92 SD) and biomass (4.65 g/m 3 ± 3.22 SD) of A. aurita , despite individuals in this regi