SOME FEATURES OF DISTRIBUTION AND USE OF DRAGONFLY LARVES (ODONATA) AS BIOINDICATORS OF AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT ALONG ALTITUDE VECTOR
The distribution of dragonfly larvae along the altitude vector and the possibilities of their use as bioindicators of the aquatic environment were studied. The altitudinal-belt distribution, ecologicalbiological and adaptive characteristics of dragonfly larvae showed that the larvae are distributed into eurytopic, stenotopic and oligotopic species. The distribution of dragonfly larvae over altitudinal belts, water bodies and their biotopes is different, it is interconnected with the characteristic physicochemical features of water bodies, which have different possibilities for preimaginal development by dragonflies up to metamorphosis and emergence of adults. In mountain water bodies, the background species is Ae cyanea Mull., whose larvae inhabit cold-water spring biotopes. The larvae of L. dryas Kirby dragonflies live in the foothill zone and prefer shallow-water biotopes. Larvae of E. najas Hans., L. sponsa Hans., Cr. erythraea Brulle, C. splendens Harr., G. vulgatissimus L. Larvae of three species of dragonflies are widespread along the altitude vector: C. puella L., L. depressa L., S. meridionale Selys.