Analyzing the fauna of planktonic organisms of aquatic ecosystems in Penza region 

Viktoriya A. Senkevich, Candidate of biological sciences, associate professor of the sub-department of zoology and ecology, Penza State University (40 Krasnaya street, Penza, Russia), viktoriya0606@mail.ru
Tamara G. Stoyko, Candidate of biological sciences, associate professor, associate professor of the sub-department of zoology and ecology, Penza State University (40 Krasnaya street, Penza, Russia), tgstojko@mail.ru
Julija A. Pastuchova, Postgraduate student, Lomonosov Moscow State University (building 12, 1 Leninskiye gory street, Moscow, Russia), yuliya.pastukhova.98@mail.ru
Yuri A. Mazei, Doctor of biological sciences, professor, Vice-Rector for International Affairs, professor of the sub-department of general ecology and hydrobiology, Lomonosov Moscow State University (building 12, 1 Leninskie gory street, Moscow, Russia), yurimazei@mail.ru

Background. Studying the fauna of aquatic organisms in various types of ecosystems within the region is necessary to understand the role of biodiversity in the ecosystem functioning. The purpose of the study is to conduct an inventory of the fauna of zooplankton organisms in the aquatic ecosystems of Penza region. Materials and methods. To describe the species composition and occurrence of zooplankton organisms, we used the original database on the species structure of zooplankton communities accumulated over the period 1993–2022. The species composition of zooplankton communities was analyzed in seven groups of different types of water bodies: watercourses with insignificant anthropogenic influence, watercourses with high anthropogenic influence, floodplain water bodies, watershed water bodies, dammed water bodies, dug water bodies, and the Penza reservoir. Results. During 30 years of research, 387 zooplankton species were found in the Penza region: found in all types of ecosystems. About 45% of zooplankton species were very rare (occurrence less than 1%), among them the cladocera Eurycercus macrocanthus, which is also rare for the European part of Russia, and the rotifer Aspelta angusta, recorded in the Volga region for the first time. Some species belong to the southern complex: the rotifer Keratella valga and cladocerans Dunhevedia crassa, Tretocephala ambigua. For the first time, the rotifer Synchaeta kitina was found in the city Arbekovsky pond, which supplements the list of cold-loving species (genus Notholca, Conochiloides natans, Synchaeta tremula, Cyclops kolensis) discovered earlier. Conclusions. Due to the fact that in recent years the amount of studied aquatic ecosystems has been significantly expanded, the list of zooplankton species has increased by 126 taxa compared to that noted 17 years ago (Stoyko and Mazei, 2005).

zooplankton communities, Rotifera, Cladocera, Copepoda, watercourses, reservoirs, aquatic ecosystems, middle Volga region

Senkevich V.A., Stojko T.G., Pastukhova Yu.A., Mazei Yu.A. Analyzing the fauna of planktonic organisms of aquatic ecosystems in Penza region. Izvestiya vysshikh uchebnykh zavedeniy. Povolzhskiy region. Estestvennye nauki = University proceedings. Volga region. Natural sciences. 2023;(1):14–41. (In Russ.). doi:10.21685/2307-9150- 2023-1-2