THE SVETLY BROOK: TAXONOMIC DIVERSITY OF ITS BENTHIC FAUNA AND APPRAISAL OF ITS ENVIRONMENTAL STATE
The article is dedicated to the study of structural characteristics, namely species diversity, population, biomass, of the Svetly Brook’s zoobenthos and of its ponds located on the specially preserved natural territory called the Chernayev Forest. Investigations were conducted for two field seasons (the years 2013, 2014), on the route called the Environmental Pathway. The investigations included: (a) taxonomic composition of the Brook’s zoobenthos, (b) comparative characteristic of the zoobenthos on the basis of the two-year collections (2013-2014), (c) quality of the Brook’s water. The water quality was determined with use of zoobenthos organisms and of the Woodiwiss Biotic Index. The value of the Woodiwiss Biotic Index is high enough (7-8). On the strength of that, waters of the Svetly Brook may be regarded as clean enough.