INFLUENCE OF RUNOFF AND FLOOD REGIME ON QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF BREAM JUVENILES (ABRAMIS BRAMA ORIENTALIS L.) IN THE EASTERN AND WESTERN PARTS OF THE VOLGA DELTA

Abstract

The paper presents the assessment results of the influence of hydrological conditions on the qualitative characteristics of bream juveniles in the Volga delta. The influence of factors (volume, hydrological characteristics of spring flood, temperature conditions) on the spawning periods of producers, duration of feeding of juveniles at spawning grounds, including viable ones, at the end of the hollow period has been traced. There have been presented the comparative data on the age, distribution and qualitative composition of larvae and juveniles obtained in the course of the research works at spawning grounds in different regions of the lower reaches of the Volga River in 2011-2017. The most favorable conditions for feeding on young bream have been found to form in the high-water years (2013 and 2016) and in the mid-water year (2017). Years 2011 and 2015 became critical for natural reproduction; years 2012 and 2014 were unfavorable. The highest size-weight characteristics of bream juveniles were observed by the end of the hollow period in the east of the delta in the arid and middle water years, and in high-water years they were found in the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain. The qualitative characteristics of bream in the east in low-water years were maximum in the upper zone, minimal - in the middle zone, in the western spawning grounds there was observed a reverse situation. In high-water years the highest values of bream juvenile size-weight parameters were observed in the middle zone in the east of the delta. In the mid-water year (2017) in the eastern part of the delta the maximum feeding results were observed in the lower zone, and in the spawning grounds of the western delta - in the middle zone. By the end of the feeding period in high-water years practically all bream juveniles (98.4%) reached the viable stage of development, and in arid years only 28.4% of bream juveniles reached the stage.