The invasive ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi (Agassiz, 1865) was first found in the Black Sea in early 1980-s. This species created the tremendous ecosystem damage and big economic losses in the region in the late 1980-s, 1990-s. It was recognized as one of the main ecological problems for the Black Sea ecosystem.

A number of the Black Sea researchers studied the Mnemiopsis and analyzed its distribution and temporal and space variability within the sea. However, these analyses are based on data collected by the researchers themselves and in some cases on the basis of the several datasets collected by a group of researches. Unfortunately, none basin wide long term database of the Black Sea Mnemiopsis was created in contrast to the physical and chemical variables for which several comprehensive databases were created and made available for scientists. They are, for example, MEDAR/MEDATLAS project database (http://www.ifremer.fr/medar/) available on the CD-ROM, and the NATO SfP Black Sea ODBMS project database supported by the IMS-METU and available at the http://sfp1.ims.metu.edu.tr/ODBMSDB/. It is not a case for biological data. For Mnemiopsis, for example, only several datasets can be found within the NATO SfP Black Sea ODBMS project database that do not give a possibility to analyze in details the special distribution and long term variability of this important species.

The description of the Mnemiopsis leidyi database can be found in the paper published in the jornal Aquatic Invasions (2011) Volume 6, Issue 1.

The database provides a possibility to analyze in details the spatial distribution and the variability at different time scales of this important species from the time of its invasion into the Black Sea till nowadays. Access to the data loaded into the database is organized in accordance with the Agreement on “The Principles for Creation and Procedures for Future Utilization of the Black Sea Mnemiopsis leidyi and Beroe ovata Data Base”. Access to the loaded metadata is fully unrestricted.

Any questions related to the database and loaded data can be addressed to the database administrator. Please contact him as well if you would like your data or metadata to be loaded into the database.