The current state of the biota of lake Melkoe, Norilo-Pyasinsky water system

Abstract

The materials of studies of the ichthyofauna of Lake Melkoye (Norilo-Pyasinsky water system, Taimyr Peninsula) conducted intohe autumn of 2022 are presented. During the research period 9 zooplankton taxa were identified. The fauna consisted mainly of eurybionts and inhabitants of the northern and temperate zones. The average quantitative characteristics of zooplankton ranged from 199 to 470 ind./m3 and from 13.18 to 34.63 mg/m3. The maximum of zooplankton were noted at the first line of the lake due to the mass development of A. priodonta (85% of the population and 99% of the biomass. Benthic fauna of the lake is represented by 26 species widely distributed in the Palearctic and Holarctic. The biomass of the zoobenthos of the lake at a depth of 1–14 m varied from 0.51 to 3.77 g/m2, the number from 400 to 2240 ind./m2. In the littoral zone of the lake, at a depth of up to 0.5 m, zoobenthos was represented by single individuals.The biomass and abundance of benthic fauna were insignificant.The main contribution to the composition of the community was made by chironomid larvae (38% of the total biomass and 58% of the total abundance, respectively), Procladius ferrugineus dominated. Ichthyofauna included 17 species. The dominant group of fish species are Coregonus genus and pike (Esox lucius Linnaeus, 1758).