Ichthyological investigations in the Department of Ichthyology and Hydrobiology in Saint-Petersburg State University (to the 90th anniversary of the Department)

The present article is dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the foundation of the Department of Ichthyology and Hydrobiology in Saint-Petersburg State University, as well as to the formation of ichthyological school by talented scientist and bestow teacher Professor Nikolai Lvovich Gerbilcky. The results of fundamental works which were fulfilled during much time when using the principle of ecological histophysiological analysis laid by N.L. Gerbilsky are shown in this article. Also the results of the analysis of species adaptations connecting with the reproduction of fishes and with survival of its progeny when using this new method were presented. The basic principles of the biotechnology of fish reproduction in industrial conditions were created because of these results. The sphere of the principles of morphological-physiological analysis were expended and continued by following leaders of the Department and Laboratories – the schoolers and the followers of N.L. Gerbilsky. The mechanisms of hormonal regulation of fish’s gametogenesis were studied and the patterns of phase changes in the regulation and ecological – physiological staging of fish’s gametogenesis were opened by B.N. Kazansky. Fundamental investigations of osmotic and ionic regulation in different species of acipenserids and salmonids from the perspective of ecological morphological physiology when using present experimental methods leaded up to the creation of new direction in the study of fish osmoregulation and its adaptation to water with different salinity by L.S. Krayushkina and her pupils and colleagues. The mechanisms of regulation of the gametogenesis and the functions of sex gonads, the differentiation of fish sex and the influence of extremal factors on the process of gameto- and gonad genesis in different fishes were investigated by G.M. Persov and his Laboratory of Experimental Ichthyology. The use and the development of the principle of Gerbilsky’s method outside the Department by his pupils were presented: in the creation of the theory of functional basis of fish migrations, in the studies of endocrine regulation of reproductive cycle in acipenserids and salmonids by I.A. Barannikova and colleagues of her Laboratory. Structural and functional peculiarities of hypothalamic-hypophysial neurosecreting system of fishes were studied by A.L. Polenov. The continuation of traditional ruse to the analysis of different fish adaptations were demonstrated in the investigations of the ichthyologists at present time.