The Department of Biodiversity of Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems was established on September 1, 2026 by reorganizing and merging the two oldest departments of the Faculty of Biology with a longer and more glorious history - the Department of Botany, Plant Physiology and Horticulture and the Department of Zoology, Hydrobiology and General Ecology. Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor V. P. Stoylovsky was appointed Acting Head of the Department. The Department of Botany and the Department of Zoology, Comparative Anatomy of Novorossiysk University were established simultaneously with the foundation of the university in 1865.

History of the Department of Botany, Plant Physiology and Horticulture

The Department of Botany bore its name for almost 45 years after its foundation. For the next approximately 70 years it was divided into two departments: Morphology and Systematics of Plants and Anatomy and Physiology of Plants. Since 1978 it has been one Department of Botany again. The history of the Department is associated with the names of many outstanding botanists who have made a great contribution to the development of science, teaching methods and education of students.

The first head of the department was L. S. Tsenkovsky (1822-1887), who not only had a bright personality and could be an example of how, while devoting himself entirely to science, one can remain an attentive and curious person. He was the founder and first president of the Novorossiysk Society of Naturalists, an honorary member of almost all Russian natural history societies, the London Microbiological Society, a corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, and the German Botanical Society. His ideas and scientific achievements formed the basis for the creation and development of the departments of botany, hydrobiology, and microbiology of the university. He was the first to show the relationship between plants and animals, developed a method of vaccination against anthrax, etc. It was L. S. Tsenkovsky who founded a botanical laboratory at the Department of Botany and a hydrobiological station in Sevastopol. He was the first to introduce a microscope into the educational process, and was an excellent lecturer who could, in the words of I. I. Mechnikov, arouse a sacred fire in his listeners.

At the same time, O. O. Yanovich (1831-1871), who defended his doctoral dissertation on the problems of mycology, E. M. Delaryu – later a professor at Kharkiv University, I. F. Koshchuga, and M. K. Sredinsky – later a well-known specialist in railway plant plantations, worked at the department.

Ya. Ya. Valts (1841-1004) worked at Novorossiysk University in 1871-1881, first as an ordinary professor, and then as the head of the botany department. He was a bright scientist, a brilliant, talented person, a popularizer and organizer of science, president of the Novorossiysk Society of Naturalists. He was one of the first in Russia to study the problems of the ontogenesis of algae and fungi. V. A. Rotert named one of the species of yellow-green algae from the genus Vosheriya after him. At the same time, O. M. Volkov (1849-1928), whose research on the problems of geotropism was included in the famous textbook by A. Sachs, worked at the department. However, due to illness in 1880, he resigned and continued to be interested in painting. By the way, his paintings, which he painted under the surname Russov, were very successful, especially in England.

In 1880-1885, the Department of Botany and the Botanical Garden were headed by L. V. Reinhard (1847-1920), who initiated detailed algological studies of the region. His scientific interests included the morphology, structure and development of charophytes, volvoxes and diatoms. L. A. Rishavi (1851-1915) succeeded L. V. Reinhard as head of the Department of Botany in 1885. His scientific interests were related to the study of plant tropisms, the history of development, morphology and systematics of marine algae. It was he who suggested the Mediterranean origin of the Black Sea algal flora. His works on the problems of plant respiration were included in the textbooks of that time. At that time, the department was working on the description of the dendroflora of Bessarabia, M. D. Vakhtel on identifying problems of geotropism, V. F. Khmelevsky on studying the algology of Bessarabia, etc.

In 1893, the department was headed by F. M. Kamensky (1851-1912), a scientist who was interested in solving many problems, including the peculiarities of charophytes and the first description of such a phenomenon in plant life as mycorrhiza. Among other teachers of the department at that time, it is worth mentioning the name of a graduate of Novorossiysk University M. M. Albov (1855-1897) - later a famous researcher of the flora of South America, O. G. Henkel, later a professor of botany at Perm University, and others.

The heads of the Department of Plant Anatomy and Physiology in the 20th century were V. A. Rotert, V. V. Polovtsov, F. M. Porodko, G. A. Borovikov, S. I. Lebedev, M. V. Dombrovska, G. V. Tkachenko, and the heads of the Department of Plant Morphology and Systematics were B. B. Hrynevetsky, M. M. Zelenetsky, D. O. Svirenko, G. Y. Potapenko, and I. I. Pogrebnyak.

In 1978, the departments were merged into the Department of Botany, headed by V. T. Koval, from 1999 by G. A. Shvets, and from 2014 to the present, it has been headed by F. P. Tkachenko. In 2022, the department received a new name: Botany, Plant Physiology and Horticulture.

V. A. Rotert – a brilliant lecturer, an extremely hardworking and intelligent person, together with his students (later professors) – G. A. Borovikov, I. D. Shcherbak, F. M. Porodko laid the foundations for the further development of the doctrine of phytohormones. Among his outstanding students was also A. O. Sapegin (1888-1946) – later an academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, a graduate of Novorossiysk University, initially a biologist who was fond of mosses, and then an outstanding breeder and geneticist. A. M. Kryshtofovich (1885-1953) – later a full member of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, laureate of the USSR State Prize in 1946, an outstanding paleobotanist scientist, after graduating from the university he was at the department first as a professorial fellow (postgraduate student), and then worked as a laboratory assistant and associate professor.

Prof. B. B. Hrynewetsky (1875-1963) during his work at the university studied the flora and vegetation of the Caucasus, Poland, Lithuania and at the same time studied the stomata of plant leaves, where his works became classics. Later he became a full member of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the founder and first chairman of the Polish Botanical Society and the League for Nature Conservation.

I. V. Novopokrovsky (1880-1951) worked at Novorossiysk University in 1905-1906, studying the flora of the Odessa region. In the history of biology, he remained as a paleobotanist and botanist, an expert on the flora of Kazakhstan, a doctor of biological sciences, and the head of the Central Asian Herbarium at the Botanical Institute.

F. M. Porodko (1877-1948) head of the Department of Plant Anatomy and Physiology for over 30 years (1916-1948), dean of the Faculty of Biology, student of D. I. Ivanovsky, author of the two-volume book “Chemotropism of Roots”, a number of works on the problems of seed germination. By the way, the latter scientific direction was developed by his graduate students, later doctors of biological sciences, B. M. Avksentiev and A. I. Demina. This direction continues even now in modern research of the department.

Since 1916, I. L. Serbinov (1872-1925) – a famous mycologist, microbiologist, phytopathologist, founder of the study of bacterial plant diseases, author of many textbooks on microbiology – worked at the department.

M. M. Zelenetsky (1859-1923) headed the Department of Morphology and Systematics of Plants during the Civil War. He was a talented researcher, a famous florist and herbarium collector, an excellent lecturer and educator of youth. His students were O. M. Morozova-Popova, V. F. Pasternatska, L. D. Basarska, G. Y. Potapenko - later botanists known in the region and the country.

The Department of Morphology and Systematics was headed by D. O. Svirenko (1888-1944), one of the most prominent algologists, a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, a well-known scientific, pedagogical and public figure who formed an algological school in Odessa, where graduate students P. P. Shirshov, V. G. Tanfiliev, O. D. Andreev and others worked at the time, who achieved great success in science.

One of the most talented students of G. I. Tanfiliev, M. M. Zelenetsky, and V. V. Polovtsov was G. I. Potapenko (1889-1982), a graduate of Novorossiysk University, who headed the Department of Plant Morphology and Systematics from 1928 to 1943. His students included I. I. Pogrebnyak, A. Z. Zharenko, L. A. Shaposhnikova, M. V. Dombrovska, O. A. Gurska, and others. I. I. Pogrebnyak (1908-1982) – Doctor of Biological Sciences, Head of the Department of Morphology and Systematics of Plants for more than 30 years, a well-known algologist and expert on the flora of lower plants of the Odessa Bay of the Black Sea and Black Sea estuaries, a demanding researcher who educated future Doctors of Sciences, such as M. O. Guslyakov, F. P. Tkachenko, who continued the traditions of the teacher, many domestic and foreign postgraduate students. M. O. Guslyakov (1950-2004) – first a lecturer at the department, then Head of the Department of Hydrobiology in 1990-2004, author of over 100 scientific papers, scientific supervisor of candidate dissertations of V. P. Gerasymyuk, O. Nevrova and others. The problems of algal flora at the department were also studied by N. M. Pashkovska, O. A. Gurska, S. M. Milyutina, A. K. Arefieva, who also studied mushrooms and dendroflora, etc. Associate Professor A. Z. Zharenko made a great contribution to the study and enrichment of the dendroflora of the region, while L. A. Shaposhnikova, M. G. Kozhura studied the features of herbaceous plants, and Professor A. I. Dyomina studied the diversity of medicinal plants, especially wormwoods of southern Ukraine.

S. I. Lebedev (1904-1992) – rector of OSU and head of the Department of Plant Anatomy and Physiology in 1953-1959, researcher of the physiological action of trace elements, pigment systems and productivity of algae of the Black Sea. Scientific supervisor of the candidate dissertations of O. I. Sannikova (1926-1999), M. V. Golubtsova (1925-1974), I. O. Yartseva (1918-1997), who became associate professors of OSU, K. M. Sytnik and M. V. Morgun, who became academicians, and many other domestic and foreign scientists.

In 1959-1960, the Department of Plant Physiology was headed by M. V. Dombrovska, and then from 1961 to 1978 by Prof. G. V. Tkachenko, whose scientific interests were related to the study of physiological and biochemical reactions of grape plants to the use of physiologically active substances, trace elements, phosphorus fertilizers, etc. Among those whose work was carried out under his leadership, we recall the associate professors of the department V. T. Koval, G. A. Shvets, S. G. Kovalenko, later Doctor of Biological Sciences V. G. Kuryata and others.

As noted above, the unification of the departments took place in 1978 and the newly created Department of Botany was headed by V. T. Koval (1936-1999), who in 1982-1987 was the Dean of the Faculty of Biology. He was a highly decent, intelligent, demanding person to himself and others, a thorough researcher of the physiological action of trace elements, the influence of vitamins on the penetration of mitochondrial membranes, etc. From 1999 to 2014, the Department was headed by G. A. Shvets. Since 1978, the department has also been staffed by I. P. Ruzhytska (1937-2009), S. G. Kovalenko, S. E. Dyatlov, T. V. Vasilyeva, V. V. Nemertsalov, O. B. Kutsyn, M. O. Lesina, Z. E. Zakharieva, S. M. Milyutina, L. I. Yuleshkina. From 2014 to 2026, the head of the department was Professor F. P. Tkachenko. For a long time, the staff of the Department of Botany, Plant Physiology and Horticulture included associate professors V. P. Gerasymyuk, O. B. Pauzer, O. M. Popova, O. M. Ruzhytska, O. Yu. Bondarenko, A. O. Kadurina, V. O. Kuznetsov, I. P. Yakuba, Yu. S. Nazarchuk, as well as L. V. Mursanova and Yu. V. Rybak.

In 2018, the department began training specialists in specialty 206 “Landscaping”. The main contribution to its formation belongs to associate professors Yu. S. Nazarchuk and A. O. Kadurina.

History of the Department of Zoology, Hydrobiology and General Ecology

The Department of Zoology, Comparative Anatomy and Physiology in 1865 consisted of several departments and educational units:

• Zoological Department, with a laboratory and museum.
• Zooanatomical Department, with a laboratory.
• Physiological Department.

At that time, professors D. A. Baikov and I. A. Markusen worked here.

Extraordinary Professor of Zoology D. A. Baikov worked at the department for only one academic year (1865/1866), although he supervised the practical work of zoology students until the end of 1866. He is known to us as a researcher of the estuaries around Odessa. D. A. Baikov transferred 5421 exhibits to the museum according to the description.

Ordinary Professor of Zoology I. A. Markusen began the organization of zoological and zooanatomical departments, as well as the creation of animal collections in the museums of Novorossiysk University. Thus, thanks to his efforts, the University Council allocated a lot of funds for the purchase of furniture, equipment and utensils for departments and laboratories. I. A. Markusen was also one of the first organizers of the zoological museum. As a specialist zoologist I. A. Markusen is known for his experiments on the study of the anatomical structure of teeth, kidneys and elements of the nervous system of various vertebrates, the fauna of marine invertebrates of the Odessa Bay.

I. I. Mechnikov, whom he invited to the position of assistant professor at INU, worked on the problems of the development of the pelagic fauna of the Black Sea, for example, he discovered unknown moments in the development of the larval form of Phoronis and obtained new information about the pylidia of nemertines and young polychaetes.

In the same zoological laboratory worked a talented student of Professor I. A. Markuzen V. I. Shmankevych. It was he, while studying in 1866-1870 at the department, who began to study the fauna of Odessa estuaries. In his experiments, V. I. Shmankevych paid special attention to the influence of salinity on the organisms of small crustaceans from the Khadzhibeysky and Kuyalnytsky estuaries, studying their morphological features in detail. He established the ecological relationship of the structure and forms of crustaceans from the level of salinity and investigated this experimentally.

After the move of full-time associate professor I. I. Mechnikov to St. Petersburg University, through the efforts of his friend and colleague, associate professor O. F. Stewart, a histological laboratory was opened, in which students had the opportunity to study the structural features of marine animals at the microlevel.

For a short period of time, all departments of the department were headed by full-time associate professor, doctor of medicine N. Y. Bernshtein. It was he, and thanks to the active efforts of museum curator I. M. Vidhalm, who managed to organize the already collected collections and systematize all available drugs.

In 1870, I. I. Mechnikov returned to Novorossiysk University and took up the position of head of the zoological department with a laboratory and museum, which he held until 1882. At that time, I. I. Mechnikov was already a well-known embryologist-researcher, so he continued his own scientific research in this direction. I. I. Mechnikov carried out experiments in the laboratory to study the development of jellyfish, siphonophores, millipedes, sponges, and planaria. I. I. Mechnikov was also engaged in anthropological research and helped local zemstvo employees fight against pests of grain crops (the Kuz beetle), having studied fungal diseases of insects. This allowed him to indicate a method of combating this pest using muscardine.

I. I. Mechnikov invited two scientists who were world-famous specialists to work with him — O. O. Kovalevsky and I. M. Sechenov.

Ordinary Professor of Zoology O. O. Kovalevsky worked in Odessa from 1874 to 1890. He proved himself as an administrator: vice-rector in 1877-1878 and head of the zootomic office with a laboratory and museum in 1874-1890. As a researcher, the scientist conducted diverse embryological and comparative anatomical studies of animals of various systematic groups, starting from the simplest to the lowest chordates.

I. M. Sechenov from 10.04.1871 was the head of the physiological department with a well-equipped laboratory. It was here that the full professor conducted various studies on the study of various organs and systems in the organisms of animals with dissimilar ecology and systematics: reptiles (crocodiles), mammals (ungulates, predators, etc.). In particular, in 1872-1873 he studied the process of carbon dioxide absorption by the blood. Together with I. I. Mechnikov, he educated very talented students who later continued the research activities of their teachers at the department - P. A. Spiro (1844-1893) and V. M. Rep'yakhov (1852-1905).

From the fall of 1882 to the summer of 1897, the zoological department, together with the laboratory and museum, was headed by Professor V. V. Zelensky. During his many years of teaching, he carried out a significant amount of scientific work in the field of comparative embryology and anatomy, paleozoology, and organized a zoological museum at the level of the best European universities.

From 1890 to 1897, the zootomic department with a laboratory and museum was headed by extraordinary professor V. M. Rep'yakhov. He conducted comparative embryological research: he studied the development of bryozoans, worms, and the fauna of soft-bodied animals from the Mediterranean. As an ordinary professor (since 1897), he created the only zoological laboratory at the university, where he actively introduced histological methods of studying many morphological features of animals.

After V. M. Rep'yakhov, Professor P. M. Buchinsky (1897-1911) worked in the zootomic office, museum and laboratory at the department. He actively studied the fauna of unicellular animals in the Black Sea and estuaries around Odessa. In 1902, the scientist managed to create a marine zoological station, which was located on the coast of the Small Fountain of the Odessa Bay of the Black Sea. The station was officially opened in September 1904. It was here that Buchinsky and many of his students (M. V. Kudelin, M. G. Lignau, K. Kysilevych, O. Yatsenkovsky) studied various representatives of the Black Sea marine fauna. Pyotr Mykolayovych, as an excellent teacher, achieved the opening of a student biology club in 1904 and was its first president until 1911. Both the station and the zoology department were real centers of scientific research for young scientists and a platform where they gave their first reports on their fruitful scientific research. Dozens of future professors, corresponding members, and academicians of various Academy of Sciences of the world graduated from the university.

And from 1912 to 1916, the above-mentioned structures were headed by the acting extraordinary professor, and in 1916–1920 by the acting ordinary professor D. K. Tretyakov, who in the period 1912–1919 was also the secretary of the physics and mathematics faculty. The scientist did an extraordinary lot for the development of the zootomic office during the difficult period of its development: he created a special museum of comparative anatomy at it, expanded the zootomic laboratory, enriching it with equipment for morphological, comparative anatomical and histological studies. Tretyakov performed these studies brilliantly himself and involved his students in them (O. R. Prendel, M. O. Zagorovsky, D. L. Rubinstein, etc.). Later, the professor created a special museum of medical zoology, was the third president of the student biology club, and was involved in the reconstruction of the marine zoological station. Since September 1918, he also took care of the zoological museum and the office with the laboratory. And in 1920-1921, he created and headed the Odessa Museum of Natural History until 1938.

The zoological department with a museum and laboratory from 1897 to 1920 was headed by: ordinary professor V. M. Rep'yakhov, then in positions from extraordinary to honored professor (1905-1918) Ya. M. Lebedinsky. The latter continued comparative embryological studies of animals, especially nemertines, crabs, and bryozoans. He enriched the museum with rare exhibits from various zoological firms in Europe. Ya. M. Lebedinsky was succeeded by acting ordinary professor D. K. Tretyakov, who protected the zoological museum from destruction during the civil war.

In 1920-1930 the university was temporarily closed. On its basis three independent institutes were formed: medical, physical-mathematical and humanitarian-social. From the last two the Odessa Institute of Public Education and the scientific-research Zoological-Biological Institute at the All-Ukrainian Academy of Sciences were created. Professors D. K. Tretyakov, M. G. Lignau, O. O. Brauner, S. M. Morin taught at the departments of the institute. All of them conducted their own special research and involved students in extensive faunal experiments in experimental marine zoology and paleozoology.

In 1930, the work of the classical university was resumed. In 1933, the Department of Hydrobiology was separated from the Zoological Department. Its first head was Professor M. O. Zagorovsky, an expert on estuaries and one of the initiators of biocenotic research in the Odessa Bay. After his death in 1934, the department was headed by Associate Professor O. K. Makarov. Under his leadership, the study of fish and benthos of the northwestern part of the Black Sea, and the study of estuaries were carried out.

Until 1937, there was a single Department of Zoology, headed by Academician D. K. Tretyakov, the first dean of the newly formed Faculty of Biology in the period 1933-1939. He began ecological and morphological research at the department.

Since 1937, there have been two zoological departments:
— Invertebrate Zoology, headed in 1937—1976 by Professor, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine M. P. Savchuk, members of the department — Professor-Entomologist O. M. Kyrychenko, Associate Professor S. M. Morin, and others;
— Vertebrate Zoology, headed in 1937—1941 by Professor, Academician of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine D. K. Tretyakov, members of the department — Associate Professors G. I. Konoplyov, K. T. Breneyza, M. M. Zhukov, P. I. Dmytrashko, and others. The director of the zoological museum in 1941 was Professor O. O. Brauner.
The departments conducted a significant amount of scientific and pedagogical work, carried out significant research activities in the laboratories of morphology and faunistics, the marine zoological station, the Quarantine Station, and other institutions of Odessa.

From 1941 to 1944, the university was evacuated. Both zoological departments during the evacuation were headed by Professor M. P. Savchuk, first in the city of Maikop (1941–1942), and later in the city of Bayram-Ali (1942–1944), where the staff of the departments carried out a significant amount of both pedagogical and applied scientific work. Not all teachers and students were able to leave Odessa during the evacuation. The Department of Zoology of the University of Transnistria in occupied Odessa was headed by Professor O. R. Prendel (1888–1970), and the work of the zoological museum was supervised by Professor S. A. Nikitin (1899–1956). It was they who managed to preserve many rare exhibits from the collections of the Department of Zoology and the museum, which could not be evacuated.

After the war, both departments, headed by their heads, continued their diverse scientific and pedagogical work:
• Department of Invertebrates, headed by M. P. Savchuk, V. D. Sevastyanov (1976—1986);
• Department of Vertebrates, headed by I. I. Puzanov (1947—1971), L. F. Nazarenko (1971—1985).
In the postwar years, Professor I. I. Puzanov led comprehensive studies of the estuaries of the Northwestern Black Sea Region. Active study of the fauna of new and old forest plantations and their role in steppe biocenoses began. Much attention was paid to the study of bird migrations and the conditions in which they occur, especially in connection with the development of the air fleet. Professor I. I. Puzanov played a major role in the creation and protection of many reserves and sanctuaries. This renowned scientist was a brilliant organizer of scientific research for the entire staff of the Department of Zoology.

The Department of Vertebrate Zoology was successfully worked by a recognized specialist-ornithologist, Professor F. I. Strautman. Professor O. P. Andriyko worked at the Department for a considerable time. She was a profound scientist and an excellent teacher-methodologist. For the large volume of scientific work carried out in practical zoology and active research activities in the study of a separate systematic group of Acari (mites), Professor V. D. Sevastyanov received the State Prize in 1980.

In 1986, the departments of vertebrate and invertebrate zoology were merged with the department of hydrobiology. The newly formed department of zoology and hydrobiology was headed by Professor V. D. Sevastyanov. In 1990, a separate department of zoology continued to operate under his leadership. Since 1992, the department of zoology has been headed by a leading specialist in contemporary environmental problems, a follower of Professor I. I. Puzanov, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor V. P. Stoylovsky.

At the Department of Zoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, a number of talented scientists and teachers worked. Associate Professor A. I. Korzyukov developed ornithological research in the region and in Ukraine as a whole. He was a co-founder of the Azov-Black Sea ornithological group, head of the Ornithological Society of Ukraine; it was he who in 1970 began to conduct active research on bird migrations on Zmiiniy Island. Associate Professor O. K. Furman was engaged in research on the biology of soil inhabitants. For many years, Olga Karpivna was the deputy dean of the Faculty of Biology for academic work. Associate Professor S. F. Uzhevskaya paid attention to the problems of plant protection, studied mites and insects that are pests. Senior Lecturer V. F. Mykytyuk was a specialist arachnologist. Senior Lecturer O. F. Krutogolova studied arthropods that live in the soil. Currently, zoological research at the department is conducted by associate professors D. A. Kivganov, Yu. M. Oliynyk, S. Ya. Pidgorna, K. Y. Chernychko, O. O. Kovtun, and Yu. V. Karavansky. The main areas of their research are acarology, helminthology, ornithology, morphology, ichthyology, and nature conservation.

After the re-evacuation of the university in 1944, the Department of Hydrobiology was headed by Professor O. R. Prendel, known for his studies of the malaria mosquito and the development of methods for combating malaria in the Northern Black Sea region, and hydrobiological studies of fish ponds. In 1955–1971, the head of the Odessa Hydrobiological Station of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Professor K. O. Vinogradov, worked at the department. In 1964–1965, he served as the head of the department. On his initiative, a general course "General Hydrobiology" was introduced into the curriculum. At the same time, the university acquired a vessel for scientific research at sea.

In 1965, the department was headed by Professor F. S. Zambriborshch, an ichthyologist and hydrobiologist. In 1966, he defended his doctoral dissertation. The organizer of scientific research at the department in aquatic toxicology. From 1967 to 1975, the department was worked by ichthyologist Professor Viktor Serhiyovych Chepurnov, who paid much attention to the study of the biology and dynamics of fish abundance in the Danube-Dniester interfluve and the northwestern part of the Black Sea.

In the early 1980s, the department was headed by Professor M. P. Novikov, an ichthyologist with extensive experience in the World Ocean and the Black Sea. In 1986, the Department of Hydrobiology was merged with the Department of Zoology, and in 1990, the department again became independent under the name of the Department of Hydrobiology and General Ecology, headed by Associate Professor M. O. Guslyakov (1990-2004). From 2005 to 2015, the department was headed by Associate Professor V. V. Zamorov, Dean of the Faculty of Biology since 2006. Since 2015, the head of the Department of Hydrobiology and General Ecology has been Doctor of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor V. O. Lobkov.

At the Department of Hydrobiology and General Ecology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, teachers and staff conducted various studies. Senior Lecturer A. O. Snigireva studied the microphytobenthos of the Black Sea. Senior Lecturer O. V. Chernyavsky was engaged in research on marine macrozoobenthos. Associate Professor M. A. Vinnikova was a specialist in ichthyoplankton. Assistant Professor L. D. Babanina, Assistant Professor L. S. Garba, Assistant Professor V. A. Malakhovsky, Senior Lecturer N. I. Belenkova also worked at the department.

An important unit is the hydrobiological station, headed by Associate Professor O. O. Kovtun for many years. The presence of the station allows the department's specialists to conduct research, carry out student internships, and collect material for scientific works.

In 2022, the Department of Zoology and the Department of Hydrobiology and General Ecology will form a single Department of Zoology, Hydrobiology and General Ecology under the leadership of Professor V. P. Stoylovsky.

Graduates of the department worthily continue the traditions laid down at Novorossiysk University. Over the years of its existence, the department has trained many scientists and teachers who work in many countries of the world. The scientific areas that are currently being developed combine the study of terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna, conservation work, landscape design and horticulture.