State of benthic communities of Vychegda River under influence of treated wastewater from pulp and paper industry
M. A. Baturina, E. B. Fefilova, O. A. Loskutova
Institute of Biology of Komi Science Centre of the UB of the RAS, Syktyvkar, Russia
Keywords: zoobenthos, aquatic invertebrates biodiversity, pulp and paper production treated wastewater, Vychegda River
Abstract
We characterized the composition and diversity of benthic communities, as well as the current ecological state of Vychegda River in the zone of influence of wastewater from a pulp and paper production. A high diversity of benthic fauna and quantitative indicators of its development which are not typical for benthic biocenoses in the middle reaches of Vychegda River were registered. In the composition of the zoobenthos, 23 taxonomic groups of benthic invertebrates were identified. For 7 model groups, we identified 125 species and forms, as well as a persistent complex of species dominating in the studied section of the river. The model groups were dominated by indicator species of о-β- and β-saprobic conditions. In general, the water quality assessment indices based on the composition and structure of benthic invertebrate communities characterize the state of the river at the monitoring site as “satisfactory”. An exception was the wastewater discharge points, where the role of indicator species of α- and polysaprobic conditions was higher and the values of most of the indices were significantly lower.
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