DIMENSIONAL AND TAXONOMIC STRUCTURE OF FISH POPULATION OF THE KONDINSKAYA RIVERBED DEPRESSION

Abstract

On the basis of modern hydroacoustic techniques the article presents features of the dimensional-taxonomic structure and vertical distribution of fish in the water area of one of the largest riverbed depressions in the lower reaches of the Irtysh river - Kondinskaya (Khanty-Mansiysky district, Tyumen region, Russia). There have been analyzed the conditioned water column horizons: from the surface to the bottom < 10 m, 10-20 m, 20-30 m, > 30 m. Maximum depth of the riverbed in the studied period exceeded 43 m. Research work was done by software-hardware sonar system AsCor. To perform hydroacoustic survey from the small boat in the investigated water area there were made displacements on a grid of transects (in zigzags). Recorded information of the hydroacoustic survey was processed in the laboratory using special software programs AsCor and Taxonomy which enable remote dimensional-taxonomic identification of fish with calculation of their density and number. It has been established that in each subsequent depth horizon the proportion of planktivorous fish (Cyprinidae) decreased in direction from the surface to the bottom; the proportion of predatory fishes (Percidae, Coregonidae, Esocidae), and a group of unidentified fishes (Acipenseridae, Lotidae), on the contrary, increased. The features of vertical distribution and taxonomic structure in the water column of the riverbed depression is an element of the survival strategy, primarily for juveniles of planktivorous species. More than 90% of fish from the total recorded population are concentrated at depths up to 20 m. In the research period among the fish population of the riverbed depression cyprinids dominated, in the size groups there prevailed individuals with body lengths up to 15 cm.