MACROZOOBENTHOS OF THE NYZHNIODNIPROVSKYI NATIONAL NATURE PARK LAKES AS PART OF BIODIVERSITY MONITORING ON ACTUAL AND POTENTIAL PERMANENT SAMPLE PLOTS

Abstract

The work presents the research materials of the macrozoobenthos of the floodplain reservoirs of the Lower Dnipro, which are located in the territory of the Nyzhniodniprovskyi National Nature Park. The research was carried out in 2014-2020 on the following water bodies: Lake Sabetskyi Liman, Lake Kruhle, Lake Zakitne, Lake Liahushache. In the lakes Sabetskyi Liman, Kruhle and Zakitne there are currently Permanent Sample Plots (PSP) of the Nyzhniodniprovskyi NNP, intended for biodiversity monitoring of water invertebrates. Lake Liahushache is considered as a potential water body for laying a new PSP. The relevant research years were chosen taking into account the possibility of tracking the seasonal dynamics of the development of the macrozoobenthos of these reservoirs. In the work, indicators of the quantitative development of macrozoobenthos organisms of the studied water bodies are analyzed, in particular, the density and biomass of individual faunal groups and the species composition of benthic invertebrates is described. An analysis of a number of biotic and abiotic factors that had an impact on benthic invertebrate fauna in the studied water bodies was carried out. The leading role played by the type of bottom sediments in the formation of bottom fauna was noted. The described water bodies are located in the eastern (Lake Sabetskyi Liman), central (Lake Kruhle and Lake Zakitne) and western (Lake Liahushache) parts of the Dnipro estuary, which makes it possible to fully characterize the area of floodplain lakes of the Nyzhniodniprovskyi NNP. An important aspect is the fact that these reservoirs differ significantly in terms of the period of external water exchange, which complements the complex nature of monitoring studies. The materials of the work make it possible to recommend the inclusion of Lake Liahushache in the list of research water objects of the Nyzhniodniprovskyi NNP with the establishment of a corresponding Permanent Sample Plots for further monitoring in case of favorable conditions.