The publication Charophytes in the Estuarine Curonian Lagoon: Have the Changes in Diversity, Abundance, and Distribution Occurred since the Late 1940s? has been chosen as the best scientific article dedicated to the biology of the Baltic Sea, published in the journal Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies in 2017.

Authors of the article dr. Zofija Sinkevičienė from the Nature Research Centre in Vilnius and scientists of the Marine Research Institute of Klaipėda University dr.  Martynas Bučas, Raimonda Ilginė, dr. Diana Vaičiūtė, dr. Marija Kataržytė and dr. Jolita Petkuvienė received a Dr. Eng. Jerzy Masłowski Prize.

The article was prepared in the framework of the project Distribution of Charophyta in the Curonian Lagoon and Impact of Environmental Factors (MAURAKUMA) funded by the Research Council of Lithuania and led by dr. M Bučas. The aim of the project was to assess charophytes recent distribution and oospores bank in the sediments as a possible tool for the restoration of underwater vegetation in the Curonian Lagoon. In this project application of available water acoustic technique for charophyte distribution mapping have been tested and recommendations on the development of this method and its applicability for charophytes monitoring have been provided. Biological factors (e.g. helophytes) affecting charophytes and impact of associated epibenthic organism have been analysed by classical and molecular methods in such a type of lagoon. Generalization of both biological and physical-chemical impacts on charophytes was assessed by statistical predictive species habitat models, which were tested for the use of ecological scenarios analysis.

Since 2012, it has been an annual tradition at the Faculty of Oceanography and Geography of the University of Gdańsk to choose two best papers in two categories (marine biology of the Baltic Sea and environmental protection of the Baltic Sea), published in the journal Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies.

Among the Polish oceanographers, Jerzy Masłowski (1946-2009) was an unquestionable and highly respected authority. His academic achievements include many scientific articles, lectures at conferences and symposia, and commissioned works.

Source: Klaipeda University