The Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas (IBSS) since 1963 has been the successor of Sevastopol biological station founded on the initiative of M. M. Miklukho-Maklay and O. O. Kovalevsky in 1871. In 1947 the station was named after its first director O. O. Kovalevsky.
The main areas of IBSS research are:
- studying the mechanisms of adaptation, transformation and evolution of marine and oceanic systems under climate change and anthropogenic impact;
- dealing with hydrobiological and biotechnological issues concerning integrated management of coastal zones to ensure rational use of natural resources, environmentl rehabilitation and sustainable development;
- developing methods and technologies for on-line control of biota ecological state, estimating and forecasting marine environment quality and the level of ecological risk in the zones of heavy sea use;
- investigating biological biodiversity in the Black–Azov sea basin and working out effective measures towards its preservation.
IBSS is the major marine research organization of Europe in marine biology and ecology, aiming at preservation and protection of the marine environment, studying biodiversity and dynamics of marine ecosystems, developing novel biotechnologies and methods of integrated coastal management.
The main achievements of national hydrobiology are IBSS science schools and lines of research recognized as priority ones both for Ukraine and the world science: marine radioecology, dynamic chemoecology, biochemical fish ecology, comparative productivity of hydrobionts, ecological physiology of algae, biophysical ecology, marine ecological parasitology, marine sanitary hydrobiology etc. Due to its studies of marine ecosystems functioning under anthropogenic load and global climate change, IBSS’s international cooperation with major hydrobiological centers of Europe, Asia and America has broadened. With their large-scale research, duly appreciated by the academic community, scholars of IBSS made a significant contribution to the world science. In 2007 a group of its researchers won the State Prize of Ukraine for the work done in 1961-2006. Along with fundamental research, they conduct applied studies of great practical interest. Several certified laboratories obtained licenses for environmental expert assessment. Promoting mariculture, IBSS takes part in developing technologies for cultivation of marine and fresh-water hydrobionts: regimes of optimizing their cultivation and processing into food, medical and cosmetic produce. Prizes and awards of prestigeous competitions and exhibitions prove the high level of its applied studies.
Since 2000 the Institute has been headed by NAS academician V. M. Yeremeyev, Director-General of NAS Oceanological Center, the head of NAS Commission on the World Ocean, the President of the Regional Black Sea Committee and a member of UNESCO IOC Executive Committee.
