Benthic fauna of the Pestovskoe Reservoir, Moscow Region, Russia

The relevance of this study stems from the need for regular monitoring of the food supply and ecological status of important fishery water bodies, such as the Pestovskoe Reservoir within Moscow's water supply system. The study aimed to analyze the qualitative and quantitative composition of benthic macroinvertebrates (macrozobenthos) in the Pestovskoe Reservoir during the summer period to assess its forage potential. The study included a field stage for sampling zoobenthos at five stations with different bottom sediment types and degrees of overgrowth, using a grab sampler, followed by a laboratory stage involving species identification and calculation of quantitative indicators (abundance and biomass). The article presents data on the current state of the benthic fauna in the Pestovskoe Reservoir. Samples were collected at five locations located at different depths. A systematic characterization of the benthic fauna is provided, comprising 10 taxa belonging to three phyla (Mollusca, Arthropoda, Annelida). It was established that the abundance and biomass indicators of the benthos depend on the sediment type: abundance was higher in silty sediments than in sandy ones. The dominant group in terms of forage benthos abundance was oligochaetes, while in terms of biomass it was caddisfly larvae. The average biomass of the forage zoobenthos was 12.90 g/m². The Pestovskoe Reservoir is characterized as a highly productive water body with a favorable food supply for benthophagous fish.

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