SUCCESSION OF LITTORAL ZOOPLANKTON COMMUNITIES OF THE BAKSHALYNSKE RESERVOIR
Purpose. The most pressing current environmental issues of scientific research include the studies of ecosystems altered by human impact. Aquatic ecosystems are important for the stable functioning of communal, industrial, agricultural and energy sectors. One of the typical examples of human impact on aquatic ecosystems is the transformation of river systems in the cascades of reservoirs. In southern Ukraine, there is a South Ukrainian energy complex, for the optimization of functioning of which the lower part of the Bakshala river was transformed into the Bakshalinske reservoir. The aim of this work was to study the succession of changes that occur in the reservoir using the littoral zooplankton communities as an example. These aquatic organisms are basic ecological group, sensitive to changes in their habitats. Methodology. When collecting and preserving samples of littoral zooplankton and its subsequent processing and analysis in the laboratory, we used both the standard methods and an original method of the standardization of the selection of monitoring stations depending on the type and size of the reservoir. Findings. The paper examines the peculiarities of succession processes in a small canyon-shaped Bakshalynske reservoir at different stages of the formation and functioning of its biota. The peculiarities of the succession of zooplanktonic cenoses in this reservoir were investigated by analyzing the changes in species diversity, faunal, ecological and trophic spectra, quantitative indicators, dominant communities and complexes of littoral zooplanktonic species. Originality. The data on zooplankton and other groups of aquatic organisms for the Bakshalynske reservoir are absent, so all provided data are original and have a scientific novelty. In addition, when collecting the material, we used new methodological approaches regarding the standardization of the selection of monitoring stations depending on the type and size of the reservoir. Practical value. This work is the only source of information on succession changes caused by the creation of the Bakshalynske reservoir in the lower reaches of the Bakshala River. The reservoir is a part of the Southern energy complex reservoirs. Therefore, the study of the current state of the reservoir ecosystem with the aim of the identification of optimum conditions for their functioning and development, contributes to the energy security of Ukraine.