Status of Local Populations of Isolated Mountain Lakes in the Altai by Histological Parameters and Elemental Composition of the Eye Lens of Peled Fish <i>Coregonus peled</i>

Abstract

This paper examines the state of the population of a native fish species in three lakes of the Altai Mountains. Analysis of the age and weight composition showed that in the studied water bodies in conditions of oligotrophic mountain lakes the pelad Coregonus peled Gmelin, 1788 population showed different growth dynamics. The age distribution of fish varied in different lakes, so in Lake Kedelu-Kol individuals of four age groups (1+ …4+) were present, and in Lake Kidelu only yearlings were caught. Histological examination of the liver and gills of fish showed the absence of significant abnormalities, both of parasitic and toxicological nature. Calculation of the histopathological index showed that the prevalence and severity of pathological abnormalities were significantly lower (p  0.05) in Lake Kidelu. The analysis of the elemental composition of peled lens confirmed the absence of a significant level of pollution in the studied water bodies and the high quality of the aquatic environment. The presence in some samples of trace amounts of heavy metals may be associated with the geomorphological features of the region involved in the formation of the hydrochemical composition of the water of the studied lakes. The data obtained in the study indicate that the peled populations in the isolated mountain lakes of the