The Centre for Ecological Studies is the research organization which use fundamental studies of environmental in solution of the applied ecological tasks:
-conservation of marine and coastal biodiversity,
– assessing the anthropogenic impact,
– management systems and decision-making for environmental protection.
The projecting and analysis of sections of environmental impact assessment (EIA) for hydrotechnical projects revealed the need for use of concrete scientific researches for applied environmental goals in the coastal waters of the Black and Azov Seas. We had met with necessity of performance of real hydrobiological and hydrological researches on planned underwater building sites in the period of development of EIA. Spatial variability of biological and hydrological fields is high enough in coastal water areas because of multifactorial influence. Therefore, use of the average data of areas is not correct for local parts of coast at calculations of an estimation of influence on environment and of value of a prospective damage to biological resources.
The experience of participation (since 1992) in the implementation of applied ecological goals confirmed the rightness of such a methodical approach: to use fundamental scientific researches in the areas of alleged underwater building and marine water use is necessary. These studies were carried out by the environmental scientists who were members of different organizations. In 2003, the establishment of the Center of Ecological Studies (CES) has been predetermined by features of applied ecological works for projects and a number of external events.
In the course of fulfilment of hydrotechnical projects, the Centre has been accumulated extensive experience in the development of environmental sections: “Environmental impact assessment”, “Environmental protection”, “Biological resource damage assessment”, “Ways to reduce anthropogenic load”, “Maximum permissible discharge” and others. Moreover, the applied ecological researches executed for hydrotechnical projects, became a basis for scientific materials which were presented at the international conferences and were published in scientific editions. Thus, we want to note obvious close relationship and importance of these two directions (fundamental and applied researches) in protection and preservation of the environment.