Alexander VERESHCHAKA
Head of Laboratory
Dr. Sci. (Biology), Professor, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Marine biologist specializing in bio-oceanography, author of 11 monographs and over 100 scientific publications.
Together with colleagues and students:
- Developed an algorithm to assess deep-sea plankton stocks and demonstrated that their total biomass has been underestimated by one to two orders of magnitude. Showed that the global stock of deep-sea shrimp is comparable to that of deep-sea fish.
- Developed methods for assessing plankton from the deep-submergence vehicles Mir, with over 20 dives conducted. Based on this research, proved that hydrothermal ecosystems are not two-dimensional but three-dimensional structures, interconnected with the surrounding water column through material flows.
- Demonstrated that the benthopelagic zone (the near-bottom water layer) is continuous throughout the ocean, although the fauna inhabiting it varies with depth and region. Described adaptations of these organisms to the dual use of seabed and water column resources.
- Discovered and described over 50 new species and 9 new families and subfamilies of shrimp and krill. Constructed a natural (phylogenetic) systematics of planktonic shrimp and krill, and identified evolutionary patterns within these groups.
Author of original courses on marine biology and planktonology at Moscow State University and MIIGAiK. Has lectured internationally and authored two textbooks. Member of the editorial boards of Invertebrate Zoology and Geochemistry.
Galina ABYZOVA
Researcher
Has been working at the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology since graduating from the Faculty of Biology at Moscow State University in 2012. Her scientific interests lie in the ecology and biodiversity of marine zooplankton, particularly the structure and dynamics of plankton communities in polar and temperate ecosystems. Galina began her research career studying copepods, especially Calanus species, and later shifted her focus to pelagic gastropods (pteropods) and gelatinous zooplankton (ctenophores). She applies molecular tools, including population genetics, to investigate species boundaries, biogeographic patterns, and responses to environmental change.
She has participated in numerous Arctic and Atlantic research expeditions and is actively involved in marine fieldwork and student training programmes. Her work bridges classical taxonomy, molecular ecology, and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding pelagic ecosystems under climate pressure.
Elena ALEKSEENKO
Senior Researcher
PhD in Physics and Mathematics
Since 2016, has been serving as a Senior Researcher at the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology.
Research interests include:
Study and analysis of climatic and anthropogenic impacts on processes in the coastal zone and the open ocean.
Mathematical modeling of oceanic processes, including hydrodynamics, biogeochemistry, sedimentation, and climate dynamics;
Ludmila ANOKHINA
Researcher
PhD (Biological Sciences)
Member of the Laboratory of Structure and Dynamics of Plankton Communities since 1994.
In 2013, defended a PhD thesis entitled: “Composition, abundance dynamics, and biomass of benthopelagic invertebrates and their role in the coastal ecosystem of the Black Sea: a case study of Golubaya Bay.”
A specialist in benthopelagic animals and mesozooplankton. Has participated in numerous marine and coastal research expeditions.
Andrey VEDENIN
Senior Researcher
PhD (Biological Sciences)
Graduated from the Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, in 2012. Since 2013, has been working at the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences: until 2019 in the Laboratory of Deep-Sea Benthic Fauna, and since then (currently) in the Laboratory of Structure and Dynamics of Plankton Communities.
Main research interests include the ecology and structure of benthic and planktonic communities, their dependence on environmental conditions, and biogeography.
Has participated in a number of research expeditions studying the shelves of the Kara, Laptev, and East Siberian Seas, the Greenland Sea, the central Atlantic Ocean, and the Caribbean Basin.
Daria ZASKO
Researcher
PhD (Biological Sciences)
Member of the laboratory since 1999.
Graduated in 1996 from the Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, and in the same year entered the postgraduate program at the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences.
In 2004, defended a PhD thesis entitled: “Radiolarians of the North Atlantic.”
A specialist in radiolarians and mesozooplankton.
Extensive experience in both marine and coastal research expeditions.
Dmitry KULAGIN
Senior Researcher
PhD (Biological Sciences)
Graduated in 2007 from the Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, with a degree in Zoology. Since 2008 has been working at the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences.
Research interests include:
Molecular phylogeography of macroplankton in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones.
Distribution and biology of chaetognaths (Chaetognatha);
Molecular phylogeny and evolution of pelagic higher crustaceans (Euphausiacea and pelagic Decapoda);
Anna LIFANCHUK
Researcher
PhD (Biological Sciences)
In 2017, defended a PhD thesis in Biology under the supervision of Dr. Sci. V.A. Silkin, titled: “Ecological and physiological characteristics of dominant phytoplankton species in the northeastern Black Sea.”
Has been working in the laboratory since March 2021.
Research interests include:
Scanning electron microscopy.
Marine phytoplankton ecology;
Influence of mineral nutrients on phytoplankton community structure;
Anastasiia LUNINA
Senior Researcher
PhD (Biological Sciences)
Graduated in 2004 from the Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, with a degree in Zoology, and subsequently entered the postgraduate program at the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology.
Has been working in the laboratory since 2006.
Research interests include:
- Morphology and phylogeny of pelagic crustaceans;
- Taxonomic and evolutionary studies.
Has participated in research expeditions in the Atlantic Ocean and the Black Sea.
Alexander MIKAELYAN
Leading Researcher
DSc (Biological Sciences)
Has been working at the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology for over 40 years. A specialist in the structure and dynamics of marine phytoplankton. The main research focus is on the impact of physical factors on the primary productivity of marine ecosystems.
Irina MOSHAROVA
Senior Researcher
PhD (Biological Sciences)
Has been working in the laboratory since November 2019. Prior to that, worked as a Senior Research Fellow at the Department of General Ecology and Hydrobiology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University.
Research interests include:
Modern methods for assessing the abundance and activity of microplankton.
Ecology of marine and freshwater bacterioplankton and virioplankton;
Larisa PAUTOVA
Senior Researcher
PhD (Biological Sciences)
Research interests include:
Ecology of marine phytoplankton (mechanisms of phytoplankton community structure formation).
Has 25 years of experience at the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences.
https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Larisa-Pautova-2120400774
Anton TIKHOMIROV
Engineer
Graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in 2024 from the Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, majoring in “Ecology and Environmental Management.” Has been working in the laboratory since 2023.
Research interests include:
Investigation of the role of environmental factors in relation to evolutionary trends and adaptations to ecological niches.
Morphology and phylogeny of pelagic groups of higher crustaceans;
Andrey CHERNYSHEV
Lead Engineer
Has been working in the laboratory since 2016. Responsible for digitizing data and performing calculations of quantitative characteristics of planktonic organisms. Contributes to the oceanic zooplankton database. Develops methods for automating the quantitative assessment of small plankton.
Participant in Black Sea and oceanic expeditions of the laboratory since 2007.
Tamara SHIGANOVA
Chief Researcher
Has been working in the laboratory since 1990. Since then, has been studying invasive species (primarily the comb jellies Mnemiopsis leidyi and Beroe ovata) in the seas of Eurasia and their impact on ecosystems and fish stocks.
Anna YUSHMANOVA
Researcher
PhD (Physics and Mathematics)
Graduated with a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) in 2017, 2019, and 2022, respectively. In 2022, defended a PhD thesis in Physics and Mathematics under the supervision of Cand. Sci. (Physics and Mathematics) D.I. Glukhovets, titled: “Comprehensive assessment of spectral absorption coefficients of seawater using contact and remote sensing methods.
Participant in 7 oceanic and 6 coastal expeditions.
Web of Science ResearcherID: AAD-1904-2021
Scopus AuthorID: 57211068168
ORCID: 0000-0002-3788-570Gibs
Laboratory of Plankton Communities Structure and Dynamics 